CJ's Exotics
Chameleon Enthusiast
That is odd.
Dubai's breeding and dirt eating..??
- Thread starter Kristen99
- Start date
Curlytails
Established Member
Dont worry too much about it unless he stops eating and drinking and shows signs of stress. If so take him to the vet.
Kristen99
Avid Member
I do have two sources of uvb for him as well do you think that would make up for the every other day cal intake? The last thing I want is for him to develop mbd. The first source comes from the solar glow that is located hanging from the ceiling on the left hand side of the enclosure the second is the linner uvb 10.0 located on the right I have it tilted up a tad so it isn't directly laying flat on the top of the screen.
Exposure to the UVB allows the chameleon to produce D3. D3 is a transporter....carries calcium to the bones...so there has to be calcium there for it to transport...so no....having extra UVB will not keep your chameleon from getting MBD if there's not enough calcium. Things have to be in balance...for bone health that especially means phosphorus, calcium, D3 and vitamin A.
Kristen99
Avid Member
You have kept chameleons much longer than myself what do you suggest
Curlytails
Established Member
Mbd isnt one disease but a cluster of bone problems. Calcium deficiency and d3 deficiency being the biggest problems. Always provide calcium and a quality uvb bulb. Strip lights are reccomended
What I have now for many years is dust the insects just before feeding them to the chameleon with a phosphorus-free calcium powder lightly to make up for the poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus found in the common feeder insects. I've dusted twice a month with a phosphorus-free calcium/D3 powder to ensure the chameleon gets some D3 from supplements and leaving it to produce the rest from it's exposure to the UVB it gets. D3from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to the UVB light won't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of the UVB at will. I also dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A. I use one with a prOformed source because that form of vitamin A won't build up in the system so you don't have to worry about it. However...this leaves it up to you to decide when/if you should use a prEformed source of vitamin A sometimes.
I feed and gutload the insect with the greens and veggies and bit of fruit so that the insects will be healthy. I try to do things naturally if possible...no orange cubes, no store made feeds, etc.
If you do all of this and your chameleon is still eating the soil/dirt then it needs further investigation.
Hope this helps!
I feed and gutload the insect with the greens and veggies and bit of fruit so that the insects will be healthy. I try to do things naturally if possible...no orange cubes, no store made feeds, etc.
If you do all of this and your chameleon is still eating the soil/dirt then it needs further investigation.
Hope this helps!
Kristen99
Avid Member
Linner bulbs are recommended I think that's what you mean. Again I am giving him dusting feeders every other day with calcium withought d3. The solar glow bulb is more of a basking light with the option of uvb for him my enclosure is 24x24x48 and I have tons of foliage from top to bottom the extra uvb is so that it covers more of an area rather than being blocked by leaves surrounding the top. Gives more of a coverage of uvb for his enclosure and provides a basking spot so to clarify I do have the solar glow and the linner uvb in a hood with the plastic removed.
Curlytails
Established Member
If he looks healthy and isnt lethargic he could just be curious. Keep an eye on him☺
@Kristen99 ...you said..."Calcium withought d3 every other feeding" ...I thought you meant you skipped a feeding...are you dusting all the feeders but just feeding every other day or only dusting half the feeders in total?
Kristen99
Avid Member
Thank you it's always a pleasure hearing from you!
I didn't mean to freak everyone out about the dirt eating this was the first time he's done it I was just curious about the behavior behind this hah. But I will definitely be making some adjustments.
Is it possible I was over dusting the feeders to cause the white expell from the nostrils? I am curious about this. He has RO water that I have in his dripper and mister. So I am wondering why the expelling of salts mins ect was so prominent in (the photos I posed) and now is very clear.
Kristen99
Avid Member
I dust all the feeders one day then do not dust the next day and so on and so forth he has a variety to eat from through the week as well I don't like to stick to one feeder.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Eating dirt isn't that uncommon. Idt there is an exact answer for why they do it, but just do as everyone here said and he should be fine. Impaction is a myth pretty much, it happens, but from what I've seen is almost always from swallowing something way too large(like a rock) or being sick/dehydrated. I wouldn't worry. Just get the supplementing and gutloading dialed in.
Curlytails
Established Member
Have any of you guys dusted feeders with repashy calcium plus LoD?
Kristen99
Avid Member
He has alway used RO water from the day i brought him home.
Ken 2414...This was said by a vet and there's no mention of calcium....
"A number of species have nasal salt glands for excretion of sodium and chloride in response to an osmotic load. White crusty deposits may be seen around the nares of chameleons as well as green iguanas and other lizards and are normal findings. Certain species also secrete potassium as well as sodium, and chloride or bicarbonate. The system helps to conserve water while ridding the body of excess minerals."...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/02NovDonoghue.html
Here's a little more info....
Post #21...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/white-stuff-my-chameleons-nostrils-15192/index3.html
Post #3...
http://www.captivebredreptileforums.co.uk/chameleons/14926-veiled-chameleons.html
Just thought the water might have something to do with it.
"A number of species have nasal salt glands for excretion of sodium and chloride in response to an osmotic load. White crusty deposits may be seen around the nares of chameleons as well as green iguanas and other lizards and are normal findings. Certain species also secrete potassium as well as sodium, and chloride or bicarbonate. The system helps to conserve water while ridding the body of excess minerals."...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/02NovDonoghue.html
Here's a little more info....
Post #21...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/white-stuff-my-chameleons-nostrils-15192/index3.html
Post #3...
http://www.captivebredreptileforums.co.uk/chameleons/14926-veiled-chameleons.html
Just thought the water might have something to do with it.
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