Dusted crickets

[kianna2118]

How often should you dust the crickets? Once a week ? or everyday. Someone told me i should dust cricket every day instead of once a week. I have calcuim w/ D3 and calcium with D3 and vitamins. Could use a list that will be helpful thanks.

 

[Minihuey]

I guess it depends on how old your cham is

I am going to quote this right from the "Chameleons in Captivity" book by Connie Dorval


"Insects should be coated with supplement before being offered to the cham. Female and juveniles should have their insects coated every feeding, while adult males require a third less, therefore coat the insects 4 to five days a week."

"Vitamin supplement should be used once a week"

I took this from page 24 and 25 of the diet chapter.


Personally, I give my chams a varied diet of Dubias, phenix worms, crickets along with putting them outside twice a week.

I dust the babies every day and the adults like every couple of days. They are healthy and growing pretty fast...

Hope that helps.

 

[kianna2118]

Should i dust once a day or once a week ? I dust my crickets and slightly the Phoenix worms. As what i have as of today. Waiting for the good stuff from mulberry farms. thanks

 

[Minihuey]

once a day is fine.

You do not have to dust phenix works because they are high in calcium. I have heard that if you have those in your cham diet then you can take them off of D3 already but I still dust my crickets with d3 like once a week.

Some of the senior members can give you a great dusting schedule though everyone says something different unfortunately.

 

[Minihuey]

oh and be careful with the vitamin supplement. Everyone says only dust with that once a month.... vitamin overload can be bad for your chameleon.

 

[kinyonga]

Exposure to UVB either from an appropriate UVB light or direct sunlight allows the chameleon to produce D3 which allows it to use the calcium in its diet. The UVB from the sun or the bulb should not pass through glass or plastic.

Many/most of the feeder insects we use have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous...so dusting at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder helps to make up for this.

Preformed vitamin A...and D3 from supplements can build up in the system...so those ones you have to be careful with. Vitamin A from beta carotene (prOformed) won't build up in the system because only the amount needed should be converted, but its not proven whether any/all chameleons can convert it or not..so some people give a little prEformed vitamin A once in a while. Excess prEformed vitamin A can build up (as I said) and prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. Some of the species of chameleons are more sensitive to vitamins than others.
Many people use vitamins (with a beta carotene source of vit. A) and phos. free calcium/D3 twice a month lightly.

Gutloading/feeding your insects a nutritious diet will also help provide the chameleon with the nutrients it needs...as will appropriate temperatures which allow for proper digestion.

Here are some sites that may help you to understand it better...
http://web.archive.org/web/20060421.../index.php?show=6.Vitamin.D3.and.Calcium.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20060502...rnals.com/vet/index.php?show=5.Vitamin.A.html
http://chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=102
http://chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=93
http://chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=96