Dusting and gut loading - are both necessary?

ponderingky

New Member
Hey all,

I have been searching for this and not been able to find it. I am in the final stages of cage completion and will be ordering a Carpet Chameleon from Kevin in a week or so (waiting on more equipment to arrive). I have been reading and learning so much from all the information on this site - so glad I found it.

My question is if I gut load feeders with calcium and vitamins do I still need to dust them and if so how often. This may have already been discussed - if someone would provide me the link I would greatly appreciate it. Just trying to learn all I can before I get my new addition.

Thanks,

Andy Dixon
 
Yes, as they each fill different roles in the chameleons development.

Im unsure of what sort of supplementation is used in general on Furcifer lateralis, but all chameleons seem to benefit from a well gutloaded food source.

Changing up what is used to gutload, and what insect is being fed off, provides a wide variety of nutrition to the animal.

Supplementing sort of picks up any slack, and is just there for good measure.

A lot of feeders have an inappropriate calcium to phosphorus ratio. This impedes calcium absorption. So a light dusting of calcium can balance it to where it is useful (2:1/Cal:phos).

D3 can be used, in appropriate amounts if an animal is kept indoors. However, naturally accrued D3 is safer, and best, as it cant be overdosed on, and is made from a natural process the animal is designed to facilitate.
Supplemented D3 builds up in the animals body, and will be used first until depleted, before the animal begins to generate its own again. Too much, and it will cause health issues, and maybe death.

A multi-vitamin is also there, just to make for sure the animal is getting the things it needs. Not as a sole source of, or replacement for proper nutrition being provided.

So theres a general gist of the idea. It would be bet to talk to Kevin, and find out how he goes about gutloading and supplementation. Im sure he would have all the info you need for that specific species...
 
My question is if I gut load feeders with calcium and vitamins do I still need to dust them and if so how often.

It depends :)

If you gutload a butterworm or terrestrial isopod well, there is no need to dust it with any supplement. Butterworms and TI are naturally high in calcium, and gutloading provides for the vitamins.

A cricket or roach, when well gutloaded, likely only needs a light calcium dusting (even choosing high calcium gutloads is unlikely to sufficient to correct the phosphorous calcium balance). Possibly some occassional vitamin use as well, just to be sure / round out what you may be missing via gutload

you may find these links useful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html

Changing up what is used to gutload, and what insect is being fed off, provides a wide variety of nutrition to the animal.
I totally agree. The more variety in prey choice and gutload, the better.
 
Ok - Thanks Carol - I just don't want to over do it. I had a fischers years ago and learned A LOT from my mistakes.

Your supplement schedule for a carpet will be different than for your old Fischer. Montane chams use less. You'll be using more for the carpet. But to answer your question, gut load really well and dust. I've never owned a carpet so I'm not positive on what the "usual" is
 
Thx for all the replies - I am sure Kevin has a care sheet (I read his awesome thread on carpets) so I will follow his instructions. Oh - great links, thanks so much. I am reading until my eyes bleed (or it feels like it), so much to learn.
 
Thx for all the replies - I am sure Kevin has a care sheet (I read his awesome thread on carpets) so I will follow his instructions. Oh - great links, thanks so much. I am reading until my eyes bleed (or it feels like it), so much to learn.

Good for you. Glad to hear you're learning first, then buying!
 
Hey Sticktongue,

I raised tropical fish a few years ago (30 tanks, about 1,000 gallons of water :)) and I scoured the web for info before I started. I started with discus and found a site similar to this for them and then switched to angelfish and found a similar site. I am sooooo grateful to all who share their experiences (good and bad) for the betterment of the hobby (and animals). As soon as I found this forum I knew I would find all the info I need to be successful.

Thanks,

Andy
 
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