Dusting, Vitamins and trying to keep a healthy chameleon

[Trex {Omega}]

Hey everyone, im new to this forum so let me know if im doing anything wrong. looking at some threads about what to dust with, how often and such dont seem exactly clear to me, i live in ONT canada and want to know some products i can buy for the baby chameleon im getting and how often a week i should dust mealworms crickets veggies etc. thanks for any replys i look forward to learning more to take care of my chameleon.

 

[kinyonga]

I dust at almost every feeding with Rep-cal phosphorous-free calcium. This helps make up for the poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous found in most feeder insects.

I dust twice a month lightly with Rep-cal phosphorous-free calcium/D3.this ensures the chameleon gets some D3 without overdosing it. D3 from supplements can build up in the system and lead to health issues.

I dust twice a month with Herptivite. This has a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A so it won't build up in the chameleon's system like prEformed sources can and leaves you in control of the prEformed vitamin A.

It's important to feed/gutload your insects well too. I feed/gutload crickets, superworms with a wide assortment of greens and veggies such as dandelion greens, kale, collards, endive, escarole, carrots, zucchini, squash, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, and a bit of fruit such as pear, apple, melon, berries.

It's important to provide a proper UVB light such as the long linear Repti-sun 5.0 so the chameleon can produce the D3 needed to use the calcium in its system. D3 from UVB shouldn't build up as long as the chameleon can move in and out of the light.

It's important to provide appropriate basking temperatures so that the chameleon can digest it's food properly.

Hope this helps!

 

[Trex {Omega}]

I dust at almost every feeding with Rep-cal phosphorous-free calcium. This helps make up for the poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous found in most feeder insects.

I dust twice a month lightly with Rep-cal phosphorous-free calcium/D3.this ensures the chameleon gets some D3 without overdosing it. D3 from supplements can build up in the system and lead to health issues.

I dust twice a month with Herptivite. This has a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A so it won't build up in the chameleon's system like prEformed sources can and leaves you in control of the prEformed vitamin A.

It's important to feed/gutload your insects well too. I feed/gutload crickets, superworms with a wide assortment of greens and veggies such as dandelion greens, kale, collards, endive, escarole, carrots, zucchini, squash, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, and a bit of fruit such as pear, apple, melon, berries.

It's important to provide a proper UVB light such as the long linear Repti-sun 5.0 so the chameleon can produce the D3 needed to use the calcium in its system. D3 from UVB shouldn't build up as long as the chameleon can move in and out of the light.

It's important to provide appropriate basking temperatures so that the chameleon can digest it's food properly.

Hope this helps!

first Rep-cal phosphorous-free calcium and Rep-cal phosphorous-free calcium/D3 are two different containers currect? so should i use the first one every other day kind of thing or most of the time and some days just dont use it also how can i test how hot the basking spot i made for the chameleon is? i have a gauge but it wont tell me accuritly the temp of that one spot also what brands of this stuff do you buy from?

 

[Trex {Omega}]

ALSO what watt heating bulb should i get for a baby chameleon, currently i have a 60 watt Zoo Med bulb for a heating bulb

 

[Trex {Omega}]

and i can only find Rep-cal phosphorous-free calcium with either D3 added or just vitamin D added, is it the one with vitamin D added?

 

[kinyonga]

The temperature needed in the basking area is less for a baby than an older chameleon and varies from species to species so it's going to depend on the age of the chameleon you get and what kind you get.

I use a regular incandescent household light bulb of a wattage that provides the right temperature in the basking spot. You can raise it to make the spot cooler but you still need a way to measure the temperature and you need to make sure that the chameleon won't get burned by sitting too close.

 

[kinyonga]

The insects calcium to phosphorous ratio doesn't usually change so you need to use the phosphorous-free calcium at all the feedings but the two a month with the vitamins and the two a month with the phosphorous-free calcium/D3.

I'm assuming the Rep-cal that says D is the same as the one with D3 on the label by without reading the ingredients I'm not sure.

 

[Trex {Omega}]

The insects calcium to phosphorous ratio doesn't usually change so you need to use the phosphorous-free calcium at all the feedings but the two a month with the vitamins and the two a month with the phosphorous-free calcium/D3.

I'm assuming the Rep-cal that says D is the same as the one with D3 on the label by without reading the ingredients I'm not sure.

http://www.petsmart.ca/search?SearchTerm=Rep-cal+phosphorous-free+calcium Heres a link to petsmart that shows the one with vitamin D and the one with D3, so do i use the one with D3 and the one with only vitamin D during the times your talking about, also im getting a baby so is this plan set for babys or the full grown ones?

 

[kinyonga]

Read the pink label...it says D3 on the label. The pink one is the one I use twice a month lightly.
You need a phosphorous-free calcium powder to use at most feedings...
https://www.amazon.ca/Calcium-witho...e=UTF8&qid=1488239665&sr=8-4&keywords=rep+cal

 

[Trex {Omega}]

Read the pink label...it says D3 on the label. The pink one is the one I use twice a month lightly.
You need a phosphorous-free calcium powder to use at most feedings...
https://www.amazon.ca/Calcium-witho...e=UTF8&qid=1488239665&sr=8-4&keywords=rep+cal

is using this much a month and the other supplement every feeding safe for a baby veiled chameleon? and when you gutload your insects with veggies do you dust the veggies too or only let them eat the vitamins the veggies came with?

 

[kinyonga]

I'm not sure what you're asking. Can you rephrase it please.

 

[Trex {Omega}]

I'm not sure what you're asking. Can you rephrase it please.

if i use the supplements as many times as you say you do could it harm a baby veiled chameleon and do you let crickets and such eat the veggies alone or do you sprinkle some of the supplements on the veggies for the crickets to eat too?

 

[Nursemaia]

I think you have a lot to learn. All that's covered in the care sheets

 

[Trex {Omega}]

I think you have a lot to learn. All that's covered in the care sheets

i have no idea if you use those supplements on a baby chameleon or a full grown one so would you mind answering weather you use those supplements that many times a month etc on a full grown or a baby????

 

[Trex {Omega}]

I think you have a lot to learn. All that's covered in the care sheets

everybody uses supplements different ways so going to the care page is only gonna confuse me more, ive already looked for this type of info and everybody does it a different way

 

[kinyonga]

I do it the same for any age of veiled except maybe a very old one or a gravid female.
Since the ratio of calcium to phosphorous is always poor why wouldn't you dust all the crickets?
The insects are smaller for babies and the babies are growing so doing it the way I do seems to work. I've kept chameleons and dozens of other reptiles for almost 30 years now and they almost all live long healthy lives...so I just keep doing what I've found works to keep them that way.

 

[Nursemaia]

Calcium and other vitamins are very important to your chameleon's health. Feeder insects should be lightly dusted with powdered supplement before being fed to your chameleon. Many keepers successfully use calcium (without D3 or phosphorus) at every feeding, multivitamin once every 2 weeks, and calcium with D3 once every 2 weeks.
That's directly from the caresheet and it applies to babies and adults. I still think you should review the resource section you have a lot to learn

 

[Trex {Omega}]

I do it the same for any age of veiled except maybe a very old one or a gravid female.
Since the ratio of calcium to phosphorous is always poor why wouldn't you dust all the crickets?
The insects are smaller for babies and the babies are growing so doing it the way I do seems to work. I've kept chameleons and dozens of other reptiles for almost 30 years now and they almost all live long healthy lives...so I just keep doing what I've found works to keep them that way.

i know you should dust your crickets, i asked if you dust the veggies you feed your crickets

 

[sidekick101]

I wouldn't dust the veggies/food. Some insects have a hard time to digest the the calcium. Just dust the bugs before you throw in. I dust straight calcium no No D3 every feeding. then the D3 and multi vit are twice a month (total of 4 times between the two). 4 weeks in a month. The sched that works for me is 1st fri of the month D3, second friday multi vit, third friday D3, fouth friday mutlti vit, every other day no D3. That's just works for me and my short memory.