Ley.Cap07
New Member
Could I use “reptivite” with D3 I saw “Neptune the chameleon” has that supplement so I got exactly what she said. Would that work as well or should I go for the other one?
Help me please!! My veiled chameleon hasn’t eaten and her eyes have been closed for a week!!
- Thread starter Ley.Cap07
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LizardLurkin
Established Member
I'll paste what user Beman (one of the wisest cham keepers here) said about reptivite:
"It is great if you can not get anything else... But no it is not the best option. It is just readily available. Best option is repashy calcium plus LoD it is a complete multivitamin with A and D3 plus additional stuff. But they do not add phosphorus. Phosphorus is calcium binding so this is why it is not the best idea to have it in a calcium powder as it defeats the purpose of giving calcium."
It might be more up-to-date keeper knowledge!
"It is great if you can not get anything else... But no it is not the best option. It is just readily available. Best option is repashy calcium plus LoD it is a complete multivitamin with A and D3 plus additional stuff. But they do not add phosphorus. Phosphorus is calcium binding so this is why it is not the best idea to have it in a calcium powder as it defeats the purpose of giving calcium."
It might be more up-to-date keeper knowledge!
Ley.Cap07
New Member
Ahhh, alright then, maybe I should return reptivite and just purchase what’s best lol!
I have another small question.
If I have already used flukers calcium D3 on some bugs today should I not use another new D3 calcium supplement until another two weeks? Or should I wait longer to give her the new calcium? When’s the best time to switch to new calcium powders?
Also! If her eyes are closed and I’m giving her food with tweezers I should be putting supplements on all of those bugs like I normally would if she were to have her eyes open correct?
LizardLurkin
Established Member
I'm still fresh to supplementation and the ins and outs of vitamins and how they work, so hopefully one of the smarter members can give you an answer there.
and, yes! Every bug offered should be dusted whether or not she can see them. I hope she'll eat soon!
I would be wary of tweezers, tongs, and instruments of the like, because chams have been documented to permanently damage their tongues on them. But I can understand the wariness to hold the bugs. I have gotten...Very comfortable with bugs from caring for lizards. I find myself petting those I select, which is morbid but it must be some sort of hyperempathy thing lol
and, yes! Every bug offered should be dusted whether or not she can see them. I hope she'll eat soon!
I would be wary of tweezers, tongs, and instruments of the like, because chams have been documented to permanently damage their tongues on them. But I can understand the wariness to hold the bugs. I have gotten...Very comfortable with bugs from caring for lizards. I find myself petting those I select, which is morbid but it must be some sort of hyperempathy thing lol
Gloriawood
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hello! Just want to chime in and second everything @LizardLurkin said. Reptivite is fine, your Cham will get all the nessecary vitamins from it. My issue with it was that it did not seem to stick as well to the bugs as repashy, and I felt like I had to use more of it in order for my guy to get enough on his bugs. I also feel like repashy is just better quality. Nothing ‘wrong’ per se with reptivite. And Neptune is an AMAZING source of accurate up to date info. You can trust whatever she says.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
You’ll want to wait two weeks before using another form of Vitamin D3.
There are a few concerns about tong feeding. One that concerns me is prying her mouth open with them can cause an injury, which can lead to mouth rot. I too have gotten comfortable handling bugs (except adult roaches) but silkworms are just the best imho. Silky soft gentle little caterpillars. They don’t bite and that spike on their butt is soft - is for looks only. Besides being such nice bugs, they are also very nutritious and hydrating. Try https://framschams.com/collections/silkworms for some quality silkies. If absolutely needing to open her mouth, be very gentle and hold her casque with one hand and I gently (gentle is the big theme of it all) place a finger on each side of her jaw joint with a light pressure. If that fails to work, I’ve used a guitar pick to open a stubborn little mouth or even something like a credit card would work as long as the edges aren’t sharp.
Ley.Cap07
New Member
A guitar pick is perfect thank you so much!
I am basically trying to be the savor of her right now! I’m pretty sure she has lack of vitamin A and not opening her eyes due to the wrong UVB and not enough vitamin and nutrients. She has been drinking and now that I am force feeding her she is moving more.
I hope she comes around the corner.
The vet selection is no good and not around me for reptiles.
Thank you everyone for helping me through this journey on hopefully making her come back around the corner and all the advice!
If there is anything else you could recommend or advise if you have rescued with eyes closed and not eating!! PLEASE let me know for sure!
LizardLurkin
Established Member
Silkworms really are cute little bugs!
If not on the list, you can google around your area, or the capital city of your state, for exotic vets. I have to drive 2 hours for my vet because I live in a small town, but hopefully living in the continental USA means there's more options. Even a general reptile exotic vet would be a good place to start.
I don't think the list had anyone for Alaska on it, so I had to call around clinics that saw exotics and ask if they worked with chameleons too.
I am glad she is moving around at least. I would love to hear updates. I'm keeping her in my thoughts (whatever her name is!)
If not on the list, you can google around your area, or the capital city of your state, for exotic vets. I have to drive 2 hours for my vet because I live in a small town, but hopefully living in the continental USA means there's more options. Even a general reptile exotic vet would be a good place to start.
I don't think the list had anyone for Alaska on it, so I had to call around clinics that saw exotics and ask if they worked with chameleons too.
I am glad she is moving around at least. I would love to hear updates. I'm keeping her in my thoughts (whatever her name is!)
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Here is our list of vets who forum members have found to have some experience/knowledge of chameleons. Often we do need to travel a bit for one.
Ley.Cap07
New Member
Hi!!! I am back with an update on pascal and her sickness! I have been learning a lot about chameleons these last few weeks but definitely still learning of course!
Pascal has been getting force fed, eating crickets and water. I got her a uvb light that was suggested and I got her a heat light as well. Her cage got a cleaning and she has been eating her bugs with reptivite with D3 and A.
She has been opening her eyes a little more but looks as though they have some white on them. Possibly this could be Vitamin A deficiency. I have been giving her vitamin A so maybe not- or maybe I should give her more?
Her poop today looked like this.
Runny but I haven’t seen brown poo in a minute so this is actually a step forward!
If there’s anything I should know or anyone have any suggestions, PLEASE let me know!!
As for pascal I think she is making some slow improvements.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi. The learning never ends, so keep on, keeping on.
Very good to hear she has correct lighting and a clean house. I do have questions and concerns about your supplements though. How often have you given Pascal her feeders with ReptiVite? What type of vitamin A are you giving to her? What is the name of it? Unless I am misunderstanding, I fear you may be overdosing on supplements and A. I’m far too lazy/preoccupied today to go back and read anything, so if I repeat anything…
There are two types of vitamin A - preformed which comes from animal based sources and is known as retinoids, and proformed, which comes from plant based sources and is known as carotenoids. The preformed A is also fat soluble, (same as vitamin D3 is) and stays in the body longer, needing more time to be metabolized and excreted. Because of this, too much can build up in the body and cause problems. We know that chameleons are able to utilize this preformed type of A. The other type, proformed is water soluble and quickly metabolized and eliminated by the body. However, it isn’t known just yet if chameleons are able to utilize this form. So, it’s best that we use preformed A for our chameleons, but we need to do so very carefully…same as we use Vitamin D3. ReptiVite and Repashy both use preformed A, so we don’t want to use those supplements any more frequently than one feeding every other week, or twice per month. If you are using the RepiVite with D3 more than once every two weeks, you are overdosing. Depending on the brand and type, using additional vitamin A is further adding to that. I know it’s natural to think that if a little is good, more is better, but it doesn’t work like that with supplements and chameleons. If you are using ReptiVite with D3 (or Repashy Calcium Plus LoD), you do not want to use any additional A, D3 or anything other than a calcium without D3 (and preferably phosphorus free).
If the eye problem is related to a vitamin deficiency, it will just take time to heal. I had a panther who was deficient in A and had eye issues. They improved after the first dose of supplements, but full healing took a few months and one eye was always just a tad wonky.
It’s also important to recognize that while vitamin A deficiency may be the most obvious reason for poor eye health, it is far from being the only cause. Only a good vet will be able to really figure out what is going on, and even then it’s tricky.
For the poop, it looks ok…maybe a bit mucousy. Hard to tell. When in doubt, get a fecal done. Hope I’ve been of some help to you.
