How much is TOO much?!

[DawnLove]

Lately my lil Jackson has been eating about 10 or so crickets a day, and maybe about 3 superworms/and or meal worms if were are out of the super.
(would like to order some silkworms and silk eggs..Also some butterworms as a tasty treat)

We've been placing each feeder in our calcium shaker before feeding...Since we have only had her a lil over a week, I wanted to ensure that I was getting her back to health, I'm not quite sure of the standards in which she recieved before. I highly doubt they were up to par by any means...

But back to my question...normally, how much & how often are you supposed to dust their feeders?

 

[Syn]

What a little piggy! I don't know much about Jacksons, really, but my veiled will eat anywhere from 5 one day, and be hungry as heck the next day and eat 15. I guess it just depends on their growing?

 

[Sang]

depending on age.


2 months old, i dusted every feedings.

6 months i dusted every other feeding

8 months still every other feeding.

 

[DawnLove]

Thanks, she seems to be going through a growth spurt. Originally they were the tiny lil crickets, we moved up to medium sized 2 days ago...and I think they are MUCH more exciting to her, cause she just seems to love the the hunt..

She seems to find them much better when they are dusted in white calcium..I always watch to make sure she eats each one, I'd hate for them to get lost in the tank and die..

 

[Brad Ramsey]

You need to be careful with supplementation for the montane species.
Experienced Jackson's owners should reply to this thread.
Inexperienced speculation could be detrimental to a fellow member's animal.

-Brad

 

[Syn]

I would ask to see if dubia roaches are good so you can get some variety.

 

[DawnLove]

You should try some dubia roaches or something different as well, it's good to have variety,

Oh yes! I saw those on the Mulberry Farms website, I heard they love those, and that also Jackon's love snails! I wonder if she is still to young for snails?

 

[Syn]

I know Kenya has a video of one of her Jacksons eating a snail, I'll ask her if she's on.

edit: she's not on sorry.

 

[Zen Reptiles]

You need to be careful with supplementation for the montane species.
Experienced Jackson's owners should reply to this thread.
Inexperienced speculation could be detrimental to a fellow member's animal.

Brad is right. Montaine species (Jackson's included) are extra-sensitive to supplementation.

You only need to supplement half as often for jacksonii.

Offer as much as he will eat, but only dust one or two feeders with calcium at each feeding. D3 should only be supplemented once a month, and multivitamin should also only be supplemented once a month.

That's my suggestion, though I only have some limited experience with jacksonii, maybe someone else can offer a better feeding schedule.

I just want to make it clear that montaines are indeed more sensitive, so though some people who keep veileds or panthers will tell you to do it every feeding or every second feeding, it's not good for your jacksonii.

 

[Zen Reptiles]

Oh, and yeah they will go crazy for snails AND slugs.

Snails are also a good calcium source. If you feed them several snails a month, you can cut back on your calcium supplementation.



Jackson's are better to be gutloaded than supplemented all together. I'd just do calcium and D3 once a month, and try to get everything else into your feeders.

That's your best option, if possible for you.

 

[DawnLove]

Oh, and yeah they will go crazy for snails AND slugs.

Snails are also a good calcium source. If you feed them several snails a month, you can cut back on your calcium supplementation.



Jackson's are better to be gutloaded than supplemented all together. I'd just do calcium and D3 once a month, and try to get everything else into your feeders.

That's your best option, if possible for you.

Thank you!

It's been so hard to find good information that seems solid on Jackson's, even when I search for Jackon's most everything that comes up is "veiled and/or panther" chameleons. Hmph!

There was a geocities site I found to be quite informative. But I still have lots of unanswered questions..That's why I am very happy to have found this forum!

 

[Syn]

Question - and please PM me about it because I'll probably forget to check back on this thread - can veiled/panthers have snails?

 

[moody232002]

SYN beat me to it thats what i was going to ask

 

[blackbetty]

Thats what I love about this forum..Things that I dont think to ask are always asked and answered...I would have never known about snails and slugs! Is it safe to use them from outside if you, I guess, wash them? Ive never seen any for sale, or can someone direct me to a place? My kids are bringing in snails all the time.. They eat shell and all? Glad someone spoke up about the supplementing too. I hadnt heard anything different form panthers until now.

 

[DawnLove]

Thats what I love about this forum..Things that I dont think to ask are always asked and answered...I would have never known about snails and slugs! Is it safe to use them from outside if you, I guess, wash them? Ive never seen any for sale, or can someone direct me to a place? My kids are bringing in snails all the time.. They eat shell and all? Glad someone spoke up about the supplementing too. I hadnt heard anything different form panthers until now.

I concur, so many things to learn, everytime I join a message board for different topics, I learn a whole new array of things!!

If I find any snails for sale, I'll letcha know!

Guess I better ease up on the supplementing!! I was fearing that she might possibly have MBD, but she's looking more & more healthy, so I think my fears are beginning to dissipate! Yay...She was just so shakey and wobbly when she would walk, but shes actually very steady & strong, and she amazes me with some of her movements now.

 

[Zen Reptiles]

If you can trust the wild source you get your slugs/snails from, then go for it.

And yes, veileds love slugs (never tried snails though), but they went crazy for slugs from my garden. I haven't kept panthers, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

A good way to go about feeding both of these to your chameleon, is to get some from your (pesticide free) garden, stick them in a pale for 24-48 hours with some washed greens for them to get any potentially harmful plant matter out of their digest system.

(they eat like crazy, so it doesn't take long to do)

Another good thing to do is invest in some giant african land snails. THEY ARE AN INVASIVE SPECIES, so NEVER let them get out. Alternatively, you could get apple snails, or another type of 'pet' snail.

They're usually about 20$ each for adults, and all you need is two or three (they have male and female bits, so they will all mate with each other), and just feed the babies you get.

This way, you can also gutload them. They eat a LOT of plant matter, so they're healthy in that way and with calcium content.

 

[Syn]

Oh goodness I'm glad I asked - but snails and slugs are too cute. T_T

I live in Arizona so I'd never find them wild where I live. :\

 

[chambabysitter1]

Oh goodness I'm glad I asked - but snails and slugs are too cute. T_T

I live in Arizona so I'd never find them wild where I live. :\

We have snails, I've even found some here and there in gilbert. You really have to go up north to find any significant amount.

 

[Syn]

We have snails, I've even found some here and there in gilbert. You really have to go up north to find any significant amount.

Pssh. Up north? I'm an East Valley person. Unless I got 60 miles East, 100 miles north, something of distance, I doubt I'd find any LOL!

 

[Zen Reptiles]

Lots of Italians and some French also breed snails for escargot!

Just make sure the shells of the species you get aren't really dense, or you might wind up with a broken jaw or broken teeth.

The younger/smaller, the better.