Indroduction
- Thread starter K9Luvn
- Start date
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Welcome to the forums! This is a great place to learn about chameleons. I keep veileds, panthers and a parsonii. They are all an absolute pleasure to work with. I'm attaching a link below to my blog for new keepers. It will tell you all that you will need to get started and how to keep your chameleon healthy and happy.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
Welcome! This is the place to find out all the "correct" info about caring for chameleons. Just be warned once you start with one...it never stays at one
well there is a thing called willpower ya know! I have stayed owning one, now don't get me wrong: It has been extremely hard!!!
Hoj
Friendly Grasshopper
Welcome to the forum and the world of chameleons!
Smart of you to want to learn before getting the chameleon, BTW!
If you are going to get a chameleon you will need an appropriate cage which will depend somewhat on what species you buy and how old the chameleon is. You will need branches and greenery to decorate it so that the chameleon can get around inside the cage and feel comfortable, a thermometer or two to show the cage temperatures, spray bottle to mist the chameleon and a dripper to set up to provide water (you can go elaborate on the watering systems or very simple), a UVB light for sure and likely a basking light (to create the appropriate temperature for the chameleon to warm up in) depending on the species. Most people do not recommend using a substrate since many of them can lead to impaction. If its a female, you will have to be ready for reproduction (since some species can produce eggs without being mated). You will need supplements to dust the insects with before they are fed to the chameleon and you will need to learn how to take care of the insects too. I'm sure others will chime in with things I've missed in this post!
Here's some information I hope will help you with things like supplements, gutloading, etc....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.
Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.
A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it.
Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).
If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).
Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)
Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)
Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Please note that various supplements have various amounts of D3 and vitamin A and so some can be given more often than others. The idea still is not to overdo the fat soluble vitamins like D3 and prEformed vitamin A.
Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.
Smart of you to want to learn before getting the chameleon, BTW!
If you are going to get a chameleon you will need an appropriate cage which will depend somewhat on what species you buy and how old the chameleon is. You will need branches and greenery to decorate it so that the chameleon can get around inside the cage and feel comfortable, a thermometer or two to show the cage temperatures, spray bottle to mist the chameleon and a dripper to set up to provide water (you can go elaborate on the watering systems or very simple), a UVB light for sure and likely a basking light (to create the appropriate temperature for the chameleon to warm up in) depending on the species. Most people do not recommend using a substrate since many of them can lead to impaction. If its a female, you will have to be ready for reproduction (since some species can produce eggs without being mated). You will need supplements to dust the insects with before they are fed to the chameleon and you will need to learn how to take care of the insects too. I'm sure others will chime in with things I've missed in this post!
Here's some information I hope will help you with things like supplements, gutloading, etc....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.
Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.
A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it.
Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).
If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).
Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)
Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)
Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Please note that various supplements have various amounts of D3 and vitamin A and so some can be given more often than others. The idea still is not to overdo the fat soluble vitamins like D3 and prEformed vitamin A.
Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.
Great Blog!!!!! Alot of information and links for me to learn from!! thank you!!
Again alot of great information. I'm making some great notes here!!!! I currently have a Chinese Water Dragon and I notice they have similarities in their care. I love my pets they are my family and I want to give them the best care I can. I spend many more hours with them then I do my human family
I need to learn how to navigate the forum... So what is the WayBackMachine???
I've kept/bred/raised water dragons for many years and use the same supplementing and gutloading with the dragons that I do in my post. I also feed the dragons the same greens and veggies listed in my gutload along with a bit of fruit (apples, pears, melon, berries, etc.).
