PLEASE Help. Calcium Deficiency???

[JNTC126]

I posted about our new baby chameleon a couple of days ago (https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/new-baby-cham-not-eating-and-wobbling.147577/). Today we rushed him to the vet because he was leaning to one side, wobbling and a dark shade of brown. Vet said he has a calcium deficiency, but was otherwise ok?? Before this, the chameleon was not eating well and didn't settle in like we expected (had him just about 10 days). He sent him home with a liquid calcium supplement and said it would be two weeks before we saw any real improvement. He suggested we feed hornworms and silkworms...

Questions:

Can calcium deficiency set in within 10 days or was he already sick when we got him?

The silkworms are fairly large, can he handle these?

I cannot find any hornworms locally, are superworms ok until I can order the hornworms?

What else can we do to help him along?

Any advice/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks.

 

[alphakenc]

Answer
That depends where u got him from n how bad he looks at the time
There are smaller size silky that u can order also,since the body is softer,a little bigger should be no problem ,check the size of his head n order it accordingly
Superworm are usually for treats unless u gutloaded them lots good vegetables suitable for ur chamy nutrition
You can help him by giving him space,and stay observing
Good luck with ur chamy

 

[kinyonga]

And chameleon wouldn't develop MBD in only 10 days.
How did the vet determine this is what your chameleon has?

If it does have MBD then it's important to make sure the basking temperature is warm enough so that it can digest its food properly and make it possible for it to absorb the nutrients in its system.

Exposure to UVB will allow it to produce the D3 needed to use the calcium in its system.

Proper supplements and feeding/gutloading the insects properly will also help.
You can feed/gutload the insects with a wide assortment of greens such as collards, escarole, endive, dandelion greens, kale, etc and veggies such as carrots, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, etc.

Since most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous its important to dust the insects at most feedings with a phosphorous-free calcium powder to help make up for it.

It's recommended that you dust twice a month with a phosphorous-free calcium/D3 powder to ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 without overdosing it and leaving the chameleon to produce the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB light.

Good luck.

It's also recommended that you dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. PrOformed sources of vitamin A cannot build up in the system and lead to overdoses like prEformed sources can and will leave it up to you to decide whether the chameleon needs prEformed or not.