Please help us set up a diet...

[Riven]

Some of you probably have seen our thread about Pascal's MBD, she is just starting to eat on her own again and I want to make sure we get a good balanced diet including any supplements or vitamins we need.

She is about 4-5 months maybe about appx 6" vent to tail, so can't eat some bigger foods yet.

What are staple foods? The only/main thing we knew about was crickets, but the world of worms seems much more fun! So I was wondering if someone ( or several!) could tell me what they feed their chams, or suggest a good weekly routine/menu including supplements.

Thanks!

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Sandrachameleon's blogs a a treasure trove of information on foods, feeders and even has some food diaries of what her chams eat. I'd suggest butterworms specifically. They are smaller, very calcium rich, super easy to maintain and my chams love them!

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

is she/he malnuroushed because of all of this? there's a product by fluker's called reptiaid. its a formula you mix up according to species, size and weight, and force feed to your reptile.

helps with malnourishment, dehydration, helps boost immunity system, among a few other things.

petsmart usually carries it. and i feel is a good over the shelf medication to always have on hand.


*note - that i do not suggest this as diet. im promoting that you still use live food (crickets, roaches, meal worms, super worms) i suggested reptiaid incase she is having a tough time eating

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Reptaid is not a diet, nor does it help with malnourishment. It's simply an herbal supplement mix (not a true medication) that isn't really geared for one thing in particular. No problem with using it but it's not a nutritional supplement nor does it have vitamin, mineral or any caloric content appropriate for feeding. Just fyi.

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

Fluker's Repta Aid:
Repta-Aid acts quickly to rehydrate and nourish insectivorous and carnivorous reptiles. Reptiles introduced into new environments may stop eating (anorexia) and drinking. If left untreated, these animals can become dehydrated or develop nutrition related disease. Emergency Aid was developed to assist these animals during periods of stress.

For use with bearded dragons, geckos, chameleons, boas, ball pythons, monitors, frogs, corn snakes, and other insectivore/carnivore reptiles and amphibians.

This complete kit includes Repta-Aid powder, cup, spoon and feeding syringe and is for use with reptiles weighing up to 3 ounces.

Ingredients:
Egg product, wheat flour, starch, isolated soy flour, corn oil, dried brewers yeast, dried kelp, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, pollen, dextrose, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, dl-methionine, lecithin, choline chloride supplement, potassium chloride, spirulina, manganese sulfate, mixed natural tocopherols (antioxidant), zinc sulfate, magnesium oxide, ascorbic acid, beta carotene supplement, niacin, vitamin E supplement, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, ethylene diamine dihydriodide, biotin supplement, folic acid, sodium selenite.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein 28%, carbohydrate 37%, crude fat 20%, crude fiber 1.5%, moisture 10%, calcium 0.85%, phosphorus 0.7%, Ca 1.2:1, kcal/g 4.4.

Available in a 50 gram package.

Made in the USA.



i know it's not a diet, as i suggested to the OP not to rely on it as a diet. i'm not arguing with you though ferret. use it if need be, but by description, does about the same as Reptaid excluding fighting off parasites. it is still a good product for an immunity boost, which is why i offered the suggestion of using it, seeing as the chameleon is just starting to eat on its own again, and is a recovering animal of MBD. again, if need be to use it, it's always a try-at-home method that anyone can consider using

offering a little more (as far as vitamins go) for a short but consistent amount of time will do no harm to a cham who has suffered from so much deficiencies.
my multituberculata was in the worst shape when i got him, to the point where he couldnt use his tongue and took minutes to eat one cricket. after upping his supplimenting and offering a little more than usual, balanced him and his immunity back to beast mode, and he is still doing great.

 

[Olimpia]

I'm with Ferret, look up Sandrachameleon's blogs, which are full of really excellent nutritional info and ideas. Take ideas from her blogs, for sure.

And as far as insects, a varied diet will do her well as well. Different insects carry different nutritional values so feed many different types. Butterworms are good, mine go nuts for them as well. An they're high in calcium. Silk worms are as well, I believe.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Locusts can be used as staple foods, as can roaches. Locusts don't gutload so well though. It is good to have as varied a diet as possible, and what you gutload with is more important than which you use as staples really. I won't suggest flies, that would be mean ....she would want them, but she'd have trouble getting them.