Supplement amount

[jewel0301]

I’ve been reading for the past two hours on illnesses for chameleons and i started to get a little paranoid... What is the correct amount of the Calcium without D3 and Reptivite with D3. i know that i have to give him calcium with out D3 every feeding and Reptivite once every two weeks i just don’t know the right amount to put with feeders and i want to make sure i’m not ODing my chameleon!!

 

[Quick Draw Mcgraw]

I’ve been reading for the past two hours on illnesses for chameleons and i started to get a little paranoid... What is the correct amount of the Calcium without D3 and Reptivite with D3. i know that i have to give him calcium with out D3 every feeding and Reptivite once every two weeks i just don’t know the right amount to put with feeders and i want to make sure i’m not ODing my chameleon!!

As i understand it just a light dusting if the bug looks like a powdered donut after dusting thats to much .

 

[kinyonga]

There is no definite measurement. If you don't overdo the powders that contain D3 and prEformed vitamin A (which you shouldn't do if you only use it lightly twice a month) you should be ok.

The reasoning behind supplementing...

We supplement with calcium because many of the insects we use as feeders have a poor ratio of calcium to phos. because they are not the normal insects that they would get in the wild.
Generally extra calcium will just pass through the chameleon and not be a problem....unless you overdo the D3 from supplements.

D3 from supplements is fat soluble so any extra is stored in the body for quite a while and can lead to an overdose if you overdo it. D3 is also produced throug exposure to the UVB light or direct sunlight....but as long as the chameleon can move in and out of the UVB it shouldn't build up because the body produces the vitamin D3 because of the UVB light. We use the supplement to ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 for sure....but not enough to overdose.

Vitamin A in prEformed (retinol, animal sourced) form is also fat soluble and any extra is stirred in the Biden and can become an overdose if you give the chameleon too much. Vitamin A (prEformed) is also antagonistic somewhat to the D3 and the two need to be in balance.
PrOformed vitamin A from carotene/plant sources, will not build up in the system so it can't be overdosed. It's converted to prEformed vitamin A as needed.
There is controversy as to whether any/all chameleons can convert carotenes though so we give some prEformed just to be sure they get some.

There is no absolute amount of phos, calcium, D3 and vitamin A known to be needed....so we do I the way we do because it seems to work. It's not an absolute science for sure yet.

Hope this helps!

 

[Beman]

I’ve been reading for the past two hours on illnesses for chameleons and i started to get a little paranoid... What is the correct amount of the Calcium without D3 and Reptivite with D3. i know that i have to give him calcium with out D3 every feeding and Reptivite once every two weeks i just don’t know the right amount to put with feeders and i want to make sure i’m not ODing my chameleon!!

You would use the reptivite with D3 2 times a month only say the 1st and the 15th. Then at all other feedings you would use the calcium without D3... Now then you are not looking for a powdered donut look. Just a light coating then immediately feed.

I use cricket shakers. One for each of my supplements.

This is the shaker and then what they look like coming out.