justjumpit621
New Member
So since Molly is sick I have started a new supplement regime where she gets her calcium w/o d3 in babyfood every other day, and once a week a little dash of reptivite with D3 with the calcium w/o d3 also in her baby food.
Supplement schedule okay?
- Thread starter justjumpit621
- Start date
Zen Reptiles
Avid Member
You might want to use MRP, the Crested Gecko Diet made by Repashy. It's much more nutritionally complete than baby food. In fact I'm astonished at the difference in health of my crested geckos since switching to the CGD from baby food a couple years ago.
Since chameleons are more sensitive, I would mix it half and half with the baby food instead of using it exclusively.
As for schedule. I have the idea that dusting one or two feeders per every second feeding is best.
So Monday, dust two roaches/worms with calcium. Wednesday dust one or two with herptivite, Friday or Saturday, d3.
It is difficult to overdose on D3, so I've read at least on some past threads, so using a low dose supplement which has around 4,000 IU/Kg (the rep-cal has 400,000 IU/Kg and is way too much), then you will be fine using that every calcium day.
The common way things are done now is herptivite supplement, dusted on all feeders, once a month. This means they got 29 days without vitamins, and are overexposed to them on one day. Have you ever taken a lot of vitamins at once? It's not nice.
Consistency is key.
This ensures they aren't getting overdosed, and have a balanced intake of the vitamins. Of course, if you gutload absolutely properly, this isn't as necessary. And likewise if you have an outdoor cham, this isn't necessary. And while we're at it, if you feed her lots of silkworms and pheonix worms, the calcium isn't even necessary.
Mixing a multivitamin with calcium and d3 can actually, over time, cause minor MBD or other issues, as vitamin E, A, and D3 all interact in the digestive system, competing for absorption, resulting in one or two of the vitamins not even being absorbed at all.
Since chameleons are more sensitive, I would mix it half and half with the baby food instead of using it exclusively.
As for schedule. I have the idea that dusting one or two feeders per every second feeding is best.
So Monday, dust two roaches/worms with calcium. Wednesday dust one or two with herptivite, Friday or Saturday, d3.
It is difficult to overdose on D3, so I've read at least on some past threads, so using a low dose supplement which has around 4,000 IU/Kg (the rep-cal has 400,000 IU/Kg and is way too much), then you will be fine using that every calcium day.
The common way things are done now is herptivite supplement, dusted on all feeders, once a month. This means they got 29 days without vitamins, and are overexposed to them on one day. Have you ever taken a lot of vitamins at once? It's not nice.
Consistency is key.
This ensures they aren't getting overdosed, and have a balanced intake of the vitamins. Of course, if you gutload absolutely properly, this isn't as necessary. And likewise if you have an outdoor cham, this isn't necessary. And while we're at it, if you feed her lots of silkworms and pheonix worms, the calcium isn't even necessary.
Mixing a multivitamin with calcium and d3 can actually, over time, cause minor MBD or other issues, as vitamin E, A, and D3 all interact in the digestive system, competing for absorption, resulting in one or two of the vitamins not even being absorbed at all.
Ryan Jarosek
New Member
Great post Brock!
justjumpit621
New Member
Oh okay, thanks =)
Vitamin A and D3...
"Another potential cause of MBD is over supplementation of Vitamin A. Vitamin A competes with vitamin D3 for absorption in the digestive tract in reptiles and amphibians. If the ratio of vitamin A to vitamin D3 is greater than 10 to 1 then the animal may not be absorbing sufficient oral vitamin D3 to permit normal bone formation."...
http://www.tracyhicks.com/MBD.htm
"Another potential cause of MBD is over supplementation of Vitamin A. Vitamin A competes with vitamin D3 for absorption in the digestive tract in reptiles and amphibians. If the ratio of vitamin A to vitamin D3 is greater than 10 to 1 then the animal may not be absorbing sufficient oral vitamin D3 to permit normal bone formation."...
http://www.tracyhicks.com/MBD.htm
eppcheck
New Member
This is pretty solid and has been recommended numerous times. I would stick with this and adjust accordingly, because all chams are diffrent and just like people react diffrently to diffrent things. Observation and behavior should give you an idea of what should be adjusted.
Yeah thats right, a newbie with advise...i'll stop for now and pick up speed when my chams become the healthiest on the forum.
yeah i said it...
Just playin
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Off topic, but have you considered NOT using baby food? Maybe crushed bugs / homemade bug juice instead?
