Supplementation Questions

[Perceus]

Hey everyone! I have a Panther Ambilobe Chamy and I have seen so many different protocols for supplements that my head is spinning! Now that Percy is about 1 1/2 years old i know i should change his protocol but im confused as to what. I try and get him out in the sun on the weekends but thats about it right now.
These are the supplements i have:

Sticky Farms "Indoor" Miner All
Rep-Cal Herptivite Multivitamin
Rep-Cal Phosporus Free Calcium with Vit D

I give my feeders Repashy Superload and various veggies.

When Percy was young i followed the Kammers supplementation protocol.
Any help would be appreciated! Maybe we could start a thread about what supplements are working for everyone and when they are given?

 

[Kmw]

A plain no D3 calcium is something you should have. :3

 

[Perceus]

Well....I do have some sticky farms "outdoor" but i really didnt think he was out enough to have that one.

 

[justjumpit621]

What I use is rep-cal plain calcium w/o phosphorus or D3 every feeding so every other day, rep-cal calcium with D3 2 times a month, and herptivite multivitamin once a month. This is a good base supplement schedule that I prefer. Some people need to tweak it based ob their specific cham's needs but I have had good luck with it.

 

[maxttu]

Maybe consider the Repashy all-in-one. At his age, with a decent schedule of sun, you can Probably just dust a few days out of the week. I currently dust everyday (very lightly), especially if my guy gets a lot of sun time. My guy is approx 8 mos old... Hope that helps a little.

 

[Kmw]

I don't know what the sticky farms stuff is, haven't heard much (anything) about it.

But too much D3 could cause real problems with them chameleons.

I personally use Repashy's calcium plus everyday, and a D3 once a month.

 

[maxttu]

I don't know what the sticky farms stuff is, haven't heard much (anything) about it.

But too much D3 could cause real problems with them chameleons.

I personally use Repashy's calcium plus everyday, and a D3 once a month.

^^^^ or you can do this!

 

[Perceus]

Could too much D3 cause him to close one of his eyes more than the other?
Or is that a Vitamin A thing?

 

[carol5208]

Well....I do have some sticky farms "outdoor" but i really didnt think he was out enough to have that one.

outdoor just means there is no d3 in it. Indoor has d3. So...you want to use the outdoor everyday(even though he is not outdoors, i know confusing) and the indoor twice a month and the multivitamin twice a month. Basically you want a calcium with no d3 for everyday dusting and the outdoor forumula is exactly what you want. Chameleons cannot overdose on natural d3 but they can on the artifiical d3 we give them if it is too much. Usually eye closing is more of a vitamin thing, dehydration can also cause that, along with lighting issues.

 

[sandrachameleon]

outdoor just means there is no d3 in it. Indoor has d3. So...you want to use the outdoor everyday(even though he is not outdoors, i know confusing) and the indoor twice a month and the multivitamin twice a month. Basically you want a calcium with no d3 for everyday dusting and the outdoor forumula is exactly what you want. Chameleons cannot overdose on natural d3 but they can on the artifiical d3 we give them if it is too much.

I agree with this
Vitamin free calcium is used more than vitamins

 

[Perceus]

Thank you carol!! I know you are well known in the "Chammy Community" and I was wondering if you knew of any remedies i could try on percy to see if i can get that eye open? Its not swollen, no discharge and he does open it on occasion. I have flushed it with saline and there seems to be no change. I cant imagine it is a hydration problem since he is misted 5 times a day and i do see him drink. If it is a vitamin problem is there something i can change or give to see if it will correct the problem?

And of course...if there are any others out there that may have a reply..Im all ears!!!

 

[Psychobunny]

I think people get too neurotic about the whole suppliment thing.

If you gutload your cricks and roaches with fresh fruits and veggies, give your cham a veriety of diet, including a bit of the same fruit and veggies and a little real sunshine whenever possible you dont need to sweat over the suppliments.

A very light dusting of calcium a few times a week. That's it!

 

[Perceus]

I must admit....I am a freak!

 

[Kmw]

I think people get too neurotic about the whole suppliment thing.

If you gutload your cricks and roaches with fresh fruits and veggies, give your cham a veriety of diet, including a bit of the same fruit and veggies and a little real sunshine whenever possible you dont need to sweat over the suppliments.

A very light dusting of calcium a few times a week. That's it!

When I got Picasso I was told by the breeder that the biggest problem a lot of people have is over supplementing!

 

[carol5208]

Honestly, (knock on wood) I have never had an eye issue so far so cannot give you any magic remedy. Just going by what I have learned on this awesome forum and vitamin A seems do be one of the culprits.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I think people get too neurotic about the whole suppliment thing.
If you gutload your cricks and roaches with fresh fruits and veggies, give your cham a veriety of diet, including a bit of the same fruit and veggies and a little real sunshine whenever possible you dont need to sweat over the suppliments.

TRUE! I use a lot less than most people seem to think is necessary. Gutloading a variety of feeders is the healthier way to go IMHO than relying on supplements.

 

[Perceus]

I wish that Percy likes a variety but he does not. He really likes Silkworms and thats about it. He will occasionally eat hornworms and crickets and butterworms.
I have tried roaches and butterflies too...but he doesnt want them.

 

[Perceus]

I didnt know i could try feeding percy veggies and fruit either.

 

[justjumpit621]

I didnt know i could try feeding percy veggies and fruit either.

Panther's don't usually eat fruits and veggies, mostly veileds.

 

[Psychobunny]

I didnt know i could try feeding percy veggies and fruit either.

Sorry about that, I should have said veiled chams will eat fruit. I gave mine
a blueberry a few days ago.

If your panther is picky, are you dusting all the feeders?
If so, what are you dusting with?

Sometimes, they dont like the taste of the dust+feeder.

Try dusting the feeder with some other brand, my veiled will not eat roaches dusted with Rep-cal calcium, but he will eat them if I use Repashy calcium plus.

Take a taste of the suppliment dust yourself and see which one YOU would rather have on YOUR roaches!