Supplements - Sticky Tongues

[Kharn]

Hello

I'm getting closer and closer to acquiring my first chameleon and I have come across a recommended supplement producer called "Sticky Tongues", has anyone used this before?

Also There are 3 main Supps (Calcium -D3 / Calcium +D3 / MultiVitamin)

Now the site says that for INDOOR animals they should be fed Calcium +D3 whilst also stating that OUTDOORS animals should be fed Calcium -D3...

What I am assuming off the website is that when they say INDOORS animal they are referring to a reptile that gets NO UVB whilst and OUTDOORS animal gets plenty of UVB (via sun).

Question is what if the animal is INDOORS but has a UVB light...?

Should I just stick to the information this forum gives on the subject of D3 supplementing even though my terrarium is INDOORS & UVB LIGHT ?

1. Calcium without vitamin D3 - used almost with every feeding.

2. Calcium with vitamin D3 - used less frequently dependent on species.

Hope this "Sticky Tongues" is worth buying into because I planned on buying the 1kg bags of Supps just not sure if I do need BOTH -D3 & +D3 (multivitamin is a definite purchase).

Cheers for any tips

 

[Lathis]

A) don't buy that much of any supplement. You will use such tiny amounts that it lasts a very long time. Get the smallest container, like 3 or 6 oz.

B) Sticky Tongue is a fine brand. Definitely get two different supplements: plain calcium with no D3 and a multivitamin with D3. That gives you better control over D3 levels. Depending on the cham species you get, you'll use the multivitamin with D3 once or twice a month. Check their multivitamin - it probably has as D3 also. Even with a UV light, you will need to provide small amounts of supplemental D3.

Welcome to the forums! It's so good that you are doing your research before getting your cham! We have some great care sheets on this site - be sure to check them out.

 

[Kharn]

A) don't buy that much of any supplement. You will use such tiny amounts that it lasts a very long time. Get the smallest container, like 3 or 6 oz.

B) Sticky Tongue is a fine brand. Definitely get two different supplements: plain calcium with no D3 and a multivitamin with D3. That gives you better control over D3 levels. Depending on the cham species you get, you'll use the multivitamin with D3 once or twice a month. Check their multivitamin - it probably has as D3 also. Even with a UV light, you will need to provide small amounts of supplemental D3.

Welcome to the forums! It's so good that you are doing your research before getting your cham! We have some great care sheets on this site - be sure to check them out.

Thanks for responding

Firstly I'd like to state that yeah I under estimated the size of the large bags I thought they were 1kg but their actually 3.6kg so...no I will likely just stick to the much small 11oz or 6oz jars

Anyway...

I have done this all before but with Marine Reef Aquarium.

Having said that my venture so far has cost me quite a bit and started almost a year ago even though I haven't got a reptile yet lol!

I got a terrarium (unfortunately I got the terrarium BEFORE I did my research) so it's not "optimal" in size, 48" Long x 18" Wide x 36" Tall but it's not exactly small either.

Then I purchase a humidifier designed for peoples homes which I DIY'd into a fogger because all the reading I did on Exo Terra & Zoo Med fogging devices screamed DO NOT BUY!...

Then I dropped coin on a MistKing Standard setup with Anti-Drip device because once again reading about the Exo Terra Monsoon system screamed...DO NOT BUY!...

Now I am purchasing a light setup which with DEEP regrets and GREAT paranoia...I must admitt I have no choice but to utilize...CFL bulbs...due to the nature of where this terrarium is being setup I simply CANNOT use a linear fluro lighting system and all the talk about past CFLs being bad has made me very paranoid but I have no choice .

This terrarium is being setup in my holiday home, in another country, and because of the way the country works I CANNOT purchase ANYTHING online and have it delivered to me, I must buy what I need when not at my holiday home and pack it into my luggage and bring it with me when I fly, so long fluro fixtures and delicate fluro bulbs just won't travel well...but the CFL domes and bulbs will.

All up I'm spending well over $1k to ensure I can give my colorful critter the best I literally can!

Cheers
Kharn

 

[Lathis]

You will not regret the mistking. That's totally with the expenditure of a little extra money. I would say splurge on lights too and buy from Light Your Reptiles, but I understand with your enclosures is the tube lights won't work and that travel makes it difficult.

Have you done research on what live insects are available to purchase in your location? I ask because in some parts of the world, especially Africa, SE Asia, and the Middle East, we regularly get requests for help from people who bought chameleons without realizing that they only eat live insects. They then realize that they can't purchase live insects anywhere unfortunately. It's always very sad.

 

[Kharn]

You will not regret the mistking. That's totally with the expenditure of a little extra money. I would say splurge on lights too and buy from Light Your Reptiles, but I understand with your enclosures is the tube lights won't work and that travel makes it difficult.

Have you done research on what live insects are available to purchase in your location? I ask because in some parts of the world, especially Africa, SE Asia, and the Middle East, we regularly get requests for help from people who bought chameleons without realizing that they only eat live insects. They then realize that they can't purchase live insects anywhere unfortunately. It's always very sad.

Thanks for responding.

I really just cannot pack a linear fluro light fixture and bring it with me because when I land I will have to pay 300% import duty fees and if I don't have an invoice they will just take it off me altogether .

As for the live food, I'm taking a risk....basically my holiday home is situated in a tribal, remote location far away from "anything", getting electricity here was a mission alone, however we are not short on crickets...lots of crickets...I find them everywhere.

Now I know the risk of crickets & pathogenic related issues specifically from pesticides etc. but there are NO farms anywhere near me and pesticides themselves are none existent to the locals here (tribes) so my take is they are "safe" / "free" of chemicals. I also plan to try and catch roaches to breed or any insect that I can find that might be suitable to breed and feed to my Chameleon.

There is a jungle behind me and it's thick and dense I was thinking of just kicking over a few fallen logs and collecting various roaches/insects to bring back to my place, take pics, post on here and ask if their safe and if I can breed them etc.

 

[Kharn]

Might of got a bit ahead of myself with going the Sticky Tongue route of Supplements...

Cannot find it on E-Bay or Amazon

To buy direct from Sticky Tongue Farms for a $68 USD order will cost over $200USD in freight on top of the order to get delivered to Australia O_O...

 

[Kharn]

Going with Rep-Cal supplements now instead a lot easier to obtain and they seem to be quite well liked on the forum