when to stop supplementing
- Thread starter aplazbarr
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dodolah
Retired Moderator
at what age is it a good time to sop supplementing?
How much sun light is enough to eliminate the supplements?
supplementing should never stop.
It should be reduced, however, when your chameleon reach the age when it stop growing tremendously.
Your chameleon will continue to grow until he dies, just not as fast when they are babies.
Even when you keep them in the sunlight for 24/7, you still need to supplement them (the changes in the supplement will be to use the one without vit D3)
are you going to ask why the wild chameleon doesn't need supplement?
well, they have variety of diets that i doubt we can fully give to our captive breed chameleon.
hope that helps
dodolah
Retired Moderator
yes. as they grow up (entering juvie stage 5-12 months old -someone correct me if i am wrong), feeding should be reduced to 5-6 med crickets.
and supplementing can be a bit tricky if you feed him too much.
he'll grow with a brittle bones.
so, you need to slow down his growth.
and supplementing can be a bit tricky if you feed him too much.
he'll grow with a brittle bones.
so, you need to slow down his growth.
The insects will still have the same calcium to phosphorous ratio even when the chameleon is full grown (unless you change what you feed/gutload them with), so you will still have to dust them with a phos.-free calcium powder...forever. It cuts down naturally in that you feed them less often. Unless you go really crazy with the dusting, calcium won't build up in the system. Remember that the amount of calcium the chameleon will be able to use hinges on the amount of D3 available.
From what I understand, D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't build up (the chameleon's system should regulate it) as long as the chameleon can move away from the UVB source to allow the chameleon to regulate its exposure to it. It doesn't take a lot of hours of sunlight to provide enough UVB...thus D3.
Here's a site that talks about UVB exposure...
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/whatreptilesneed.htm
Beta carotene sources of vitamin A are safe (won't cause an overdose) too...you have to be careful with the preformed though.
The D3 from supplements and the preformed vitamin A are two that build up in the system and need to be watched the closest.
For an adult veiled or panther chameleon I dust the insects with the phos-free calcium powder at most feedings. I dust the insects with a vitamin powder containing a beta carotene source of vitamin A lightly twice a month and I dust with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder lightly twice a month. I feed the crickets with an assortment of greens and veggies.
Please be aware that if you use animal prey such as mice/pinkies it will already contain preformed vitamin A and D3. Take into consideration anything you use to feed your insects regarding calcium, phos., D3 and preformed vitamin A when you are trying to balance supplements.
From what I understand, D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't build up (the chameleon's system should regulate it) as long as the chameleon can move away from the UVB source to allow the chameleon to regulate its exposure to it. It doesn't take a lot of hours of sunlight to provide enough UVB...thus D3.
Here's a site that talks about UVB exposure...
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/whatreptilesneed.htm
Beta carotene sources of vitamin A are safe (won't cause an overdose) too...you have to be careful with the preformed though.
The D3 from supplements and the preformed vitamin A are two that build up in the system and need to be watched the closest.
For an adult veiled or panther chameleon I dust the insects with the phos-free calcium powder at most feedings. I dust the insects with a vitamin powder containing a beta carotene source of vitamin A lightly twice a month and I dust with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder lightly twice a month. I feed the crickets with an assortment of greens and veggies.
Please be aware that if you use animal prey such as mice/pinkies it will already contain preformed vitamin A and D3. Take into consideration anything you use to feed your insects regarding calcium, phos., D3 and preformed vitamin A when you are trying to balance supplements.
