Why is my chameleon eating dirt?

[do i dank]

Today I saw my cham eat dirt. It doesn't seem normal, and im pretty sure this want the first time hes done it. He hasn't been eating much recently and the only thing i changed was that i started feeding my crickets flukers cubes. is my cham going to be okay?

Chameleon - 9.5 month ambilobe panther
Feeding - Im feeding him about 6-8 crickets 6 days a week gut loaded flukers orange cubes, and some super worms.
Supplements - I give him exo terra calcium with D3 5days of the week and exo terra multi vitamin once a week.
Handling - 1-2 times a week
Watering - he has a homemade dipper, and i mist him about 4 times a day for 10 seconds
Fecal Description - (yesterday) brown/black with a white urate.
History - bought him off a local breeder.
Cage Type - 18,18,36 screen cage
Lighting - 5.0 uvb for reptiles, 100watt basking bulb
Temperature - ambient temp is about 70, basking temp is about 84-88, Humidity is about 60%, doesn't drop below 50%
Plants - 2 fake plants and a pothos and umbrella plant
Placement - hes in my room, about 3 feet of the ground.
Location - Mississauga, Ontario

 

[BeBoSON]

Cover the dirt with large river rocks. It will stop him from eating it.

 

[camimom]

Your supplement schedule is off.
you should be using calcium WITHOUT d3 every feeding, with d3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month.
You also need to gutload better. and he shouldnt be getting superworms on a regular basis. they are not good for him, and can cause impaction from their hard exoskeleton.

 

[JaxKiwiTiger]

that's a lot of d3!! is he still eating as many crix??

 

[ChromaChameleons]

Eating dirt can be a sign of digestive tract parasites or a nutritional imbalance.

The schedule for calcium with D3, calcium without D3, vitamin, or an all in one is dependant on the formulation.

Repcal calcium w/D3 is so strong that its use is usually 2 times per month , where as a product like Zoomed's reptical with D3 is safe as a daily or every other day.

What brand of vitamin are you using?

 

[carol5208]

Your supplement schedule is off.
you should be using calcium WITHOUT d3 every feeding, with d3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month.
You also need to gutload better. and he shouldnt be getting superworms on a regular basis. they are not good for him, and can cause impaction from their hard exoskeleton.

I feed supers on a regular basis and have never had a problem with impaction. I don't know if stating they cause an impaction is a true statement and I have not seen any case so far of this on here. Just saying.....

 

[camimom]

I feed supers on a regular basis and have never had a problem with impaction. I don't know if stating they cause an impaction is a true statement and I have not seen any case so far of this on here. Just saying.....

hmm. I was talking to someone, cannot for the life of me remmeber who, who had a cham that hadnt pooed in over a week, they had given the cham supers every day cuz they had run out of crickets, and when he still hadnt pooed, they took to vet, did xrays and said he was impacted. just saying...

 

[JonRich]

hmm. I was talking to someone, cannot for the life of me remmeber who, who had a cham that hadnt pooed in over a week, they had given the cham supers every day cuz they had run out of crickets, and when he still hadnt pooed, they took to vet, did xrays and said he was impacted. just saying...

At one point i was feeding my Adult Cham supers daily for over 2 weeks without issue. I think the problem is with Mealworms and giant Mealworms. Their exoskeleton is muchhh thicker.

I know a lot of people are anti-supers tho. But almost every container of supers i have gotten it staten thinner, EZer for your reptiles to digets exoskeleton. Just saying
http://greatlakeshornworm.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=64
"They have less chitin in their exoskeleton than mealworms which make them easier to digest" GLHW

But i do believe you should not be feeding your Cham just a single type of feeder too often. Varity is key!

and :hide:

 

[camimom]

At one point i was feeding my Adult Cham supers daily for over 2 weeks without issue. I think the problem is with Mealworms and giant Mealworms. Their exoskeleton is muchhh thicker.

I know a lot of people are anti-supers tho. But almost every container of supers i have gotten it staten thinner, EZer for your reptiles to digets exoskeleton. Just saying

and :hide:

Haha.
I just dont like supers and mealies to begin with. not good nutrition. and my chams really dont care for them too mcuh. they might eat one ocne in a while, but 8 times our of 10 they wont. but will chomp on horns and other stuff immediatly.

just saying....

 

[JonRich]

Haha.
I just dont like supers and mealies to begin with. not good nutrition. and my chams really dont care for them too mcuh. they might eat one ocne in a while, but 8 times our of 10 they wont. but will chomp on horns and other stuff immediatly.

just saying....

lol, i know sorry!
My boi won't even look at a Horn or Silkworm. But LOVES Supers. lol

At times when i am low on Crickets, i tend to feed more Supers. If you have seen my most recent thread, i am having an issue with having feeders in bulk delivered to my home without it being known as "live insects". So Supers are easy to get in fair amounts locally. (i try to gutload them as best as i can)

 

[camimom]

lol, i know sorry!
My boi won't even look at a Horn or Silkworm. But LOVES Supers. lol

At times when i am low on Crickets, i tend to feed more Supers. If you have seen my most recent thread, i am having an issue with having feeders in bulk delivered to my home without it being known as "live insects". So Supers are easy to get in fair amounts locally. (i try to gutload them as best as i can)

Haha. yea i saw that... goodluck with that one. fortunatly, my apt complex doesnt care.
you might be able to call mulberry farms and ask them to alter the package somehow.

 

[JonRich]

Haha. yea i saw that... goodluck with that one. fortunatly, my apt complex doesnt care.
you might be able to call mulberry farms and ask them to alter the package somehow.

Im working with Dave(small pet feeders)! I like the quality of his feeders and would like to keep doing business with him if we can get it all sorted out.

 

[carol5208]

hmm. I was talking to someone, cannot for the life of me remmeber who, who had a cham that hadnt pooed in over a week, they had given the cham supers every day cuz they had run out of crickets, and when he still hadnt pooed, they took to vet, did xrays and said he was impacted. just saying...

honestly, everyone talks about meal worms causing impaction too but how many people will actuallky testify that their chameleon has actually been impacted?. I am just saying from my experience it has not happened, but I think the point has to be brought out that I feed other soft bodied insects.So there is a balance in the diet. So yes, if that is all they fed then I suppose it could happen. Maybe we should start a thread, "Has your cham ever been impacted by superworms or mealworms"!! And I don't mean just thinking it because you fed them that, but actually going to the vet, getting xrays and having it diagnosed like that person you talked with did. I think things are said and repeated on here sometimes without really having the actual proof to back it up. Just an observation I have noticed.....

 

[camimom]

honestly, everyone talks about meal worms causing impaction too but how many people will actuallky testify that their chameleon has actually been impacted?. I am just saying from my experience it has not happened, but I think the point has to be brought out that I feed other soft bodied insects.So there is a balance in the diet. So yes, if that is all they fed then I suppose it could happen. Maybe we should start a thread, "Has your cham ever been impacted by superworms or mealworms"!! And I don't mean just thinking it because you fed them that, but actually going to the vet, getting xrays and having it diagnosed like that person you talked with did. I think things are said and repeated on here sometimes without really having the actual proof to back it up. Just an observation I have noticed.....

That would be a very intersting thread. but I doubt alot of people woudl take their cahms to the vet if they hadnt seen poo in a while.
i know that with my little hoe I have a hard time finding his poo sometimes.. So people may jsut assume that its hiding in the plant life.
i think when there is a balanced diet, it is less likely to happen, but if you are ONLY feeding supers and mealies, then it raises the chance signficantly. JMO.

 

[JonRich]

To get back on topic..OP

*Stop the Cal with D3 (Should only be used TWICE a MONTH).

*And cover the dirt with rocks (larger than ones your Cham can eat, if he tried)

 

[carol5208]

That would be a very intersting thread. but I doubt alot of people woudl take their cahms to the vet if they hadnt seen poo in a while.
i know that with my little hoe I have a hard time finding his poo sometimes.. So people may jsut assume that its hiding in the plant life.
i think when there is a balanced diet, it is less likely to happen, but if you are ONLY feeding supers and mealies, then it raises the chance signficantly. JMO.

Agreed!!!

 

[do i dank]

Eating dirt can be a sign of digestive tract parasites or a nutritional imbalance.

The schedule for calcium with D3, calcium without D3, vitamin, or an all in one is dependant on the formulation.

Repcal calcium w/D3 is so strong that its use is usually 2 times per month , where as a product like Zoomed's reptical with D3 is safe as a daily or every other day.

What brand of vitamin are you using?

my multi vitamin is exo terra

 

[do i dank]

Your supplement schedule is off.
you should be using calcium WITHOUT d3 every feeding, with d3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month.
You also need to gutload better. and he shouldnt be getting superworms on a regular basis. they are not good for him, and can cause impaction from their hard exoskeleton.

im using exo terra as my supplementation its supposed to be used almost daily....

 

[ChromaChameleons]

what form of Vitamin A is in the vitamin? beta carotene or vitamin A?

 

[do i dank]

beta carotene