Why would we have babies dying??

[Texas Ranger]

okay so Ive switched to the old UVB that I was using in the first place and took the basking bulb down... I have not been dusting? what supplement schedule should I use with the babies?
our oldest hatchling is now 2 months and the youngest is not even a day...
we have been using fruit flies in various sizes as well as pinhead crix and 1/16 crix... the feeders are being gutloaded with total bites by nature zone... but have been thinking of switching to repashy super foods superload?!!

The better you feed your bugs the healthier your chams will be. I would say make a real nice dry gutload up or buy some like cricket crack or dino fuel also lots of fresh veggies for the bugs I like using mustered greens a lot.as for dusting the feeders there are a few ways to do it I will tell you my way first and them another way I have heard works good. From week one to a month old I use only plain calcium then at a month I still use the plain calcium 3 to 4 times a week but one time a week I use repashy calcium plus all in one I do this until they are 3 months old then I move to the tryed and true methods with plain calcium at every feeding and calcium with D3 2 times a month and herptivite 2 times a month. Some people have had great results from using plain calcium at most feeding and repcal d3 and herptivite every other week one time a week ...... I hope this helps.

 

[Texas Ranger]

Also I do use ff flies but not very often I use them as a feeder stimulant for the babies . I like to use small crickets 1/8th in and red runner baby feeder roaches as my main source of feed they gutload real good and have a lot of moisture to them as well.

 

[reptoman]

Also I do use ff flies but not very often I use them as a feeder stimulant for the babies . I like to use small crickets 1/8th in and red runner baby feeder roaches as my main source of feed they gutload real good and have a lot of moisture to them as well.

I agree with Lee on this. I would also add baby hornworms to what Sandra suggests if you can get some eggs and hatch them out. When I have fed fruit flies for a couple of days with no crickets I start to see orange urates. After that I only ever fed fruit flies along with pinheads/week old crickets. The white urates are something you should try to maintain at all times. Sorry you are going through this. Its tough to lose 1 let alone several.

 

[Johnny84]

I agree with Lee on this. I would also add baby hornworms to what Sandra suggests if you can get some eggs and hatch them out. When I have fed fruit flies for a couple of days with no crickets I start to see orange urates. After that I only ever fed fruit flies along with pinheads/week old crickets. The white urates are something you should try to maintain at all times. Sorry you are going through this. Its tough to lose 1 let alone several.

Thank you guys!!!! I had no idea the fruit flies could cause such malnutrition... I have noticed orangish urates but since they are now eating crix my largest baby is very healthy with white urates...
I think we may try some baby hornworms if I can get them small enough?!!

We have switched to the suggestion of using a 6500k bulb as heat source and an older UVB... we truly appreciate all your advice and wisdoms!! We will keep you updated

 

[sandrachameleon]

.... I will start dusting my feeders asap... so im going to want to use calcium with vit. d3 regularly? and then with d3 once a week and herptivite as well?!! thank you all so much for all the advice and help... if there are any other opinios and constructive criticism out there please lay it on us because we want to see these guys grow up big and strong...

Calcium withOUT vitamins most of the time, yes. Assuming you begin gutloading better you shouldnt need the vitamins more than once weekly.

They might not be big enough to eat dubia nymphs yet. I highly recommend adding tiny terrestrial isopods and/or been beetles.

I dont think fruit flies cause poor nutrition, though I also think no single type of feeder should form more than 25% of your chameleons diets. I think the orange urate is a clear sign of dehydration. Which is not a fruit fly issue, its a watering issue. However, adding "juicy" feeders like baby silkworms and hornworms is a very good way to help with dehydration issues. Dehydration would also explain the deaths.