Calcium/Multi-Vitamin Dusting Schedule

[VeiledLily]

Hi everyone!
So I wanted to share what Lily’s dusting schedule looks like in hopes of helping new Chameleon owners and anyone else really. She is my 7 month old Veiled Chameleon who I’ve had since she was 2 weeks old.


5 MONTHS OLD HERE

I put together a list of calcium/multi-vitamins. Keep in mind I called my local reptile zoo and they gave me their dusting schedule as inspo. I ended up using their schedule with some grub added which includes:
Meal Worms
Horn Worms
*Keep in mind these are TREATS

Dusting Schedule
Monday: Calcium (w/o D3)
Tuesday: (none)
Wednesday: Multi-Vitamin
Thursday: (none)
Friday: Calcium (w/o D3)
Saturday: (none)
Sunday: (none)
Once Monthly: Calcium (WITH D3)

Product List
Flucker’s Reptile Vitamin
Flucker’s Calcium (w/o D3)
Flucker’s Repta Calcium (WITH D3)

You can find these on Amazon!

 

[Beman]

So are you feeding on the off days or skipping dusting?

Supplementation will vary based off the product being used.
Yours for example...
The multivitamin has D3 and vitamin A. This at most should be given 2 times a month. You can overdose a cham on both of these.

 

[DocZ]

I agree with @Beman that you’ll want to consider fat soluble vitamin overdose when using your multivitamin more frequently although there are very successful breeders using similar products frequently

However another thing to consider is the Repta Calcium with D3 has very high levels of D3 at 100,000 IU per pound. This is really high compared most any other product on the market and is even more concerning for possible D3 overdose

and welcome to the group

 

[VeiledLily]

Supplementation will vary based off the product being used.
Yours for example...
The multivitamin has D3 and vitamin A. This at most should be given 2 times a month. You can overdose a cham on both of these.

Yes! I still feed her everyday although she’s slowing down because she’s not a juvenile anymore. I only give the multi with D3 once a month maybe I wrote it wrong but thank you for your feedback I appreciate it!

 

[VeiledLily]

However another thing to consider is the Repta Calcium with D3 has very high levels of D3 at 100,000 IU per pound. This is really high compared most any other product on the market and is even more concerning for possible D3 overdose

and welcome to the group

Thank you! And yes I only use the D3 multi once a month, I’m very aware of D3 overdosing due to talking to Reptileland and asking their feedback on what to use. My boyfriend has her brother his name is Ula and he’s also on this schedule. I always appreciate feedback!

 

[kinyonga]

So... you're using the vitamin powder 4 times a month but it has only a beta carotene source of vitamin A and no D3? That would mean that's not going to lead to an overdose on those 2 fat soluble vitamins...but there's no need to dust any more than twice a month with the vitamin powder. I always used Herptivite vitamin powder twice a month lightly for veiled chameleons...it has beta carotene in it like the one you're using.

I have always used Rep-Cal Phos free calcium/D3 powder (which has even more D3 than the one you're using) and it didn't lead to overdosing of the D3.

For years, I have always dusted at every feeding but one a week with PHOS free calcium powder.

Even before the females are 6 month old I switch to feeding every other day. And by the time they get their receptive colors, I feed only 4 or 5 (usually not quite full grown) crickets two or three times a week. Overfeeding female veileds once they areapproaching maturity can lead to huge clutches and reproductive issues.

 

[VeiledLily]

So... you're using the vitamin powder 4 times a month but it has only a beta carotene source of vitamin A and no D3? That would mean that's not going to lead to an overdose on those 2 fat soluble vitamins...but there's no need to dust any more than twice a month with the vitamin powder. I always used Herptivite vitamin powder twice a month lightly for veiled chameleons...it has beta carotene in it like the one you're using.

I have always used Rep-Cal Phos free calcium/D3 powder (which has even more D3 than the one you're using) and it didn't lead to overdosing of the D3.

For years, I have always dusted at every feeding but one a week with PHOS free calcium powder.

Even before the females are 6 month old I switch to feeding every other day. And by the time they get their receptive colors, I feed only 4 or 5 (usually not quite full grown) crickets two or three times a week. Overfeeding female veileds once they areapproaching maturity can lead to huge clutches and reproductive issues.

She is now at that point where she feeds every other except sometimes she’s hungry, but she’s in between those 6-7 months of change of appetite

 

[MissSkittles]

She is now at that point where she feeds every other except sometimes she’s hungry, but she’s in between those 6-7 months of change of appetite

Hi. Veileds are always hungry…they are very opportunistic and because of this, with our good intentions we can make them obese very easily. For our ladies, over feeding can create larger egg clutches which can increase risks for laying complications.

 

[VeiledLily]

Hi. Veileds are always hungry…they are very opportunistic and because of this, with our good intentions we can make them obese very easily. For our ladies, over feeding can create larger egg clutches which can increase risks for laying complications.

Lily is letting crickets in her cage so I cut back on how many she gets and the frequency she’s since maturing. It’s about every other day at this point feeding. Lily loves horn worms the most they’re delicious to her

 

[MissSkittles]

Lily is letting crickets in her cage so I cut back on how many she gets and the frequency she’s since maturing. It’s about every other day at this point feeding. Lily loves horn worms the most they’re delicious to her

Have you tried silkworms yet?

 

[Beman]

So I am confused. You told me you feed her every day but then told another member every other day. Just so you know you really should be dusting all feeders. Typically we use calcium without D3 at all feedings and then depending on what supplements are used you rotate those in at the correct times. But the calcium without D3 is important because we are needing to balance the phosphorus to calcium ratio of the feeders. Females especially need to have proper supplementation due to egg laying.

 

[VeiledLily]

So I am confused. You told me you feed her every day but then told another member every other day. Just so you know you really should be dusting all feeders. Typically we use calcium without D3 at all feedings and then depending on what supplements are used you rotate those in at the correct times. But the calcium without D3 is important because we are needing to balance the phosphorus to calcium ratio of the feeders. Females especially need to have proper supplementation due to egg laying.

Please re-read what I said above. I’m not here for drama. I said she was getting fed everyday up to recently (within the past week) I started cutting back noticing crickets in her cage that she didn’t eat, thanks for being so concerned

 

[VeiledLily]

Have you tried silkworms yet?

I’m definitely going to! My local pet store doesn’t have them EVER and it sucks

 

[Beman]

Please re-read what I said above. I’m not here for drama. I said she was getting fed everyday up to recently (within the past week) I started cutting back noticing crickets in her cage that she didn’t eat, thanks for being so concerned

I was asking for clarification. I was going to offer you the correct supplementation for the supplements you are using. You can do what you would like, if you are not open to feedback.

For example with the specific supplements you are using Calcium with D3 should not be used at all because it is in your multivitamin. So your multivitamin would be used 2 times a month say the 1st and the 15th and then at all other feedings calcium without D3 should be used.

I am not here for drama either. But when you post info about "correct" supplementation in a forum you should expect experienced members to comment and critique it for the simple fact that others are reading your advice. We do not want someone that is new to the hobby reading it and supplementing incorrectly for their cham.

Take care.

 

[VeiledLily]

I was asking for clarification. I was going to offer you the correct supplementation for the supplements you are using. You can do what you would like, if you are not open to feedback.

For example with the specific supplements you are using Calcium with D3 should not be used at all because it is in your multivitamin. So your multivitamin would be used 2 times a month say the 1st and the 15th and then at all other feedings calcium without D3 should be used.

I am not here for drama either. But when you post info about "correct" supplementation in a forum you should expect experienced members to comment and critique it for the simple fact that others are reading your advice. We do not want someone that is new to the hobby reading it and supplementing incorrectly for their cham.

Take care.

I understand but you read my supplements wrong and thought I was using D3 often when I stated I only use it once a month. You also miss-understood me when I said I feed daily, it doesn’t mean Lily is eating them so I reworded it to another member because she is only eating every other day now and it was to the point. Me using different supplements from you doesn’t make mine wrong. I very much trust Reptileland Zoo (after all they do have chams and others) and I based my schedule off of theirs like I mentioned AND supplements. Like I said too I’m open for feedback but not when my words are misunderstood because it’s pointless then. Take care also!

 

[VeiledLily]

I’m definitely going to! My local pet store doesn’t have them EVER and it sucks

Would Josh’s Frogs have them?

 

[MissSkittles]

Would Josh’s Frogs have them?

https://www.serenitysilkworms.com/

 

[kinyonga]

Clarifying post #6...I said..."For years, I have always dusted at every feeding but one a week with PHOS free calcium powder"...I should have added that on the one day a week that I didn't dust with the PHOS free calcium I alternated between Rep Cal PHOS free calcium/D3 powder and Herptivite ...both dusted lightly, like the calcium.

 

[MissSkittles]

There are as many supplement regimens as there are types of supplements. Each keeper prefers different brands, schedules and takes into account their individual conditions. What works for one, may not necessarily work for another. However, the basics are pretty much the same and are what we promote here. A phosphorus free calcium without D3 is to be used at every feeding to lightly dust the feeders. This is pretty much indisputable. Then it gets a bit more complicated and depends on the brand/type of supplements used. A D3 supplement is needed once every other week. A multivitamin is needed every other week. Some multivitamins have D3 in them, so an additional D3 is not needed and this would be given for one feeding every other week. As vitamin D3 is fat soluble, it is not so quickly metabolized and can build up to harmful levels. Same with some types of vitamin A.
The problem with the thinking of, ‘well, they use it so it must be right’ is it doesn’t take into account all of the variables of care or that they may not necessarily be doing things correctly. There is also the fact that chameleon care guidelines is always evolving as we learn more about the best ways to keep them. The most accurate and up to date husbandry is at https://chameleonacademy.com/ Bill Strand, the creator of the site and founder of Dragon Strand, has pretty much dedicated his life to leading the way in chameleon care and is the most trustworthy education source of all things chameleon.

 

[VeiledLily]

You’re so right about guidelines evolving! I will definitely take into account things you told me because I’m always open to learn more and more and more and I’m so happy I found this site! Thank you for being so helpful and kind