Chicken grit for chams

[redsfandrew]

I recently spoke with Jim at the chameleon co. and he told me he actually uses chicken grit as a supplement. I also recently got my cham a red hibiscus tree and he loves it. I have seen him on many occasions biting and chewing on the branches. Jim told me that was normal and its just their natural instinct to try to get more natural nutrients. Jim said, a small amount of chicken grit can be dusted over the branches and the soil.
Does anyone use this method. He also said its great for females and their clutches. It helps facilitate healthy and strong egg production. Any thoughts on that as well.

 

[Dez]

Actual grit? I keep chickens and the grit is actually small crushed rocks. Chickens need it because they do not have teeth. The grit sits in their crop and helps grind up the food before it is digested.

I don't really understand how grit would help a chameleon. Chickens also are given oyster shells (or crushed egg shell) to supplement laying hens with calcium .

In any case I would be afraid the grit would cause problems on the chameleons dygestive system since they don't have a crop like birds do. I would worry about impaction or tearing on the sharp little rocks.

Also I don't understand how grit can be dusted in the branches... It is much to heavy to stick.

 

[redsfandrew]

Now that you mention it, he did say crushed oyster shells. He did mentioned chicken grit in the conversation, but I know he said that oyster shells are used with his female chams, for egg laying. He also said that he doesn't use any of the dust mixes. He uses a liquid supplement and gut loads his feeders with the other nutrients.

 

[SSimsswiSS]

You would need to break down the shells to a powder form first (blender, crusher, mortar and pestle). And then dust.

 

[Alexl]

I don't really understand how grit would help a chameleon. Chickens also are given oyster shells (or crushed egg shell) to supplement laying hens with calcium .

I think the breeder means grit out of crushed egg shells, because it contains plenty of calciumcarbonate (they call it "shell grit" over here). Calciumcarbonat would be the best form of calcium orally given. It's suitable for lots of other reptiles as calcium powder, too.

Take care that you buy fine grit and only such without anise (which is often added in grit for e.g. doves).

 

[redsfandrew]

I didn't plan on trying it until i got some feed back from you guys. I was just concerned with my guy always chewing on his tree. I thought maybe it was his way of telling me hes not getting enough of something. I dust with rephashy all in one every other day, and gut-load accordingly.

 

[camimom]

I didn't plan on trying it until i got some feed back from you guys. I was just concerned with my guy always chewing on his tree. I thought maybe it was his way of telling me hes not getting enough of something. I dust with rephashy all in one every other day, and gut-load accordingly.

when chams begin to chew on plants, some people think its because they are dehydrated

 

[pssh]

Isn't repcal made from oyster shells?

 

[Benhopkins8]

Is oyster shell bad for chams if not I can add this too my gutload

 

[kinyonga]

Chicken grit comes in two forms from what I understand...flint...which is not soluble and oyster shell, etc. which is soluble.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Is oyster shell bad for chams if not I can add this too my gutload

Oyster shell is crushed into pieces like gravel, most about an eighth of an inch across. A chicken can use oyster shell as a calcium source because they have a gizzard, which is the "stomach" part (ventriculus) of a bird's digestive system that grinds up food. They eat rocks and things, which end up in the gizzard and grind up food that they eat. These rocks also grind each other up, so oyster shells grinding against each other in an acid rich soup will be absorbed further down the digestive tract.

Chameleons do not have that kind of digestive system.

Oyster shells are probably what the manufacturers use to make any of the reptile calcium you buy, but it is very finely ground.

If you reach into a bag of oyster shells for chickens, you will grab a handful of gravel which will be dust covered. And, yes, you could use the dust at the bottom of the bag or sift it out, but that would be an incredibly labor-intensive and messy way to get a tiny amount of usable calcium.

Insects that feed on vegetable matter are not likely to be eating rocks or very large, coarsely ground powdered calcium carbonate. If you want to add calcium to your feeders, dust with finely ground calcium that they are more likely to ingest when eating the fresh foods. Snails are different--they'll eat cuttlebone.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Chicken grit comes in two forms from what I understand...flint...which is not soluble and oyster shell, etc. which is soluble.

It's not flint, but maybe granite. Chicken people don't think of oyster shells as grit, but as a supplement to their diet. Grit is used to help grind up hard food, which oyster shells would also do.