Dripping system including calcium

[AlexKnight]

Hi guys, I have recently bought two veiled chams and I have a good idea for a simple dripping system. With my two chams (Sid and Nancy) been young, it is obviously advisable to use calcium additives. Can anyone see any problems with mixing calcium powder into my makeshift drip system for when they drink. It is alot harder to keep the crickets and locusts in the tub whilst peppering them with the calcium as you can imagine. Any thoughts or other possible ideas please

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum I don't know about mixing calcium in with the water. I would find a way to get the insects into a clear plastic bag with just a little powder and rely on dusting insects. It is possible to get liquid calcium (Calcium gluconate) but I never used it myself.
I sometimes 'forgot' to dust the fruit flies though. Babies love fruit flies!

Here is a great all-round caresheet for Veileds that I recommend to all new people - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html
P.s. Love the names! Pics please!

 

[Olimpia]

I wouldn't because chameleons do more with their water than just drink it and I'd hate for them to try to wash out their eyes with water that has calcium dust in it and just make things worse.

Dusting and gutloading work, and usually you don't need to do anything beyond that to ensure that your chameleon is growing nicely. Remember, supplements are just supposed to supplement a varied and well-loaded diet. You could do the first two things correctly (thoroughly), skip calcium supplements altogether, and still have a healthy animal for example.

If you're having trouble dusting your feeders, a zip-lock bag like David suggested works pretty well, because you can dump insects in, close, shake, and pull them out. I use those tall Chinese take-out soup containers and I keep their lids in case I need to dust something like a grasshopper with a little more kick to it. But once they're dusted they're usually very disoriented and won't put up too much of a fight.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

In addition to what Olimpia said you have no way to monitor how much calcium your chams are actually getting by putting in the water. It would have to be very dilute so may not be enou to begin with, plus if they only drink a little then they would only get a minuscule amount of calcium. And it would make a mess with anything the water drips on leaving residue everywhere. You have to get a certain number of bugs out to feed each time as it is - it only takes an extra few seconds to dust them correctly. I use a deli cup with a pinch of powder at the bottom. Pull out a toilet paper roll where crickets are hiding from the cricket box, dump into the dust cup, swirl them around then into the cage. Very easy and no worries about how much they're getting!

 

[AlexKnight]

Cheers for the info guys, I will definately look at the care sheet. I bought a waterfall to supply them with water but it was delivered broken. I got a refun and got to keep the broken item. I am going to use the "free" pump to make a more advanced dripping system. I will get pics up soon

 

[Kate]

Cheers for the info guys, I will definately look at the care sheet. I bought a waterfall to supply them with water but it was delivered broken. I got a refun and got to keep the broken item. I am going to use the "free" pump to make a more advanced dripping system. I will get pics up soon

I'm glad you have found a different use for your waterfall pump. Waterfalls are not advisable as they are often used as a potty and the feeders often drown in them causing them to be a breeding ground for bacteria. Welcome to the forum.