dusting vs. gut loading (crickets)

[ferretinmyshoes]

if my chameleon gets a lot of natural sunlight will he need vitamin d supplement? because i plan to have his cage close to a window.

Regular glass blocks over 98% of UVB rays (which is why you don't get sunburned sitting by the window) so sitting your chameleon by the window does not provide any UVB rays unless it is open and there is no glass between the sunlight and your chameleon. The heat from the sun through a window can actually be a danger to your chameleon. A UVB bulb is necessary if unfiltered sunlight cannot be provided for at least 5-8 hours every day.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Just to clarify... Someone said "dust crickets twice a day". Don't they mean "twice a day, dust the crickets that u r about to feed the Cham". You don't dust your whole cricket supply if they aren't about to be ingested by the Cham. True?

You dust the crickets just prior to feeding them to the chameleon.

If you dust them in advance, the crickets will just clean the dust off themselves (and may die from ingesting too much calcium)

 

[chameleonkev]

Gutloading is very important for all feeder prey. And for most feeder prey types (like crickets and mealworms), calcium dusting is also very important, but some types of prey need no dusting at all. Offering a wide variety of prey is also, IMHO, a good idea

Here are some links to information that should be really useful for new owners, and will help with your gutloading and supplement dusting questions.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/407-gutloading-isnt-just-crickets-roaches-gutload-everything.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/92-hydration-importance.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ryan-jarosek/119-new-arrival-bringing-home.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/syn/226-frequently-asked-questions.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/frequently-asked-questions-71620/
http://www.chameleonnews.com/
http://www.chameleonsonline.com/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/522-average-cost-owning-chameleon.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/573-chameleon-physiology-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/662-temperature.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/659-green-leafy-goodness-gutloading.html
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

That's a lot of information right there, read threw this you go from beginner to expert in a day

 

[tkilgour]

I don't think you can say "dusting vs. gutloading". IMO, you need to do both. Granted I have not read the thread just the title. Regardless, you need to gutload with leafy greens, nuts and seeds. Then you should use a high quality, dry, organic, gutload compiled of super foods. Then use calcium, calcium D3, and a vit. A supplement as recommended. The choice of any of these products is yours. However, IMO supplementation should come 2nd to a high quality gutload. It is better to get the essential vitamins directly from the food source and natural sun if possible.