few questions...

[chameleonmatt1]

hi everyone kinda new at this... i was wondering about dusting crickets. i have zoo med reptiivite for his vitamins but it contains d3 should i get the reptivite without the d3? also have some zoo med repti calcium that also contains d3. should i get some regular calcium without the d3 for my every day feeding??? if i give the vitamins with d3 every other week and the calcium with d3 oppsite weeks from vitamins is that too much d3 for the month? i was thinking i should pick up calcium with out the d3 for every day dusting is this correct? also i have the zilla slimline fixture with stock bulb (came with kit) should i change bulb to repti sun 5.0??? whats the difference if any? can i use the stock zilla fixture and just replace bulb??? hopefully makes sence lol.

thanks for the help!!!

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums. This is a great place to learn about chameleons. Yes you do need Calcium without d3 for just about every feeding. How old is your chameleon? I've read some threads here saying the Zilla lights are bad. I'll see if I can find the old threads for you. Most here use the reptisun 5.0. I'm attaching my blog for new keeper below. I have a secetion on lighting and one on supplements.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

Old Zilla threads:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/zilla-lighting-55278/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/zilla-hood-no-good-52490/

 

[Ashlynn]

I've read that those lights aren't the best as well.

 

[chameleonmatt1]

awsome ill be switching to repti sun 5.0 and getting some more supplements. does the vitamin need to be with or without the d3? thanks.

 

[TyggyToo]

I am currently using Ca with nothing as the standard daily supplement.
Twice a month I use Ca with D
Twice a month I use a multivitamin that has D.

I think that is the standard supplementing, and that you change the routine as you learn more about your animal's particular needs.

Submitted for your approval,
Tyg

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!
Here's some information I hope will help you ....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it.

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Please note that various supplements have various amounts of D3 and vitamin A and so some can be given more often than others. The idea still is not to overdo the fat soluble vitamins like D3 and prEformed vitamin A.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.

 

[chameleonmatt1]

awsome, thanks for the info.