Hi! Ordinary question again, but more detailed description...

[NS exotics]

I am curious why are some Chameleons eating the substrate? I have one female C.calyptratus, she is about 5 months old, she grown 4 times in two months. I think she is prety healty, except she is eating the substrate form plant pot regularly, but she doesn't have a problem, she poops everyday and eats a lot everyday. What can be the cause to eat substrate so often? I see her a few times a week eating a bit of substrate... I keep many other animals, so I think, from her behaviour, that this isn't bothering her much, but I am just curious why.

Thanks in advance!

Hope this thread make good start for some other potencial buyers of Chameleons

 

[Justin Carl]

Veileds do have a tendency to do that. i wouldworry to much about, but with that being said make sure you soil is safe. meaning it dosent have any off thos fertilizer pellets and styrofaom beads in it. otherwise it is typical for them. if it does bother you and you dont want to rish it just placesome large stones over the dirt.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

We don't really know why, but veileds are particularly notorious for eating soil.
This is why we have to be a little bit careful with what our plants are potted in.
I am personally in favor of letting them have access to the soil ... but I make a mix that is as safe for them as possible ... check here:

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/plants.html

-Brad

 

[ChromaChameleons]

Some opinions support a theory that chameleons that eat soil may be attempting to dislodge parasites in the stomach and intestine. Other theories suggest that they are attempting to acquire minerals missing from their diets.

 

[NS exotics]

I don't think mine lacks some minerals or vitamins, cose diet is supplement with Nekton MSA minerals and Zoo-med vitamins and Ca powder and mine B.lateralis are very well fed, with everyday fruits or vegetables, along with some protein full chicken mesh, dog pellets and some other plant materials...

I just wanted to hear other oppinions and if someone has any reference to this it would be great, cose I am sure mine don't have problems with it, she grown about 4 times the size she was in only 2 months...so I think this is good pointer that everything is great, isn't it?

 

[dodolah]

we are not sure.
but as far as mineral deficiency, i don't think you should rule out that possibility too soon. After all, you never know what kind of minerals and nutrients that wild chameleons eat in the nature.
Their diet consist of hundreds of insect species and plants (for veiled and panther), which i doubt all of us can emulate in the captivity.

You feed your chameleon with dogfood?
I might be a bit careful with that. I heard high protein food can cause him gout.
Chameleon is belong to a low protein eater. A diet of high protein might not be too good for him.

just my 2 cents

 

[NS exotics]

Well, I provide my insects with some quality foods, so what they eat my Chameleon eat too, I don't know how can I balance that with my feeders, any particular advice? What do you feed yours with?

As for the variety he eats in nature I agree but as you know there are some insects for staple diets and some for ocasional use, so I feed mainly B.lateralis and he won't eat superworms or any other worm insect, maybe cricets, but they are similar to lateralis roach.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I think the lateralis are probably quite a bit better than crickets.
I would remove dog food from the roach diet as well. It's actually okay for the roaches, but maybe not so good for the cham.
coastal silkworms sells "roach coach" and there's cricketfood.com.
These are good gut loads for your roaches.

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/supplements.html

http://raisingkittytheveiledchamele.../feeders-and-their-husbandry-how-much-to.html

-Brad

 

[NS exotics]

Thanks Brad, you are so helpful, but I can't find anything about feeding our feeders there. Is there any gutload food formula that you can share with me? I know of some, but I can't understand all the ingredients...

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Honestly, I have found the easiest and least expensive option is to purchase gut load prepared by someone else. I add fresh greens and vegetables to this.
I really like the formulas here: http://cricketfood.com/

-Brad

 

[dodolah]

i also use cricketfood.com
I use fluker orange cubes for the water.
and for the fresh food, i use dandelions.
that seem to do the trick for my cham.

 

[NS exotics]

The problem is that I don't have where to buy it and I can't order online, cose I am from Serbia...so I must prepare it myself, so if someone has or knows anyone who has some home made formula, please let me know!

Thanks in advance!