How much D3 is safe

[EatYellowSnow]

Hi, I have been trying to find out around the forum and Care resources but without success. I bought a calcium mix for reptiles that I am using to dust the crickets with and I am worried about the D3 in it: is the D3 amount safe enough? Should I rather use it only a few times a week and switch to calcium without D3 for the rest of the time, or on the contrary, should I get a more powerful D3 source? What is the ideal amount of D3 vitamine per kg for example?

The product is called NutriMix Rep Calci Plus - it states it contains 10 000 m.j. of E671 (D3) per 1kg.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Ivan321]

-Calcium daily
-Calcium w/ D3 twice a month
-Multi-vitamins twice a month

 

[Decadancin]

As far as I know, this is the info when dealing with dusting crickets...

Crickets contain phosphorus already (more than some other types of feeders) and do not need to be dusted everyday with additional phosphorus. Your chameleon needs more Calcium than Phosphorus in its system to maintain healthy bones, etc. Too much phosphorus can lead to increased health issues and injuries (broken bones, etc.). This is the reason we dust with calcium NO D3 every feeding. The additional Bi-weekly calcium with D3 and multivitamin is a way to help maintain a balance within your chameleon's system. It isn't an exact measure, but along with a great gutload for your feeders it seems to work well!
As always, a varied diet is best for your chams. Depending on other factors (outside time, gutload, etc.) you may want to tweak this routine, but for the most part that's the basics.

 

[EatYellowSnow]

Thanks. I am kind of aware of the general concept but I failed to find any specification regarding the exact dosage, since various brands contain ten times the D3 than others. Today I was in a pet shop where I was recommended a calcium with which chameleons reportedly "cannot ever overdose" - after checking I found it contains exactly 10 times more D3 than the one I already have. I am only looking for some calcium that I can use on a daily basis without second thoughts - how about this one please?

Exo Terra Calcium
calcium 35%
salt 0.06%
potassium 0.04%
magnesium 0.03%
sulfur 0.04%
iron 240ppm
zinc 9ppm
manganese 5ppm
copper 2ppm

 

[drift141]

Thanks. I am kind of aware of the general concept but I failed to find any specification regarding the exact dosage, since various brands contain ten times the D3 than others. Today I was in a pet shop where I was recommended a calcium with which chameleons reportedly "cannot ever overdose" - after checking I found it contains exactly 10 times more D3 than the one I already have. I am only looking for some calcium that I can use on a daily basis without second thoughts - how about this one please?

Exo Terra Calcium
calcium 35%
salt 0.06%
potassium 0.04%
magnesium 0.03%
sulfur 0.04%
iron 240ppm
zinc 9ppm
manganese 5ppm
copper 2ppm

I do not have any experience with the Exo Terra, but Repashy Calcium Plus was recommended to me by the breeder I purchased my clam from. They have been keeping/raising chams for 32 years and have had success with this product. I completely trust their experience as they produce nice animals to say the least.

 

[Kate]

I do not have any experience with the Exo Terra, but Repashy Calcium Plus was recommended to me by the breeder I purchased my clam from. They have been keeping/raising chams for 32 years and have had success with this product. I completely trust their experience as they produce nice animals to say the least.

Just to complicate things Repeshey have recently done more research and have brought out a calcium LoD which is recommended for chams. Also the amount of d3 necessary depends on how much natural sunlight the Cham gets. Personally I am using three separate supplements.

 

[drift141]

Just to complicate things Repeshey have recently done more research and have brought out a calcium LoD which is recommended for chams. Also the amount of d3 necessary depends on how much natural sunlight the Cham gets. Personally I am using three separate supplements.

My Cham does not get any natural sunlight as his enclosure is in my basement and it is currently winter her in ND. So, in this case, I will stick with the calc plus for now. Once summer comes back to the far north and I can take him outside, then I might consider an alternative. He is healthy now, so I don't want to change anything. Just like the old saying, "If isn't broke, don't fix it."

 

[Kate]

My Cham does not get any natural sunlight as his enclosure is in my basement and it is currently winter her in ND. So, in this case, I will stick with the calc plus for now. Once summer comes back to the far north and I can take him outside, then I might consider an alternative. He is healthy now, so I don't want to change anything. Just like the old saying, "If isn't broke, don't fix it."

I would agree with your last statement. I have killed two chams by od d3. This was because the research hadn't been done at that time. I have used RC+ but became a bit uncomfortable using it that's why I went back to the three supplement regime.

 

[Decadancin]

I am currently using Rep-Cal Calcium - No Phosphorus - No Vitamin D3. It is made from 100% Natural phosphorus-free oyster shell calcium carbonate. It has a guaranteed analysis of minimum 35% maximum 41% Calcium. www.repcal.com
Came in a 4.1 oz container.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Hi, I have been trying to find out around the forum and Care resources but without success. I bought a calcium mix for reptiles that I am using to dust the crickets with and I am worried about the D3 in it: is the D3 amount safe enough? Should I rather use it only a few times a week and switch to calcium without D3 for the rest of the time, or on the contrary, should I get a more powerful D3 source? What is the ideal amount of D3 vitamine per kg for example?

The product is called NutriMix Rep Calci Plus - it states it contains 10 000 m.j. of E671 (D3) per 1kg.

Thanks for your help!

there is no set rule, no one has scientifically determined a specific ideal dosage (that I am aware of), and there are many factors of influence.

You do not indicate which type of chameleon you have, its age, the type of lighting you use or if the animal is outside at all, whether there is any D3 in the gutload you provide, how you are providing other nutrients/balancing.....

Here are some links that provide good info, as well I'll give my personal opinion based on my own experience... but I do not follow a set schedule myself, as I adjust all supplementation based on what Im feeding and what the particular environmental factors are at the time.

If your supplement has ~20,000 IU/lb, like the original Repashy calcium plus product, I would feel comfortable using this about once a week, maybe twice, for a veiled or panther under UVB lighting and where D3 isnt in the gutload, or is very little in gutload. The low D version of Repashy could be used several times a week, perhaps daily. Mineral-I with 4,400 IU/kg can be used several times a week, perhaps daily. The Rep-cal brand, being far more potent at 400,000 IU/kg of D3, I would use lightly only twice monthly max.


https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html

Monthly logs of exactly what I've provided: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/food-diary/

 

[pssh]

I prefer minerall and the repashy calcium plus LoD version. I have been mixing my LoD with plain calcium at a 40/60-50/50 ratio for a little while now and I like it. It makes me feel comfortable in that I am not using more D3 than I am comfortable with, but that I can also use it just about daily if I want (like in the winter when my chameleons don't get natural UVB.) Previously I was using the minerall with D3 almost daily with a multi-vitamin 2 times a month.