How should I be dusting my feeders?

[Ringobaby]

Hello Chamfam,

I been researching a lot as to dusting. I been having my little guy for 1 week and they told us to dust his crickets everyday with calcium w/ d3. Although I been reading that's not recommended. Can someone give me more info on this and what multivitamin to give please.

 

[Syreptyon]

What you've read is correct. Supplementing with D3 every day will give your chameleon an overdose.

The simplest solution is to replace all supplements with Repashy Calcium Plus LoD and use that at every feeding

 

[Ringobaby]

Thank you! Will pick some up today. Also, as far as his basking light we were supplied with a red one and it seems everything I read recommends a white one?

 

[Ringobaby]

Just want to make sure he is getting the correct care. What multivitamin is recommended?

 

[Syreptyon]

Just want to make sure he is getting the correct care. What multivitamin is recommended?

Only use white lights.

Multivitamin is included in Repashy LoD - it's an all-in-one that is specifically formulated with low amounts of D3 and multivitamin, such that it is appropriate for everyday use

 

[Ringobaby]

Only use white lights.

Multivitamin is included in Repashy LoD - it's an all-in-one that is specifically formulated with low amounts of D3 and multivitamin, such that it is appropriate for everyday use

Thank you. Appreciate the advice and reply!

 

[AnamCara]

Welcome to the forums I see you are relatively new! If you are up for it we would be happy to review and help fine tune your husbandry. If that sounds like something you are into please fill out the form below-- pictured are always helpful
Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

 

[JacksJill]

If they told you D3 every day the odds are they told you some other things that were not correct. If you do have time to fill out the form we can spot and help you fix any before they become a problem.

 

[Ringobaby]

Welcome to the forums I see you are relatively new! If you are up for it we would be happy to review and help fine tune your husbandry. If that sounds like something you are into please fill out the form below-- pictured are always helpful
Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Will fill this out after work

 

[Ringobaby]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, male, I was told 3 months. He had officially been in my care for a week
• Handling - 0, the only time we had him out was when we transferred him to his new home.
• Feeding - About 8 crickets a day. He won't eat more than that.What amount? He normally eats around noon. I gutload them with fruits and a little calcium.
• Supplements - I am using what they told me to use at the reptile shop which is the Exo Terra calcium + d3.
• Watering - I am using the mister in which I mist myself. I do it 3 times a day for 3-5 minutes depending.
• Fecal Description - Seems normal from what I've seen. Its like dark brown and white. Have not had him tested.
• History - no other info

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - he is in a screen cage and the dimensions are 12" deep, 25" tall, 25" wide.
• Lighting - my lighting schedule is from 7am-7pm. We are using the reptisun terrarium hood. 12" 15 watt. And the red light for his basking. Which I will be changing to white. It's a 40w at the moment.
• Temperature - it stays between 72-80, basking spot around 90
• Humidity - Humidity stays around 60-80. Maintain it by misting. And keep up with the thermostat reader.
• Plants - No live plants at the moment. Do plan on adding one!
• Placement - Cage is located in my room. No, just near my window. About 4 ft high.
• Location - I am located in Southern California.

Thank you guys for all the input.

 

[Ringobaby]

Also, forgot to add in... I do see him drinking. He's coming around to me so he will drink after I mist as long as I keep my distance from him

 

[Ringobaby]

This is his cage before we brought him home.

 

[Ringobaby]

Any response on my husbandry?

 

[kinyonga]

Glad you're replacing the red light. You can use a regular household incandescent bulb of a wattage that produces the proper basking temperature.

You've already been told about one way of supplementing (with the Repashy Calcium Plus LoD and use that at every feeding). I supplement in the "old" way...I dust lightly at almost every feeding with a phos free calcium powder (RepCal) and twice a month lightly with a phos free calcium/D3 powder (RepCal) and twice a month lightly with a vitamin powder (Herptivite) with a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A and supplemental D3 can build up in the system and cause health issues. Some chameleons may need some prEformed vitamin A so this leaves it up to you to decide when/if to use a prEformed source.

I feed/gutload the crickets, locusts, super worms, roaches with greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, etc) and veggies (carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet red peppers, sweet potatoes, etc) and a bit of fruit (apples, pears, berries, melon, etc)!

Since you have a veiled chameleon I wild replace any fake plants with nontoxic real ones because veileds will chew on vegetation and if ingested fake plants can cause impaction and death.

I hope this helps!

 

[Ringobaby]

Glad you're replacing the red light. You can use a regular household incandescent bulb of a wattage that produces the proper basking temperature.

You've already been told about one way of supplementing (with the Repashy Calcium Plus LoD and use that at every feeding). I supplement in the "old" way...I dust lightly at almost every feeding with a phos free calcium powder (RepCal) and twice a month lightly with a phos free calcium/D3 powder (RepCal) and twice a month lightly with a vitamin powder (Herptivite) with a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A and supplemental D3 can build up in the system and cause health issues. Some chameleons may need some prEformed vitamin A so this leaves it up to you to decide when/if to use a prEformed source.

I feed/gutload the crickets, locusts, super worms, roaches with greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, etc) and veggies (carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet red peppers, sweet potatoes, etc) and a bit of fruit (apples, pears, berries, melon, etc)!

Since you have a veiled chameleon I wild replace any fake plants with nontoxic real ones because veileds will chew on vegetation and if ingested fake plants can cause impaction and death.

I hope this helps!

Tha k you so much! It definitely did. I will be looking more into those supplements. Any advice on when to introduce him to worms and veggies? He's about 3 months.

 

[kinyonga]

You can try giving him some greens, veggies and a tiny bit of fruit even at this age but chances are he won't take it yet. I usually put a small jar lid of chopped up greens, veggies and fruit in the bottom of the cage so the crickets that are free-ranging in the cage can eat it and the chemelon may get a taste of it when he shoots for a cricket.

What worms do you mean? Supers? Silk? Horn?