Jacksons Chameleon Supplementation Schedule

[Vince]

My jacksons is just over 8 months old now. I would just like to know what other people use for a supplementation schedule.

I currently use roaches and silk worms as primary food. He normally will eat 2-3 roaches a day and one silk worms for dinner.

I dust almost every roach with calcium. Just lite dusting though. I use calcium with D3 twice a month. Light dusting on roaches as well. I also, use reptivite for his vitamin A. This also, has D3. (it was all i could get where i am) I also put this on his roaches lightly twice a month.
I do think it is important to note i do give him roaches without calcium or any other supplements, for two days out of a month.
As far as the silk worms go, i like to give them to him without dust. Sometimes when they get bigger in size i like to stick there legs in the calcium powder so they dont stick so well.

Does this sound ok or should i make some changes?

Thanks

 

[sandrachameleon]

Sounds like a little too much to me. I thought at that age the supplementing should be every other day, or only half the insects. But I probably shouldnt be responding, since I'm not a jackson owner.

 

[Vince]

You could be right. I have found lots of info on jacksons but not so much on the supplementing. One thing i do know is oversupplementing isnt hard to do in montane spceisies, this is why i am concerened.

So if he is only suppose to get half of what he is getting should i skip a few days to let his body recupe?

 

[sandrachameleon]

You could be right. I have found lots of info on jacksons but not so much on the supplementing. One thing i do know is oversupplementing isnt hard to do in montane spceisies, this is why i am concerened.

So if he is only suppose to get half of what he is getting should i skip a few days to let his body recupe?

I honestly dont know. I've been reading about them, as I was thinking of getting one. But most of what I read is inadequate or contradictory. Certainly I've no personal experience with Jacksons, so my thoughts are worth very little. If I were you, I'd wait for someone with real first hand knowledge to chime in before you change anything. Assuming he seems fine to you at the moment.

 

[nick barta]

Merumontanus..........Where are you when we need you most??

Nick

I honestly dont know. I've been reading about them, as I was thinking of getting one. But most of what I read is inadequate or contradictory. Certainly I've no personal experience with Jacksons, so my thoughts are worth very little. If I were you, I'd wait for someone with real first hand knowledge to chime in before you change anything. Assuming he seems fine to you at the moment.

 

[luevelvet]

I cared for a jacksons for a few years once. it was a while ago, but he lived until old age and died of natural causes. I only supplmented once a week, if that. Let's not forget that although food sources in the wild are more nutritious than say a cricket farmed for feed, its still no where near as nutritious as dusting concentrated supplements daily. It's like grinding calcium pills and sprinkling it on everything you eat, every day. It's just not necessary in my opinion.

We currently own a Mellers and since I feed my roaches a fresh bouquet of lettuces and other vegetables every day, I rarely supplement more than once or twice a week. He's growing like mad, and is very healthy. I never see him eat dirt, well, he loves leaves and twigs, but that's just him being a meller's.

IMO, if you gutload with healthy fresh greens and vegetables, dusting everday is overkill and should be cut back to once a week.

Luis

 

[Vince]

I cared for a jacksons for a few years once. it was a while ago, but he lived until old age and died of natural causes. I only supplmented once a week, if that. Let's not forget that although food sources in the wild are more nutritious than say a cricket farmed for feed, its still no where near as nutritious as dusting concentrated supplements daily. It's like grinding calcium pills and sprinkling it on everything you eat, every day. It's just not necessary in my opinion.

We currently own a Mellers and since I feed my roaches a fresh bouquet of lettuces and other vegetables every day, I rarely supplement more than once or twice a week. He's growing like mad, and is very healthy. I never see him eat dirt, well, he loves leaves and twigs, but that's just him being a meller's.

IMO, if you gutload with healthy fresh greens and vegetables, dusting everday is overkill and should be cut back to once a week.

Luis

Thank you i do appreciate the info. I will cut back immediately. I only feed my roaches oranges, carrots, and in light moderation water cubes with calcium. Is this good enough or should i change this up as well? And add more greens?

Also, how often would you supplement with Vitamin A and D3. once a month for each?

 

[sandrachameleon]

Roaches will eat all sorts of great stuff. Just like gutloading crickets, only easier.

The dry portion of a gutload can include (blend with a coffee grinder or food processor): quality whole grain cereal (Im currently using Kashi); spirulina; bee pollen; alfalfa; organic raw sunflower seeds; dried seaweed/kelp/dulse; oats; occassionally powered egg; ground almonds; ground brazil nuts; wheat germ; hemp seed; fig powder; occassionally high quality monkey chow

A wet gutload (switch it up with a different couple of items every other day or so) can frequently includes things like: fresh dandelion leaves, squash, carrot, yam, orange, mustard greens, pomegranet, collard greens, kale, romaine, apple, peas, blueberries, raspberries, alfalfa sprouts, sunflower sprouts, ... (avoid broccoli and spinach).

Roaches also love this bread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/bug-birdie-bread-recipe-20419/
If you think your chameleon need preformed vitamin A, include a small amount of avian pellets in the bread you feed to the roaches. Personally, I avoid porviding preformed Vitamin A / retinol, and certainly would never directly supplement with it.

 

[Titan]

Ok, Jacksons, I do well Dusting once weekly or at times biweekly and I use all the variety and types of dust, since I own many Chams and I have it all on hand. I gut load Crickets and such as said above pretty much.
Not to hard to do you just need to reduce the amount you originally were doing.

 

[Vince]

Thanks a lot. I had a suspicion i was over doing the supplements. I am glad i took my gut feeling and asked the forums.

Now my concern is, should i worry about kidney or liver damage now that i have been over doing it for so long? Like i said everything i give him dusted is very lightly dusted. But i know it is still overkill.

 

[luevelvet]

I wouldn't worry too much about liver or kidney damage unless the animal is showing signs of it. simply cut back the supp's and see how things go. I would most certainly change up the gutload sources a bunch. most weeks I use a staple of carious greens I acquire from the local grocery store, along with whatever other reasonable vegetable is on sale. Collards, squash, strawberry's, apples, romain, green leaf, celery tops etc etc. I also save all of my scraps from cooking and chop that up as well. Raw of course.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Luis

 

[krunk99cam]

I have a Jackson's that's about 8 months old as well and I dust once or twice a week (gut loaded crickets).

 

[Vince]

Roaches will eat all sorts of great stuff. Just like gutloading crickets, only easier.

The dry portion of a gutload can include (blend with a coffee grinder or food processor): quality whole grain cereal (Im currently using Kashi); spirulina; bee pollen; alfalfa; organic raw sunflower seeds; dried seaweed/kelp/dulse; oats; occassionally powered egg; ground almonds; ground brazil nuts; wheat germ; hemp seed; fig powder; occassionally high quality monkey chow

A wet gutload (switch it up with a different couple of items every other day or so) can frequently includes things like: fresh dandelion leaves, squash, carrot, yam, orange, mustard greens, pomegranet, collard greens, kale, romaine, apple, peas, blueberries, raspberries, alfalfa sprouts, sunflower sprouts, ... (avoid broccoli and spinach).

Roaches also love this bread: https://www.chameleonforums.com/bug-birdie-bread-recipe-20419/
If you think your chameleon need preformed vitamin A, include a small amount of avian pellets in the bread you feed to the roaches. Personally, I avoid porviding preformed Vitamin A / retinol, and certainly would never directly supplement with it.

I noticed you said stay away from spinach and broccoli. Just wondering why?? Romain and lettuce are OK, i imagine ice burg lettuce is no good?? Also, is tomato an OK food for roaches on occasion?

 

[Vince]

Just wanted to thank everyone who responded to this thread. I have a feeling i caught my mistake just in time. I was getting concerned because i had noticed an extra fold on my chams neck. Just after a few day break on supplements it has gone away. His colors were always good before but i think he is even brighter now. Also, seems to maybe have just a little more energy... but they are coming out of that winter stage too.