I'm sure almost everyone uses multivitamin of various brands as a vit A supplement for your chams. But I was just wondering if I gutload my feeders well and properly could they act as a alternative form of providing the vitamin A? I'm having trouble of getting multivitamin supplements in my country ( no problem with calcium though), thus my question. Anyone ever tried what I mentioned above with no problems?
Need some advice on vit A
- Thread starter Ahtee
- Start date
Hoj
Friendly Grasshopper
U can gut load with items high in vit a. Cantaloupe cooked egg whites are good. Also you can use human grade vit a capsules. I get the gell type and poke a tiny hole in it. Place a tiny tiny drop into a single feeder and hand feed. I do this one every two weeks for adult veileds and panthers and less for most other species.
Less is more this way a single cap has enough for like 500 doses to give you the idea and too much can cause issues.
Less is more this way a single cap has enough for like 500 doses to give you the idea and too much can cause issues.
kgallego
Member
Butternut Squash is high in Vit A. I know that roaches love it. I dont know about crickets.
KatCham
Established Member
Vit A drop on feeder worked a treat thanks hoj! Used a fruit beetle grub. Wasn't in front of his face for 2 seconds
I'm going to do this once every 2 weeks as well. Then use calcium only for 2 feeds per week and the calci plus for the other 2 (alternating at each feed)
Thanks for your advice
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
You might find my chameleon vets blogs about vitamin A helpful.
http://www.ivanalfonso.com/2011/07/vitamin-a-supplement/
http://www.ivanalfonso.com/2012/09/vitamin-a-deficiencies-strike-again/
http://www.ivanalfonso.com/2011/07/vitamin-a-supplement/
http://www.ivanalfonso.com/2012/09/vitamin-a-deficiencies-strike-again/
Please be aware that there are two types of vitamin A...prEformed (acetate, retinol, retinol, etc) which is ready to go and just can build up in the chameleon's system and prOformed (beta carotene) which has to be converted into vitamin A by the chameleon as needed and doesn't build up.
KatCham
Established Member
I was only made aware of this recently. I also read that beta carotene cant be converted by some chameleons into vitamin A...hence the possible defficiency if that is the issue I'm having with Simba.
A few keepers seem to prefer the preformed to the Beta Carotene.
Hoj
Friendly Grasshopper
I defiantly am in the preformed camp but many great keepers have successfully relied on beta carotene sources. If are going to go the preformed gel capsule methods I suggest not using the calcium plus as it also is preformed retinal based. I would use a d3 product such as mineral indoor as it contains IMO safe levels of d3 and other benificial minerals.
Best of luck
Hoj
Best of luck
Hoj
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes, you can provide all the vitamins your chameleon needs through a variety of prey fed good gutload.
If you feel pre-formed vitamin A is necessary, you can feed a small amount of boiled egg or even liver to a couple of feeders on occasion.
You could also take a multivitamin tablet meant for human use, grind to a fine powder and use that, as appropriate, as a vitamin dust
pigglett79
Avid Member
If you are dealing with vitamin A deficiency, repashy sells a vitamin A dust. That is what I have.
