signs of MBD?

[CFcham]

I dont think my chameleon has it, and im doing everything right from what ive read (dusting every other day, UVB for 12 hours a day) but what are some sighs of mbd if he were to get it? Also, is shedding a sign of health? Ive only had him since Christmas, but I want to make sure he is healthy and if something goes wrong ill be able to jump on in immediately. Does shedding mean he will start getting colors? its his first shed from my knowledge.

Thanks!

 

[camimom]

shedding is good, it means they are growing.
signs of mbd include:
grabbing own limbs and getting stuck.
bowed arms and legs.
'extra' joints.
breaks in arms and legs.

what are you dusting with?
what kind of cham do you have?

look for a thread by the poster riven. she has a cham with severe mbd.

 

[CFcham]

im dusting with something called "reptocal" it says it has vitamins and d3, someone at petsmart told me that was okay? is that too much d3?

Also, its a male (im pretty sure) veiled chameleon, about 2-3 months

 

[Graanto]

this forum advocates this dusting scheduale:

calcium w/o d3 daily
calcium w/ d3 twice a month
multivitimin twice a month.

it really depends on what brand your using and how much d3 is in the mix.

reptocal with D3 i believe has too much D3 for everyother day.

someone correct me if im wrong.

 

[CFcham]

Thanks, any brand recommendation?

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!
MBD symptoms can also include lack of trunkal lifting, lethargy, constipation, flexible jaws and casques, etc.

Here's some information I hope will help you with supplementing, etc.....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it.

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Please note that various supplements have various amounts of D3 and vitamin A and so some can be given more often than others. The idea still is not to overdo the fat soluble vitamins like D3 and prEformed vitamin A.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.

 

[Graanto]

Thanks, any brand recommendation?

There are several members on the forum, including myself, using the rehpashy all in one powder. im likeing it so far. i pair that with the bug burger for gutloading my crickets and i think its working great. i have only had my cham for about 3 or 4 months so im pretty new at all this but that is one way to go.

Other products is to go with rep-cal w/ d3, rep-cal w/o d3, and herptivite. using that schduale i mentioned above.

 

[CFcham]

okay, thanks to all of you, are fruits and veggies recommended to feed to him if he likes them? also, how would i go about deeding him things like that?

 

[kinyonga]

You can feed him (in addition to the insects) the same greens and veggies listed in the post I already made. In addition to that you can give him a small amount of fruit (apple, pear, melon, berries, etc.).

Things like leafy greens can be given in pieces minus any thick stems that things like collards have....carrots, squash, red pepper, apple pear, etc. can be given in slivers/thin strips.