supplement products for Crickets/Veiled Chameleon

[fishcrazy06]

I have been reading alot lately and am going to be switching out the dusting products I use. Well I think I am going to anyways. I have been reading alot about the Rep-Cal brand and it seems to be the one most people use the most.
Also what should I be giving the crickets? I see there are a quite a few different cricket drinks out there. Some have calcium and some don't. What would everyone recommend and what kind of schedule should I be doing for dusting and so forth.

The veiled is two months old right now and very active and eats very good.

Thanks in advance.

Here is a picture of "Hercules"

 

[Hoj]

i really like the calcium plus from repashy foods, you use it every day and dont have to mess around with a schedual. i am not fond of the rep-cal as it is VERY strong.

 

[kinyonga]

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.

 

[fishcrazy06]

Awesome thank you very much for the long write up. So do you not use any of the "cricket drinks" ?

I wouldn't mind hearing anyone elses opinion. the more I ideas I can get the better.

 

[Solid Snake]

Kinyonga's info is golden. I use repashy on my panther, and the rep-cal products on my jackson. They are both good products IMO.
If by cricket drinks, you mean the gel stuff. Ive used it and it works. But I like orange slices for keeping them hydrated. Its cleaner, cheaper and less wastefull. Just keep an orange in the fridge, and give them a new slice everyday.

 

[fishcrazy06]

I never thought of the whole orange thing. I did add a piece of green pepper to the cricket tank and they went nuts over that.

This forum has been a huge help to me. I can only imagine it getting better and better as I learn more. Absolutely love forums like this. I used forums all the time for my saltwater hobby as well.

 

[fishcrazy06]

So another words I don't really need to buy any gutloading products per say I can just feed them from my salad everyday? LOL

 

[Solid Snake]

Green pepper is good for hydration as well.
Orange works, and its easy. I use other gutload items, but orange is what I provide for them to drink. It does get better! For instance, look at the blog section, find sandrachameleons gutloading blog. The information she has there is key to keeping a chameleon healthy. There are other very informative blogs as well on various subjects, hers is a must read though.
Im glad youve found the forum helpful! Thats the goal