Tiny worms

[KapitalJ]

Feed your crickets Carrots/Dinosaur Kale (cheapest gut load veggies in my opinion)

Carrots and kale are poor choices for gutloading.

Search "gutloading" in the search feature...

 

[TheMusicalCham]

"Good gutloading ingredients because they are moderately high in calcium and other vitamins/minerals. Should be used in addition to those from the previous category: sweet potato, carrots, oranges, mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy, green beans" Straight from the gutloading thread.

 

[TheMusicalCham]

I just said they were the cheapest in my opinion. I also use a Flukers dry gutload and collard greens.

Best - These gutloading ingredients are best because they are highest in calcium, low in phosphorus, oxalates and goitrogens. They should be the primary components of your gutload: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress and alfalfa.

Good - These gutloading ingredients are good because they are moderately high in calcium and other vitamins/minerals. They should be used in addition to those from the previous category: sweet potato, carrots, oranges, mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy and green beans.

These fresh fruits and vegetables can be combined with dry gutload mixes or home made mixes for optimal well-rounded nutrition. Dry ingredients can include: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed and organic non-salted almonds.

Avoid These Ingredients
Avoid these gutloading ingredients because they are low in calcium, high in phosphorus, goitrogens or oxalates: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates.

Vertebrates (pinkies, lizards, etc.) are not a notable part of a chameleon's normal diet in the wild. Too many animal proteins in the diet of an animal that's not a carnivore can wreak havoc on their kidneys leading to kidney damage and gout due to the difference in protein breakdown. Everything your chameleon needs can be obtained through an all-insect diet with good gutloading and supplementation.

 

[KapitalJ]

Ok, but now you have a variety. Kale and carrots alone is not sufficient. I include kale in my gutloading as well, but sparingly...along with about 10 other leafy greens...

 

[KapitalJ]

FYI, Fluker dry is garbage....

I'm not trying to be rude or disprove you.... Just trying to get better info out there. You are better to make your own dry gutload, or buy bug burger, cricket crack, or something like this. (along with the greens of course)

If someone was to red your original post and take it at face value they would be misinformed.... that is all.

 

[TheMusicalCham]

Carrots and kale are cheap and easily available. I also like to feed Kaiju some papaya every 3 months to get on his good side.

 

[TheMusicalCham]

I understand I should have gone more in detail.

 

[KapitalJ]

I grow some fresh greens in my garden. Our local farmers market sells different mixes like the pic below. 3/$6. I get these every week. Perfect for our feeders and Iguana.

 

[KapitalJ]

I understand I should have gone more in detail.

Exactly. Keep in mind that some brand new keepers come in here, read one post and think they have it all figured out.. lol... I don't think the "experts" have it all figured out yet!! So much to learn about these amazing reptiles..

 

[TheMusicalCham]

My cham is pretty healthy according to his vet so I must be doing something right, and the dry gut load isn't harming him or the crickets. Thank you for the advice though. Can't really grow my own veggies in an apartment but every fruit/veggie that goes into Kaiju or the crickets is organic. He's a happy dude.

 

[KapitalJ]

He looks great!
Dry gutload won't harm your crickets, they will eat anything. Just might not be the best for your cham. Just because there is no instant side effects doesn't mean there wont be long term ones...

Again, your cham looks great!

 

[TheMusicalCham]

I'll probably stop using the pre-made gutload then it's almost finished. I'll definitely look into that Cricket Crack though

 

[KapitalJ]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/gut-loads-and-feeder-stuff.150294/

you can get it right here.

 

[Theveiled]

Ok, you need to dust your crickets EVERY FEEDING with calcium powder WITHOUT D3. TWICE a month dust your crickets with Herpt. Multivitamin and Calcium WITH D3 but NEVER together/at the same time/mixed. Feed your crickets Carrots/Dinosaur Kale (cheapest gut load veggies in my opinion) and keep a wet sponge in their container as well (I use a 5 gallon aquarium with a screen/metal mesh cover) Spray your chameleon AT LEAST 3 times a day for as long as it takes for him to start lapping up the water, as well as a dripper system that is dripping water 24/7 365 days a year. I recommend a hibiscus plant. Mine has thrived very well indoors. As well as some fake plastic non toxic sturdy vines. I've never had to replace the hibiscus, maybe I have a really good UVB light. LIGHTS: NEVER have lights on all/most of the night. I turn mine on when I wake up (usually 10am depends on the day) and I turn them off at 10pm. I like to keep the times even. Have at least one UVB and a heat bulb. Take your Cham outside every now and then its good for them. I do it once a week.

I thought I just got corrected on this schedule for dusting. @Carlton is this the same as what I said? Im sort of getting comfused

 

[TheMusicalCham]

I wasn't correcting you my bad if it seemed that way lol I just posted that because it seemed like nothing was getting through to her.

 

[Theveiled]

I wasn't correcting you my bad if it seemed that way lol I just posted that because it seemed like nothing was getting through to her.

Oh no you weren't correcting me, I replied the same dusting schedule and got corrected (which I thank @Carlton for) because it was the wrong schedule for montane species

 

[TheMusicalCham]

Ohh I see

 

[Theveiled]

I didnt mean to sound rude to @Carlton after I read it I saw I should have worded it differently. I dont mind anyone correcting me if im wrong.

 

[Haileybug]

Ok, you need to dust your crickets EVERY FEEDING with calcium powder WITHOUT D3. TWICE a month dust your crickets with Herpt. Multivitamin and Calcium WITH D3 but NEVER together/at the same time/mixed. Feed your crickets Carrots/Dinosaur Kale (cheapest gut load veggies in my opinion) and keep a wet sponge in their container as well (I use a 5 gallon aquarium with a screen/metal mesh cover) Spray your chameleon AT LEAST 3 times a day for as long as it takes for him to start lapping up the water, as well as a dripper system that is dripping water 24/7 365 days a year. I recommend a hibiscus plant. Mine has thrived very well indoors. As well as some fake plastic non toxic sturdy vines. I've never had to replace the hibiscus, maybe I have a really good UVB light. LIGHTS: NEVER have lights on all/most of the night. I turn mine on when I wake up (usually 10am depends on the day) and I turn them off at 10pm. I like to keep the times even. Have at least one UVB and a heat bulb. Take your Cham outside every now and then its good for them. I do it once a week.

I have liquid calcium that I use everyday either in the spray or the crickets but I use it in the spray and he drinks it I got herp multi vitamin and d3

 

[Carlton]

I have liquid calcium that I use everyday either in the spray or the crickets but I use it in the spray and he drinks it I got herp multi vitamin and d3

You spray liquid calcium ON your cham when you mist him? DO NOT do this! It won't do him any good to put it on his skin, and it will just build up on the cage plants and perches. Just another pet store product that is fairly useless and unnecessary.