Vitamin A Supplementing

[GabeCastro]

So i've been doing some research about Vitamin-A and figured out that allot of chameleons get eye problems due to Vitamin A deficiencies.

Without enough Vit-A, chameleons can have their nasal lachrymal ducts backed up causing their eye turrets to swell up. Sometimes people may think it's debris caught inside their eyes, but it can also be an infection due to their ducts being clogged up. Heavy mistings, showers, and saline could help it out a bit, but most of the time if it doesn't clear up within a week a vet visit is a must.

Here's a thread to explain what I'm referring to:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/question-about-nasal-passages-nasolacrimal-duct-101170/

So it turns out if your cham has a nasal lachrymal duct thats clogged up a vet will give your cham a Vit-A shot to help prevent this from happening again and will also clean out their eyes (Eye flush/unplugging). The Vit-A shot helps make your chams ducts stronger I suppose and will prevent it from happening again.

So, for all the cham owners out there how do you keep this from happening? I use Repcal Herptivite, but it contains Beta Carotene which is an anti-oxidant that is converted into Vitamin A. From what i've read people stay away from Beta Carotene and use other supplements such as reptivite, or repashy calcium plus that contain true Vit-A. Some chams can't break down the beta carotene into vit-A so this is why they stay away from it. But others don't like using Vit-A because if you over do it it'll become toxic.

What supplements do all you guys use? I use Rep-Cal brand everything. But I think I want to get a different multivitamin that contains Vit-A. Also would It be a good idea to have your cham get a Vit-A shot every 6 months or something?

If I'm wrong with any info, please correct me. The last thing I want to do is confuse members with false info.

Thanks!

 

[pigglett79]

I use repashy calcium plus as my multi vitamin. I also lightly dust 1 feeder once each month or two with repashy vitamin A. For my plain calcium I use Miner-all outdoor. I also ensure that my gutload has a wide variety of ingredients and that those ingredients are rotated weekly.

 

[kinyonga]

I have kept veileds and panthers and lots of other chameleons for years. I have had very few eye issues and they were all in WC chameleons.

I don't use any prEformed vitamin A...just beta carotene. I've used herptivite for years and I use no animal feeds or meat when gutloading the insects....just greens and veggies.

I don't think I have had any issues with the lacrymal duct either.

Wouldnt it stand to reason that if it was a lack of prEformed vitamin A I would have had some problems from it?? Perhaps it's that there is an imbalance between nutrients rather than a lack of one?

 

[GabeCastro]

I use repashy calcium plus as my multi vitamin. I also lightly dust 1 feeder once each month or two with repashy vitamin A. For my plain calcium I use Miner-all outdoor. I also ensure that my gutload has a wide variety of ingredients and that those ingredients are rotated weekly.

I def make sure my gutload is on point. I Think i'll try the repashy and maybe miner-all.

Thanks!

I have kept veileds and panthers and lots of other chameleons for years. I have had very few eye issues and they were all in WC chameleons.

I don't use any prEformed vitamin A...just beta carotene. I've used herptivite for years and I use no animal feeds or meat when gutloading the insects....just greens and veggies.

I don't think I have had any issues with the lacrymal duct either.

Wouldnt it stand to reason that if it was a lack of prEformed vitamin A I would have had some problems from it?? Perhaps it's that there is an imbalance between nutrients rather than a lack of one?

True, I was just curious to how you guys keep your chams in great shape

I've noticed since i've become a member allot of owners run into eye issues. I recently picked up a new cham with an eye problem but I wanted to take care of him. Talked to my vet and he said it sounds like my cham has a clogged duct and he told me if the problem doesn't clear up in about a week then I'd have to take him in for an eye flush/vit-a shot. Another reason why I ask about vit-A. I always read it on these forums so i want to be sure my cham is getting enough of it to reduce future problems.

What exact supplements do you use? and whats your schedule?

Mine is Repcal calcium w/ no d3 everyday, repcal herptivite 2x a month (1st/3rd monday on the month), and repcal calcium with D3 2x a month (2nd/last monday of the month).

Thanks for the reply aswell!

 

[kylerenz]

I def make sure my gutload is on point. I Think i'll try the repashy and maybe miner-all.

Thanks!



True, I was just curious to how you guys keep your chams in great shape

I've noticed since i've become a member allot of owners run into eye issues. I recently picked up a new cham with an eye problem but I wanted to take care of him. Talked to my vet and he said it sounds like my cham has a clogged duct and he told me if the problem doesn't clear up in about a week then I'd have to take him in for an eye flush/vit-a shot. Another reason why I ask about vit-A. I always read it on these forums so i want to be sure my cham is getting enough of it to reduce future problems.

What exact supplements do you use? and whats your schedule?

Mine is Repcal calcium w/ no d3 everyday, repcal herptivite 2x a month (1st/3rd monday on the month), and repcal calcium with D3 2x a month (2nd/last monday of the month).

Thanks for the reply aswell!

If you want to give more vitamin A to your chameleon you can use fish oil. I puncture the gel cap with a syringe and squirt it onto a cotton swap or a dubia. You only want to do this about once a month because too much vitamin A is also problematic.

 

[Lovereps]

Wouldnt it stand to reason that if it was a lack of prEformed vitamin A I would have had some problems from it?? Perhaps it's that there is an imbalance between nutrients rather than a lack of one?

No.
I don't think that it means that beta-carotene can be utilised by chams.
It is very possible that your good gutloading provides the feeders with all of the needed vitamin A, which the insects themselves convert into usable vitamin A for your cham.

In the wild, no cham gets any vitamin or mineral supplements and I doubt that vitamin A deficiency occurs very often, if at all, in wild chams.

With vitamin D3 and vitamin A each being agonistic to the other, you may be right that supplements/nutrients are often out of balance.

Of course there is also the possibility that some individual chams or even some species of chams simply require more vitamin A than others.

Just food for thought.

 

[sandrachameleon]

For over a decade, I also didnt use preformed Vitamin A (used Repcal Herptivite), and my chameleons remained healthy and long-lived.

I tend to think those that do have Eye issues may have other things at play (inbalances, other deficiencies, poor gutloading, inadequate prey variety, lighting issues, etc).

But if you want to add some preformed vitamin A into your chameleons diet from time to time, just to cover the bases, you can do that via the gutload. Just feed your prey something that contains preformed vitamin A from time to time.

Or you could switch your vitamin powder to one that does contain preformed vitamin A - there are lots of brands to choose from - and then use it carefully and accordingly. I was given some Repashy Calcium Plus to try, and so for the last while I have been using that 3-4 times a month instead of a vitamin powder (including as the D3 source), and use Sticky Tongue Farms Mineral-O the rest of the time, as needed. You can see details of how I feed and supplement my panther chameleons here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/food-diary/

I would not recommend the oil method - chameleons do not generally like the feel of oil in their mouths.

More info about vitamins and supplements which you may find useful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/573-chameleon-physiology-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

 

[kinyonga]

GabeCastro I use Rep-call without D3 at most feedings, Rep-call with D3 twice a month and herptivite twice a month.

If you want to use a vitamin supplement with prEformed vitamin initial once in a while it shouldn't hurt. I just wouldn't use fishoil without being carefully of the D3 supplements being used since fishoil has D3 in it as a rule. Just my opinion.

Good thoughts Lovereps!

 

[Echoezra]

For over a decade, I also didnt use preformed Vitamin A (used Repcal Herptivite), and my chameleons remained healthy and long-lived.

I tend to think those that do have Eye issues may have other things at play (inbalances, other deficiencies, poor gutloading, inadequate prey variety, lighting issues, etc).

But if you want to add some preformed vitamin A into your chameleons diet from time to time, just to cover the bases, you can do that via the gutload. Just feed your prey something that contains preformed vitamin A from time to time.

Or you could switch your vitamin powder to one that does contain preformed vitamin A - there are lots of brands to choose from - and then use it carefully and accordingly. I was given some Repashy Calcium Plus to try, and so for the last while I have been using that 3-4 times a month instead of a vitamin powder (including as the D3 source), and use Sticky Tongue Farms Mineral-O the rest of the time, as needed. You can see details of how I feed and supplement my panther chameleons here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/food-diary/

I would not recommend the oil method - chameleons do not generally like the feel of oil in their mouths.

More info about vitamins and supplements which you may find useful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/573-chameleon-physiology-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

Sandra what do you think is the best gutload items for supplying preformed A?

 

[sandrachameleon]

Sandra what do you think is the best gutload items for supplying preformed A?

I dont know about best. But I think I'd use a boiled egg, since I usually have farm fresh eggs (from real, healthy, free-range, natural ground cover and bug eating chickens, not those poor creatures kept in those horrible factories eating total crap) on hand.

An egg gives you about 85mcg retinol

 

[GabeCastro]

To everyone i'm replying to, sorry it's so late! Been super busy with school...Midterms are coming up

If you want to give more vitamin A to your chameleon you can use fish oil. I puncture the gel cap with a syringe and squirt it onto a cotton swap or a dubia. You only want to do this about once a month because too much vitamin A is also problematic.

I've seen this a few times aswell, I always wanted to try it but i'm having my cham get his eyes flushed/vit-a shot so it won't be needed.

No.
I don't think that it means that beta-carotene can be utilised by chams.
It is very possible that your good gutloading provides the feeders with all of the needed vitamin A, which the insects themselves convert into usable vitamin A for your cham.

In the wild, no cham gets any vitamin or mineral supplements and I doubt that vitamin A deficiency occurs very often, if at all, in wild chams.

With vitamin D3 and vitamin A each being agonistic to the other, you may be right that supplements/nutrients are often out of balance.

Of course there is also the possibility that some individual chams or even some species of chams simply require more vitamin A than others.

Just food for thought.

Thats what i figured...Just curious because I see posts all the time about chams eye ducts being clogged up. It could be from debris, shed skin, etc. I figured if your supplements // gutload were on point, you wouldn't have clogged duct problems or if you did they can easily be flushed out through a warm shower, saline drops, and a few extra mistings.

I was thinking If vit-a levels are good, then your cham can clean his eyes out and get rid of the infection. I say this because my vet recommend a vit-a shot to prevent my chams ducts from being clogged up again. So maybe it helps chams clean their eyes // prevent ducts from being clogged up.

Again, these are just my thoughts.

I'm sure his previous owner was doing something wrong...

For over a decade, I also didnt use preformed Vitamin A (used Repcal Herptivite), and my chameleons remained healthy and long-lived.

I tend to think those that do have Eye issues may have other things at play (inbalances, other deficiencies, poor gutloading, inadequate prey variety, lighting issues, etc).

But if you want to add some preformed vitamin A into your chameleons diet from time to time, just to cover the bases, you can do that via the gutload. Just feed your prey something that contains preformed vitamin A from time to time.

Or you could switch your vitamin powder to one that does contain preformed vitamin A - there are lots of brands to choose from - and then use it carefully and accordingly. I was given some Repashy Calcium Plus to try, and so for the last while I have been using that 3-4 times a month instead of a vitamin powder (including as the D3 source), and use Sticky Tongue Farms Mineral-O the rest of the time, as needed. You can see details of how I feed and supplement my panther chameleons here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/food-diary/

I would not recommend the oil method - chameleons do not generally like the feel of oil in their mouths.

More info about vitamins and supplements which you may find useful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/573-chameleon-physiology-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

thanks for the great info sandra! Extremely helpful. My gutload contains allot of things in your blog. I'm sure the previous owner was doing something wrong. But I was curious to why vit-a plays such a big role in chams. Also I was worried about chams & calcium. I've read if you give them too much it can cause Gular Edema...But you answered my question with your supplement schedule and what you use. I'll try and pick up the supplements you recommend.

Thanks again!

GabeCastro I use Rep-call without D3 at most feedings, Rep-call with D3 twice a month and herptivite twice a month.

If you want to use a vitamin supplement with prEformed vitamin initial once in a while it shouldn't hurt. I just wouldn't use fishoil without being carefully of the D3 supplements being used since fishoil has D3 in it as a rule. Just my opinion.

Good thoughts Lovereps!

Yeah sounds like my supplement schedule is good, I'll def take note for the fishoil.

Gunna be changing my supplements up a bit and we'll see how it goes.

Thanks!