The Chameleon Academy Supplementation Routine
by Admin
Posted on 07-11-2023 01:21 PM
‘geophagia’ (animals eating sand/soil/mud/rocks) is common in the animal kingdom. The main reason in the reptile world, would be due to supplementation shortfalls. Your chameleon would be most likely trying to gain nutritional content they feel they are lacking; calcium, magnesium etc so therefore a review of your current supplementation routine would be needed.
But of course, if your chameleon is eating sand and/or soil by the mouthful i’d definitely say there are more pressing concerns, and a herp vet is needed as soon as possible.
Every chameleon is unique. Factors like age, gender, health condition, and even species can influence their nutritional needs. It’s crucial to consult with a veterinarian or a reptile expert to determine the best supplementation routine for an individual chameleon. Supplementation is not about adding extras but about ensuring balance. It’s the meticulous art of offering a chameleon everything it needs to not just live , but to flourish. With the right guidance and knowledge, supplementation becomes a bridge to a chameleon’s vibrant and healthy life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameleon
Vitamin D3 & UVB light
Supplements have more uses than protecting your gains! dietary supplementation is an important part of maintaining balanced nutrition for your chameleon. Vitamins a and d3, calcium, and phosphorous are all excellent additions to your chameleon’s diet. You can purchase these supplements individually or in a specially-formulated blend—either will achieve the desired result.
We discussed the use of calcium with and without vitamin d3 earlier. Another great supplement for chameleons is zoomed reptivite. It is high-quality, affordable, and covers the entire spectrum of vitamins and minerals described here. Simply dust the reptivite (lightly) over your chameleon’s insects or veggies and you’re good to go!.
To obtain calcium from its food a chameleon needs vitamin d. More specifically it needs vitamin d3, a version of vitamin d. A chameleon is able to produce its own vitamin d3 with the help of uv-b light. This can be found in sunlight and from special uv lights. Sunlight that falls through glass does not contain uv light anymore. In almost all cases a special uv light is crucial in your terrarium. To read more about these lights, check out our page uv light for chameleons. Vitamin d3 is sometimes added to vitamin mixtures or to calcium powder for reptiles.
Vitamin D3 Deficiency or Overdose
The precursor of vitamin a is beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is found primarily in plants. It is suspected that most chameleons cannot metabolize this precursor to vitamin a themselves, or only in insufficient amounts. It, therefore, makes sense to use preformed vitamin a in supplements in the form of retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate for chameleons. Both are so-called retinol esters. In 1992 and 1993, john annis published several articles in the chameleon information network (cin) about vitamin a overdose. At that time, before the internet, magazines were the only way for keepers to get in touch with like-minded people and learn about chameleons.
Supplements are not negotiable. They are necessary to the health and longevity of your chameleons. It's important to have a good understanding of what supplements chameleons need, when, and why. Let's break it down:
vitamin d3 is essential for calcium absorption and bone health in chameleons. Without sufficient vitamin d3, they can develop metabolic bone disease, a severe and sometimes fatal condition. In the wild, chameleons bask in the sun to synthesize vitamin d3. In captivity, it’s crucial to provide uvb lighting to mimic natural sunlight. Chameleons should have access to uvb light for around 10–12 hours a day to ensure they can produce adequate vitamin d3.
As balanced as your chameleon's diet might appear, without the help of supplements like this komodo chameleon dusting powder, your colourful pet can easily develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Especially metabolic bone disease from a lack of calcium. Komodo chameleon dusting powder gives you the easy way to complete your reptiles diet - simple dust their live food insects with this nutritious powder, allowing the nutrients to be ingested with their normal feed. It contains plenty of vitamin a, d3 and vitamin e, sourced from natural ingredients such as kelp, marigold and spirulina, making this a more natural, but every so essential food supplement for health.