Gary W. Ferguson1,* William H. Gehrmann1 Kristopher B. Karsten1,† Stephen H. Hammack2 Michele McRae1 Tai C. Chen3 Nancy P. Lung2 Michael F. Holick3 1Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas 76129; 2Fort Worth Zoo, 1989 Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76110; 3Vitamin D, Skin and To begin, vitamin D3 is essential to bone health. When chameleons become deficient in this particular vitamin (due to a lack of UVB or for any other reason), they are likely to develop metabolic bone disorder. It’s a family of nutrients that shares similarities in chemical structure. The Vitamin D Council recommends 5000 IU of vitamin D3 daily, which comes to about 120 micrograms (mcg). But if you are placing the chameleon in an unprotected tree or plant, you will need to keep a close eye on it. This is not so easy in the winter months or parts of the world that don’t get a lot of sunlight. You recommend a d3 with less than 23,000 IU/kg, what i’ve read is the one of the best calcium/vitamin combos for leos is the rapashy calcium plus but the d3 level on that is like 40,000 IU/kg and the bottle even has a pic of a leopard gecko on it (i know, marketing. Cholecalciferol may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. Fourth generation well calcified panther chameleon eggs produced by three generations of panthers raised under UVI 3 and no supplemental vitamin D3 or vitamin A beyond standard gutload practices. It makes up part of the visible spectrum of light, the part that we can actually see. Reptile care >> Lizards >> Sunlight for Chameleons, © 2019, Brandon Cornett | All rights reserved. This is true for all chameleons, regardless of the particular species you keep. The absence of human supervision is like an open invitation to predators. This is so they can create essential vitamin D3 which they use to … You also need it to help cells grow, reduce inflammation, support neuromuscular functions and power your immune system. This misunderstood compound — produced when sunlight hits our skin — is crucial for health in many other ways. People and some animals can produce their own vitamin A from pro-vitamin A found in food. At a minimum make sure you: Provide vitamin A and D3 supplements twice a month. When you are talking about edema regarding oversupplementing its usually gular edema that is being referred to. For instance, a panther chameleon can handle warmer temperatures than a Jackson's chameleon. This kind of setup will help you keep your chameleon healthy over the long term. If you have an outdoor cage for the lizard, these things will be less of a concern. This can be located in sunlight as well as from special UV lights. When it's not exposed to natural sunlight, your pet chameleon should have access to artificial UVB lighting provided by a reptile lamp. If not, they will die a horrible death from Metabolic Bone Disease (bones are not hard enough and can look “rubbery”), which results in weak legs, broken jaws and curved spines. Chameleons housed outdoors do not need D3 added to their diet, as the intensity of UVB from natural sunlight enables them to metabolize D3 on their own - however, this is only valid if your chameleon is outdoors for more than 8 hours a day several days a week. Cholecalciferol is used as a dietary supplement in people who do not get enough vitamin D in their diets to maintain adequate health. Without vitamin D3, ingested calcium flows uselessly through the digestive system and out the body with the rest of the waste. But the question I ask is not a hypothetical one, not was it meant to insinuate that artifivcial supplementation is preferable to UVB. Giving your pet chameleon regular exposure to natural sunlight is one of the best things you can do to keep it happy and healthy. An overdose of vitamin A can intervene with the update of vitamin D3, causing problems related to vitamin D shortage causing MBD or rickets. You can purchase these supplements individually or in a specially-formulated blend—either will achieve the desired result. Kinonga, I've heard you say this before - and I have to add that it is so refreshing to see it said. One is a standard calcium powder that is phosphorous free and without vitamin D3. You don’t have to buy those with it if your reptile or amphibian doesn’t require UV light or has enough UV light mainly from the sun. If live in a climate that allows you to put your chameleon outside for much of the year, consider yourself lucky. Far too many people think plump and fat chameleons (reptiles and amphibians in general) are healthy. Is a multi vitamin which includes preformed vitamin A. Chameleons need preformed vitamin a in their vitamin routine. Outside the sun is a rich source of UV rays that help all sorts of living animals produce Vitamin D3 which helps in the absorption of calcium. In closing, I would like to restate the importance of natural sunlight for a captive chameleon. Dietary vitamin D3 supplementation can be dusted directly on insects and other food items. When you take your pet chameleon outside for natural sunlight, you must also consider the threat of predators. 52 Do Panther Chameleons Bask to Regulate Endogenous Vitamin D 3 Production? There also isn’t a whole lot of information on chameleons and nutrition, but from personal experience, research, and the studies that exist; Calcium deficiency, Vitamin A deficiency, and Vitamin D3 deficiency (Note that Vitamin D3 toxicity is also seen regularly due to the amount of people supplementing Calcium with Vitamin D3 daily. The bulbs we use, Retisun 5.0, for the most part supply our chameleons with the "proper UVB" they need. Calcium and Vitamin D. What are the best supplements for chameleons? 95 Most importantly, it helps to support proper bone development. This condition can lead to deformity and death. What you can do now This gives them plenty of access to natural sunlight, which is important for the chameleon's overall health. Let's talk about outdoor safety. Vitamin D3 metabolizes into 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. Without it, the body can’t absorb calcium efficiently. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:1350-6. Experts say that getting five to ten minutes of sunlight on bare skin two to three times a week. Technique: for young chameleons (subadult). So I kinda learned on my own, and later from my friend Pete Mackevich. The relationship between vitamin D and calcium. A good product to start with would be ZooMed's ReptiSun 5.0 fluorescent bulb. Vitamin D3 and Vitamin D3 sulfate are each beneficial in their own way. Vitamin D is more than just one vitamin. Calcium and lighting: it's a balancing act. It may not display this or other websites correctly. This can be located in sunlight as well as from special UV lights. It really cannot be repeated enough! Vitamin D3 is what allows the body to pull ingested calcium out of the digestive tract. But the lizard will be much healthier if it spends time in direct sunlight. Read More » Here's some food for thought. Both vitamin D2 and D3 supplements are available over-the-counter without a prescription and have been linked to improving immunity, tiredness and muscle weakness, bone pain, and depression. Vitamin D is necessary for building and maintaining healthy bones. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. Unfortunately, there is a real danger in dietary D3. Research will help you provide proper husbandry and increase the likelihood of keeping a healthy Chameleon. Obviously, this is the not the path you want for your pet chameleon. Vitamin D isn’t just for strong bones. Dust their insects with calcium powder once a week. This will help maintain the lizard's health on days when you cannot give it access to natural sunlight. So you need to ensure it is getting a proper level of UVB light exposure every day. This condition can lead to deformity and death. You need to have two types of calcium. Ok here's the question: Has ANYONE been able to maintain animals for generations indoors without D3? But how much vitamin D do you need, where can you find it, and why is it so important to get enough? Why You Need Vitamin D3 Authorities disagree about how much vitamin D the body needs. Cholecalciferol is vitamin D3. But they still don't hold a candle to natural sunlight. Is it possible to keep a captive chameleon alive in the absence of natural sunlight? You should also make sure that your pet chameleon has a tree it can climb, so that it can perch right below the light source. If it gets too warm, it can simply climb down the tree to get further away from the light/heat source. However, another beneficial effect of sunlight exposure, specifically the ultraviolet B (UV‐B) component, includes endogenous production of vitamin D 3.In the laboratory, panther chameleons exhibited a positive phototaxis to greater visible, ultraviolet A (UV‐A) and UV‐B light. Cholecalciferol is vitamin D3. Design: HTML5 UP. So if it hunkers down on a branch and gets really dark in color, it's probably too cool outside. When I was first breeding veileds, about 15 years ago, I did not know most of what I know now. Overfeeding leads to health issues such as shorter lifespan, obesity (obviously) and constipation. Finally, you need to decide if you want those with or those without vitamin D3. In fact, in the years before UVB lights were available, dietary D3 was able to sustain captive chameleons for a long healthy life. I recommend that you only take your chameleon outside when the air temperature is 65° or higher. Which is only after it travels through the blood stream, into the liver, and processed Studies have proved that they can keep our animals from developing MBD. How much vitamin D3 do you need? Keep reading for specific product recommendations! See also: Reptile UVB Lamps, a Product Guide. So, you do not need to worry about overdose your pets with a UVB bulb or natural sunlight. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=17&cat=1848&articleid=3398. Given the ability for panther chameleons to precisely, accurately and effectively adjust basking behavior as a direct result of vitamin D3, seems likely to … All rights reserved. That being said it is important to keep in mind that as the chameleon ages to its elderly years this may be a time to consider additional supplementation again. Drilling down into the type of supplement taken, however, vitamin D3 significantly reduced mortality while vitamin D2 slightly increased mortality. A domestic cat can also do serious damage to a pet chameleon. But remember, this does not compare to natural sunlight. Reptivite No D3. Nearly all of the mainstream feeder insects you feed your chameleon are nocturnal insects, while chameleons are Diurnal and rely heavily on eyesight–this is very important to understanding the importance of gut-loading and vitamin dusting. You will need to supplement their diet with calcium, by dusting the feeder insects with calcium powder. This means D3 and Calcium are at their utmost importance when the chameleon is young. You do not need a lot of sunlight for your body to synthesize vitamin D3. It appears that panther chameleons have the ability to gauge their internal vitamin D levels and alter their basking behavior accordingly. Terrarium. For people aged 19 and older, the adequate intake is 90 mcg for women and 120 mcg for men ( 27 ). A chameleon will generally get darker when it is cooler. I guess only time will tell. Babies and breeding females’ feed should never be short on the provision of calcium and vitamin D3 as essential nutrients. Panther chameleons should be kept in no smaller than a 24”x24”x48” enclosure. I agree, I've always given d3 only twice a month and have recently cut it to once a month for my veileds and panthers and once every 3 months for the camaroon sailfin. Chameleons need sufficient UVB light, calcium, and vitamin D3 supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:1710S-6S. That's because calcium, the primary component of bone, can only be absorbed by your body when vitamin D is present. Over 100 pages of care advice. If you are low on vitamin D3, your body can only absorb a tenth to a fifteenth of the calcium you take in. Without UVB or dietary vitamin D, veiled chameleons cannot process the calcium they are eating. https://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/ If you are using a screen cage (which is ideal for most chameleon species), you can accomplish this by placing the reptile UV light on top of the cage. The best-case scenario is to have an outdoor cage that you can place in an area of broken sunlight. Privacy policy. Specifically, they need it to manufacture and utilize vitamin D3 within their bodies. It is found in all kinds of vegetables, especially in carrots. Vitamin D fortification in the United States and Canada: Current status and data needs. UVB Lighting for Chameleons. Reptile supplements like Calcium with Vitamin D3 and Multivitamins are available in the form of powder, which is to be sprinkled in optimum amounts on the food to prevent Vitamin A, Calcium and Vitamin D3 deficiencies. Normal vitamin D levels in the blood are 20 ng/ml or above for adults. … Do I Need Vitamin D3? You must keep this in mind when caring for your lizard. How to Get Vitamin D3 Sunlight. For Jackson’s chameleons calcium needs to be provided twice … Veiled chameleons (and for example cats) are not able to do this, so need to obtain vitamin A directly from food. • calcium powder without D3 • calcium powder with D3 • multivitamin with retinol (vitamin A) • bee pollen powder • soft-tipped feeding tweezers. But inside in the closed enclosure chameleons don’t get much sunlight. By placing the lizard in natural sunlight for several hours a day, you can make sure that it grows and develops normally, as it would in the wild. Veiled chameleons need UV lighting in captivity. I must have been thinking of someone else. We discussed the use of calcium with and without Vitamin D3 earlier. Kinyonga does mineral supplements 1-2 times a month, others supplement w/d3 2-3 times a week. Over 100 pages of corn snake care advice, in e-book format. The maximum and minimum safe temperatures will vary based on the species you keep. It might be possible to overdose D3 on other species that do not have as much sun exposure in their native habitat. Download yours today, and start learning! Both vitamin D2 and D3 supplements are available over-the-counter without a prescription and have been linked to improving immunity, tiredness … Chameleons and other types of lizards rely on UVB for their overall health. Too much calcium and/or D3 can create organ failure and edema (excess fluid in the body). When you take your lizard outside, you need to be concerned with temperature and predators. Recent research indicates that you need more vitamin D than was once thought. You are using an out of date browser. That way, the chameleon can move in and out of the sun as needed to regulate its temperature, while also getting the benefits of natural sunlight. At least, not as efficiently as you and I can. Groups who need vitamin D or are at risk for vitamin D deficiency include: ... however, vitamin D3 significantly reduced mortality while vitamin D2 slightly increased mortality. Make sure the crickets are no larger than the distance between the chameleons’ eyes. Chris, I really enjoyed reading you post, but I do still wonder. I would like to see everyones schedule they use for chameleons that are able to get natural sunlight vs. those that live in a climate that is too cold to take them outside. Calcium and Vitamin D. What are the best supplements for chameleons? It affects everything from their digestion to their bone development. Vitamin D isn’t just for strong bones. People aged 1–70 years should aim to get at least 15 mcg or 600 IU of vitamin D … Vitamin K2 (specifically menaquinone-7, a form of K2) is actually produced in small amounts by bacteria in your gut. So they need regular access to UVB light to manufacture the vitamin. In your diet, the most commonly found members are vitamin D2 and D3. Basking by ectothermic vertebrates is thought to have evolved for thermoregulation. Anything larger than this may result in choking or impaction in the digestive tract. Make sure you are buying a bulb that is specifically designed for chameleons and other lizards. but it’s also sold by … For that, we have to provide them with artificially produced UV light. Vitamin D-3 is a type of vitamin … This might range from the neighbor's cat to a passing hawk. Chameleons … The best way to do this is by placing your chameleon in natural sunlight. Depending on dietary intake of vitamin D(3), chameleons adjusted their exposure time to UV-B irradiation as if regulating their endogenous production of this vital hormone. For instance; while Veiled chameleons can do better in hotter/dryer climates (than Panther chameleons for example), they still thrive best in valley’s with higher humidity and larger insect populations. So keep it inside an enclosure, or else keep a close eye on it. This is from a multi-generational colony maintained by Jonathan Hill, of iPardalis. I have seen the results of preformed Vitmain a not being given and it’s not pretty. Make sure it has access to shade as well, so it can regulate its body temperature. It would only take a predatory bird about five seconds to swoop down and snatch your lizard off the tree. Also, pay close attention to the animal's coloration. These days, there are many reptile lighting products available that provide a fair amount of full spectrum UV light, including the all-important UVB wavelength. You can't go wrong with ZooMed products -- this company has conducted a lot of research into the UV requirements of reptiles. These are animals that, in the wild, spend most of their time perched high up in trees. ***For indoor chameleons get Reptivite with D3, or get Reptivite without D3 for outdoor kept chameleons. You also need to supplement them using a calcium with vitamin D3 powder every other week. The other is calcium with vitamin D3. The chameleon should be able to get within 6 to 12 inches of the light source. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it dissolves in fats and oils and can be stored in your body for a long time.. Two main dietary forms exist ():Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). So if you want to ensure the health of your lizard, you will put it in the sun every chance you get. Normal blood serum levels range from 50 to 100 micrograms per deciliter. Vitamin D3 is actually a hormone and is a critical building block for our bodies. AFH says..."Kinyonga does mineral supplements 1-2 times a month, others supplement w/d3 2-3 times a week"...I supplement with phos.-free calcium (NO D3) at most feedings, with VITAMINS that have a beta carotene source of vitamin A twice a month and phos.-free calcium/D3 twice a month.
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