Posted by:
kinyonga
at Fri Oct 13 18:44:13 2006 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by kinyonga ]
You're welcome for the help!
You said..."She's kept in a 38 gallon mesh cage with a 150w bulb above"...no UVB? They need UVB so that they can produce vitamin D3 so that they can use the calcium they are given. The light can not pass through glass or plastic.
You said..."She eats mostly crickets with a few butter worms and meal worms. She won't eat veggies, although I've heard that they like them. I hope that based on her diet and temp she won't lay"...regarding the diet...you don't want to starve her but just feed her enough that she stays healthy but isn't getting overfed. This seems to control the egg production and the size of the clutches...which contributes to longer lives.
I make sure that I gutload the insects with a nutritious diet (greens and veggies) and dust the insects at most feedings with a phosphorous-free calcium powder. Insects have a poor calcium to phos. ratio, so this is intended to help the balance.
I also dust the insects twice a month with a vitamin powder that the vitamin A content of is from a beta carotene source. Vitamin A from preformed sources can build up in the system, but beta carotene sources can't.
Because my chameleons get no direct sunlight, I dust lightly with a calcium/D3 powder twice a month too. Vitamin D3 from supplements can build up in the system.
Appropriate basking temps. are important for digestion, thus nutrient absorption. This along with a proper balance of calcium, phos., vitamins D3 and A contribute to good bone health.
Hope this helps!
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