my cham having problems

[vipervenom]

Also check the expiration date on your Calcium, it may be expired. MIne was and it is no good after that.

Chameleons need high temps in order to digest their food properly, as with many tropical herps. Also, strong UVA/UVB is needed for the absorption of Vitamin D3 which is a cvitamin (I beleive) that helps the lizard absorb calcium, without it, your chameleon could end up getting MBD or the like.

I suggest getting Calcium w/ Vit. D3 without Phosphorous for your cham.

[DragnDrop]

Originally posted by vipervenom
Also check the expiration date on your Calcium, it may be expired. MIne was and it is no good after that.

Chameleons need high temps in order to digest their food properly, as with many tropical herps. Also, strong UVA/UVB is needed for the absorption of Vitamin D3 which is a cvitamin (I beleive) that helps the lizard absorb calcium, without it, your chameleon could end up getting MBD or the like.

I suggest getting Calcium w/ Vit. D3 without Phosphorous for your cham.

Calcium (Ca) never expires, but if the brand you're using also has Vitamin D3 added to the Ca, that's what expires, so you'll have to check the date.

Not ALL chams need high temperatures. You could fry a Jacksons at the temperatures a vieled would find comfy. Not all tropical herps need high temperatures -- montane species or some of those in cooler forested areas for example don't (Jacksons chams or Rhacodactylus geckos are examples).
UVA does nothing for absorption of Vitamin D3, and neither does UVB. However, UVB will stimulate the cham's body to produce Vitamin D3 which is not a C vitamin, it's one of the D group, that's why it's called Vitamin D3, not C3.
Too much D3 can be fatal to chams, so don't use it with real UVB from sunlight or strong UVB lights, and don't supply D3 at every feeding no matter what the source is - from food or light.

[JdmAllMotorHatc]

exo 5.0

[vipervenom]

Calcium never expires? Wow, that is something new. I assumed all calcium did mainly because of the expiration date on my calcium (with vit D3). I stand corrected.

My apologies for not stating specifics with chams. Veileds do need the higher temps to digest food better. I completely agree, temps for a Veiled would do untold damage to many of the montane or leaf chameleons. I failed to mention I was talking about this specific cham and events.

I also didn't go into a whole lot of detail about the vit D3, thank you for clearing that up that DragnDrop.

I meant no harm, merely to educate, my apologies in advance should my post be taken the wrong way in any way at all.

[peterm15]

hey i thought both posts were great...

but ya 5.0 is good.. thats what im useing now, and an old 8.0 just for added light...

[vipervenom]

Sounds great!

[DragnDrop]

Originally posted by vipervenom
Calcium never expires? Wow, that is something new.

Nope, Ca stays Ca, never expires. It's one of the elements (I think #20 or so on the Periodic Table). It's one of the ingredients that Earth is made of, been around since the beginning. If it expired/degraded etc, there'd be very little or none of it left to be found in that form on Earth. Short of something like fission/fusion/molecular level nuclear type activity, it will stay Ca until the sun blows up.
The vitamins will degrade, they're chemical combinations which will eventually change, leaving you with less potent or even non-existent vitamins. That's what the expiration date refers to when you buy the a Ca/Vitamin combo. You have to use it up before the vitamin(s) start degrading. One of the best reasons to buy a small container - in this case, Super-size isn't the best deal

[vipervenom]

I guess I should have listened in chemistry more! :P

Haha, I know what you mean! I purchase Rep-Cals vitamins and calcium and I had to dig around to find one with an expiration date I might get my moneys worth from.

[labomb]

why do they sell those vitamins in such big containers?

[vipervenom]

For people who have many herps.