Nutritional Metabolic Bone Disease in Juvenile Veiled Chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) and Its Prevention

Abstract

Nutritional metabolic bone disease (NMBD) is one of the most frequently observed pathological conditions in herpetoculture. To develop guidelines for NMBD prevention in growing veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus), 56 hatchlings were divided into 6 groups [group UV, with UVB exposure; group No: no supplements; group CaAUV: with calcium (Ca), vitamin A, UVB; group CaA: with Ca, vitamin A; group CaADUV: with Ca, vitamin A, cholecalciferol, UVB; and group CaAD, with Ca, vitamin A, cholecalciferol] and reared for 6 mo on locust-based diets. The nutrient composition of the locusts' diet and the locust-based diet for the chameleons was determined. The diagnosis included the detailed description of clinical findings, histopathology, measurements of serum Ca, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD(3)), liver 25-OHD(3), vitamin A, bone mineral density, and bone mineral concentration. Chameleons that received no dietary supplementation of Ca, vitamin A, and cholecalciferol developed NMBD. When Ca and vitamin A were supplemented, the chameleons did not develop NMBD, independently of additional UVB and dietary cholecalciferol. The best prevention for NMBD was achieved by chameleons that received locusts gut-loaded with 12% Ca and dusted with 250,000 IU/kg (75 mg/kg) vitamin A and 25,000 IU/kg (0.625 mg/kg) cholecalciferol plus provision of long (10 h/d), low irradiation exposure (3-120 μW/cm(2)) to UVB. Chameleons that were fed diets low in vitamin A, cholecalciferol, and Ca were diagnosed with fibrous osteodystrophy. We noticed an interaction of vitamin A and cholecalciferol supplementation in the storage of vitamin A in the liver and formation of colon calcifications. From these findings, recommendations for the rearing of juvenile chameleons were derived.

Insects as Food for Insectivores

“…It may be that wild insectivores use a combination of retinoids (retinol, retinal, and 3-hydroxyretinal) as well as carotenoids to meet their vitamin A requirements. A better understanding of the retinol, retinal, and 3-hydroxyretinal content of insects and the utilization of the retinoids and carotenoids found in insects as a source of vitamin A in insectivores is important because vitamin A deficiency has been reported in several species of captive insectivores (Ferguson et al, 1996;Hoby et al, 2010;Miller et al, 2001;Pessier et al, 2005).…”

The effects of UV light on calcium metabolism in ball pythons (Python regius)

“…Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of dietary calcium in nearly all terrestrial vertebrates (Ullrey and Bernard 1999) and a lack of Vitamin D 3 has been associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism in lizards (Hoby and others 2010) and chelonians (McArthur 2004). UV-b radiation in the spectrum of 290–315 nm is important in the conversion of provitamin precursors in the skin (7-dehydrocholesterol) to previtamin D 3 (Holick 1995).…”

Assessment of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for use in evaluating the effects of dietary and environmental management on Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni)

“…[1][2][3] Information in several reports [4][5][6] and the lack of evidence in necropsy surveys 7,8 suggest that nutritional disorders such as calcium deficiencies and subsequent metabolic bone diseases are rare in wild chelonians. Although a considerable amount of evidence-based information has been obtained on reptile physiology-biology [9][10][11] and management, 12,13 practitioners often offer a vast number of recommendations to reptile owners that are based on anecdotal information because of the lack of specific data. In juvenile chelonians, inadequate diets or inappropriate husbandry conditions often result in mineral deficiencies.…”