A little advice for Lenny...

[Lenny22]

Hi all, Santa delivered Lenny to our household (me, wife, 12 year old daughter, 3 dogs and aslightly unbalanced Yellow Naped Amazon Parrot) this Christmas. My daughter had been researching chameleons since a school project about a year ago and had been begging for one. Her Mom and I weren't so sure, but Santa was and the rest is history!

So far Lenny has been doing fairly well and with a bit of help from the Boards here we have pulled through one bout of mild dehydration, but it has brought us to near paranoia about his health! We have a dripper, and a live plant (can't remember what we ended up with, but it was on the approved list from this site) and mist about 2/3 to 3/4 of a standard water bottle two to three times a day. We don't see him drink often, but his poop appears (from comparison with pictures here) to show he is reasonably hydrated. His appetite is good (8-12 crix -dusted daily with Repashy all in one and a superworm a day), he has shed one time, but he seems to really slow down now and then. Is this slow down a normal metabolic process for them after they eat? Before they poop? He also sleeps at least 12 hours a day and heads for his sleeping spot by 5 pm at the latest. he is generally up when we get up at 6 and moving around. Will he stay awake more as the days lengthen?

You can read a ton about these cool creatures, but nothing beats hearing form you experts that we are headed in the right direction. I know I sound like a new parent, but that's kind of how we feel!

I completed the form below and if you could suggest any tweaks we'd love to hear them. Thanks in advance!

Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Blue barred ambilobe, male, approximately 11 months old and we have had him five weeks
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? once every two or three days, he does seek out contact
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? 8-12 crix and a superworm a day in the morning, occasionally an additional criket or two or worm after school. we are using Nature Zone total Bites gutload
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Repashy all in one (do we need something else?) each feeding
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Little Dripper during daytime hours, hand misting approximately 2/3 to 3/4 of a standard spray bottle two times a day
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Looks good! white tip (sometimes very slight yello tinge, and firm but moist (Yuck) remainder; have noticed a slight mucously "tail" a time or two. He came with a parasites free certificate from Santa and we have not had him tested;
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? ReptiBreeze 18x18x36 screen cage- I added lucite to the bottom 11 inches for water splash control and to increase the humidity
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Zilla UVA/UVB fluorescent and a ceramic heat emitter- lights on 5:30 am to 5:30 pm, heat emitter on 24/7 and keeps his basking spot about 85 degrees
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? lowest temp is high 70's near the floor and high 80's right at the top, with his favorite basking spot about 84; his sleep spot is about 78; measured with a standard reptiel thermometer
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? We have not tracked humidity levels, we are in SoCal and I know they will be low, but we do keep a plant in the enclosure and mist twice a day with a constant drip
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? yes, can't recall now but I used this sites recommended list while I was at the nursery, completely washed it and repotted it
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? Den area that is low traffic and quieter, but just one room away from the family room- we are relatively quiet (except for the unbalanced bird who lives on the far side of the house!); near a window with shutters, little to no draft and provides afternoon sun in a protected manner; the top of the carge is about six feet off the floor
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Southern California, outside Los Angeles in the foothills

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. Just hoping we are doing things right and looking for any helpful hints; he seems to poop about every thrid day, looks healthy, but almost always after he has had a little handling time, any insight on this behavior? We are contantly worried about dehydration and any thoughts on watering would be great. We intend to try a shower this weekend with a graepvine bird perch that should work well and provide him some security and has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and not used by the aforementioned unbalanced bird in years.

Pictures are helpful

Thank you all for everything we have already learned form you and will learn in the future!

 

[Skyebound]

Very nice looking cham. Don't have any extra advice, but he looks great!

 

[carol5208]

so your lighting.... a zilla combo uva/uvb? It looks as if you have a dome light and a tube in the back? Is the basking bulb producing the heat? are you using the heater during the day for basking?

 

[Lenny22]

Yes a fluorescent tube light uva/uvb and the dome is just a heat emitter, not a light. I looked at the bulb itself and it definitely had the Uva and UVB designation on it. Maybe I got the manufacturer wrong. Is that okay? Would you suggest something different?

 

[Solid Snake]

Yes a fluorescent tube light uva/uvb and the dome is just a heat emitter, not a light. I looked at the bulb itself and it definitely had the Uva and UVB designation on it. Maybe I got the manufacturer wrong. Is that okay? Would you suggest something different?

Hello!
I have a few opinions, that I think can help make Lenny happier and healthier.
He needs a basking lamp. The ceramic heat emitter is good for one thing. That is if your temperature drops below 50F at nite, use it. Otherwise, its not needed. A plain white house bulb(75ish watts) does a much better job for basking. It replicates the sun. Chameleons will associate the bright white light with heat, same as they would the sun. So I would switch the CHE to just a regular bulb. 75watts is what works for me, but you may need to use a 60, 50, or 100watt. Just whatever gives him a 85-95F basking area.
The only other thing I think will make him happier, is more branches and such for him to climb on.
This is how I think of it.
Its all about gradients. Heat, UVB, and humidity are the main gradients to concern yourself with. The more options the chameleon has to choose from within these gradients, the better off the animal is overall. They know what they need, and when they need it. You provide the options, the animal will use them to keep itself healthy.
So, providing the white bulb basking spot, in a top corner will make that corner the hottest spot. Opposite corner (bottom corner) will be the coolest spot. A UVB tube across the top will provide a gradient of UVB from top(highest amount) to bottom(lowest amount).
Need to know what linear bulb you are using, a reptisun 5.0 is best.
After providing those two gradients, you will need to provide things to climb on in all "sectors" of the cage. This gives the animal the options it needs to select the "desired heat/UVB gradient" to keep itself healthy.
Other than the lighting, and a minor lack of sticks I believe your doing a good job.
These are just my rambalings and opinions, but the lights are really important.
The first thing I would do is change the basking.
Hope this is understandable and helpful
Im sure others have replied and maybe covered this in the amount of time its taken me to type this But maybe it will be helpful!

 

[carol5208]

I am a little confused cause I did not know the tubes came in uva/uvb combos. The compacts yes, the tubes, no. I could be wrong. And if it says so, then I guess I am!!! What most of use do is have the tube uvb, and a basking bulb, not a heat emitter for basking. The idea of him basking is to simulate the sun, so most of us use an ordinary white housebulb for that. I am assuming your tube light does not give off heat(you can touch it to find out) it should be pretty cool. Therefore would not really be a good uva source as far as basking if it does not give off heat. Also unless your cage temps are dipping down into the low 50's at night I would remove the heater altogether. They need a drop in temp at night. You don't want the cage to constantly be the same temp day and night. So try screwing in an ordinary white housebulb where you have the heater, about a 60 watter and get your basking temp up to about 90 or so. Turn that off at night. No lights at night. Yes, on the Repashy all in one, that is all you need. Also, try gutloading your crickets better with some fresh fruits and veggies. Remember what your feeders eat your cham eats!

 

[carol5208]

one more thing on the zilla lighting. Make sure it is not the desert series light, but the tropical series. Personally I use the Reptisun 5.0 along with the majority of our members but I am seeing more people using the zilla with no problems. Like I said, just make sure it is the correct Zilla. Also, if it is a combo tube, can you tell me what model? I would like to learn and have not heard of that in a single tube bulb.

 

[Solid Snake]

I am a little confused cause I did not know the tubes came in uva/uvb combos. The compacts yes, the tubes, no. I could be wrong. And if it says so, then I guess I am!!! What most of use do is have the tube uvb, and a basking bulb, not a heat emitter for basking. The idea of him basking is to simulate the sun, so most of us use an ordinary white housebulb for that. I am assuming your tube light does not give off heat(you can touch it to find out) it should be pretty cool. Therefore would not really be a good uva source as far as basking if it does not give off heat. Also unless your cage temps are dipping down into the low 50's at night I would remove the heater altogether. They need a drop in temp at night. You don't want the cage to constantly be the same temp day and night. So try screwing in an ordinary white housebulb where you have the heater, about a 60 watter and get your basking temp up to about 90 or so. Turn that off at night. No lights at night. Yes, on the Repashy all in one, that is all you need. Also, try gutloading your crickets better with some fresh fruits and veggies. Remember what your feeders eat your cham eats!

Florescent bulbs do not give off heat, period. They generally stay at room temp, maybe a degree or two higher, but give no significant heat. I agree that the CHE should be swapped with the regular white incandescent.

 

[carol5208]

Well that is what I thought as I know my Reptisun is cool to touch. I think there is an Arcadia bulb that is both uva and uvb, but would have to research that. Did not know Zilla made one, but I am not a Zilla purchaser so what do I know!

 

[Lenny22]

Alright, I went home and checked, it is a fluorescent "Zilla 17 watt-T8-BP Tropical 25 ONLY FOR REPTILE UV-A UV-B" mabe I used the wrong term calling it a "combo". Is this ok or should I go to the Repti-sun 5.0? We'll try the swap out from the ceramic heater.

Thanks!

 

[carol5208]

Honestly I have seen people on here using the Zilla T8 tropical and they say they are not having any problems. so go ahead and keep that, and then ditch the ceramic heater and screw in a white 60 watt housebulb and you should be good! And no heat at night unless it gets below 50 or so. Panthers can take those temps and do fine.

 

[Lenny22]

Cool, thanks. I really appreciate the advice. I'll keep you updated!

 

[Lenny22]

Solid Snake and Carol5028, AWESOME advice. Changed out the ceramic element for a 75 watt bulb first thing this morning. What a change! He immediately went up to his basking spot, stretched out and flattened out, his colors looked great, and if a Cham could smile, he was smiling! Begged to come out and be with the family, didn't want to go back in. At 5 when he had been asleep for an hour the last couple weeks he was still basking and hunting. Tonight is our first night without heat, but we will definitely stay above 65.

Thanks for the great advice. We feel terrible about the mistake, but very thankful to be back on the right track. It really goes to show how the small tweaks can really increase the quality of life for these amazing little creatures.

Thanks again guys!

 

[Solid Snake]

Solid Snake and Carol5028, AWESOME advice. Changed out the ceramic element for a 75 watt bulb first thing this morning. What a change! He immediately went up to his basking spot, stretched out and flattened out, his colors looked great, and if a Cham could smile, he was smiling! Begged to come out and be with the family, didn't want to go back in. At 5 when he had been asleep for an hour the last couple weeks he was still basking and hunting. Tonight is our first night without heat, but we will definitely stay above 65.

Thanks for the great advice. We feel terrible about the mistake, but very thankful to be back on the right track. It really goes to show how the small tweaks can really increase the quality of life for these amazing little creatures.

Thanks again guys!

Well Im glad I was helpful!
Do not feel terrible, its not like you were holding him under water or anything
Feel good! You took steps to learn things and put that knowledge to work!
Great job!