Is my Veiled a midget?

[ajacobson]

My Veiled is TINY, honestly I don't think he's grown any in the 5 weeks I've had him. He should be about 7-8weeks old now, and he is super small compared to others I've seen on here, especially Jann's babies when they were this age! He eats and eats everyday. He has healthy poo and urates, and he always drinks. I don't know if this is a health issue or if I'm overly worried and he's just little. lol!

Anyways, here are the pics:





Maybe I should call him Tiny Tom, the people hater.

 

[jannb]

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Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
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Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
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Cage Info:
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Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
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Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

 

[ajacobson]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male Veiled, aprox 7-8 weeks old, in my care for 5wks
Handling - Just for that picture, he is a definite people hater.
Feeding - 1/8 crickets around 10 per day. Gutloading crickets with a varying mix of kale, dandylion greens, seaweed, raspberries, and some Flukers cricket food.
Supplements - Flukers Calcium with D3, Rep-Cal Calcium and Multivitimin. Calcium every other day. Alternate weeks with D3 and Vitamin
Watering - Drip system, and mist 3 times daily (sometimes more it's extra hot and dry here) for about a minute or more, until leaves are dripping. I see him drink
Fecal Description - normal feces: dark with white/off white urate
History - I had issues with him in the beginning, because he closed his eyes a lot.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 12X12X20 (?) reptibreeze
Lighting - Reptisun 5.0 uvb and 50 watt basking light. Lights on 10-11 hrs
Temperature - avg temp 80, basking area mid 80's for the baby
Plants - Schefflera and pothos
Placement - Top of cage is at least 5ft 9in up high. Not in a trafficky area
Location - Las Vegas, NV (home of the 100+ degree weather)

Current Problem - My cham is TINY!

 

[justjumpit621]

looks fine to me, temperature gradient could go a bit lower, about 68-70 at bottom, but looks good to me. maybe also use vitamins once a month instead of twice. Sounds like he's just a little guy. There are a few members on here with chams like that, though the only ones i've heard of are panthers, and they have had growth spurts eventually. Just wait and see, he looks healthy so it shouldn't be anything to worry about.

 

[beardeds7587]

no hes fine just a baby still hes cool

 

[ajacobson]

Ok.. I just keep seeing all the Veileds on here, and they all look huge compared to him at his age. I'll just keep watching out for him to grow

 

[jannb]

He should be eating more. How often do you feed him? I fed mine right from the beginning 3 times a days as much as they wanted. They would and still do eat 6 to 8 crickets each per feeding.

I would recommend a better gutload like this: https://www.chameleonforums.com/dry-gutload-sale-37717/

Use calcium without d3 everyday on part of the feeders.

I don't use a dripper on my babies......just mist 3 times a day.

Did you ever find out what was wrong with his eyes? Did he have a vet visit?

I recommend an all screen cage. I use this one: http://www.diycages.com/15201/15222.html

How do you measure your temps? Do you have a temp gun? I do not use a basking light at all. I would think he would be way to hot with a 50 watt bulb.
My babies cages, when not wet from the misting under the UV it's 80 and 75/76 near the bottom of the cage.

If he's not had a fecal I'd recommend a vet visit for a check up and a fecal.

 

[pssh]

I would feed more. Feed him as much as he will eat in 5 minutes two to three times a day. Babies under three months old need to eat quite a bit Nothing a bit of food can't fix. I would very lightly dust more often. I mean very very lightly.

 

[ajacobson]

Jann, I use an all screen cage, but I'll cut the basking lamp to lower the temps a bit and cut the dripper. Actually the dripper has been empty for a few days, and I've just been misting.

I'll try to feed him in the morning and afternoon too see if he'll eat more. I've been trying to get him to eat mealworms too, but so far he's not interested... :-/

I'll try out everyone's suggestions, and hopefully tiny Tom will grow!

 

[ajacobson]

I messaged Steve about the Cricket Crack. Oh, and does anyone have the link that helps you locate cham vets in your area?

 

[justjumpit621]

Mealworms are not a good feeder, stick with crickets and possibly baby dubia's until he gets larger, then try some other larvae such as silk worms and hornworms.

 

[ChrisnLisa]

I messaged Steve about the Cricket Crack. Oh, and does anyone have the link that helps you locate cham vets in your area?

I live in LV and can recommend the two best vets I have found out there....very few know anything about chams. PM if you want the info.

Lisa

Edit: Also, 50 watts seems quite high for our area this time of year. I use 25 watts on most of our cages during this heat.

 

[kinyonga]

I have to agree about the feeding not being enough..I let them eat as many as they can in a couple of minutes at each feeding and then leave a couple of crickets in the cage for a snack at that age.

 

[ajacobson]

I have to agree about the feeding not being enough..I let them eat as many as they can in a couple of minutes at each feeding and then leave a couple of crickets in the cage for a snack at that age.

The only thing with that...is he doesn't come to eat right away. He is a big time people hater, so me just opening the door pisses him off. I just know I check occasionally and eventually the food is gone...I'll start refilling when I see it empty..

 

[jannb]

Have you tried to allow him to play in a plant outside of the cage? They are so much happier and nicer when not caged.

 

[ajacobson]

Have you tried to allow him to play in a plant outside of the cage? They are so much happier and nicer when not caged.

Yea, Jann I tried your trick of putting a large plant in front of his cage with the door open and he just wouldn't do it. I hate trying to handle him because with how mad he gets, it has to stress him out. I'm going to keep trying the tree trick, I might even just take his cage outside and put a plant next to it for him to go on. The weather is a bit hot right now, but its supposed to cool down a bit this week.

 

[athena9995]

www.yext.com/vets