My new setup

[bmacd93]

Hey Guys, i am new to the forums and new to chameleons in general. I did a lot of research, using this forum; before i finally mustered up the courage to care for one of these fragile but beautiful reptiles.

Not exactly sure how old my little guy is, but i would guesstimate around 4 or 5 weeks old. Before knowing if a boy or girl. It's name was dubbed "Waldo" from my mom constantly calling, texting or asking me "Wheres waldo?" haha

Looking at its back feet, looks like its a girl as it has no spurs (Correct me please if im wrong).
It's (shes) cute, and im completely in love.

Heres a look at my setup bottom to top:

Zoo med - 18"x18"x24" Glass enclosure - (Did thorough research before purchasing the "glass" enclosure over the screen. Its does a great job at keeping steady temperatures and humidity levels. Perfect at not allowing too much air flow go through when i blast my fan on at night.)


Hydroballs
-Screen in between.
Soil
Live Moss

-In the back of the enclosure, i have a plastic tube coming from the bottom of the tank (To suck up and excess water from the hydroballs)
Live Potho
Drift Wood

1 Bendy Vine

ReptiGlo 5.0
Exo Terra Heat glow - 50w (Power amount is adjustable just incase)
Zilla digital power center - To automatically turn his lights on and off.
and of course the litte dripper.

I have all his vitamins.
-Calcium without D3
-Calcium with D3

I alternate to d3 about 2 times a week.

Currently feeding him crickets.

Heres Waldo:

Beautiful and amazing little critters. Can't wait for her to grow up!

 

[Blevine1292]

I know you were aiming for something that looks nice, and dont get me wrong, it looks fantastic...but not for a cham. drop the moss at the bottom and replace it with paper towels...if you want something a little more pleasing to the eye, go with a reptile carpet. Get some more plants and smaller vines/sticks, that branch is way to big for his little hands.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

Moss and soil is useless, it can be ingested and hurt your cham, you'll want more plants inside it, and the pattern for vitamins is:

calcium without d3 everyday
calcium with d3 twice a month
multivitamins twice a month.

 

[Ace]

I know you were aiming for something that looks nice, and dont get me wrong, it looks fantastic...but not for a cham. drop the moss at the bottom and replace it with paper towels...if you want something a little more pleasing to the eye, go with a reptile carpet. Get some more plants and smaller vines/sticks, that branch is way to big for his little hands.

i agree and what karma said is about right for the supplement schedule for a veield

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum . How long have you had her? I would get a lot more small branches and foliage so she settles in quickly (she won't be totally comfortable until she thinks she's hidden). On the forum most people give the d3 twice a month, but it depends on your brand.......I don't know any others except my own.......
Some people will tell you to have no substrate, but it looks good to me, and I use soil in mine too, with no problems at all. Just one more thing - you don't really want a fan to be 'blasting' anywhere near your Cham, so I hope you keep the stream pointed well away.......

 

[millerman6401]

id get rid of the soil and moss , use papertowels. if you get a repti-carpet or somthing like that they do breed bacteria. just use calcuim without d3 every other feeding and calcium WITH d3 and reptivite multivitamins twice a month. other than that add some more plants and everything should be fine

 

[DavidBuchan]

And one other thing -What are your temps at? Basking and ambient?

 

[Ace]

Hello, welcome to the forum . How long have you had her? I would get a lot more small branches and foliage so she settles in quickly (she won't be totally comfortable until she thinks she's hidden). On the forum most people give the d3 twice a month, but it depends on your brand.......I don't know any others except my own.......
Some people will tell you to have no substrate, but it looks good to me, and I use soil in mine too, with no problems at all. Just one more thing - you don't really want a fan to be 'blasting' anywhere near your Cham, so I hope you keep the stream pointed well away.......

eh i agree its not bad to use soil but its a pain to clean the cage, and overall more hiding places for feeder bugs unless you cup feed

i just think its easier for the keeper to not have it,

to be people wanting soil is just for the asthetic look, which people have a right todo but not really necessary

 

[Blevine1292]

and i also wouldnt risk it, shes just a baby, an adult veiled can handle a little bit of dirt if ingested. A couple week old baby will have a much harder time dealing with it..plus they are a lot clumsier with their aim than an adult.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

I'm assuming it's a Veiled, although I haven't seen many baby ones, is there a bump behind the feet? If so it's a male.

 

[bmacd93]

And one other thing -What are your temps at? Basking and ambient?

Ambient: Its a very steady 78 - 80.

Basking: Closest to the light its just below 90. But she has about 4 different heights she basks in.

 

[bmacd93]

and i also wouldnt risk it, shes just a baby, an adult veiled can handle a little bit of dirt if ingested. A couple week old baby will have a much harder time dealing with it..plus they are a lot clumsier with their aim than an adult.

The soil is completely covered by the moss. At that, she never comes down from the vines. She goes for the ones that are in the plant.

 

[bmacd93]

I'm assuming it's a Veiled, although I haven't seen many baby ones, is there a bump behind the feet? If so it's a male.

No bumps (spurs) So, its for sure a she.

 

[bmacd93]

Hello, welcome to the forum . How long have you had her? I would get a lot more small branches and foliage so she settles in quickly (she won't be totally comfortable until she thinks she's hidden). On the forum most people give the d3 twice a month, but it depends on your brand.......I don't know any others except my own.......
Some people will tell you to have no substrate, but it looks good to me, and I use soil in mine too, with no problems at all. Just one more thing - you don't really want a fan to be 'blasting' anywhere near your Cham, so I hope you keep the stream pointed well away.......

Its just a normal ceiling fan, i ment 'blasting' in the sense that i turn it up all the way at night. So, i just wanted to be safe, in not having the temps drop down too much.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Ambient: Its a very steady 78 - 80.

Basking: Closest to the light its just below 90. But she has about 4 different heights she basks in.

You're a bit too hot. Baby doesn't need more than 80F to bask, a female never needs more than 82. The coolest corner should be around 70, and keep letting her roam a bit and choose where to be at all times (with bits of cover everywhere).

 

[bmacd93]

I know you were aiming for something that looks nice, and dont get me wrong, it looks fantastic...but not for a cham. drop the moss at the bottom and replace it with paper towels...if you want something a little more pleasing to the eye, go with a reptile carpet. Get some more plants and smaller vines/sticks, that branch is way to big for his little hands.

Shes been climbing no problem

She has plenty of hiding spots with the potho, she usually hides when needed on the lower vine underneath the leaves.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Its just a normal ceiling fan, i ment 'blasting' in the sense that i turn it up all the way at night. So, i just wanted to be safe, in not having the temps drop down too much.

Yeah, I just wanted to make sure . Though a nighttime drop in temps is good for Chams, so you don't need the extra heat unless it gets below 65

 

[Blevine1292]

The soil is completely covered by the moss. At that, she never comes down from the vines. She goes for the ones that are in the plant.

like ace said, more hiding places for the feeders. if you don't mind that and really want the moss, than go for it. And the only reason she is climbing is because there is no other place for her to go. im willing to bet if you put her in a screen cage she will only climb on the screen. I'm only talking from experience. My veiled is just a bit bigger than yours.

 

[bmacd93]

You're a bit too hot. Baby doesn't need more than 80F to bask, a female never needs more than 82. The coolest corner should be around 70, and keep letting her roam a bit and choose where to be at all times (with bits of cover everywhere).

Yeah, i figured. Exactly why i go the light that had a power adjustment to it :] I'll turn it down a little bit. I never had it on full, usually about 80%.

 

[bmacd93]

like ace said, more hiding places for the feeders. if you don't mind that and really want the moss, than go for it. And the only reason she is climbing is because there is no other place for her to go. im willing to bet if you put her in a screen cage she will only climb on the screen. I'm only talking from experience. My veiled is just a bit bigger than yours.

Crickets if anything come out with misting, she seems to be very content.