New Veiled Habitat - Need opinions

[SangrelX]

Ok guys...

Pictures below are the new habitat for a juvenile veiled.. Age is unknown
Reptisun 5.0 in the main fixture, 100w incandescent for basking

URL to Pictures on my webserver just click link
http://lastnightsdesigns.com/cham

you can see in the photo with the temps it ranges from 80 to over 115
I know 115 is high i need to i think drop to a 65 watt bulb

but she has a ton of space and foliage to hide in and around to regulate temperatures

The dripper runs down a bamboo pole to keep a constant supply of water droplets for drinking & there is a fogging system in place to increase humidity as needed.. I also mist the cage and plants


Suggestions, errors, what do I need to fix, adjust, change etc..

The black cup leaning in the one plant was an attempt to make her eat she was put in this new home last night so im sure she is still stressed and doesnt want to eat

I will be hanging that feeder cup right beside the door when she is situated properly in her new home...

Should i make any changes we need in a few days to prevent more stress or should we get the cage situated soon as possible and then let her settle?

let me know
Thanks

 

[chino]

Whoa!!!!!! Resize the pics..... then people may give their opinions.

 

[SangrelX]

I changed it to a link to the directory with the images makes it easier

Also wanted to add before i moved the light back to the far corner she was perched in about the middle of the zone that is 80-85F
I moved the light back to that corner and she moved up to the position she is in now in those photos... seems to me she is regulating herself properly and knew to move to the more warmer spot

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

You'll be able to try raising the light, the stick at the top is likely a basking spot and that is way too hot, also some plants to cover her when she is basking on the stick would be nice, she probably wouldn't want to be seen as often.

 

[chino]

Hi and congrats in your new chameleon, please fill this form out to receive all the opinions and suggestions regarding your chameleon husbandry.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[VeiledChams]

As previously states, the temperatures should drop down a bit. On the lower end they should be around 75, on the basking spot they should be 95-100. 110+ is too hot. Also, your basking perch is way too close to the lamp, this can cause some serious burns. Raise the light or lower the basking spot. What are the dimensions of the cage? Also, is the thing at the bottom supposed to collect the water? If so, take it out and put it below the cage, that way no bacteria forms inside where the chameleon would live.

 

[SangrelX]

the green bin in bottom is to catch water and moisture yes and holds the plants which are potted and I am thinking of removing them from the pots and planting them IN the green container and then covering soil with a mesh or screen to keep her from trying to eat the dirt

I will keep it wiped out and dry for now with paper towels the bottom of this cage does not allow for drainage of any kind

I think im better off moving out one Hibiscus plants and leaving just one Hibiscus and one Pothos so its not so crammed and I can rotate in and out a hibiscus

cage is 30Lx18Dx30H -- I question the accuracy of the thermometer I have used because she has moved up closer to the top and is perched and basking, no gaping mouth or weird signs of overheating either and she does have tons of space to move around and hide in to get away from the heat.

by temperature dropping down on the lower end i assume u mean lower from the basking spot or lower as in the other end of the cage itself?

 

[PeriTanz]

use large clean river rocks to cover your soil.
You wont want standing water inside your viv at all, bacteria! It should have enough drainage to dry between mistings. Mess with a lower wattage bulb and raise it also till you find a good temp gradient. The bottom of the cage should be cooler than the middle the middle should be cooler than the basking spot this is so the cham can self moderate when it gets older. You also need a ten degree temp drop at night just in-case you didn't know that is achieved just by turning your lights out.

 

[PeriTanz]

the green bin in bottom is to catch water and moisture yes and holds the plants which are potted and I am thinking of removing them from the pots and planting them IN the green container and then covering soil with a mesh or screen to keep her from trying to eat the dirt

I will keep it wiped out and dry for now with paper towels the bottom of this cage does not allow for drainage of any kind

I think im better off moving out one Hibiscus plants and leaving just one Hibiscus and one Pothos so its not so crammed and I can rotate in and out a hibiscus

cage is 30Lx18Dx30H -- I question the accuracy of the thermometer I have used because she has moved up closer to the top and is perched and basking, no gaping mouth or weird signs of overheating either and she does have tons of space to move around and hide in to get away from the heat.

by temperature dropping down on the lower end i assume u mean lower from the basking spot or lower as in the other end of the cage itself?

drill a hole or something drainage is a major pain and majorly necessary. Your plants wont be able to just sit in soggy soil either.

 

[gerhartrx]

First off welcome to the forums!!! You will enjoy this place.

The setup looks good!!! Couple concerns:

1. How old is the cham? Because the bamboo travel highway maybe to thick...

2. Raise the light higher to reduce temps or if you want you could use a household light 45W ( I use a 45 w phillips plant light ) this helps me to maintain the plants as well and he loves them for basking (no eye problems from the light either).

Other than that. Complete the how to ask for help form so we all can get a better picture of feeders, supplements and other very important things to think about.
Here is a link from my blog to give you an idea about supplementing your cham:
Suggested Supplements :
Rep-Cal with D3 (This is the twice a month calcium supplement) - http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...lcium-with-d3/

Rep-Cal without D3 (This is the daily supplement)-
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...um-without-d3/

Rep-Cal Hertivite (This is a twice monthly vitamin with beta carotene)-
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...te-supplement/

To "Dust" the feeders means to take the food that you are offering your cham. Take a small cup put a very small amount of the above supplements and the feeders and shake them around the powder will adhere to the food and therefore be Dusted.

Great job!!!!

 

[SangrelX]

ok guys here is a post the correct format with all the information and my research shows the same thing a few of you have already said on dusting and drainages

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon: Female Veiled AGE - Unknown in care for 2 Days
Handling: Little as possible - unless moving cage items around or putting on outside Hibiscus
Feeding: 10-20 Small Crickets in feeder cup (will be calcium and mutli vitamin dusted)
Supplements: Will be using Rep-cal, Phosphorous-Free Calcium with Vit. D3 and Rep-cal Herptivite with Beta Carotene - 2 times each weekly due to young age
Watering: Dripper and Misting as well as Fogging with ultrasonic humidifier - Never seen her drink yet
Fecal Description: No Fecal description available
History: No further history


Cage Info:

Cage Type: Full mesh cage reptibreeze (OLD MODEL will replace soon) 30L-18D-30H
Lighting: Reptisun 5.0, 100W incadescent basking all on timer will adjust shortly to 12 hour timer
Temperature: Temperatures need adjusted - redoing habitat to better situate basking spot and temp zones TBA
Humidity: Misting and Fogging to maintain humidity -- No Hygrometer in cage yet
Plants: Live Plants Hibiscus and Pothos
Placement: Cage in 80F Animal room (currently housing Snake, Tarantula, and 3 Ferrets (dont ASK)
Location: East Coast, USA


Wanting to ensure the setup is proper (I will be buying a IR Thermometer for Cham, Snake, and Tarantula - Has to be more accurate them what I have now)

I will recheck temperature zones soon

Food Dusting has not begun yet I was under the impression that calcium gut loaded crickets would be adequate -- it seems not

due to age I will dust with calcium and vitamin 2 times a week

Feeding from feeder cup gut loaded crickets etc..

Going to have to drill several drain holes it seems in the bottom and put a catch pan UNDER the cage somehow -- the area it sits now makes draining extremely hard to setup due to what its sitting on being an old wooden microwave cart LOL

 

[gerhartrx]

Going to have to drill several drain holes it seems in the bottom and put a catch pan UNDER the cage somehow -- the area it sits now makes draining extremely hard to setup due to what its sitting on being an old wooden microwave cart LOL

You realy only have to drill one and angle the bucket to that hole slightly with a book or something. Then take a tube and have that drain to a bucket on the side.

 

[gerhartrx]

Sandra is a person on this forum who is a supplement specialist. I would ask her directly because you have a young female veiled. I have a male veiled a little older and this is the regiment she reccomended to me.

Rep-Cal with D3 (This is the twice a month calcium supplement) - http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...lcium-with-d3/

Rep-Cal without D3 (This is the daily supplement)-
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...um-without-d3/

Rep-Cal Hertivite (This is a twice monthly vitamin with beta carotene)-
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...te-supplement/

 

[SangrelX]

I cant drill a hole in for a tube to come out into a bucket the cage bottom is just a flat panel and if i drill a hole in the green tub inside the cage then I gotta make a hole in the mesh screen to run the tube out

soo still not sure what to do on the drainage
also should these plants be re-potted or can they do well in the store bought pots?

as for Dusting
I keep finding so many reports but the one i did find was specifically for Veileds -- it said for young veils 0-6 months dust twice weekly with rep-cal without D3 and dust twice weekly with herptivite with beta carotene

it said nothing about using a rep-cal WITH d3 because the reptisun 5.0 bulb should be enough to produce D3 (it DID say however that perhaps 1 or 2 a month D3 is ok for young veils)

sooo perhaps Rep-Cal NO D3 twice week, Rep-Cal With D3 twice a month, and Rep-Cal Herptivite twice a month

then when she gets to about 6 months drop Rep-Cal NO d3 to twice a month and Rep-Cal With D3 and Rep-Cal Herptivite to once a month

The store we snag crickets from gut loads them with Flukers high calcium - so they come with calcium in them

 

[gerhartrx]

I cant drill a hole in for a tube to come out into a bucket the cage bottom is just a flat panel and if i drill a hole in the green tub inside the cage then I gotta make a hole in the mesh screen to run the tube out
Hmm... good point! What about putting a slightly smaller bucket under the planter bucket and using the bottom at the drain pan? I am sure there is an answer. I will go back and look at your pictures.

soo still not sure what to do on the drainage
also should these plants be re-potted or can they do well in the store bought pots?
First did you wash them with soap and water before putting them in? Reason is that the store uses fertilizer and sometimes spray the leaves. You dont want your little one drinking off those leaves. I would recomend repotting (you can use the same pot) but use organic soil
as for Dusting
I keep finding so many reports but the one i did find was specifically for Veileds -- it said for young veils 0-6 months dust twice weekly with rep-cal without D3 and dust twice weekly with herptivite with beta carotene

it said nothing about using a rep-cal WITH d3 because the reptisun 5.0 bulb should be enough to produce D3 (it DID say however that perhaps 1 or 2 a month D3 is ok for young veils)

sooo perhaps Rep-Cal NO D3 twice week, Rep-Cal With D3 twice a month, and Rep-Cal Herptivite twice a month

then when she gets to about 6 months drop Rep-Cal NO d3 to twice a month and Rep-Cal With D3 and Rep-Cal Herptivite to once a month
I think that is a great plan. Remember everything that is said is just a recomodation on what works for us. If you have read and researched something on your own and like that better then you can use that method as well.

The store we snag crickets from gut loads them with Flukers high calcium - so they come with calcium in them

That is good but crix are small and will flush their system rather quickly. Make sure you are using your own gutloading technique. Are you buying just crix once a week? If so you might want to try and by bulk (cheaper in the long run) also really easy to keep. Just buy a ten gallon tube for $10 at home depot drill some holes in it and put screen over the holes. You may want to vary your feeders too. Crix, Dubia Roaches, Horn Worms, Super worms and Silkies for a treat

Gutloading crix is pretty easy
For water use a lid paper towel and get the paper towel wet. Put a carrot or two on the towel.

Dry food - Use Fluckers gutload or you can make your own. Try also mixing some of these together and freezing them into ice cubes using the trays:
Papaya
Turnip Greens
Orange
Dandelion leaves
Mustard Greens
Chicory Greens
Lime
Raspberries
Celery
Lemon
Blackberries
Grapefruit, White
Grapefruit, Pink and Red
Tangerine
Winter Squash
Romaine
Green Beans

 

[gerhartrx]

Having a hard time seeing the bottom. Also I forgot to mention a laying bin for your female. This is easy 12 deep x 12 width x 12 length of play sand that is kept moist enough for her to tunnel and not have the tunnel colapse on her. A good way to see if it is being used is smooth out the top so you can see if she has been digging or walk on it.

The other suggestion if you are not going to change the dirt is to put some small stones (mexican sand pebbles) in your pots so she does not eat the dirt.

 

[SangrelX]

i had been reading on the laying dens -- my question is with those can I just put something in the corner of the enclosure and leave it in there

as for crickets I didnt plan on keeping them here at home but if i vary the diet between the crickets and say something like Superworms and dustings with calcium would that be enough?

let me know
Thanks

 

[SangrelX]

I have added a new thermometer to the enclosure the same type I setup our snakes with.

Indoor/outdoor with humidity
I sat the unit on the top of the enclosure and ran the probe to the top perch to see what temperature its getting to
I wanted to put the unit on bottom of the floor of the enclosure and probe the top but im afraid it will get a false moisture reading or be ruined from too much moisture.... WHERE should i actually put the other part of this thermometer?

Last check the top perch now gets 90F I will let that equalize for a bit then check again

from what I understand a temperature in the top/closest to light basking spot can be 90F - 105F Max and that young veileds might not even use the top most spot because they dont require such high basking temps yet

so if this top most spot stays around 90+ im doing good it seems

I bought Rep-cal with D3, Rep-cal Multivitamin, and I had to buy a Zilla Calcium Spray since they had no more Rep-cal No D3 -- BUT I compared ingredients so I know the calcium spray is 100% calcium it doesnt include any D3

so my schedule of dusting and feeding would be
Twice a week spray calcium let dry - Feed
Twice a month spray calcium let dry - dust multivitamin - Feed
Twice a month dust calcium with D3 - Feed

then as I said previously once she is older I will drop the dusting/spraying a bit

 

[SangrelX]

can someone reply lol... I still need some feedback

also on her new temps it seems to be hovering 83 in the highest basking spot now thats measured with remote probe from a digital thermometer -- she doesnt go up to that spot ever it has coverage so I dont know why she wont go there

Feedback is wanted - I also positioned the bottom pan for better drainage -- how can I attach the hose to this pan through the hole I drill -- should I use hot glue, caulk, what?

My plan is to take the tub and raise one end on a block or wood etc.. then caulk/silicone in a hose adapter from Lowes or HD then lead the hose down into the bucket

using a 1inch ID hose should allow proper drainage

also I currently have black plastic liners on the back and left panels to help keep it humid... however they are on the OUTSIDE of the cage -- Should I leave them there .. whats the odds of mist/runoff on those liners landing on the floor?

I can attach them to the inside if need be but it seems they dont cause any issues yet..

She will not eat either... im not sure if its just jitters or what -- I have food in a clear deli cup hanging in the cage for her to eat from but she has not touched it.. I think I might be bothering her to much for her to feel safe - I managed to get her to eat a meal worm I laid on a leaf in front of her but that was it.. she ate one then nothing else

thanks for all ur input everyone I look forward to hearing more

 

[Carlton]

I wanted to put the unit on bottom of the floor of the enclosure and probe the top but im afraid it will get a false moisture reading or be ruined from too much moisture.... WHERE should i actually put the other part of this thermometer?

After trying various types of thermometers and hygrometers over the years I prefer to leave them handy next to the cage until I want to check the actual temps and RH for the reason you just stated. It's hard to find a protected spot for the meters without biasing the readings or damaging the sensors. Most meters will react to change pretty fast when you put them someplace in the cage. By leaving them "portable" you can easily check different areas of the cage at any time. And, if I am not standing there measuring the temps etc. there's no real reason for them to be in the cage (I doubt the chams read them!).

BTW, I think the simplest way to get an accurate temp reading is to use a non-contact temp gun rather than a classic glass thermometer or those little sealed strips. Temp guns use an infrared beam to measure the surface temp of whatever you point it at...such as the cham's skin or a perch surface rather than the air around it. They are not expensive, require no probes or wires, are totally portable, sensitive, and frankly, fun. You can find them at big herp supply stores (such as ProExotics...tempgun.com), Radio Shack, and other electronics gadget places.