Please Help! Is this normal?

[renethecham]

Hi everyone! I’m new here and this is Rene my veiled chameleon. I’ve had him a little over a month now and I haven’t noticed this before but he started to have these black area on his crown and black stripes when he sleeps. He’s completely fine during the day and will turn a darker color when basking but other than that I’ve never seen him with such dark spots. I’ve had other chameleons before but he is the first veiled chameleon I’ve ever had. I just really wanted to know if this is normal or if this is something I should worry about. Please help! Thank you

 

[MikeyBen]

Hi and welcome to the forum. You'll find great people here ready to help. Question, what lighting are you using for uvb and heat? Also if you could provide some photos of your enclosure, this may help. Tagging @Beman as she is awesome and knowledgeable.

 

[elizaann2]

The coloration I see on your beautiful boy is normal. As male veileds get older they will develop black colors on their casque and face - but as @MikeyBen said, @Beman is the best when it comes to male veileds and she will confirm

I do see a few things in your husbandry that is not typically recommended with veiled chameleons, would you be open to doing a husbandry review to ensure you have everything correct for your boy?

 

[Beman]

Normal coloration. He is getting his adult markings now. A husbandry review would be a great way to ensure you have gotten the right info for him. As @elizaann2 mentioned there are a few noticeable things in your image that are not recommended for chams.

 

[elizaann2]

I'll post this here for you in case you want to do a review

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with, and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long do you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• 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?
• 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?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem -