My female chameleon seems to be a dark colour very regularly compared to my male. I've had a pair (housed seperately) for about a week now and this is my first time keeping them, although I keep a lot of snakes and have done for years. From what I gather dark colours are generally an indicator of distress aren't they? Would anyone care to comment please? She's about four inches long so I'd guess at three months old based on the impressive growth rate I've heard all about. She's a veiled in a plastic vivarium with large patches of eighth inch holes drilled in two sides of the viv for ventillation. I have the warm side of the viv in the low 80's and I'm getting mid sixties humidity from a couple of light mists a day. Both my chameleons are eating very enthusiastically whether it be crickets, the odd meal worms or waxworms etc. She should be a light shade of green most of the time shouldn't she? She still has bits of skin on her from a week ago's shed, could that be what's bothering her?
Regular darkness
- Thread starter Feebo
- Start date
Pilotman800
New Member
There could be a lot causing that. Could you fill out the help form? It will help us understand the situation better.
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 to 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 - The current problem you are concerned about.
Pictures are helpful
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 to 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 - The current problem you are concerned about.
Pictures are helpful
Right I'll answer what I can off the top of my head and check the rest out for you in the morning....
She's been in my care for about a week
Female
About four inches across (not including the tail) not sure of age
No handling at all at the moment
Feeding crickets daily missing the odd day out
waxworms every few days
mealworms weekly ish
I am using a calcium dust but I'll have to check the brand
Water is from a dripper and twice daily spraying. I'm also offering water from a pipette until my bits arrive (any time now) to make a better dripper
fecies is moist, dark with a disc like urate "cap"
Enclosure is a two foot plastic vivarium with glass front. I have drilled large patches of eighth inch holes in two sides (about six inches across) for extra ventillation. It is about two foot tall. Obviously they will need larger enclosures before long.
I am in England UK
Twelve hours on twelve hours off lighting (ish) I'll confirm the bulbs tommorrow.
Humidity is mid sixties maintained by a light spraying twice a day. It's worth mentioning here that my female (who this thread is for) hasn't got rid of all the skin from her shed still. That's nearly a week now. I had placed her in a high humidity tub when I first got her which did help a little.
I use digital thermometer/hygrometers
I have a fig plant in with her
The enclosure is in my snake room which has an ambient daytime temperature of nearly 80f. The enclosure is five feet off the ground. It isn't facing a window, there are windows eight feet away on the right and left.
My concern is she seems to be a dark colour quite often, although not all the time. I am slightly concerned only because I have read that dark colours indicate distress. She eats very enthusiastically, is good and alert and apart from being a dark colour quite regularly seems otherwise fit and healthy as far as you can tell by just looking. Images to follow...... Thanks very much for helping
She's been in my care for about a week
Female
About four inches across (not including the tail) not sure of age
No handling at all at the moment
Feeding crickets daily missing the odd day out
waxworms every few days
mealworms weekly ish
I am using a calcium dust but I'll have to check the brand
Water is from a dripper and twice daily spraying. I'm also offering water from a pipette until my bits arrive (any time now) to make a better dripper
fecies is moist, dark with a disc like urate "cap"
Enclosure is a two foot plastic vivarium with glass front. I have drilled large patches of eighth inch holes in two sides (about six inches across) for extra ventillation. It is about two foot tall. Obviously they will need larger enclosures before long.
I am in England UK
Twelve hours on twelve hours off lighting (ish) I'll confirm the bulbs tommorrow.
Humidity is mid sixties maintained by a light spraying twice a day. It's worth mentioning here that my female (who this thread is for) hasn't got rid of all the skin from her shed still. That's nearly a week now. I had placed her in a high humidity tub when I first got her which did help a little.
I use digital thermometer/hygrometers
I have a fig plant in with her
The enclosure is in my snake room which has an ambient daytime temperature of nearly 80f. The enclosure is five feet off the ground. It isn't facing a window, there are windows eight feet away on the right and left.
My concern is she seems to be a dark colour quite often, although not all the time. I am slightly concerned only because I have read that dark colours indicate distress. She eats very enthusiastically, is good and alert and apart from being a dark colour quite regularly seems otherwise fit and healthy as far as you can tell by just looking. Images to follow...... Thanks very much for helping
Pilotman800
New Member
The first thing I noticed is that the chameleon has been in your care for about a week. It takes time for them to get used to a new envrionment. That is most likely the issue here.
However, there are a few things that can use improvement in your husbandry. The main being the diet of the chameleon. I'm going to link you to my blog below for new owners.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/pilotman800/548-new-chameleon-owner-information-husbandry.html
However, there are a few things that can use improvement in your husbandry. The main being the diet of the chameleon. I'm going to link you to my blog below for new owners.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/pilotman800/548-new-chameleon-owner-information-husbandry.html
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you didn't mention any uvb lights. most often people will use two seperate lamps. one for basking, and a uvb lamp. also you said she still has some skin leftover from a shed. i noticed that with my chameleon, taking her out in natural sunlight sped up her shedding everytime. not sure if this was just coincidence or if uv light actually speeds up their shedding, if it is true though, maybe not having a uvb lamp might explain the slow shed.
Elizadolots
New Member
You didn't mention what type of chameleon it is. Some are just naturally fairly dull brownish grey colors when they are content. It is only when they are distressed or stimulated that they display exciting colors. Some are pretty green even when happily doing nothing. So, that's information that would be helpful.
I did mention a light, although not the uvb part. I DO have one in there yes. I did also mention she's a velied chameleon but on inspection the word "veiled" is camoflagued fairly well in my post in true chameleon style She has lots of hiding places, I'm used to providing for some fairly needy snakes so that's sorted out for her. Food wise, as I've not had her long, I've not gone out and bought all the food types I need all in one go. I have looked at the helpful blog there and I plan to keep a hanful of food items in at a time and vary what I buy each time I purchase so over X period of time, she will be getting a varied diet. Vitamins is one thing I don't have yet actually if anyone could comment on that? I'll take some pictures of my enclosures and post them in this thread when I'm out of the workshop later..... Oh and I should mention actually that since becoming a little concerned (as a first time owner anyway) I have been checking her often. She has been light green plenty actually but still more dark colours than the male. Mind you females are a bit grumpy as a species in thier own right eh.... lol
She has lots of hiding places, I'm used to providing for some fairly needy snakes so that's sorted out for her. Food wise, as I've not had her long, I've not gone out and bought all the food types I need all in one go. I have looked at the helpful blog there and I plan to keep a hanful of food items in at a time and vary what I buy each time I purchase so over X period of time, she will be getting a varied diet. Vitamins is one thing I don't have yet actually if anyone could comment on that? I'll take some pictures of my enclosures and post them in this thread when I'm out of the workshop later..... Oh and I should mention actually that since becoming a little concerned (as a first time owner anyway) I have been checking her often. She has been light green plenty actually but still more dark colours than the male. Mind you females are a bit grumpy as a species in thier own right eh.... lol
lindawaz
New Member
Hello and welcome!
The enclosure is in my snake room which has an ambient daytime temperature of nearly 80f. The enclosure is five feet off the ground. It isn't facing a window, there are windows eight feet away on the right and left.
This is a little low if the basking temp is the same- they turn dark to absorb more heat.
Other than that the others are on it so I won't add repeat info
The enclosure is in my snake room which has an ambient daytime temperature of nearly 80f. The enclosure is five feet off the ground. It isn't facing a window, there are windows eight feet away on the right and left.
This is a little low if the basking temp is the same- they turn dark to absorb more heat.
Other than that the others are on it so I won't add repeat info
Nah that's not basking temperature, that reading is taken from the warm end but oposite side of the ceramic. Basking temp would be mid to late 80's I'll check that again and get back to you though. You mention turning black to absorb more heat. That made me go aaaaaaaaaah...... of course! When I've seen her green she's generall at the top of a branch when it would be a tad warmer. Perhaps a slight heat tweek is in order. At least as an experiment........
Does she have any mustardy/yellow/brownish splotches on her body? Bright blue spots? Can she see the male?
I would recommend that you put an opaque container of washed playsand in the cage so she has a place to dig when/if she needs to lay eggs. Veileds can produce eggs when they are sexually mature. The minimum size for the container is 12" x 12" x 8".
A female not only turns dark in the background when she is stressed but when she is non-receptive/gravid/producing eggs.
I would recommend that you put an opaque container of washed playsand in the cage so she has a place to dig when/if she needs to lay eggs. Veileds can produce eggs when they are sexually mature. The minimum size for the container is 12" x 12" x 8".
A female not only turns dark in the background when she is stressed but when she is non-receptive/gravid/producing eggs.
I have seen a yellow bit low down on her torso but I don't think she's sexually mature yet, she's barely hamster sized. Would the egg thing still be possible at that size? Should I make sand available at all times anyway? I'll get read up on that if it's possible at her age. I had thought she's far too small though and that I'd have a while before she starts thinking about laying eggs..... I did a video of my tanks last night but I'm having trouble uploading it. I'll do another one with my camcorder instead of my phone I think and get it uploaded......
