A few things that are bugging me

[DocKoala]

Hey there!
First chameleon in the house here

I have a few questions/concerns.

First: he came home, greenish even after a 3hour drive, active and exploring his enclousure, seemed normal.

After the first week lets say, he had some banana and apple, some crickets and looked healthy and happy.
After that week of "adjustment" he started to deny food (worms and crickets) - only eating banana and apple (i mean, who would i be to judge him right?) - so far weird but okay'ish.
Last week, he had a bruise, from what i read online, probably due to fall (even tho his enclosure is just 60cm high (1.20long and 60 deep) - might be a burn also, from what i saw bruise and burn look almost the same on the photos.
Not so Okay'ish, starting to get worried.

Now this week (03 May forward) he stopped eating, fully, does not want fruits or worms or crickets)
Only thing he does its drink water...
Plus his colors since last week, he is brown, like, not full brown, but he is not the bright green anymore. (bruise/burn is gone almost)

He sleeps almost all day, always in his corner, does not react to door open/close anymore, neither to sounds.
Plus looks clumsy walking and with his head slightly tilted (never notice this before)

Temps range from 16 to 25 (night/day) - his enclosure is mist 5/6 times per day, i try to always have drops on the leafs/glass - same settings as when he got home, nothing changed.
He has a strong grip (as always had)

Some photos attached (the photo where he is looking sideways was 2 days after i have it home) - called 2ndday
All others where taken today

 

[DocKoala]

Also, is it just me or he looks slim?
Btw i got him 1 month ago, and he was 6 months at the time (so he is 7 months now) - not sure if relevant.

Many thanks in advance

 

[Beman]

Hi there welcome to the forum. Firstly you have a female not a male and there is some major stuff going on with her. Those bumps on either side of her spine near her back legs are not normal. She also has gulular edema. I am seeing bumps under the skin all the way up to her ribs. Which if they were located on her back half near her abdomen I would suspect to be eggs she is holding. But with those old growths near her spine I am concerned there could be something additional. You will need a really really good reptile vet. And you want to get her seen asap.

While Veileds will eat fruit and veg it is not recommended to feed this to them. Their bodies can not digest and process the fruit correctly. Even though they will do it you never want to offer it only live insects that are supplemented correctly.
She needs a lay bin asap but if she has no ability to dig to lay eggs than she will become eggbound. So this goes back to the needing a really good vet.

The red bulb in the cage is really bad for their eyes. Looks like your running a Mercury vapor bulb for UVB which also can cause major health issues and is not recommended for chameleons.

You can learn husbandry for them at this site then ask questions here. She will need a lot of cage changes but most of all she needs a vet. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[DocKoala]

Well according to light/heat.
Im not sure what type of bulb it is, i have a photo here that ill attach below.

Regarding nesting basket, i came up with what i had in hand and made a plant pot with coconut chunks/fibers (more chunks), properly humid and put it there.

The red bulb its only on at night, 15min on, 45 off, during 8h total on that scheme (just to keep temp not below 16c.

Regarding the 2 lumps on her back spine/near legs, she had it already in the shop, where she was vibrant in color and active, i saw her during 2 days before getting her.

regarding sex, i had no idea, so thank you!

regarding lumps in belly, can it be eggs with her only having 7 months?
Does that prevents/change her apetite? (banana was 2 very very thin slices and 1 per day, same on apple, compared to crickets and worms, its like 5% of all she ever ate with me)
Regarding vet, that going to be really impossible for now sadly, as the closest is 470km away from me... i believe i have more luck in a few days (i am moving back to my own country, and 500km away from me there is a specialist for reptiles in germany)

What else can i do?

Any tip would be amazing

 

[DocKoala]

lamps

 

[Beman]

See all my feedback in red bold.

Well according to light/heat.
Im not sure what type of bulb it is, i have a photo here that ill attach below. So the white bulb is a regular basking bulb. This is heat only. No UVB. You need a t5ho linear fixture with a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb for it. Depending on cage set up is how you determine distance from UVB to branches below. So right now she is getting no UVB at all. This impacts them in multiple ways including lack of appetite. Until eventually they start developing MBD and then slowly dying. They should not have any heat at all and absolutely no light on at night. This disrupts their sleep pattern which can also make them decline. As long as temps at night are above 55 F she is totally good in fact they need a night time cool down.

Regarding nesting basket, i came up with what i had in hand and made a plant pot with coconut chunks/fibers (more chunks), properly humid and put it there. Take a look at this link. You need to use the right stuff that will fully hold a tunnel. IF she starts to dig and the tunnel collapses on her she can die in the hole. read through this blog. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/

The red bulb its only on at night, 15min on, 45 off, during 8h total on that scheme (just to keep temp not below 16c.... Read above info on red bulb and light at night of any kind.

Regarding the 2 lumps on her back spine/near legs, she had it already in the shop, where she was vibrant in color and active, i saw her during 2 days before getting her. So these growths are not normal at all. Could be many things and require a vet to biopsy to determine treatment.

regarding sex, i had no idea, so thank you! Yep. no problem that is what we are here for.

regarding lumps in belly, can it be eggs with her only having 7 months? Yes, I honestly doubt she is as young as you were told based on how thick her casque is and overall size.
Does that prevents/change her apetite? (banana was 2 very very thin slices and 1 per day, same on apple, compared to crickets and worms, its like 5% of all she ever ate with me) Being gravid and ready to lay eggs yes they can go off food. However I think she has a ton more going on that is compromising her and if she is gravid may only be one part of the entire picture of why she is not eating.
Regarding vet, that going to be really impossible for now sadly, as the closest is 470km away from me... i believe i have more luck in a few days (i am moving back to my own country, and 500km away from me there is a specialist for reptiles in germany). As soon as you get home get her into a vet that does know reptiles. If they have chameleon experience even better.

What else can i do? Start reading everything here so you understand their needs for their environment. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
You can also watch Neptune the Chameleon on Youtube. She has fantastic and correct informative videos.

Any tip would be amazing. She has a lot going on. UVB and correct supplements along with the correct lay bin should she decide to start laying eggs would be very important right now. Only offer her live insects to see if she will eat.

Females should not have basking temps hotter than 80F. and the rest of the cage ambient temps should be low 70's. Humidity should sit between 30-45% max during the day. Hot temps and humid environment create increased risk for respiratory infection.

 

[DocKoala]

Hello everyone.
Following your advises here are the changes happening today:

New uvb light arriving any moment during the morning

Sand also arriving today/tomorrow (country side life kinda sucks for this things I have to buy everything online almost)

Vet appointment done for the 14/05 (sooner he had time) 504km away from me

-------

In the works, to be finished maybe this week hopefully, new enclosure with more privacy, only 1 side "open" and visible to the outside.
Size 50*50*90cm high

Dual vents (one on each side)
Aluminium mesh on top and front side

Fogger and sprinkler system
Inteligent sockets that will control temp and humidity (one for each)
One will control a heat bulb (the uva one I currently have) and one that will control the fogger

The Red bulb it's still there but fully off.

Regarding the enclosure, it will be sealed with aquarium safe silicon and to cover it I will place some dry moss and coconut fibers

Will also use some expanding foam, painted with some plastic type anti water paint (similar to drylock)

Regarding her current status:
I filmed her for 1hour, she is walking around active but still without eating.
She also popped (lol) something I haven't seen her doing in a few days (not sure if normal or not the type but I can attach a photo if there is no issues on that?)

Thanks

 

[DocKoala]

 

[Sonny13]

View attachment 354994View attachment 354995

This would be the wrong one for your cham. You would need the Arcadia Pro T5 UVB 6% or 12% forest. This one is the UV 7% which gives other spectrum and isn't suitable for chameleon

 

[Sonny13]

The rest of the gear is perfect.

 

[Sonny13]

She also popped (lol) something I haven't seen her doing in a few days (not sure if normal or not the type but I can attach a photo if there is no issues on that?)

Please attach a picture, it could be poop but I also suspect it to be an egg. And hopefully it's not the last one, because she then needs her privacy and laybin to finish the job.

 

[Sonny13]

In the works, to be finished maybe this week hopefully, new enclosure with more privacy, only 1 side "open" and visible to the outside.
Size 50*50*90cm high

You bought a new enclosure as well, why a smaller one then she already was in? The one you had the right dimension, just not the right height. And 60*60*120 is minimum required, the new one is way smaller then the one she's in right now. She will go 0,432 m3 of room to 0,225 m3 that is almost 50% less.

 

[DocKoala]

Hello Sonny

The new enclosure im building for transport only (as im moving to spain in a few days)
Planned for her i have actually a 2mt long by 50cm deep by 90/100cm high one planned 9 i have the materials but wont build it till i move)

Regarding the light, ill return it and search for 6% or 12% then (i wrongly assumed the % was like intensity only, and not related to specific spectrums)

Attached the photo (wish I believe it's pop)

Thanks a lot for the feedback

 

[Sonny13]

Hello Sonny

The new enclosure im building for transport only (as im moving to spain in a few days)
Planned for her i have actually a 2mt long by 50cm deep by 90/100cm high one planned 9 i have the materials but wont build it till i move)

Regarding the light, ill return it and search for 6% or 12% then (i wrongly assumed the % was like intensity only, and not related to specific spectrums)

Attached the photo (wish I believe it's pop)

Thanks a lot for the feedback

Okay, that sounds great moving to Spain and as a moving enclosure.
No props, can happen and happened to my as well in the beginning, all confusing enough.

Yes, that's luckily poop!

 

[DocKoala]

Good morning.
Quick question, I saw that it's "healthy" (let's say more natural) to have a bit of fog in the morning while the sun let's say it's raising on the enclosure, to create the natural habitat feel. My fogger has a weird smell (not toxic to me, but weird) is it related to the fact that the water is atomized maybe?

Also, I got the mister too, I plan on having both on, fogger in morning, and mister to keep enclosure with humidity and water drops for her to drink, now my question is, how do I measure what is the good amount?

Per say, what is too much and what is too less? (Not talking humidity values, but water values for her to be comfortable)

I also have already some natural plants and vines/branches ordered that will arrive soon (to Spain house directly)

Thank you

 

[elizaann2]

Hello! A lot of that will depend on your ambient humidity levels and enclosure.
For example I live in a very dry place. I am able to keep my female veiled hydrated with the following:

- hybrid enclosure to help with humidty retention
- fog from 12-6 am
- mist 2 min before lights on
- mist 2 min before lights out
- 1 minute mist at 12 am

My humidity levels are around 40-50% during the day and at night the goal is to get to 100% humidity but I can only get to 80%

 

[DocKoala]

So there is no limit amount of water drops/mist/rain per say, only important measure is the actual humidity. So she will not be uncomfortable if there is always drops on the leafs and so on? Good to know

The final idea will be a bioactive enclosure but I'm taking time to plan everything ahead to be safe for her.

Regarding the fog smell, any idea of the why? Or it's normal to have a distinct smell to it? Assuming it won't be harmful since it was bought for terrariums?

Thanks

 

[DocKoala]

This is my normal settings. At night temp drops to 17, and humidity to 65

 

[DocKoala]

Update.
She still hasn't eat... (At least that I noticed) Everyday I drop 2/3 worms in and they vanish to leafs/background. But she never gets them, today I found 4 dead ones so she is not eating...

Any advise?

Also no eggs so far, and the laybin has been modified to have sand instead of Coco fibers

Many thanks

 

[Sonny13]

This is my normal settings. At night temp drops to 17, and humidity to 65


View attachment 355054

Looks good and if you place the fogger near her sleeping spot, she will be perfectly hydrated