Age of Chameleon

[Jean4661]

I am very new to the Chameleon world, I adopted this veiled due to the tail being cut off. I think its a female? Am I right? Also can anyone give me a hint as to how old you think she may be? Thanks for your help!

Jean

 

[Warrix642]

Prolly around 1-2 months old and looks like a male to me. Can you take a pic of his back feet from behind? Do you have a set-up for him yet?

 

[Jean4661]

I have an exo terra terrarium. Here are a couple more pictures...

 

[Sang]

hmm exoterra were its almost all glass? depending on were you live this may be an innapropriate enclosure.


also looks male to me as well.

 

[jannb]

Hello and welcome to the forums. It's kinda hard to tell from the pictures but the males have a little bump on the back feet. Looks to be maybe 2 or 3 months old. Here's some great info on veiled chameleons:
http://raisingkittytheveiledchamele...-max=2008-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=11

If you fill this out we can help you to make sure you are doing everything right:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Jean4661]

Yes Sang, the exxoterra is mostly glass. I live in Florida but I keep her in the house at all times. She has vines and plants to walk on. It was my ignorance when I adopted her to get this set up! When she outgrows this living space then I will get a screened home for her!

To tell if its a male or a female, I have read about the triangle notch on the back foot, Is it very noticeable? or just a small notch? I dont see anything on the foot but I dont know that I am looking for the correct notch. Is there a good picture of what I am supost to be looking at somewhere on the web?

Thanks in advance for all your help!
Jean

 

[Julirs]

It will be a bump-like a pimple at that age-on the very back of their heel. Make sure in glass that you have a good digital thermometer. Glass heats up fast and with the amount of misting you need to do-the moisture plus the heat is a recipe for respiratory infection. Make sure temps are no higher than 80 degrees in one spot for basking and low to mid 70's everywhere else. She will outgrow that cage in a month or two. If you have substrate on the bottom remove it as it is an impaction danger. Do you have a UVB bulb? Supplements?

 

[jannb]

Where do you live in FL? I'm in FL also. If you are not VERY careful you will cook her in a glass cage. Since you are a new owner if you fill out the Ask For Help form all the members here can make sure you have the correct lighting, supplements and everything that a chameleon has to have to stay healthy.

LLLReptiles have their screen cages on sale. If it female she will need the 36 inch high cage.

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/reptile-cages-glass-and-screen/

Look at this thread in post # 25 and you can see the bump on the back feet of the male. If your cham is younger it might not be that big but it will still be there.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/still-sexually-confused-27274/

 

[tkilgour]

maybe a 3 month old or so veiled cham. But hard to say if it's a male or not. We need to see the spur on his heel. Good luck.

 

[Jean4661]

Thanks for everyones help! I do have a couple follow up questions...My thermometer says it gets 105 degrees!! YIKES!! so I am going to get a new habitat today what is the correct size for a female? 24X24X48? I know that is too big now but is that ok for her to grow into? Also, I do use a coconut substrate? should I not use that? If not, what do I use? Carpet? I dust my crickets with Faulkers everyday and I gut load them with carrots, fruit and other vegetables. I feed Approx. 10 a day. On my lighting I use exo terra repti glo 5.0 coil UVB and exo terra 60W sun glow. SO, what do I need to change? I want the best for my little girl!!!

Thanks again in advance for all your help!
Jean

 

[jheitz]

Smaller. 24X24x36. You could also seperate the bottom area of a 48 tall until he/she is older. No substrate. Not even carpet. The best option is to drill a few holes in the PVC plastic bottom that comes with most screen enclosures to facilitate drainage. You need live plants, like hibiscus or scheflerra or ficus, vines, vines, and more more vines to creat little cham highways. At this age, a 40 watt house bulb is all the basking light he/she needs. Get rid of those coil bulbs STAT!! They cause blindness in chameleons. A Zoomed Repti0sun 5.0 linear bulb is all you will neeed for UVB lighting. You need three basic supplements: Calcium, Herptivite (a multi vitamin), and calcium with D3. Many members here have intricate,detailed supplement schedules. Just use the search tab and you should find hours of insight. Here is a really good link to help get you started:
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/veiled-chameleon.html

Good luck with your little one and keep the questions and pictures coming.
Jason

 

[pssh]

If you want to make sure everything is set up right, fill this out.


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?


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.
* Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

 

[jannb]

Thanks for everyones help! I do have a couple follow up questions...My thermometer says it gets 105 degrees!! YIKES!! so I am going to get a new habitat today what is the correct size for a female? 24X24X48? I know that is too big now but is that ok for her to grow into? Also, I do use a coconut substrate? should I not use that? If not, what do I use? Carpet? I dust my crickets with Faulkers everyday and I gut load them with carrots, fruit and other vegetables. I feed Approx. 10 a day. On my lighting I use exo terra repti glo 5.0 coil UVB and exo terra 60W sun glow. SO, what do I need to change? I want the best for my little girl!!!

Thanks again in advance for all your help!
Jean

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you have allot wrong. First turn off that light, you are going to cook her. She should only be around 80 to 82.

48' high cage will be great for later and ok for now if she eats. Do you cup feed? If you do you shouldn't have a problem. If she free range for food then you might want to block off the bottom part of the cage until she's a bit older......6 or 7 months. LLLReptile. com is a great place to buy your cage. I think they have the 36' high on sale. That would be enough for a grown female. Here they are:http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/reptile-cages-glass-and-screen/

Do not use any substrate. They can eat it and become impacted. Just leave the floor bare......it's easier to clean that way, too.

Get rid of that coil light asap. It will damage her eyes and can cause blindness. This is the light that you need: http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...por-bulbs/-/zoo-med-24-repti-sun-50-uvb-bulb/


This is the supplements that you need to dust the feeders with. http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/vitamins-medicines-and-cage-cleaners/
You need the 1st, 3rd and 5th one. The first one is plain calcium and you will dust her feeders with this at just about every feeding. The 3rd is the calcium with D3. Only use this one twice a month. The 3rd is a mulit vit and use this one once a month.


For her age 8 to 10 feeders a day should be about right. You need to start giving her different feeders, too. She will need along with crickets some worms such as Superworms, silkworms and hornworms. There are many other good feeders also. Veileds also like collard greens, kale and some fruits such as apple, pear and chopped up grapes.

 

[Jean4661]

No I dont cup feed but when I put the crickets in she goes to the bottom and eats, I will try to cup feed! I will get other feeders, I have fed her wax worms before, is that ok? Can I feed her Mealworms? (I raise them so I have an endless supply for my birds,turtles and fish) and Last question...do I just make her a chopped up salad everyday with collards, kale, fruit etc? can I put a sprinkle on calcium on the salad? and can I give her this every morning? Thanks a million!!!

Jean

 

[jannb]

A salad will be fine....allot of us do it that way. Yes, a salad can be offered every morning.

With the calcium, use it lightly how ever you use it. I lightly dust my feeders. Wax worm are high in fat and should only be used as treats and mealworm really shouldn't be used at all....they are very hard for them to digest.

If you can get her to cup feed a big cage should be ok.

 

[jheitz]

Waxworms and mealworms are only suitable as treats. Once or twice a month if preferable. Mealworms are to hard on their digestive system and can cause impaction. Waxworms are to fatty and have almost no nutritional value. Waxworms are good for putting on weight after an illness. As far as a salad, no. Just hang a few mixed leafy vegetable with veggie clips in her cage, and she will nibble as she sees fit. It's been my experience babies do not tend to eat a lot of plant matter until they reach 6-7 months, but each one is different. Best of luck to both of you.

Jason

 

[Jean4661]

I should be getting my order from LLLreptile any day now with my new 24X24X36 habitat, I ordered the new light fixture as well. My question is how do I put a jar in there for her to eat out of? Do I lay the jar on the bottom of the enclosure? Any help on that would be great!

I also have a question about the spiral bulbs. What makes the reptiles go blind with them? What is it about them that makes them go blind? Is there any information about it on the internet that I can read about them? I want to know as much as I can about these bulbs so I can better understand it.

Thanks again in advance!
Jean

 

[adamb94]

i have some babies too
probably 3-4 weeks old

 

[beeze]

I should be getting my order from LLLreptile any day now with my new 24X24X36 habitat, I ordered the new light fixture as well. My question is how do I put a jar in there for her to eat out of? Do I lay the jar on the bottom of the enclosure? Any help on that would be great!

I also have a question about the spiral bulbs. What makes the reptiles go blind with them? What is it about them that makes them go blind? Is there any information about it on the internet that I can read about them? I want to know as much as I can about these bulbs so I can better understand it.

Thanks again in advance!
Jean

Hang your feeding cup slightly under a branch where your cham sits allot. Below's a short video that one of our members made showing his feeder cup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IocvhTduOtc&feature=channel_page