Am I doing everything alright

ReptiMojo

ReptiMojo

New Member
Hello! I have a 1 1/2 year old veiled chameleon named Mojo. I've had him for a year now and I got him when he was 6 months old. I was wondering if I'm missing something in how I take care of him. I'd appreciate if someone could look at this care info I provided and let me know if there's anything I should change.
Thanks!

Picture of Mojo: imgur.com/gallery/RpwPMAe/new



Chameleon Info:
My Chameleon - Veiled, Male, Pre-Adult, had him for a year now.
Handling - I handle him about 1-2 times a day, occasionally 3, each session about 15 mins long. My chameleon doesn't mind handling, and sometimes he actually prefers it over being in his cage.
Feeding - I feed my chameleon crickets and some mealworms, about 7-8 crickets a day. When I add mealworms into the meal, I'll give him 6-7 crickets and a mealworm. I feed him in the morning, usually about half an hour after he wakes up. I feed my crickets carrots and sometimes High-calcium cricket feed. I do free-range feeding and sometimes hand-feeding.
Supplements - I dust my crickets with Zoo Med calcium with vitamin D3. I dust my crickets with this 2 times a week.
Watering - I hydrate my chameleon by means of a pump sprayer. I mist about 3-4 times a day for around 20 sec. Cage stays good humidity. I see my chameleon drink sometimes, but not too often. Maybe he is shy about drinking in front of me? He isn't shy about hand feeding though...

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 18 x 18 x 36 screen cage.
Lighting - I provide like lighting through a 13 watt UVB/UVA fluorescent bulb and a 60 watt heat lamp. The light is on an automatic timer from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm.
Temperature - I keep the temperature as basking at around 82F. The night temp is usually 75F.
Humidity - I keep the humidity at 60-80. I spray my chameleon's cage to keep the humidity. I measure the humidity with an electric humidity/temperature meter placed inside the cage.
Plants - I am not using any live plants in my chameleon's habitat, but there are artificial plants. However, I am feeding my chameleon lettuce attached to his cage.
Placement - My cage setup is at a corner in my house. There are no air vents next to the cage. The habitat is two feet from the ground.
Location - I live in Amarillo, Texas, USA.
 
You could increase the temperatures at the basking spot. Just make sure that there are gradients within the enclosure so the chameleon can move around to make himself comfortable.

Also, I'd put a live plant in the enclosure. The chameleon can eat the leaves and you won't need to worry about adding lettuce to the fake plants.

Chase
 
You should be dusting your crickets at every feeding with Calcium WITHOUT D3. The Calcium WITH D3 should only be done about twice a month, or twice a month. You could be overdosing him with all that D3.
 
Wowbango said:
You should be dusting your crickets at every feeding with Calcium WITHOUT D3. The Calcium WITH D3 should only be done about twice a month, or twice a month. You could be overdosing him with all that D3.
Click to expand...

Actually, not true. Veiled chameleons are able to handle the D3 better than montane species.

But, you are right about the calcium without d3. This should be given 3-4 times a week on a few feeders in a feeding.

@Reptimojo- I'd look into feeding your feeders other things as well. Your chameleon would really benefit if you gutloaded your crickets and worms with other vegetables besides carrots.

EDIT- Your schedule for Calcium with D3 is fine. I wouldn't change it.

Chase
 
Chase said:
Actually, not true. Veiled chameleons are able to handle the D3 better than montane species.

But, you are right about the calcium without d3. This should be given 3-4 times a week on a few feeders in a feeding.

@Reptimojo- I'd look into feeding your feeders other things as well. Your chameleon would really benefit if you gutloaded your crickets and worms with other vegetables besides carrots.

EDIT- Your schedule for Calcium with D3 is fine. I wouldn't change it.

Chase
Click to expand...

Completely ignored the fact that this is a Veiled, haha. Thanks for calling me out! ;)
 
Wowbango said:
Completely ignored the fact that this is a Veiled, haha. Thanks for calling me out! ;)
Click to expand...

Well now that you mention it, seems like I misread. I thought it said 6 months old. You were right, I do apologize.

@Reptimojo- I'd decrease the D3 to two or three times a month. Sorry for the confusion.

Chase
 
SocialNumb said:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/

Just thought I should pas this along. If you shouldn't Gutload with romaine lettuce then does it not make sense not to feed it to them?

I'm asking.
Click to expand...

No, it would be better not to feed it to your cham from what I understand. I'm no expert by any stretch, but this sentence seems to sum it up:

"The same vegetables used for gutloading can also be offered to your veiled chameleon to snack on. Leafy greens, sliced vegetables and fruit, and berries can all be attached to cage furnishings with a clip or placed in a feeding cup for easy feeding."

If you don't gutload with it, don't feed it to your cham. At least that's what I get from that.
 
Sigh.. There is nothing wrong with romaine lettuce. Is it the most nutritious vegetable to give to your chameleon? No. Is it the worst, no. I have added romaine for my feeders to eat ever since I started keeping any reptile, and I have never had an issue. Is it the only thing I gutload with? No. But it does not mean you shouldn't use it.

When I had tortoises, I used to go a local produce store and every week would pick up boxes upon boxes of vegetables and fruit that they couldn't sell. Since it was all seasonal, and just depended on the crop that week I'd get anything from Iceburg to turnip greens. I still used all that I could, because one it was free and two mixing things up is good for the animals.

Romaine lettuce actually has a fair amount of Vitamin A in it, which the chameleons need so adding in the gutload isn't really a problem.

EDIT: Let me clear something up. I am not suggesting to use romaine often, I am just suggesting that it is completely worthless. If given the choice between romaine and say collard greens, yea pick the collard greens. But if you have some romaine lettuce in your fridge that is going bad why not just give it to the feeders instead of wasting it?

Chase
 
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