Are monstera deliciosa safe for Jackson's chameleons?

[Cgrahamxo]

Hello all! I just (rejoined) the chameleon community recently! When i was a teenager, I had a veiled chameleon and an ambilobe panther chameleon. At the time i just used fake plants.

I just got this jacksons the other day, and prefer to have more real plants than fake. I have given him a goldon pothos so far. Today I took him out (we are working on socializing) and i sat down in front of my monstera in my room. He immediately curled up and fell asleep, so i think he felt comfortable and enjoyed being around it. Now i am considering getting him one for his enclosure, but my research seems to be giving me mixed results on whether or not monsteras are safe for chams.

I know hes probably too heavy for the leaf stems, so they might break if i dont stake them. I just want him to be happy and thrive with me.

Attached a photo of franks current set up (only the golden pothos is real currently) and a pic of him curled up and sleeping by my monstera! Any tips and advice welcome!

 

[jamest0o0]

Yeah they're fine, especially for a jacksons

 

[Coop]

Welcome! It would be helpful if you could fill this out so we can check your husbandry.
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.

 

[ERKleRose]

When you put him on the monstera the other day, and he fell asleep, was it during the day?

 

[Cgrahamxo]

Welcome! It would be helpful if you could fill this out so we can check your husbandry.
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.

Your Chameleon - Jacksons, male, approx. 6 months old. I have had him for 2 days.

Handling - i have been gettint him out aboht once a day for about 10 minutes at a time

Feeding - he came to me eating crickets. The store said they give him about 6 per day. I also tried mealworms but he hasnt taken any interest in them yet.

Supplements - i have not bought any supements as of yet. What do you all recpmmend?

Watering - I have a drip system and mist every other day. Yes i have seen him drink.

Fecal Description - white and brown/black
soft, and liquidy but formed

History - i dont know anything about his history.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screened cage, 3 feet tall by 16 inches wide.

Lighting -zooMed 2 light lamp. One bulb is a reptisun 10.0 UV and the other i am honestly not sure ( Ibought my set up second hand). Maybe you guys can help me identify it and let me know if it is sufficient.

Temperature - i need to buy a thermometer. I didnt get one with my set up. What is ideal range?

Humidity - i use a drip system and i mist the enclosure.

Plants - only live plant currently is pothos. Ide like to add more. I have fake vines also.

Placement - low traffic area, my office. It is in front of a west facing window. The highest point of his cage is about 5 feet.

Location - canton ohio

 

[Cgrahamxo]

 

[Cgrahamxo]

When you put him on the monstera the other day, and he fell asleep, was it during the day?

Yes. It was today. Around 2pm

 

[jamest0o0]

When you put him on the monstera the other day, and he fell asleep, was it during the day?

Didn't even notice that, I was just replying to the topic without reading everything.

Monstera are fine to use, but your chameleon should NOT be napping. This is more often than not a very bad sign. It does not mean they are comfortable. You did take him out though so it could be that he was so stressed he was shutting down. Has he fallen asleep at all since?

 

[ERKleRose]

Yes. It was today. Around 2pm

So sleeping during the day isn't a good sign. I'll tag people with jacksons experience: @JacksJill @Kaizen @Mendez @leedragon . You'll also need a different type of UVB bulb, too. A T5 HO linear fixture the length that his biggest cage will be, with either an Arcadia 6% (replace yearly) or Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 (replace very 6 months) linear UVB of the matching size. You'll place the bulb so it's 8-9" away from his basking branch

 

[Cgrahamxo]

Didn't even notice that, I was just replying to the topic without reading everything.

Monstera are fine to use, but your chameleon should NOT be napping. This is more often than not a very bad sign. It does not mean they are comfortable. You did take him out though so it could be that he was so stressed he was shutting down. Has he fallen asleep at all since?

Nope. I put him back in his cage and he is awake and basking

 

[Cgrahamxo]

So sleeping during the day isn't a good sign. I'll tag people with jacksons experience: @JacksJill @Kaizen @Mendez @leedragon . You'll also need a different type of UVB bulb, too. A T5 HO linear fixture the length that his biggest cage will be, with either an Arcadia 6% (replace yearly) or Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 (replace very 6 months) linear UVB of the matching size. You'll place the bulb so it's 8-9" away from his basking branch

I got all of my stufd second hand. Let me show you what i have. I know one bulb is a reptisun 10.0 uv bulb. The other i am unsure of and the previous owner isnt responding to me.

Is this lsmo fixture itself ok? Can you tell what other kind of bulb i have?

 

[ERKleRose]

You have a dome fixture with a compact coil UVB bulb and a heat bulb (which is fine if it provides the correct temps). The type of fixture and UVB bulb that you want is a T5 High Output, which is the long, skinny tube type.

 

[Cgrahamxo]

You have a dome fixture with a compact coil UVB bulb and a heat bulb (which is fine if it provides the correct temps). The type of fixture and UVB bulb that you want is a T5 High Output, which is the long, skinny tube type.

Will what i have be sufficient for a few days until i can get a new one? Im going to have to see where i can Get one at and where i can get the best deal. Once i get that, should o also keep the current lights i have? Or no?

 

[ERKleRose]

Yes, but you can also take him outside if the temps are right, too, for some natural D3. You can keep the fixture, but only have the heat bulb in it, not the compact UVB bulb.

 

[Cgrahamxo]

Ok. Since its been over 10 years since ive had a chameleon, i dont remember much about lighting. Is my current UV bulb just not strong enough? Just asking for educational purposes. I liked this double fixture that the guy had because it also allowed me to keep my dripper on top of the cage. It seemed like a more compact way to have my lighting.

Will i HAVE to buy a tube lamp and bulb, or is there a bulb that will be suffient enough foe his needs where i can use the fixture i already have?

 

[Coop]

Yes, the bulb is not strong enough. It does not provide enough uvb across the entire cage. You will have to buy correct lamp as well. Also, your cage is very small, and although i am not sure with Jackson’s chameleons, you would need to make it bigger if it were panther or veiled chameleons.

 

[Cgrahamxo]

This was the recommended size when i researched it. Its a 18 by 18 by 36, and read this was the reccomended size for young ones (and the minimum needed for an adult). I was told he is only 6 months old so i figured this would do for now. I also got a hell of a deal on it because it was second hand. I do plan to eventually upgrade him. My old panther and veiled had a cage that was an old trophy case that was converted, so they had a nice, big, 7 foot tall by 3 foot wide cage. Im just getting back into it.

Could you link a recommended light fixture?

 

[ERKleRose]

Here's a link, just choose your length and the 6% bulb option:
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit.html

 

[Cgrahamxo]

Is it ok of ot hangs off the top of my cage? Looks like 24in is tge shortest they have, and my cage is 18

 

[ERKleRose]

Yup! It's cheaper to get one that will be the length of the biggest cage he'll go into, that way you're only buying one fixture instead of two