baby panther always dark!

[tmsjns]

hey guys, I recently got a baby panther nosy be who is around 15 week old. he is in a exo terra 45x45x60 (height) has a basking lamp on a dimmer stat set to 86f and has loads of artificial vines and a 5.0 retpi sun uvb strip, i mist him in the mornings and at night (7.30am and 6pm) and his lights are on a timer 7am-9pm. I feed him around 8 1st crickets a day and he seems active plus hes shed once since Iv had him.

The problem is that he seems to be dark all the time in the 2 weeks iv had him. Am I doing anything wrong or could he be getting used to me being around still?

 

[mc9423]

You need to mist him acouple of more times a day if possible.

As for him staying dark, it could be that heh hasn't grown into his colors yet, or he's still a bit stressed from moving. How long have you had him?

 

[tmsjns]

i cant really mist him any more because im in work but iv bought a dripper and a new live plant so that should help with that! Im glad thats the only thing im doing wrong I was worried I had it all set-up wrong

 

[reptoman]

What are his basking temps? If hes cold he will stay dark.

 

[PardalisGirl]

Cage too large?

The cage dimensions you give are really big for a panther that age. It will be really hard for him to spend enough time in the range of the UVB rays.

Could you post a picture of your cage set up that shows him in it? That Reptisun 5.0 will not provide enough UVB for a young growing juvie in a cage that tall.

I breed and raise panthers and most of my juvies that age are kept in much smaller cages. The largest members of a clutch at that age might be kept in an 18x18x36 cage at the most. I really think your cage is overwhelming for a panther at that age. I seriously think you need to put him in another cage until his is a sub-adult.

 

[tmsjns]

his basking temps are around 85-86f i was told babies shouldnt be kept too hot. the cage measurments are in cm in inches its around 18x18x24 thats not too big is it!?

 

[gad58y]

hi mate
could it be that he has some colour coming through,your tank seem fine to me.i keep my babies at 80f-82f and they seem to be growing very well.


graeme

 

[tmsjns]

lol hey graeme i got my baby from you lol! i think hes doing good its just that when he sees my that when he goes darkish (brown/red) when he stalks hes white/black i just wanted a second opinion! thanks again mate hes awsome I think im just not used to a pet I cant handle? or should i pick him up now ro get him tame or leave him to grow then try!?