Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
Take take a temp reading at the very top of the viv. What is it?
Baby Panther Chameleon Feeding/Lighting??
- Thread starter G3RUD0
- Start date
G3RUD0
New Member
It showed about 78f. Then I used a laser thermometor and it read from 76-82f. Humidity is a 51-52 give or take. But I was going to put in a liner inside the walls to help with the humidity. I have a live plant as well.
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Goose502
Chameleon Enthusiast
As long as you are replacing those lights with linear fluorescents (you really should just get the t5 HO), I’m positive you are providing WAY better husbandry than that joke of a pet store you’re working for. Make sure you gut load your feeders, and give the right supplements. Unless your employee discount is like 50% off, buy everything you need elsewhere, you’ll get a better deal. I don’t mean to come off as a jerk, but that store/corporation sucks. You really are saving this chameleons life btw.
G3RUD0
New Member
I'll definitely be getting a t5 ho next paycheck; I want the best possible for my baby cham. And I know I am-- she'll be much happier when she comes home.
I hate most pet stores because they normally don't handle or treat their animals well. The only reason I'm working at one is to improve the quality of life of animals that come in (I am the main caretaker of said animals so I try my hardest to give them the best life possible before they find their new home while staying under the corporations' policies so I don't get fired..). I love animals too much and it's heartbreaking to see any animal (especially chams) in such bad conditions due to the ignorance of the workers who tend to them.
I already have my calcium, calcium w/ d3, and my multivitamins. I'll have to wait before gut loading until next paycheck as well. Is there a specific brand that I should use for gut loading?
If money is an issue (or even if it isn't I would use these!), you can use things that you already have. I will use the ends of celery, tops of peppers, peels from carrots, cores of apples, etc.
Here are two of my favorite pre-made gutload powders...
https://www.store.repashy.com/bug-burger-17.6-oz.-1.1-lb-500g-jar-wholesale-clone.html
http://buycricketcrack.com/
Yes, your bugs will soon eat better than you do!!!
G3RUD0
New Member
Oh wow! So then the celery and such can be used as an alternative if I don't have money for the powder? That's pretty handy lol I'll have to add those to my list of things to get next time.
And I have a little container to put my crickets in. How many should be okay to keep for a week or so? About 30? I was able to feed her crickets for the first time today but she only took two so far, so I'm a bit unsure of how many crickets I should keep in my container?
Since you work in a place that carries feeders it makes it easier because you can get them whenever you are there. I get about 60 - 100 at a time, but have other feeders as well. With that many in a container it is important to keep them clean and make sure the food does not spoil. Crickets will die off if not taken care of.
G3RUD0
New Member
I brought her home and put her in immediately. Everything in the enclosure is fine but because she's so small, she tried reaching a branch and fell from the half of her tank to the bottom while I was misting. I picked her up and put her back lower to a leaf on my plant but now her colours are so dark that I'm worried. I know she won't forgive me for it and that those dark colours are from stress. What can I do aside from leaving her alone for the rest of the night? I'm terrified that she'll fall again when I'm asleep or not home too..
She fell while misting? Sounds like she was scared. They can fall and usually be OK. Were you misting her directly or the surrounding area? You should avoid directly spraying her as it can cause her to run for cover (sounds like that is what happened from the description) and in a rush they can miss a branch.
What type of enclosure do you have? Any pics of it?
As for your new girl, she needs a little time to adjust to her new surroundings. Give her space and let her roam around and explore. Keep an eye out for dark patches that could be bruising from the fall, but they can fall from high spots and be totally fine. She should not be moving around at night so falling won't be an issue.
What type of enclosure do you have? Any pics of it?
As for your new girl, she needs a little time to adjust to her new surroundings. Give her space and let her roam around and explore. Keep an eye out for dark patches that could be bruising from the fall, but they can fall from high spots and be totally fine. She should not be moving around at night so falling won't be an issue.
G3RUD0
New Member
I currently have her in a 16x16x36 mesh enclosure. I was misting around her. Ever since she came to the store, she has been a little bit wary of misters in general.
I turned off my bedroom light and a few minutes (5 mins after it happened) before I walked out, her normal colour was coming back. I'm about to shut off my lights for the night and leave her be. She seems moving around fine now. But tomorrow I might have to rearrange a few things in her cage..
I'd let her be for a couple days, just mist and feed but don't move things around just yet unless there is some safety concern that you have. Any moves to the decor may cause added stress that you are trying to avoid.
G3RUD0
New Member
I think some of the branches I added need to be secured a little better in concern of something coming undone (possibly tacking them too..). I handfed her for the first time today at work (she only took four small crickets). Is it okay to handfeed her tomorrow as I did today? Should I mist through the outside of the cage, or should I open up the hatch and spray everything?
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
If she will accept hand feeding go that route every time. Hand feeding is the best way to build trust. If you can mist without opening the viv, do it. If not, do what you have to do and move on...
G3RUD0
New Member
I handfed her just about 30 minutes ago and she took two crickets from me. Might try again in about a few hours to see if she wants anymore. She's been sitting in one spot since I fed her. And her colours are very vibrant but I've not seen this pattern on her before. Looks pretty normal as far as I can tell?
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
Looks normal to me but I’m a veiled keeper. You probbably know this but it has backfired on people before. When you do go to hand feed it should be done slowly, don’t just jam the cricket in her face. And most importantly never put your hand above her, ALWAYS feed from below. Nature has programmed them to panic whenever anything suddenly approaches from above, like all their predators do.
G3RUD0
New Member
All of my movements with her are slow (almost like her lol..). And I know. I always keep my hands low and to where she can see them. She's actually hidden in the foliage right now, so she seems to be doing fine. I feel like I just might be overthinking and stressing myself out over it..
I'm unfortunately having a hard time keeping up the humidity in the enclosure. I have a live plant, two of the four sides of my cage are covered with a plastic liner, and I just pulled a towel to cover up the other side. After I spray, the humidity spikes up to 70-75. But after about an hour or so, I'm forced to mist again because it drops down to 40-50. The temp is perfect tho. I'm unsure of what else I can do?
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
Fill her viv with live plants. I didn’t go all the way back through this thread but it looks like you have a good bit of empty space in the viv and the plants look fake. Are they?
G3RUD0
New Member
I have one live plant; an Indian Rubber tree. I need to repot my plant since it's a bit small but I didn't want too much in her enclosure being how small she is and how big it is (I can easily lose track of her in there as is). The hanging plants are fake, though.
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
She will not get lost in her viv, all those posts about it are from over protective “helicopter keepers” that freak out every time their Cham has a shed. You should have to try hard to find your Cham in her viv. Lots of foliage is especially important when they are young, need lots of hiding spots. Do what you want but that is how to keep your humidity in the correct range and steady.
G3RUD0
New Member
Awesome! Thank you so much for the advice. It honestly makes me feel less worried and stressed over her, and sounds like everything with her is actually okay..
I feel like I'm a helicopter parent now being she is my first. But I feel once she's a little older, I'll be able to relax a little more. I've only dealt with 9mo+ chameleons, Veileds and Panthers alike. Never a baby. It also seems like my humidity in my house actually varies throughout the day? So instead of misting so much to keep the humidity up, I'll keep a note of when it drops so I can specifically spray at those times.
