Baby Panther Chameleon Feeding/Lighting??

G3RUD0

New Member
Hello!

So I work at a petco and am purchasing a baby panther chameleon that has just recently arrived. I have done several months of research on panthers, so I know the the basics.

She looks less than a month old and she will be my first chameleon ever. I have her enclosure set up but am a bit nervous being as to how small she is (I currently had it set up for another female panther that was closer to 8mo that unfortunately got sold before I had the chance to get her..).

I handled her yesterday and she did quite well with me. I'm worried because I'm not too entirely sure what all she can eat at such a young age? I tried introducing (very small) mealworms to her but she seems uninterested in them, and I'm afraid even small crickets would be too big for her? Was thinking of dusting her food with calcium w/ D3 but unsure again being how young she is.

I also have a 5.0 UVB and was curious to know if maybe I should get a lower wattage for her because she is a juvenile? If she weren't so young, I wouldn't be as worried about everything. I just want her to be as happy and healthy as possible (I've seen on previous forums that baby panther chams that are under 3mo die fairly easily). I have a picture included to show her size just in case.

Thank you!!
 

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Uhhh. Pin head crickets and fruit flies are fine.

She is at least 3 months old, if not 4.

5.0 of any wattage is fine for a baby, as its pretty worthless past 10", so she can go towards the top for sun, and to the bottom for shade.

If its a cfl 5.0, its even more worthless.

And she is not going to need a basking light unless room temps are below 75-77f. Once she is 6 months or so you can introduce a basking spot.
 
I tried introducing (very small) mealworms to her but she seems uninterested in them, and I'm afraid even small crickets would be too big for her?
Mealworms are pretty bad as a feeder as they can cause constipation. At best you can use em as an occasional treat, but I'd even wait until she's bigger, then feed the small mealworms so chances of constipation are limited. Better yet get superworms instead, their shell is softer and they are more nutritious.
 
Uhhh. Pin head crickets and fruit flies are fine.

She is at least 3 months old, if not 4.

5.0 of any wattage is fine for a baby, as its pretty worthless past 10", so she can go towards the top for sun, and to the bottom for shade.

If its a cfl 5.0, its even more worthless.

And she is not going to need a basking light unless room temps are below 75-77f. Once she is 6 months or so you can introduce a basking spot.

My house temperature stays in mid 70s. Should I keep a small bowl of the food on the bottom of her enclosure?
Mealworms are pretty bad as a feeder as they can cause constipation. At best you can use em as an occasional treat, but I'd even wait until she's bigger, then feed the small mealworms so chances of constipation are limited. Better yet get superworms instead, their shell is softer and they are more nutritious.
Sorry! I meant to say superworms! I dislike feeding any reptiles mealworms because of the exoskeleton on them.
 
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Oh my gosh, thank you! Yes, unfortunately I've been reading from several different sources but this is wonderful. So I should have both a UVB and a basking light..? (I'm still learning so you'll have to forgive me)

You can put in a basking light if you want to. It would have to be a normal house bulb (not a flood light style) and just perk the "area" to around 85f.

You do not want to install the adult setup which is a flood light meant to heat to mid 90's, till she is a a sub adult around 8-9 months old. Its just too easy to cook the babies with a flood, and you will never see a breeder with a basking spot of any kind in the baby bins.
 
You can put in a basking light if you want to. It would have to be a normal house bulb (not a flood light style) and just perk the "area" to around 85f.

You do not want to install the adult setup which is a flood light meant to heat to mid 90's, till she is a a sub adult around 8-9 months old. Its just too easy to cook the babies with a flood, and you will never see a breeder with a basking spot of any kind in the baby bins.

Okay! I currently have a reptisun 5.0 UVB (13 watt tropical). Will that suffice? I also have a nightlight but was told that they're really not needed (since they use the UVB 12 hours on and 12 hours of no light??)
 

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Okay! I currently have a reptisun 5.0 UVB (13 watt tropical). Will that suffice? I also have a nightlight but was told that they're really not needed (since they use the UVB 12 hours on and 12 hours of no light??)

The day/night can be used to create the 85f "area", it doesnt matter which one, just when one burns out switch to the other.

I would really start looking into a linear 10.0(or 5.0 if its a T5 HO) in the future as those cfl uv lights do not have much cage penetration. They would be ok for a "tank" that is only 12-18" deep, but they are no good for "tree" setups since the uv drops to useless around 8" away from the bulb. Even a linear 5.0 is useless past 12" and a 10.0 past 18". You want the bulb to be useless around half the cage height. a 5.0 HO is great for the 3-4ft cages, since it is useful to at least 2ft. A 10.0 HO is more suited for the custom cages that are 5-6ft since they are useful till about 3 ft away.

Ill post my notes:

A panther/veiled needs 30-35 µW/cm² peak when the bulb is fresh, and should be changed at 15-20 µW/cm². Mind you, you can go higher as others have stated daylight is 300 µW/cm²

Now on to the scarry numbers:

Ohio august 23 2013 partly cloudy with sun peaking out behind cloud 11am: 3.0 UVI
Full sun 2pm 5.8 UVI
Full sun 2pm in the shade 1.5 UVI (measured under a few oak trees and bird garden shrubs)

42" LYR hood+ reflector no screen with 6%(5.0 HO) and 6500k 6 months old: 1.8 UVI @ 12" .7 UVI @ 24"

42" LYR hood+ refector no screen with 12%(10.0 HO) and 6500k 1 month old: 3.5 UVI at 12" 2.8 UVI @ 15" (beardy rock level)

With a 40 to 1 conversion for UVB µW/cm² to UVI, that would make the cham cage 72 UVB µW/cm²at basking and 28 UVB µW/cm²mid tank.

For the beardy that would be 112 UVB µW/cm² at basking rock.


ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 linear tube, at 12 inches distance no screen (assume no reflector):
6.2 reading: 24 µW/cm².
6.5 reading: UV Index 0.7"
 
Okay! I currently have a reptisun 5.0 UVB (13 watt tropical). Will that suffice? I also have a nightlight but was told that they're really not needed (since they use the UVB 12 hours on and 12 hours of no light??)
The compact uvb is best placed horizontal si it has a bigger surface area shining down into the enclosure and a reflector is a must. Its better to get a linear light T5 is best, but T8 will suffice.

You don't use lights at night because it will disturb their sleep, even red lights will do this. For future notice you can just use a regular incandescent light bulb as baskinglight.
 
Oh my gosh, thank you! Yes, unfortunately I've been reading from several different sources but this is wonderful. So I should have both a UVB and a basking light..? (I'm still learning so you'll have to forgive me)
Just keep asking questions, no matter how silly, and you will do just fine. It’s the keepers that don’t ask questions that get into trouble.
 
The compact uvb is best placed horizontal si it has a bigger surface area shining down into the enclosure and a reflector is a must. Its better to get a linear light T5 is best, but T8 will suffice.

You don't use lights at night because it will disturb their sleep, even red lights will do this. For future notice you can just use a regular incandescent light bulb as baskinglight.

At my store, we have a T8 and a 10.0 UVB. I won't be able to get it right now but will sometime soon (and eventually upgrade to a T5). I believe my enclosure is a 16x16x36..? Will the tropical T5 and the 10.0 UVB be okay in the meantime? I've included pictures to make sure these are the correct ones..

And I'll probably just use the red/blue lights with my UVB during the day to increase the temperature until I'm able to replace it with a T8/T5?
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The Zilla fixture is not great (actually not even close to great :)), and the bulb is not sufficient. The Reptisun are definitely better options, but you may want to look at some of the marine fixtures that you carry that would have much better reflectors. (Better prices will be available elsewhere, as mentioned.)
 
The Zilla fixture is not great (actually not even close to great :)), and the bulb is not sufficient. The Reptisun are definitely better options, but you may want to look at some of the marine fixtures that you carry that would have much better reflectors. (Better prices will be available elsewhere, as mentioned.)
Would you be able to point me in the right direction of what type would work best then (preferably online)?

And a dumb question, but what exactly is a reflector? Lol
 
Something like this...
http://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures/t5-ho-single-bulb-light-strip-24/

with this light...
http://www.reptilebasics.com/arcadia-forest-6-uvb/

The reflector is like a mirror that will reflect light downward back into the enclosure.

This is like the fixture I use. It has the UVB bulb, and 3 plant lights in it...
https://www.amazon.com/Odyssea-Timer-Aquarium-Marine-Cichlid/dp/B01714RE7O

You would still need a basking bulb as well.
Awesome! I'll have to order that fixture next paycheck. Why would I need a basking light as well if I have the UVB? To raise the temperature? Would I be able to use the 60watt blue/red lights for my basking?

Sorry for the five million questions. I would rather ask and know everything than to be unsure lol..
 
Generally speaking, fluorescent lights do not put out enough heat to meet your chams needs.

You can use the blue one since you already have it, but when that one dies you can just replace it with a standard house incandescent bulb, nothing special.
 
Generally speaking, fluorescent lights do not put out enough heat to meet your chams needs.

You can use the blue one since you already have it, but when that one dies you can just replace it with a standard house incandescent bulb, nothing special.

Do you think she'll be fine until I can order the proper lighting fixtures until next week with the setup I have as of now? As long as I monitor the temperature and humidity and make sure it's in the ideal range, she should be okay?

I'm getting her tomorrow afternoon and there's not much more I can do until I get paid next week..
 
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