Baby Raising help..

[AmandaS]

Also, I did tell someone to cup feed once, and they held the cup with 1 cricket in it up to the baby chameleon...so, just to be clear....
Place the shallow cup inside the enclosure(next to a branch or plant) where the baby can climb onto the rim of the cup to feed.


Also, be sure that your thermometer/hydrometer combos are digital. The analog ones are not accurate enough

 

[MissSkittles]

I can’t offer any helpful hints, but I have to say that you are doing awesome! This little baby seems to have found it’s way to you for a reason (if you believe in fate). ?

 

[Beman]

This is still a WIP since I haven't done the jungle gym skewers yet but wanted to see if I got the basics right @jannb - heat light & UVB mounted. Plastic tub with top cut off and screen added. Besides the skewers, what else goes in?

What UVB type and fixture are you using and what is the distance you have there?

 

[Kay930]

What UVB type and fixture are you using and what is the distance you have there?

It's a T5HO UVB 5.0 (research said a 10 would be too strong.

I'll measure distance as soon as I finish the tub and get it back under it..it's probably 8-10 inches away. I could potentially elevate the tub if needed and maybe make it higher if necessary.

 

[Kay930]

I can’t offer any helpful hints, but I have to say that you are doing awesome! This little baby seems to have found it’s way to you for a reason (if you believe in fate). ?

I definitely believe in fate. We'll see how fate treats baby Roger once this set up is done - I'm a nervous nelly

 

[AmandaS]

It's a T5HO UVB 5.0 (research said a 10 would be too strong.

I'll measure distance as soon as I finish the tub and get it back under it..it's probably 8-10 inches away. I could potentially elevate the tub if needed and maybe make it higher if necessary.

When they are super young they are sensitive to the UV light. I personally think 10 inches is great.

If you're worried about your uv (I started my OLD bulb about 15 inches from the tote[which is too far] and moved closer from there because I was scared to over uv lol. I also do not have a uv reader) you can take the baby outside in his tote or on a free range. Just be sure to watch the temps and make sure there is shade. There is usable amounts of uv in the shade as well.

When I say that is what I did, I want to also say I only hatched 2 eggs and am by no means an expert!

 

[Beman]

It's a T5HO UVB 5.0 (research said a 10 would be too strong.

I'll measure distance as soon as I finish the tub and get it back under it..it's probably 8-10 inches away. I could potentially elevate the tub if needed and maybe make it higher if necessary.

Look at the guide images on this page... Your wanting the basking area to be in the blue for the t5HO single fixture. it would be equivalent to the 6% bulb. Typically you want 9 inches to basking for a 5.0 or 6% and 12 inches using a 10.0 or 12% bulb in a single bulb fixture. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

 

[Kay930]

So with the jungle gym in there and it elevated, it's about 10 inches from top of jungle gym to the uvb and heat lamp.

 

[Kay930]

I'm going to grab some small live plants today, and the combo thermometer..there's a cup of crickets and flies in with him. Not sure what to put on the bottom of the tub, if anything.

 

[Beman]

So with the jungle gym in there and it elevated, it's about 10 inches from top of jungle gym to the uvb and heat lamp.

can you make it so that the uvb bulb is more lined up with the screen? Right now it is going over the plastic lid and the UVB will not penetrate the plastic. Maybe even reverse them so that the uvb is on the outside where the heat fixture is. It would be more of a direct drop into the screen top that way.

 

[Kay930]

can you make it so that the uvb bulb is more lined up with the screen? Right now it is going over the plastic lid and the UVB will not penetrate the plastic. Maybe even reverse them so that the uvb is on the outside where the heat fixture is. It would be more of a direct drop into the screen top that way.

More like this? The light doesn't fit flush against the wall but the UVB is centered over the top now.

 

[Beman]

More like this? The light doesn't fit flush against the wall but the UVB is centered over the top now.

Yes perfect! you want the UVB like that. Just make sure the heat lamp does not melt the UVB fixture since its touching it.

 

[Kay930]

Yes perfect! you want the UVB like that. Just make sure the heat lamp does not melt the UVB fixture since its touching it.

I'll definitely keep an eye on it.

Now if I could just get him to eat, my nerves would settle a bit. He has pinhead crickets in a cup ( a few escaped) and small wingless fruit flies free ranging. He'll eat when he's hungry?

 

[Beman]

I'll definitely keep an eye on it.

Now if I could just get him to eat, my nerves would settle a bit. He has pinhead crickets in a cup ( a few escaped) and small wingless fruit flies free ranging. He'll eat when he's hungry?

Uggg I dunno. I have never had one this small. Is the cup like below his eye line and is it shallow so he is able to shoot into it? I would dump like 20 into it so there is a lot of movement for him to see. I am not sure if others just free range their feeders at this age... @jannb

 

[Kay930]

The cup is just below his jungle gym, with a bar lining up so he can aim into it - it's shallow. He's following the fruit fly movement but not eating them. Maybe it's all the stress of moving to a new container..

 

[AmandaS]

I did exactly that. I dumped the fruit flies into the tub and they ate them whenever they wanted. And I put the crickets in a small cup, but a lot could still jump out, and they would go there or free range (like 90% free range at this age) to eat.

I also lined the bottom of the tub with paper towels and changed them daily.

 

[jannb]

I'll definitely keep an eye on it.

Now if I could just get him to eat, my nerves would settle a bit. He has pinhead crickets in a cup ( a few escaped) and small wingless fruit flies free ranging. He'll eat when he's hungry?

At that size I wouldn’t expect him to eat from a cup. Is he pooping?

 

[Kay930]

At that size I wouldn’t expect him to eat from a cup. Is he pooping?

Not that I've seen. I've seen him eat twice since I got him (a cricket each time) but I had him the medium reptibreeze for a bit and then the exo terra. I didn't think to look for poop before cleaning them out. He's in the tub now. I've seen him drinking.

 

[jannb]

Not that I've seen. I've seen him eat twice since I got him (a cricket each time) but I had him the medium reptibreeze for a bit and then the exo terra. I didn't think to look for poop before cleaning them out. He's in the tub now. I've seen him drinking.

Keep a close eye out for poop. His will be quite small. If he’s pooping then he’s eating.

 

[Kay930]

Just wanted to give an update that Baby Roger pooped today.