Baby Veiled Grey 80% of the time

[KillaNCham]

Max is a grey/green 80% of the time. Looking his best (bright green) when he is out of his viv, in my home or outside, and while sleeping. He is shedding, growing, eating, and drinking great! Just want to make sure i am doing all that i can do to make him happy and comfortable.

Here is the info about Max-A-Meleon:

Your Chameleon: Veiled, approximately 10 weeks, in my care for 5 weeks. Purchased from a reputable breeder.

Handling: Maybe once every other day, including trips outside. (Living in FL)

Feeding: Small crickets and Meal worms. Recently he has had a huge appetite eating over 15 crickets a day. Just started Shedding for the second time since he has been in my care. Gut load mealworms and crickets with apple, carrots, lettuce and rephasy superload. Feeding time morning about an hour after lights on, leaving crickets in for the day. (with a food source)

Supplements: dusting all feeders with calcium with no D3, reptivite (multi-vitamin) with D3 once a week.

Watering: Just started using monsoon misting system. Misting 3 times a day normally but up to 5 during a shed.

Fecal Description: Normal white urate no signs of dehydration

History: Breeder in Tampa, FL. Used a 75 watt bulb directly on the screen, not sure what kind of bulb or what the temp was. calcium every feeding and Multivitamin with D3 3 times a week.

Cage Type: small reptibreeze 30x18x18

Lighting: 50 watt heat bulb located approximately 10" above the enclosure. Keeps the basking spot at about 84 degrees F. UVB Florescent is Reptisun 18" soon upgrading to Arcadia D3 T8 18".

Temperature: Basking at 84f and night time temps approximately 72-74f

Humidity: 50-85% humidity measured by a hydrometer/thermometer.

Plants:Pathos and Schleffera. I have made sure that any plants outside are safe plants.

Placement: Max is kept in my room by two windows with only slight light during sundown. in a corner opposite the air conditioning vents.Light traffic.

Location: Orlando, FL USA

Thanks in Advance!

 

[KillaNCham]

ALso..

Also he spends most of his time as close to the light as he can get.

 

[NHenn]

I was going to say it is most likely due to stress or incorrect temperatures but it looks like you have all of that covered. I don't really know why he remains darker. If he is eating, drinking, shedding, and growing it sounds like he is doing well. He might just be picking up some extra warmth and light, hopefully someone else will have some more possible reasons.

I did see that you give D3 once a week. I would cut that back to every other week especially if he is getting a lot of natural sunlight from being outside.

 

[KillaNCham]

I did see that you give D3 once a week. I would cut that back to every other week especially if he is getting a lot of natural sunlight from being outside.[/QUOTE]

I have been trying to find a happy medium. The breeder recommended 3x a week.
is it considered 'a lot' of sunlight if he gets about 5 hours a week outside?
This is my first Cham and first Reptile!
Thanks so much for your help

 

[NHenn]

I wouldn't consider that a lot no. I wasn't sure if he was out in the sun for a few hours every day.

As for the D3, you said the breeder would use a multivitamin with D3, 3 times a week so I wonder if the multivitamin they were using just had a lower concentration or amount of D3 in it and that is why they were using more often. I personally use Repashy Calcium Plus as an all in one supplement. It contains D3 and I dust the feeder everyday but the amount of D3 in it is extremely low compared to some of the other supplements.

Most do calcium every feeding, multivitamin twice a month and D3 twice a month. I would search for your current brand of supplements and see what others on the forums recommend as a schedule.

 

[junglefries]

They can darken before shedding. i have had alot of veil babies, & sometimes once they reach a certain age/size they just aren't always colorful. sometimes it is stress, temps, foods, etc... it just depends. if you are talking about a little discoloration that can be normal, however if you are in fact talking grey like in a crayon, that could be worrysome.

 

[KillaNCham]

I did notice after his shed he seemed more green. but still not like he is when he is out!
After reading other posts I think the lighting needs to be adjusted.

I think he may be getting way to close to the UVB bulb.-I have it in an aquarium hood on the top of the viv. the bulb is barely off the screen. since he is in such a small viv for now i have a branch that sits about 2.5" away from the screen.
I just read that they can get sun burned and cause premature shed...

I also am going to play with the temps a bit to see what happens. bring his basking spot up a couple degrees, ect.

thoughts?

 

[mrchameleon]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on this site. I to purchased my first Panther and have everything set up perfect but he is a dark brown all the time. I have played with the basking light temp and have tried everything from 79 to 89 he will sit under the light and always be dark . However when he sees me open the cage to add crickets he turns a beautiful blue green and stays that way as long as you hold him. When I put him back he turns dark again. I had the vet do a stool on him and she says he has pinworms but she doesn't want me to use a wormer because living with them helps with digestion. I wish I could make him happy.

 

[KillaNCham]

UPdate on Max:
He is doing great, I have recently moved him into his 4 ft viv.
His colors are getting brighter and brighter.
I think his greyness was due to an up coming shed and his age.
Thanks everyone!!