Re: Eye and cage info
Just to let everyone know, I happen to be very OCD and obsess about the smallest little things but better safe than sorry I always say.
Cage Info:
* Cage Type - Cage is 24x24x48 with screen and full swinging door. Currently working on modifying base and switching stands to allow for better drainage. Have a ficus, hibiscus, and pothos inside.
* Lighting - Using a Repti-sun 5.0 tube uvb bulb, just got a couple new ones today, bout time to replace this one. Was using a 50 watt basking bulb but have switched to incandescent and elevated it a little bit more to lower heat.
* Temperature - My apt. has refrigerated air and is set at 75 degrees, however no ac vents near cham enclosure which is by a window. Temp probably in mid 70's and basking spot in mid 80's; just got a new temp and humidity gauge I'll be adding tomorrow too.
* Humidity - Use a humidity gauge, like I said just got a new one too. Humidity is generally around 50-60%, have a humidifier with auto controls on it next to the cage and mist often throughout the day as well as a dripper.
* Plants - Yes I am using live plants, have a hibiscus, small ficus, and a pothos inside the cage along with many artificial vines.
* Placement - Cage is against my wall in my living room within window light, no ac vents are near, overhead fan around 8 feet away - run it occasionally. No high traffic at work during day, homework at night. Next to aquarium but i just added dark shading screening on both sides to dim light at night. Cage is elevated 2-3 feet off floor with the top of the cage around 6 - 6 1/2 feet off the floor.
* Location - I live in Las Cruces, NM. usually rather dry and hot in summer and springs but has begun to cool off and rain a lot more lately.
Chameleon Info:
* Your Chameleon - I have a panther chameleon cross from kammerflage creations. He is a male and 9 months old, have had him since he was 2 month (original owner).
* Handling - I handle him every once in a while maybe 2 times a week if that, currently have been to rework the enclosure but place him on a pothos in my house and he is content. He's friendly sometime wanting to come out.
* Feeding - Originally I was just feeding him a staple food of crickets, have ordered some hornworms, superworms, butter worms from mulberry farms (they are out of silkworms). Have started switching up his diet; 5-6 crickets everyother day, if no crickets will give him a superworm or 2, ocassionally a hornworm (2-3 a week; just while i have them), and a butterworm maybe once a week (they are in the fridge).
* Supplements - Originally I was way over-supplementing as I found out on another post, now I have cut back - I have Rep Cal Calcium w/ and w/o D3, and Miner-al multivitamin.
New Schedule:
M - calcium
T - none
W - calcium -
Th- none
F - calcium w/ D3, or Miner-al ; switch off every week
S - none
Su - calcium or none
* Watering - I use a dripper, and I mist 3-4 times per day for around 5 minutes each time. Working on drainage from cage in order to increase dripper size so water can run constantly all day w/o leak. See chameleon drink occasionally but I am never home from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. where the dripper runs majority of the time.
* Fecal Description - Feces and urates are normal but consistency has decreased. feces are dark brown/black and urates are white in color. No he has not been tested for parasites.
* History - Has been growing and doing very well for my first cham I believe, and I love em; weighed him today, was rather a hard process but he was between 180-190 gms.
* Current Problem - Just the occasional closing of his right eye at diff points in the day; was working on cage and put him in pothos in my house today and checked on him and he was only looking w/ one eye, other eye was towards the base of the plant and closed. Sometimes dark color in cage, but was very bright in new larger pothos today.
Thanks!
Ryan
...ha!...
