Cham sleeping right now

[ChamomilleCame]

Hello So I just noticed that my cham is sleeping right now (he's alive, I checked). I really think he has insomnia, really. That I am pretty sure of. I've never woken up and seen my chameleon sleeping. He's never slept in the day, I think. I'm gonna let him rest for a while and if he sleeps more than two hours, I'll wake him up.
Any other reason why he's sleeping now?
(It's 3:17 here)
Thanks

 

[LucasD]

Is there any reason why he wouldn't be getting enough sleep at night?

 

[ChamomilleCame]

I dont know I put a towel on his cage so its dark

 

[camimom]

whats his light schedule? on, off, etc.
what are his basking temps?
sleeping temps?

 

[carol5208]

chameleons do not sleep during the day. If they are, that indicates a sign of illness or something is incorrect in your lighting that may be causing him to close his eyes.

 

[ChamomilleCame]

Sorry i didn't answer :/ but my lights are on: 7am-7pm uvb. and since its so hot here, I turn on the basking at 2pm
Sleeping temps are around 75-78F
Basking is 85F, but I didn't turn them on today cause its really hot.
He woke up like 20min after posting the thread, but it was still pretty weird

 

[Solid Snake]

Do you use a heat lamp at night?

How are you supplementing him?

 

[ChamomilleCame]

No heat lamp at night. Supplement with plain calcium once a week on 4 crickets. I barely use d3 since he gets natural sun almost every day.

 

[Solid Snake]

No heat lamp at night. Supplement with plain calcium once a week on 4 crickets. I barely use d3 since he gets natural sun almost every day.

Do you mean that one day a week, you feed him 4 dusted crickets that day?

If so that should be changed IMO.

You want to dust all the feeders if it is just plain calcium(no phosphorous/D3). I believe the calcium to phosphorous ratios in the feeders tends to be about 1:2(cal: phos) and what the animal needs to properly absorb the calcium is a ratio of 2:1 (cal: phos).
That is why we dust them.

You also want to use a multivitamin with a vit A precursor(beta-carotine) once every 6 weeks or so. (herptivite)

Im not sure if that is what is causing this though.

 

[ChamomilleCame]

Do you mean that one day a week, you feed him 4 dusted crickets that day?

If so that should be changed IMO.

You want to dust all the feeders if it is just plain calcium(no phosphorous/D3). I believe the calcium to phosphorous ratios in the feeders tends to be about 1:2(cal: phos) and what the animal needs to properly absorb the calcium is a ratio of 2:1 (cal: phos).
That is why we dust them.

You also want to use a multivitamin with a vit A precursor(beta-carotine) once every 6 weeks or so. (herptivite)

Im not sure if that is what is causing this though.

Ok, so it's all the crickets that day?
I'll get the vit A tomorrow. When I dust with that, is it all the crickets that day too?
Thanks for all your help

 

[Solid Snake]

Ok, so it's all the crickets that day?
I'll get the vit A tomorrow. When I dust with that, is it all the crickets that day too?
Thanks for all your help

Every cricket needs coating in plain calcium, except the ones that are to be dusted otherwise.

When giving D3 or multivitamin, ONE feeder dusted is all you need.

Just make sure you are dusting as light as you can!
You do not want to use to much at a time on any of them.

 

[ChamomilleCame]

Every cricket needs coating in plain calcium, except the ones that are to be dusted otherwise.

When giving D3 or multivitamin, ONE feeder dusted is all you need.

Just make sure you are dusting as light as you can!
You do not want to use to much at a time on any of them.

Even for jacksons?

 

[Solid Snake]

Even for jacksons?

Well, yes.

My "argument" being that of the cal: phos ratios.

They still need the proper balance.

I only dust "staple" feeders myself. (dubia/crickets)
I also feed quite a few wc bugs, that are not dusted.
These wc bugs make up to 50% of her diet though.
When she is eating just staples, I still dust them all.

Ive heard it argued that they are touchy to even plain calcium though.
Youll have to make up your own mind.

If you do not feel comfortable dusting them all, make sure you space it out evenly through out the week.

The main thing is to not dust heavily, and gutload well.

Overdosing them on just calcium is hard I believe.

Overdosing on D3 is not, and is very detrimental.

Im still trying to fine tune it myself

 

[ChamomilleCame]

Ok, I felt like if I dusted every day it would be too much... I'll prob. dust half of feeders every day. I feel like I overdust sometimes anyway >.< gotta practice
But thanks for that really

 

[Solid Snake]

NP

The best way to dust IMO, is to use a larger sized canning jar. Sprinkle just the tiniest of amounts of the powder in the jar, add feeders and swirl. If there is excess powder, you are dusting to much.(a LITTLE excess is fine, but you dont even want 1/4 of a teaspoon left over IMO) If the feeders are not all coated all the way, you are using to little.

I add new powder everyday/every feeding to the jar. I do not let it sit in the jar. I try to only use exactly what will evenly coat the feeders, the lightest.

I like the jar, because it is easy to clean, and the lip along the top makes controlling them easier when you are trying to get one out. (they also swril nicely in it)

 

[reptilover]

NP

The best way to dust IMO, is to use a larger sized canning jar. Sprinkle just the tiniest of amounts of the powder in the jar, add feeders and swirl. If there is excess powder, you are dusting to much.(a LITTLE excess is fine, but you dont even want 1/4 of a teaspoon left over IMO) If the feeders are not all coated all the way, you are using to little.

I add new powder everyday/every feeding to the jar. I do not let it sit in the jar. I try to only use exactly what will evenly coat the feeders, the lightest.

I like the jar, because it is easy to clean, and the lip along the top makes controlling them easier when you are trying to get one out. (they also swril nicely in it)

Very.good info always!
And btw u have changed my dusting life as I know it! I can not wait to wake up and try it!

 

[Miss Lily]

For any chameleon you don't want to be dusting any feeders so much that they look like ghosts, especially so with Jacksons since they are so sensitive to supplements.

 

[Solid Snake]

Very.good info always!
And btw u have changed my dusting life as I know it! I can not wait to wake up and try it!

Haha, well let me know how it works out for you

For any chameleon you don't want to be dusting any feeders so much that they look like ghosts, especially so with Jacksons since they are so sensitive to supplements.

Miss Lily, how have you been supplementing Monty?
Out of curiosity

 

[Miss Lily]

Monty has always been supplemented like this: Tuesday - plain calcium, Friday - vits without D3, then once every 6 weeks I use the vitamins with D3. He has this on either 4 small crickets/dubia nymphs or 2 newly moulted mealworms. I had considered getting some of the Repashy calcium plus, but since I now only have Monty I am sticking with what I have been doing as he seems to be ding very well on it!