Chameleon Color Dark Always

[csmolins89]

I have had my chameleon for the good part of 4 months and he is very dark always. No matter if I have the proper temperature , humidity everything seems to be in check. I just can't figure out why he is always so dark. I'll post a picture of him below and maybe someone can give me some insight. I'm lost at this point.

 

[Lovereps]

Not to be a wiseguy but you have what you believe is everything done right.
Your best bet is to copy & paste the questions from https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/, then add your answers.
The more complete your answers are, the better the help is.
Experienced keepers will have a look and can tell you if there's some detail that you've missed.
Otherwise, it ends up being like a game of 20 questions and being a long, drawn out process when a few minutes of your time now, will save lots of wasted time later.
The most experienced members very often have long ago tired of the "20 questions" scenario.

 

[crazychamzoo]

Can you post some unobstructed pictures with the cage open, and fill out the questionnaire?

 

[csmolins89]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?Veiled Male, About 10 months old I 've had him for 4 months
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Once or twice a week, or if I need to get into his cage for some reason I move him
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?Currently using crickets and superworms. I have fed him silkworms in the past , just waiting on a new batch to hatch to get him some more. I feed him about 5 crickets daily and then a few superworms here and there. I gut load crickets with the orange fulkers chunks
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?I use zoo med calcium w/o d3 everyday and d3 twice a month
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?Currently misting him 3 times a day for 60secconds each misting. I use a automated mister and I rarely see him drinking.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?Fecal matter looks normal long and solid nothing runny, urates are white with yellow at the end. I have not had him tested for parasites
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.Chameleon does have a benign tumor on the under socket of his eye. It does not give him any problems and from what I can tell it has not grown or changed shape.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? 18x18x36 Screen, side note I just ordered a 2x2x4 cage and will be getting that all set up for him
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?I use reptisun 5.0 cfls on a reflective hood, 100w basking light and a 6500k grow light for plants
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?Basking temp 90-95, bottom of the cage in the mid to low 70s and I use a thermometer and hydrometer
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?50-61% I have a mister that mists 3 times a day for 60 seconds each time
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?Currently I have a hibiscus in with him
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?It is in my bedroom and there are no vents or fans in very close proximity to him. Near my closet door
Location - Where are you geographically located?Midwest United States

Current Problem - Chameleon stays dark most of the day no matter the temps in the cage.

 

[torreyakatoe]

My Jackson's is kind of the same way. When I take him outside on a walk though, he greatly lightens up. Have you done this? I think my boy just lightens because he sees chances to escape!

 

[Lovereps]

Sorry, I missed this until now....

He may very well have developed vitamin deficiencies.
Unfortunately, the Fluker's orange is not nutritious--please see here for good gutloadshttps://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/

He should also have 2 feedings each month dusted with a multivitamin powder.

A varied diet is also beneficial because different bugs retain different levels of the various vitamins and minerals.
As for the benign tumor beneath his eye, this sounds like it may actually be an infection.
Eye infections are common when a vitamin A deficiency is present.
If this hasn't been diagnosed by a good cham knowledgeable vet, then it would be to your cham's benefit to have him examined.

A vet can give him a safe boost of vitamin A, as well as an antibiotic.

Has he gotten a new UV bulb after the old one turned 6 months old?
If not, he should get a new one.
The UV bulbs still give off plenty of non-UV long after they stop giving off UV.

His new cage, if you furnish it with plenty of foliage, may help him to be a little happier, too.

 

[csmolins89]

Sorry, I missed this until now....

He may very well have developed vitamin deficiencies.
Unfortunately, the Fluker's orange is not nutritious--please see here for good gutloadshttps://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/

He should also have 2 feedings each month dusted with a multivitamin powder.

A varied diet is also beneficial because different bugs retain different levels of the various vitamins and minerals.
As for the benign tumor beneath his eye, this sounds like it may actually be an infection.
Eye infections are common when a vitamin A deficiency is present.
If this hasn't been diagnosed by a good cham knowledgeable vet, then it would be to your cham's benefit to have him examined.

A vet can give him a safe boost of vitamin A, as well as an antibiotic.

Has he gotten a new UV bulb after the old one turned 6 months old?
If not, he should get a new one.
The UV bulbs still give off plenty of non-UV long after they stop giving off UV.

His new cage, if you furnish it with plenty of foliage, may help him to be a little happier, too.

Oddly enough I have started to supplement him with vitamins, the "benign tumor" seems to have shrunk significantly after only a couple of days. I am beginning to think that there was no tumor to begin with. On a side not he seems like he way more happier in his new cage and seems to be more colorful now that I have him supplemented. This makes me very happy.

 

[Lovereps]

Very glad to see that he is improving with a change in husbandry.
Feeding feeders a nutritious diet, instead of the Fluker's helps a cham greatly and multivitamin dusting 2x a month for a Veiled or Panther is a bit of insurance that deficiencies don't develop.

It's actually not odd at all that the "tumor" has been shrinking after his diet was improved.
Vitamin A deficiency in particular, often affects the eyes..
If it was a swelling due to a vitamin deficiency, then it would be expected for the "tumor" to shrink when the deficiency is corrected.
If a vet had diagnosed this, then I would try to find a vet who is more familiar with chameleon medicine.

Please be sure not to over-do the vitamin dustings because too much is at least as bad as too little.
2x a month for multivitamin dusting is safe
2x a month for D3
Most feedings with calcium without D3

If you look at the Veiled caresheet, it gives details on known safe vitamin dusting schedules, as well as other important things to know https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

 

[csmolins89]

Very glad to see that he is improving with a change in husbandry.
Feeding feeders a nutritious diet, instead of the Fluker's helps a cham greatly and multivitamin dusting 2x a month for a Veiled or Panther is a bit of insurance that deficiencies don't develop.

It's actually not odd at all that the "tumor" has been shrinking after his diet was improved.
Vitamin A deficiency in particular, often affects the eyes..
If it was a swelling due to a vitamin deficiency, then it would be expected for the "tumor" to shrink when the deficiency is corrected.
If a vet had diagnosed this, then I would try to find a vet who is more familiar with chameleon medicine.

Please be sure not to over-do the vitamin dustings because too much is at least as bad as too little.
2x a month for multivitamin dusting is safe
2x a month for D3
Most feedings with calcium without D3

If you look at the Veiled caresheet, it gives details on known safe vitamin dusting schedules, as well as other important things to know https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Taken all of that into consideration. Started feeding crickets romaine lettuce instead of the orange cubes as well. I am super happy that I am getting this down. I've been pulling my hair out trying to tweak my husbandry so that I can hit that sweet spot so Arcadius is happy. I think I have finally hit that spot.