Chameleon kit strikes again :( they got me!

[Billythechameleon]

I purchase my first chameleon about a week ago veiled male. Not mean surprisingly. He is a juvenile about 4-5 months old. And he came with a package deal! -_- the chameleon kit. So I took it and I realize what a waste it was when I opened the box. Ended up going to petsmart and buying a bunch of other stuff and half of that was a waste as well. Anyway this is Billy’s current setup at the moment. I thought he would love this kit since he was stuck in a tiny glass tank with like 6 other chameleons all looking like the color black hissing at each other. However I now realize that this was a mistake. Now at his age and size is this cage still too small? It is the medium reptibreeze. 16x16x30 I attached some photos so u can see the setup. Now I probably spent around $200 bucks for the entire setup. (Sad I know) is there anyway I can do some damage control here without having to buy everything all over again atleast for a few months till he gets bigger? Like I know maybe the UVB is too weak. U guys all recommend the t5ho 10.0 but in a smaller enclosure like this I don’t wana roast this dude. Any advice on how to make this better without redoing it all

 

[KobaOregonherper]

Youre going to want to upgrade to the 24x24x48. Yes the t5ho is what you want to upgrade to. Hes not going to get roasted. The uvb coil you put into that god forsaken dual dome is utterly useless im sorry to say. What are you doing as far as misting? Suplements? Whats the schedule for both?

 

[KDaters]

I purchase my first chameleon about a week ago veiled male. Not mean surprisingly. He is a juvenile about 4-5 months old. And he came with a package deal! -_- the chameleon kit. So I took it and I realize what a waste it was when I opened the box. Ended up going to petsmart and buying a bunch of other stuff and half of that was a waste as well. Anyway this is Billy’s current setup at the moment. I thought he would love this kit since he was stuck in a tiny glass tank with like 6 other chameleons all looking like the color black hissing at each other. However I now realize that this was a mistake. Now at his age and size is this cage still too small? It is the medium reptibreeze. 16x16x30 I attached some photos so u can see the setup. Now I probably spent around $200 bucks for the entire setup. (Sad I know) is there anyway I can do some damage control here without having to buy everything all over again atleast for a few months till he gets bigger? Like I know maybe the UVB is too weak. U guys all recommend the t5ho 10.0 but in a smaller enclosure like this I don’t wana roast this dude. Any advice on how to make this better without redoing it all

I just wrote a blog post about doing this exact same thing. Welcome to the forums. If you can’t “start over” and buy everything you need upfront then just chip away at it one thing at a time. I just got my guy the exo terra 36x18x36 and ordered Dragon Ledges to hang some plants from. There’s a form you can fill out that helps everyone here get an idea for what conditions you have. I’ll see if I can post it. Hopefully someone beats me to it though.

 

[Beman]

When you upgrade your lighting for UVB to a T5HO. Get the 24 inch length fixture. If it is a single or dual bulb fixture you want the 5.0 zoo med uvb bulb or a 6% arcadia bulb nothing higher. You will only use a 10.0 zoomed or a 12% arcadia if you get a quad fixture. then basking is going to be placed at 7-8 inches below with the uvb sitting directly on the cage top. This is the form that you can fill out for us to make sure you were given correct husbandry info.

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[KDaters]

When you upgrade your lighting for UVB to a T5HO. Get the 24 inch length fixture. If it is a single or dual bulb fixture you want the 5.0 zoo med uvb bulb or a 6% arcadia bulb nothing higher. You will only use a 10.0 zoomed or a 12% arcadia if you get a quad fixture. then basking is going to be placed at 7-8 inches below with the uvb sitting directly on the cage top. This is the form that you can fill out for us to make sure you were given correct husbandry info.

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

Thank you @Beman !

 

[Thatwizard420]

I purchase my first chameleon about a week ago veiled male. Not mean surprisingly. He is a juvenile about 4-5 months old. And he came with a package deal! -_- the chameleon kit. So I took it and I realize what a waste it was when I opened the box. Ended up going to petsmart and buying a bunch of other stuff and half of that was a waste as well. Anyway this is Billy’s current setup at the moment. I thought he would love this kit since he was stuck in a tiny glass tank with like 6 other chameleons all looking like the color black hissing at each other. However I now realize that this was a mistake. Now at his age and size is this cage still too small? It is the medium reptibreeze. 16x16x30 I attached some photos so u can see the setup. Now I probably spent around $200 bucks for the entire setup. (Sad I know) is there anyway I can do some damage control here without having to buy everything all over again atleast for a few months till he gets bigger? Like I know maybe the UVB is too weak. U guys all recommend the t5ho 10.0 but in a smaller enclosure like this I don’t wana roast this dude. Any advice on how to make this better without redoing it all

he has pretty yellows.
It's way much more rewarding if you build your own.

 

[nightanole]

The uvb coil you put into that god forsaken dual dome is utterly useless im sorry to say.

Please tell us how you really feel

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Don't feel bad... I bought TWO of those damn chameleon kits. To be fair I got them for the same price as just buying the cage, maybe less, included when I bought my chams. That being said... I've used all the part and pieces in the kit somewhere along the lines. [The cages are always good for raising bugs, you can use the dual dome for grow lights to get your bromeliads to pup, I use TONS of vines, etc]

As beman said, just get the 24" t5HO fixture. You can go bigger if you really desire, but there is such thing as too much. If you plan to use real plants and have LOTS of foliage and hiding spots, get the 10.0/12% UVB bulb to penetrate the plants. Otherwise stick with the 5.0/6%.

It sucks at first... but it's a good lesson in humility, teaches you to be resourceful and repurpose stuff, and teaches most importantly - retailers will market anything to make a buck, do your research!

Best wishes!

 

[Billythechameleon]

When you upgrade your lighting for UVB to a T5HO. Get the 24 inch length fixture. If it is a single or dual bulb fixture you want the 5.0 zoo med uvb bulb or a 6% arcadia bulb nothing higher. You will only use a 10.0 zoomed or a 12% arcadia if you get a quad fixture. then basking is going to be placed at 7-8 inches below with the uvb sitting directly on the cage top. This is the form that you can fill out for us to make sure you were given correct husbandry info.

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 4-5 month old veiled male had him for 5 days
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? daily. when ever I open the cage to feed or something he will crawl out and then crawl up arm and on the couch for like 10 mins then I put him back. This happens like twice a day. its the only time I see him really green is when he is out of the cage.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now he is eating butter worms and horn worms dusted in repti calcium without D3 giv him multivitamin dusted once every few weeks. HE sometimes does not eat. the most I ever seen him eat was 4 worms in a day. some days he eats 3 some days eats 2 sometimes 1 or none.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? use whatever came with the kit. repti calcium without d3 daily. I use the reptisafe in his water and the multivitamin dust that came w the kit.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? he gets misted morning and night and twice throughout the day. I mist about 30 seconds but it gets pretty soaked in there. I see him drinking.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? dark brown with a lil white dot. kinda liquidy but maybe that's from smashing against the bottom of the cage
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I am going to switch from butter to silk worms as I have read they are more nutritious for him and I will also try the black soldier fly larv as well. I am not a fan of crickets or roaches so I will only include those here and there but I want his staples to be something worm like.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? screen reptibreeze 16x6x30
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I switched to 100 watt heat basking bulb its yellow light. and the 5.0 bulb tht came with the kit
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a thermomitor probe basking is about 85-90 rest of cage around 68 At bottom and 75 around the middle
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have him in basement humidty is around 50% and I got a lil dripper.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? all plants are plastic
• 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? cage on a lil table putting it at about 5 feet tall.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? MICHIGAN

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

doesn't eat much.
turns brown and big while basking
green when out of the cage. seems to like to come out of the cage and walk around.
just worried about his overall longevity. want to make sure I do this right.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Billythechameleon]

edit: Sorry for double post.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 4-5 month old veiled male had him for 5 days
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? daily. when ever I open the cage to feed or something he will crawl out and then crawl up arm and on the couch for like 10 mins then I put him back. This happens like twice a day. its the only time I see him really green is when he is out of the cage.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now he is eating butter worms and horn worms dusted in repti calcium without D3 giv him multivitamin dusted once every few weeks. HE sometimes does not eat. the most I ever seen him eat was 4 worms in a day. some days he eats 3 some days eats 2 sometimes 1 or none.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? use whatever came with the kit. repti calcium without d3 daily. I use the reptisafe in his water and the multivitamin dust that came w the kit.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? he gets misted morning and night and twice throughout the day. I mist about 30 seconds but it gets pretty soaked in there. I see him drinking.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? dark brown with a lil white dot. kinda liquidy but maybe that's from smashing against the bottom of the cage
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I am going to switch from butter to silk worms as I have read they are more nutritious for him and I will also try the black soldier fly larv as well. I am not a fan of crickets or roaches so I will only include those here and there but I want his staples to be something worm like.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? screen reptibreeze 16x6x30
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I switched to 100 watt heat basking bulb its yellow light. and the 5.0 bulb tht came with the kit
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a thermomitor probe basking is about 85-90 rest of cage around 68 At bottom and 75 around the middle
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have him in basement humidty is around 50% and I got a lil dripper.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? all plants are plastic
• 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? cage on a lil table putting it at about 5 feet tall.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? MICHIGAN

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

doesn't eat much.
turns brown and big while basking
green when out of the cage. seems to like to come out of the cage and walk around.
just worried about his overall longevity. want to make sure I do this right.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

edit: Sorry for double post.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 4-5 month old veiled male had him for 5 days
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? daily. when ever I open the cage to feed or something he will crawl out and then crawl up arm and on the couch for like 10 mins then I put him back. This happens like twice a day. its the only time I see him really green is when he is out of the cage.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now he is eating butter worms and horn worms dusted in repti calcium without D3 giv him multivitamin dusted once every few weeks. HE sometimes does not eat. the most I ever seen him eat was 4 worms in a day. some days he eats 3 some days eats 2 sometimes 1 or none.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? use whatever came with the kit. repti calcium without d3 daily. I use the reptisafe in his water and the multivitamin dust that came w the kit.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? he gets misted morning and night and twice throughout the day. I mist about 30 seconds but it gets pretty soaked in there. I see him drinking.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? dark brown with a lil white dot. kinda liquidy but maybe that's from smashing against the bottom of the cage
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I am going to switch from butter to silk worms as I have read they are more nutritious for him and I will also try the black soldier fly larv as well. I am not a fan of crickets or roaches so I will only include those here and there but I want his staples to be something worm like.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? screen reptibreeze 16x6x30
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I switched to 100 watt heat basking bulb its yellow light. and the 5.0 bulb tht came with the kit
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a thermomitor probe basking is about 85-90 rest of cage around 68 At bottom and 75 around the middle
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have him in basement humidty is around 50% and I got a lil dripper.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? all plants are plastic
• 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? cage on a lil table putting it at about 5 feet tall.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? MICHIGAN

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

doesn't eat much.
turns brown and big while basking
green when out of the cage. seems to like to come out of the cage and walk around.
just worried about his overall longevity. want to make sure I do this right.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

I'm sure you'll have plenty of feedback for the husbandry part... but me being the weirdo I am I'll take the poop!

It "liquidy" due to the worms. As a general rule, worms are full of water and are GREAT if your cham isn't getting enough water. On the opposite end of the spectrum, TOO many worms (too much water) leads to diarrhea and potentially dehydration.

Silkworms CAN be used as a staple feeder, but to do so will require adjusting all your other worms as well. Generally speaking, hornworms are a "treat" and shouldn't be given more than one a day max. I personally use hornworms for hydration, otherwise they get them maybe once or twice a week. Another thing about silkworms, they're GREAT for a growing cham - full of proteins and good fats they need to grow [plus hydration!]. As your chams get older they will naturally eat less quantity... then it's up to you the keeper to adjust their caloric intake.

Variety is a blessing. It keeps your chams happy, gives them many sources of different proteins and lipids and aminos, etc. While it is completely plausible to feed your cham worms its entire life, you will run the risk of hunger strikes and/or food shortage issues. The best thing about using a variety is that whatevers is available in the market, you can use!

Re: poop:
This is an often overlooked thing in new keepers. The color, shape, consistency, frequency, smell, and contents are all the best indicators of health and nutrition! Read the "chameleon poop 101" thread for some pointers! (With visual aids of course!)

You're on the path to success. Just remember not to be overwhelmed!

Best wishes

 

[Tony_S]

Welcome to the forum. Don't feel bad about getting the wrong stuff. Most members on this forum have done the same thing.

 

[KobaOregonherper]

Don't feel bad... I bought TWO of those damn chameleon kits. To be fair I got them for the same price as just buying the cage, maybe less, included when I bought my chams. That being said... I've used all the part and pieces in the kit somewhere along the lines. [The cages are always good for raising bugs, you can use the dual dome for grow lights to get your bromeliads to pup, I use TONS of vines, etc]

As beman said, just get the 24" t5HO fixture. You can go bigger if you really desire, but there is such thing as too much. If you plan to use real plants and have LOTS of foliage and hiding spots, get the 10.0/12% UVB bulb to penetrate the plants. Otherwise stick with the 5.0/6%.

It sucks at first... but it's a good lesson in humility, teaches you to be resourceful and repurpose stuff, and teaches most importantly - retailers will market anything to make a buck, do your research!

Best wishes!

Yep, ive got a dual dome collecting dust as a reminder of how far ive come from the beginning of keeping chameleons. I didnt buy the kit, worse, i saw my local mom and pop shop using it and decided to buy it from chewy. I also have 4 uvb coil bulbs i bought as replacements in that box as well...

 

[PlowShredder]

Welcome! I also bought the same kits for my panthers and am slowly biting the bullet and replacing with more effical equipment

 

[MissSkittles]

I kinda like the dual domes...basking bulb in one side and plant bulb in the other.

 

[AnamCara]

Welcome to the forum. Don't feel bad about getting the wrong stuff. Most members on this forum have done the same thing.

It's me I'm most members.

 

[The Wild One]

It's me I'm most members.

No no, trust me. Is all of us

 

[KobaOregonherper]

I kinda like the dual domes...basking bulb in one side and plant bulb in the other.

I could see myself doing this. My issue is the distance it takes the plant bulb off the screen. Theres already filtration from the screen, I need as much light as I can get lol.

 

[KDaters]

edit: Sorry for double post.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 4-5 month old veiled male had him for 5 days
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? daily. when ever I open the cage to feed or something he will crawl out and then crawl up arm and on the couch for like 10 mins then I put him back. This happens like twice a day. its the only time I see him really green is when he is out of the cage.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now he is eating butter worms and horn worms dusted in repti calcium without D3 giv him multivitamin dusted once every few weeks. HE sometimes does not eat. the most I ever seen him eat was 4 worms in a day. some days he eats 3 some days eats 2 sometimes 1 or none.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? use whatever came with the kit. repti calcium without d3 daily. I use the reptisafe in his water and the multivitamin dust that came w the kit.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? he gets misted morning and night and twice throughout the day. I mist about 30 seconds but it gets pretty soaked in there. I see him drinking.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? dark brown with a lil white dot. kinda liquidy but maybe that's from smashing against the bottom of the cage
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I am going to switch from butter to silk worms as I have read they are more nutritious for him and I will also try the black soldier fly larv as well. I am not a fan of crickets or roaches so I will only include those here and there but I want his staples to be something worm like.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? screen reptibreeze 16x6x30
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I switched to 100 watt heat basking bulb its yellow light. and the 5.0 bulb tht came with the kit
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a thermomitor probe basking is about 85-90 rest of cage around 68 At bottom and 75 around the middle
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have him in basement humidty is around 50% and I got a lil dripper.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? all plants are plastic
• 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? cage on a lil table putting it at about 5 feet tall.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? MICHIGAN

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

doesn't eat much.
turns brown and big while basking
green when out of the cage. seems to like to come out of the cage and walk around.
just worried about his overall longevity. want to make sure I do this right.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

Definitely get some live plants in there and try to switch out the plastic ones. Veiled are known to take bites out of their foliage and the plastic could get into their digestive system and mess things up. I use Pothos, And Split-Leaf. I’ll post a picture of all the chomp marks he’s left on the plants trying to get some water. Flchams.com has a list of safe plants.

The darker colors and size while basking is normal. He is trying to soak up as much energy as he can to help with digestion and regulate temperature. When they aren’t basking they will return to their more relaxed colors.

 

[Beman]

edit: Sorry for double post.

Hi there and welcome. I figured I would go through your entire form since it had not been done yet. See all feedback and additional questions in red bold.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 4-5 month old veiled male had him for 5 days
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? daily. when ever I open the cage to feed or something he will crawl out and then crawl up arm and on the couch for like 10 mins then I put him back. This happens like twice a day. its the only time I see him really green is when he is out of the cage.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now he is eating butter worms and horn worms dusted in repti calcium without D3 giv him multivitamin dusted once every few weeks. HE sometimes does not eat. the most I ever seen him eat was 4 worms in a day. some days he eats 3 some days eats 2 sometimes 1 or none. Butterworms are not recommended as they can cause an allergic reaction in chams which may be why he is holding back on eating them. You need crickets, roaches, black soldier fly larvae etc... At his age he should be eating about a dozen feeders a day. This is really important. See image on feeders.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? use whatever came with the kit. repti calcium without d3 daily. I use the reptisafe in his water and the multivitamin dust that came w the kit. So you either want to use Repashy calcium plus LoD as your only supplement at all feedings or you will use the calcium WITHOUT D3 at every feeding except 2 times a month when you use a multivitamin and 2 times a month when you use a calcium WITH D3. These two get rotated week over week. Supplements are extremely important for them to make sure they do not develop health issues or MBD.

What are you doing for gutloading your feeders? I recommend either a commercial gutload like repashy bug burger or a variety of fresh vegis. I will add an image for gutloading as well. Gutloading is not about feeding the insects as much as it is about transferring the nutrients to the bugs so that the chams get them.

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? he gets misted morning and night and twice throughout the day. I mist about 30 seconds but it gets pretty soaked in there. I see him drinking. 30 seconds is a short period of time and does not leave him time to clean his eyes. look into a mistking automated misting system.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? dark brown with a lil white dot. kinda liquidy but maybe that's from smashing against the bottom of the cage I highly recommend taking in a fecal sample to a reptile vet to be tested to ensure he does not have any parasite issues especially since he is not eating the way he should be.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I am going to switch from butter to silk worms as I have read they are more nutritious for him and I will also try the black soldier fly larv as well. I am not a fan of crickets or roaches so I will only include those here and there but I want his staples to be something worm like. At his age you are going to spend a fortune on feeders due to how much he needs to eat. If you are only doing silks it is going to get extremely expensive. Part of having chams is dealing with all aspects of their husbandry and providing a variety in their feeders so they get all nutrients we can give them.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? screen reptibreeze 16x6x30 This will have to be upgraded but I am sure you already know this.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I switched to 100 watt heat basking bulb its yellow light. and the 5.0 bulb tht came with the kit. As mentioned you have to upgrade uvb lighting asap. When you upgrade your lighting for UVB to a T5HO. Get the 24 inch length fixture. If it is a single or dual bulb fixture you want the 5.0 zoo med uvb bulb or a 6% arcadia bulb nothing higher. You will only use a 10.0 zoomed or a 12% arcadia if you get a quad fixture. then basking is going to be placed at 7-8 inches below with the uvb sitting directly on the cage top.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I have a thermomitor probe basking is about 85-90 rest of cage around 68 At bottom and 75 around the middle.. Too hot at basking. You will want to keep this no hotter then 85 for his age and you will want to get a temp gun to check your temps.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have him in basement humidty is around 50% and I got a lil dripper. Veileds need humidity levels between 30-40%. 50% is on the highest end during the day. At night you can have a much higher humitity level because you do not have lights on adding heat to the air. Heat plus moisture creates an environment where they can develop respiratory infections (RI).
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? all plants are plastic You will want to remove all fake plants and add live plants. Veileds eat their plants. It will not matter if they are fake he will keep trying and should he get pieces off it can be an impaction risk also some fake plants can cause injuries to their mouths. Pothos and dwarf umbrella plants are wonderful. You need to cover the top of the dirt in the pot with 1 inch river rock to keep him from eating the dirt.
• 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? cage on a lil table putting it at about 5 feet tall.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? MICHIGAN

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

doesn't eat much. This is an issue... See comment made about feeders, butter worms, and getting a fecal done.
turns brown and big while basking this is normal they will puff and extend and darken when basking.
green when out of the cage. seems to like to come out of the cage and walk around. Typically if they are wanting out of the cage then they do not feel secure in the cage. Post pics of the entire cage set up as well please. Bright colors can indicate stress.
just worried about his overall longevity. want to make sure I do this right. Your in the right place to learn.

Ok so here are your resources...

Great podcast with tons of info www.chameleonbreeder.com
Your care sheet https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Amazing cages, but the best drip pans and dragon ledges that allow you to mount plants higher in the cage and attach branches. www.dragonstrand.com
See images below. Both can be downloaded and printed out at this link. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/images/