Chameleon mad when heat lamp is turned on

Along with Neptune the Chameleon’s YouTube videos to learn the basics, this is an awesome place to learn step by step all you need to know and more. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
I have no idea what to do because my boyfriends mom is the only one that can buy stuff for him and I know she won’t because she just bought a $135 enclosure that she thinks is perfect and will be super mad if we tell her she made a mistake in the enclosure…we love our little guy. And she definitely won’t buy us anything for him after she spent that much money on an enclosure :/
 
Your baby is not mad... He is warming up... The gaping if he is keeping the mouth open means too hot. If he is opening it for a moment and puffing up he is stretching and warming up the body. Should not be hotter than 80 at the branch. You have to take that temp probe and hook it in below the heat. Typically you have to drop down the branch that goes below the heat bulb to get the right temp.

@MissSkittles has given you some great info. Start reading through every module of the chameleon academy husbandry site.
Is it normal for him to have black/red streaks when doing that though?
 
Please post a photo of him with the streaks you're talking about.
Also post a photo of him reacting to the basking light.
 
Please post a photo of him with the streaks you're talking about.
Also post a photo of him reacting to the basking light.
A lot of the times he will be even bigger and he will gape and wriggle his body.
 

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I have no idea what to do because my boyfriends mom is the only one that can buy stuff for him and I know she won’t because she just bought a $135 enclosure that she thinks is perfect and will be super mad if we tell her she made a mistake in the enclosure…we love our little guy. And she definitely won’t buy us anything for him after she spent that much money on an enclosure :/
I do not think I am understanding... Why can't you and your boyfriend buy him stuff? It is not that this is wrong. it simply is not going to work for long term and does not come with the correct UVB source.

If you do not get the correct UVB lighting then your boy will develop MBD which is a crippling disease for them. The UVB lighting is not even the end of it. You have to have other items and he will end up needing the larger enclosure in the next few months that is 2x2x4 ft. Because this one will be too small for him. These are expensive animals with a lot of husbandry needs. When the needs are not met they fail to thrive and in turn start to decline.
 
I do not think I am understanding... Why can't you and your boyfriend buy him stuff? It is not that this is wrong. it simply is not going to work for long term and does not come with the correct UVB source.

If you do not get the correct UVB lighting then your boy will develop MBD which is a crippling disease for them. The UVB lighting is not even the end of it. You have to have other items and he will end up needing the larger enclosure in the next few months that is 2x2x4 ft. Because this one will be too small for him. These are expensive animals with a lot of husbandry needs. When the needs are not met they fail to thrive and in turn start to decline.
My boyfriend and I are teenagers.
 
My boyfriend and I are teenagers.
Ok so you need to read through that husbandry program. You will need to make a list of the items you have to have. Here are some specifics you have to get. Take the list to the mother. Explain from an educated stance the needs you have to have. Offer to do yard work or housework to help pay for it. But you can not just leave this baby in this cage without the essentials. UVB is a must. He will develop MBD without it. Which will cripple him then eventually kill him.

T5HO fixture with a 5.0 UVB bulb. With this fixture you have to have a measured 8-9 inches to the branch below and the fixture sitting on the cage.
This comes with bulb and fixture and will be large enough when you upgrade the cage size.
https://www.amazon.com/DBDPet-Repti...os.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&psc=1

You will need live plants that are Veiled tested. See image below.

You will need more branches to hook in. Can not use anything from sap producing trees such as cedar, pine, eucalyptus. Get tiny zip ties to secure them to the screen.

You will need a water bottle to mist the cage.

You will need a plastic pan to go below the cage to catch water.

You will have to upgrade the cage size in the next few months. He can not stay in a baby cage. https://www.diycages.com/collection...ducts/sc4-48x24x24-jumbo-vertical-screen-cage

You will need live plants that are Veiled tested. See image below.

Screen Shot 2022-06-27 at 11.41.38 AM.png
 
I have no idea what to do because my boyfriends mom is the only one that can buy stuff for him and I know she won’t because she just bought a $135 enclosure that she thinks is perfect and will be super mad if we tell her she made a mistake in the enclosure…we love our little guy. And she definitely won’t buy us anything for him after she spent that much money on an enclosure :/
I hate to tell you this, but just about all of us have spent many hundreds on just getting the correct basic set up for our chameleons. Unfortunately it’s also a common thing that a chameleon kit is bought and then all of the correct stuff needs to be bought on top of that. There are ways you can reduce costs, such as building your own enclosure. Doing something like that won’t necessarily come off as an insult to Mom if you approach it properly…act as though it’s something you want to do rather than the truth of being something you need to do. Start looking at your houseplants and the plants of your friends, family and others. Pothos, philodendron and Tradescantia zebrina (wandering Jew) are very easily propagated from clippings and are perfect for chameleons. Train them to grow up and they’ll grow the biggest gorgeous leaves. Use natural branches from outside (avoid pine and sappy trees). Give a good little scrub with dish soap, rinse very well and sun/air dry before use. But, the most important things that there is no substitute for is the correct uvb light and supplements. I believe the supplements that come with the kit are Zoo Med ReptiCalcium without D3 and Reptivite with D3. Use the plain calcium lightly dusted at every feeding except one every other week. That one feeding every other week you’ll use the ReptiVite with D3. This is the same regimen that I and many other use. With chameleons, you either spend the money/resources to get them set up properly or you’ll be looking at what can be very expensive vet care and the sad and avoidable loss of your sweet animal.
 
I hate to tell you this, but just about all of us have spent many hundreds on just getting the correct basic set up for our chameleons. Unfortunately it’s also a common thing that a chameleon kit is bought and then all of the correct stuff needs to be bought on top of that. There are ways you can reduce costs, such as building your own enclosure. Doing something like that won’t necessarily come off as an insult to Mom if you approach it properly…act as though it’s something you want to do rather than the truth of being something you need to do. Start looking at your houseplants and the plants of your friends, family and others. Pothos, philodendron and Tradescantia zebrina (wandering Jew) are very easily propagated from clippings and are perfect for chameleons. Train them to grow up and they’ll grow the biggest gorgeous leaves. Use natural branches from outside (avoid pine and sappy trees). Give a good little scrub with dish soap, rinse very well and sun/air dry before use. But, the most important things that there is no substitute for is the correct uvb light and supplements. I believe the supplements that come with the kit are Zoo Med ReptiCalcium without D3 and Reptivite with D3. Use the plain calcium lightly dusted at every feeding except one every other week. That one feeding every other week you’ll use the ReptiVite with D3. This is the same regimen that I and many other use. With chameleons, you either spend the money/resources to get them set up properly or you’ll be looking at what can be very expensive vet care and the sad and avoidable loss of your sweet animal.
Thank you 🙏
 
The basking light that comes with the chameleon kit is a blue bulb. He might be reacting to the color. Colored lights are not recommended for them because they adversely effect the eyes and can cause problems. If you can get a regular household light bulb like a halogen bulb, around 60 watts that would be good. Just make sure it’s not an LED bulb because they don’t give off heat.
 
The basking light that comes with the chameleon kit is a blue bulb. He might be reacting to the color. Colored lights are not recommended for them because they adversely effect the eyes and can cause problems. If you can get a regular household light bulb like a halogen bulb, around 60 watts that would be good. Just make sure it’s not an LED bulb because they don’t give off heat.
The blue one that comes with the kit is actually fine to use. It is the red bulbs that can harm their eyes.
 
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The basking light that comes with the chameleon kit is a blue bulb. He might be reacting to the color. Colored lights are not recommended for them because they adversely effect the eyes and can cause problems. If you can get a regular household light bulb like a halogen bulb, around 60 watts that would be good. Just make sure it’s not an LED bulb because they don’t give off heat.
I had no idea, thank you!!
 
Please see above where Beman corrected my info. Colored lights are not good for chameleon however the blue daylight bulb that comes in the chameleon kit or that you can buy separately at the pet store is ok because it gives off a white light, not blue.
Does the bulb look blue? Who says it is a white light? Has it been tested to see how much blue light is ontained in the "white" light?
 
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