chameleon on cage floor.. sick?
- Thread starter iciaa
- Start date
VigilantSpearIII
New Member
I can try to answer with some advice, but...
We need more info., so fill it out please.
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.
We need more info., so fill it out please.
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.
Veiled, don't know sex or age
Been in my care for a few weeks
I handle him every couple days
I feed him crickets I put calcium on them I buy 20 every other day
I mist the cage 2x a day for about a min each time
black and white poop , never been tested
Glass tank with screened top 20gal tank I believe
Zoo med 75watt basking and infrared light basking on during the day infrared at night, i try to get him outside in the sun as much as possible.
I don't have a temp or humidity reader yet
Fake plants
Cage is in living room not to much traffic
Been in my care for a few weeks
I handle him every couple days
I feed him crickets I put calcium on them I buy 20 every other day
I mist the cage 2x a day for about a min each time
black and white poop , never been tested
Glass tank with screened top 20gal tank I believe
Zoo med 75watt basking and infrared light basking on during the day infrared at night, i try to get him outside in the sun as much as possible.
I don't have a temp or humidity reader yet
Fake plants
Cage is in living room not to much traffic
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hello there and welcome to the forums. There are couple of things that you need to change right away. You need to get your chameleon out of that aquarium and into either a terrarium that has bottom ventilation or preferably and all screen cage. You do not need a light on at night. You need a uvb bulb for your chameleon to survive. Get a reptisun 5.0 tube light or a reptiglo. You can check the back of the back heels of your chameleon. If you see little spikes or spurs as they are called sticking out, then you have a male. You could very well be overheating your chameleon in that tank and he is going to the bottom to cool off and get away from the lights.
VigilantSpearIII
New Member
How big is he/she? I can estimate age more or less.
A few issues here that could be the problem.
1. Cage is too small for any size cham that is bigger than 2 inches. Anything bigger needs a much bigger mesh cage or a free range mini tree. (Depends on size)
2. 75 watt uva heat light is a little high in wattage, also you dont need a light at night, in fact it keeps them awake. Also temps should drop at night between 50-60 F is okay.
3. You dont mention a UVB light. You need one, ASAP. Get a 5.0 Reptisun.
4. Temp/Humidity guage is needed, ASAP.
5. What type of calcium? You need one without D3, check to make sure. Amazon has it cheap, 13 bucks for a 16.oz. It does not need calcium daily. 3 times a week is okay, but it needs the one without D3.
6. Remember to avoid stress, dark with stripes or spots is bad. Greens bright colors are good.
7. Cricket feeding on a daily basis is good, make sure to add a dripper so that it can have water available daily. You can buy one or make one with a bottle and a needle.
8. Waste sounds good, white and dark brown/black is normal.
9. Fake plants are fine. Make sure they are abundant enough to allow the cham to climb and hide.
**Lower temp asap, buy a few supplies and wait for improvement. These things should be done today/tomorrow. It is extremely urgent. Reply back with a sizing measure from base of tail to snout. Good luck dude.
A few issues here that could be the problem.
1. Cage is too small for any size cham that is bigger than 2 inches. Anything bigger needs a much bigger mesh cage or a free range mini tree. (Depends on size)
2. 75 watt uva heat light is a little high in wattage, also you dont need a light at night, in fact it keeps them awake. Also temps should drop at night between 50-60 F is okay.
3. You dont mention a UVB light. You need one, ASAP. Get a 5.0 Reptisun.
4. Temp/Humidity guage is needed, ASAP.
5. What type of calcium? You need one without D3, check to make sure. Amazon has it cheap, 13 bucks for a 16.oz. It does not need calcium daily. 3 times a week is okay, but it needs the one without D3.
6. Remember to avoid stress, dark with stripes or spots is bad. Greens bright colors are good.
7. Cricket feeding on a daily basis is good, make sure to add a dripper so that it can have water available daily. You can buy one or make one with a bottle and a needle.
8. Waste sounds good, white and dark brown/black is normal.
9. Fake plants are fine. Make sure they are abundant enough to allow the cham to climb and hide.
**Lower temp asap, buy a few supplies and wait for improvement. These things should be done today/tomorrow. It is extremely urgent. Reply back with a sizing measure from base of tail to snout. Good luck dude.
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
Here is a good care sheet for you to follow.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
When chameleons overheat they can display bright colors also. Just so you know, bright colors do not always mean everything is ok. They can also show bright colors when they are stressed out or scared of something.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
When chameleons overheat they can display bright colors also. Just so you know, bright colors do not always mean everything is ok. They can also show bright colors when they are stressed out or scared of something.
Lovereps
Avid Member
Welcome to the forum!
Sorry your cham is having a problem.
It is good that you've found this forum and care about your cham enough to ask questions so you can help him.
Very often people get bad care advice and are sold the wrong things for their chams---probably has happened to most of us.
Your cham can't sleep because of the red light being on at night.
Please turn it off and leave it off, since it is not needed at all.
Some types of reptiles are not disturbed by red light but unfortunately, chams are.
I'm sorry to say, but glass aquariums are not very good for chams.
Chams need tall, instead of wide enclosures and they need good airflow, which an aquarium with a screen top can't provide.
This is why tall, screened cages are recommended.
It may also be too hot for him, so you really need a thermometer.
A cham that is too hot will go to the lower part of its home to try to find a cooler spot.
It is great that your cham is able to get some natural sunlight, when the temperatures are OK for him.
I don't know if you know this but he can't be put outside in a glass enclosure.
When sunlight passes through glass, the UVB in sunlight gets changed into heat, instead.
A cham in a glass cage gets much too hot and gets no UVB, either.
Chameleons need UVB light, which can come from exposure to natural sunlight or a good UVB bulb like the Reptisun 5.0 bulb.
The UVB enables a chameleon to use the calcium it gets from its food.
He probably needs more misting but you need a hydrometer (humidity gauge) to know for sure.
You can read much more about Veiled cham care here:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Sorry your cham is having a problem.
It is good that you've found this forum and care about your cham enough to ask questions so you can help him.
Very often people get bad care advice and are sold the wrong things for their chams---probably has happened to most of us.
Your cham can't sleep because of the red light being on at night.
Please turn it off and leave it off, since it is not needed at all.
Some types of reptiles are not disturbed by red light but unfortunately, chams are.
I'm sorry to say, but glass aquariums are not very good for chams.
Chams need tall, instead of wide enclosures and they need good airflow, which an aquarium with a screen top can't provide.
This is why tall, screened cages are recommended.
It may also be too hot for him, so you really need a thermometer.
A cham that is too hot will go to the lower part of its home to try to find a cooler spot.
It is great that your cham is able to get some natural sunlight, when the temperatures are OK for him.
I don't know if you know this but he can't be put outside in a glass enclosure.
When sunlight passes through glass, the UVB in sunlight gets changed into heat, instead.
A cham in a glass cage gets much too hot and gets no UVB, either.
Chameleons need UVB light, which can come from exposure to natural sunlight or a good UVB bulb like the Reptisun 5.0 bulb.
The UVB enables a chameleon to use the calcium it gets from its food.
He probably needs more misting but you need a hydrometer (humidity gauge) to know for sure.
You can read much more about Veiled cham care here:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Lovereps
Avid Member
As I mentioned in my post above--Very often people get bad care advice and are sold the wrong things for their chams---probably has happened to most of us.
Iciaa is in the right place to get good care advice.
It isn't his or her fault that someone sold him the wrong things and gave him poor care instructions.
People should be able to expect a seller to give them good care instructions and it is terrible that you can't rely on them for that.
Fault the seller that this buyer trusted.
I trust that Iciaa, who is caring enough to ask how to help his/her cham, will do what is needed to help his cham.
Lovereps
Avid Member
This place makes nice cages http://www.diycages.com/ but many stores in the USA have screened cages.
Have a look at my post #7 and you'll find a Veiled caresheet link, which tells you which size cages are recommended.
Bigger cages are better, since they offer your cham more opportunity to be comfortable, feel secure and stay healthy.
Glad you're asking questions and reading the links.
We were all new to chams at one time or another
Have a look at my post #7 and you'll find a Veiled caresheet link, which tells you which size cages are recommended.
Bigger cages are better, since they offer your cham more opportunity to be comfortable, feel secure and stay healthy.
Glad you're asking questions and reading the links.
We were all new to chams at one time or another
