Chameleon Stressed

[kinnleys]

I have a 4 year old male veiled chameleon. He's been doing good and has had no problems in the 4 years we've had him. Recently he burnt the top of his veil due to climbing too close to the heating lamp. We've been doing things to help it heal and he's been doing good with it. Since he burned himself we decided to make his lamp an additional 12 inches above his basking spot. His bulb is a 75 watt bulb. His enclosure is 80-85 degrees in his basking spot. After moving his lamp that additional 12 inches he began to look unhappy and stressed about his lighting. We decided to take away that additional 12 inches from his basking spot and moved it to a different spot so he could not burn himself. We are having problems keeping his temp up in his cage now and he seems to be very stressed about this. He is now dark colors all the time and he has been taking naps during the day. If anyone could help point us in the right direction of what to do to help him that would be very much appreciated.

 

[MissSkittles]

The eyes closed during the day sounds like it has nothing to do with the basking temp. If you could fill this out and provide pics of entire enclosure, someone can review all of your husbandry.

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.

 

[kinnleys]

• Your Chameleon - Veild chameleon, male, 4 years. Has been in my care for 4 years.
• Handling - I do not handle him very often because he does not like to be handled. I only get him out if he wants to come out.
• Feeding - The main source of food my cham gets is about 20-25 crickets a day, I dust his food with Reptile Calcium once a week. I also feed him superworms and dust those too. We feed our crickets Flukers cricket quencher.
• Supplements - We use the Repti Calcium with D3. We dust our food once or twice a week.
• Watering - We use a mister and a drip system. We mist about 3 times a day, spraying for about 5 minutes. Yes, we see our cham drink.
• Fecal Description - Urine is white normally but sometimes we will see yellowish, poop is normal brown and firm. No he has not been tested for parasites.
• History - He has recently burned to top of his veil from his heat lamp.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen, 18x18x36
• Lighting - Zoomed, 75 watt basking and 5.0 uvb both bulbs. Both lights are on a timer and set to come on at 7am and turn off at 7pm.
• Temperature - Basking spot is 80-85 and the lowest point of the cage is in the 70s. Night temp 65-70. We have thermometers in the cage.
• Humidity - Our humidity levels are 70-75%. We create our humidity but watering and misting him. We use a hydrometer in the cage.
• Plants - There are currently no live plants in his cage but we usually put an umbrella plant in his cage.
• Placement - Our cage is in our dining room next to a window for natural light. It is not near any fans or air vents and is not a high trafficed area. The highest point from the floor is 5 foot.
• Location - We are located in mid-Missouri

Current Problem - He has not been himself lately and is often dark colors and has recently started sleeping during the day.

 

[MissSkittles]

Thanks. Putting my feedback in red.

• Your Chameleon - Veild chameleon, male, 4 years. Has been in my care for 4 years.
• Handling - I do not handle him very often because he does not like to be handled. I only get him out if he wants to come out.
• Feeding - The main source of food my cham gets is about 20-25 crickets a day, This seems like a lot. Is he overweight? Usually adults males should be fed every other day approx 4-5 feeders. I dust his food with Reptile Calcium once a week. I also feed him superworms and dust those too. We feed our crickets Flukers cricket quencher. You could add more variety to his diet and definitely want to improve your gutloading. Attaching info graphics to help.
• Supplements - We use the Repti Calcium with D3. We dust our food once or twice a week. Too much D3. He should be getting calcium without D3 on all feedings except one per week. That one weekly feeding you want to use calcium with D3 alternating with a multivitamin. So weeks 1&3 are D3 and weeks 2&4 are multivitamin.
• Watering - We use a mister and a drip system. We mist about 3 times a day, spraying for about 5 minutes. Yes, we see our cham drink. Perfect
• Fecal Description - Urine is white normally but sometimes we will see yellowish, poop is normal brown and firm. No he has not been tested for parasites.
• History - He has recently burned to top of his veil from his heat lamp.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen, 18x18x36 He really should be in a larger enclosure...2x2x4‘ min.
• Lighting - Zoomed, 75 watt basking and 5.0 uvb both bulbs. Both lights are on a timer and set to come on at 7am and turn off at 7pm. Is your uvb a long bulb or a screw in type? If a screw in one, those can’t provide adequate uvb levels. You need a linear T5 ho fixture with a 5.0 (or Arcadia 6%) uvb bulb.
• Temperature - Basking spot is 80-85 and the lowest point of the cage is in the 70s. Night temp 65-70. We have thermometers in the cage. Perfect
• Humidity - Our humidity levels are 70-75%. We create our humidity but watering and misting him. We use a hydrometer in the cage. Too high. Should be between 30-50% during the day. At night when it’s cooler humidity can go up to 100%.
• Plants - There are currently no live plants in his cage but we usually put an umbrella plant in his cage. Live plants are always best, especially with veileds. They like to nibble their plants and have been known to eat fake leaves. Live plants like a pothos add so much...help maintain humidity, offer shade and hiding spots, vines create more climbing area and offer a quick nibble.
• Placement - Our cage is in our dining room next to a window for natural light. It is not near any fans or air vents and is not a high trafficed area. The highest point from the floor is 5 foot.
• Location - We are located in mid-Missouri

Current Problem - He has not been himself lately and is often dark colors and has recently started sleeping during the day.
Honestly I’m surprised that he hasn’t had any problems until now. Sorry if I sound snarky...I don’t mean it in a snarky way. Not sure what it is that has staved off problems until now, but the sooner you make the corrections I listed, the better for your cham. I suspect his current problem is related to supplements and possibly uvb (if you have the wrong bulb). Can you post some pics of him and your enclosure?

 

[MissSkittles]

@Beman What do you think?

 

[Beman]

@Beman What do you think?

Your feedback is spot on.

Additionally the older they are the more used to something they are. So if he was getting warmer temps this could impact him reducing them.

More importantly.... What was actually done for the thermal burn and are their pictures. If a thermal burn is not treated correctly infection can then happen. We have seen some nasty stuff with thermal burns here where you will think it is just on the surface but the casque has now developed puss inside from the infection.

So I would be interested to know about the treatment of the burn and see pics of the chameleon and the entire cage lights down.

 

[Pickle-cham]

• Your Chameleon - Veild chameleon, male, 4 years. Has been in my care for 4 years.
• Handling - I do not handle him very often because he does not like to be handled. I only get him out if he wants to come out.
• Feeding - The main source of food my cham gets is about 20-25 crickets a day, I dust his food with Reptile Calcium once a week. I also feed him superworms and dust those too. We feed our crickets Flukers cricket quencher.
• Supplements - We use the Repti Calcium with D3. We dust our food once or twice a week.
• Watering - We use a mister and a drip system. We mist about 3 times a day, spraying for about 5 minutes. Yes, we see our cham drink.
• Fecal Description - Urine is white normally but sometimes we will see yellowish, poop is normal brown and firm. No he has not been tested for parasites.
• History - He has recently burned to top of his veil from his heat lamp.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen, 18x18x36
• Lighting - Zoomed, 75 watt basking and 5.0 uvb both bulbs. Both lights are on a timer and set to come on at 7am and turn off at 7pm.
• Temperature - Basking spot is 80-85 and the lowest point of the cage is in the 70s. Night temp 65-70. We have thermometers in the cage.
• Humidity - Our humidity levels are 70-75%. We create our humidity but watering and misting him. We use a hydrometer in the cage.
• Plants - There are currently no live plants in his cage but we usually put an umbrella plant in his cage.
• Placement - Our cage is in our dining room next to a window for natural light. It is not near any fans or air vents and is not a high trafficed area. The highest point from the floor is 5 foot.
• Location - We are located in mid-Missouri

Current Problem - He has not been himself lately and is often dark colors and has recently started sleeping during the day.

Humidity too high for veiled but depends on ambient humidity