Cleaned cage

[Maximillion]

Hi,
My Max seems to be shaking and staying bright green. Now I don't know if this is good or bad as I am a brand new owner of this magnificent creature. We changed and cleaned his cage adding lots of new things to climb on and made different levels for him to choose from. His lighting is one white light at one end of the cage and a red one at the other end. We put moss on the bottom and that is where he has stayed since. He use to stay up in the plants that we had in there now he prefers the moss on the bottom. Should I be concerned? He is eating well still and drinking water which I mist in there three to four times a day.

Thank you in advance,
Debra

 

[carol5208]

So he is on the bottom shaking? That does not sound normal at all. Substrate such as mulch, chips, rocks, moss etc are not recommended. Some chameleons will injest such things intentionally or accidentally while shooting for prey and it could cause choking or digestion problems. It will probably end up getting all soggy and wet and that will promote mold growth. Can you post a pic of your set up?

 

[xephyr17]

It may just take some time for him to get used to the space again. But if he doesn't start moving around more it could be something in the enclosure in intimidating him and you'll have to figure it out and move it. It could be a plant...

 

[Kath44]

Why do you have the red light? Is that a new addition? Could be a reason he's staying away from the top.
Kath.

 

[Decadancin]

Hi Debra, welcome to the forums! What type of chameleon do you have? If you have not seen the link to the chameleon resource page yet it will give you a lot of great ideas and basic care information for you new friend.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/

Check the section on lighting and also the basic care sheet for your specific chameleon.

We love to see pictures as it can help us determine if there are any major concerns or if the behavior is just from getting used to his new environment. (Plus we just love to see pictures )

Hope Max is O.K.

You can also fill out the form on How to ask for help so we can suggest any changes you may want to consider.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Once again, Welcome to the Forums!

 

[Maximillion]

Taking no chances

Thank you so much for all of your input. But I didn't want to take any chances with my beautiful creature so off to the vet we went this morning. So I don't know how you can do this but poor Max got an enema.... Yes he was a little stopped up. He also received calcium drops. So when we got home I had to figure out how to give drops to my baby Max. To my surprise he liked them. I put a drop on his lip and he sucked it right in. He is such a good boy. He must be feeling better already as his color has darkened and he is back up in his trees.Now off to pet smart to see about different lighting. I could use some advice on what kind of lighting and it's best use. Thank you all once again for welcoming and assisting this new owner and chameleon lover...
Debra

 

[kinyonga]

I use reptisun 5.0 long linear tube lights as a source of UVB. I use a regular incandescent household bulb for a basking light. The wattage is determined by the heat it creates in the basking area of the cage. Be careful its not too hot where the chameleon will be sitting under the light. I don't recommend using a red light.

Did the vet indicate that your chameleon has MBD? What supplements do you use specifically and how often for each? Has he not had a UVB light so far? What do you feed/gutload the insects with?

 

[ChameLIonLover]

@kinyonga I am going to be getting a chameleon at the end of the month and currently was planning on using a 75w red bulb for basking and at night time during the winter if it gets too cold here in Nebraska. Would you advise against this? You definitely need the UVB though Max... it will provide your chameleon with rays similar to the actual sun, which is absolutely necessary to have for these diurnal creatures. Go with the reptisun 5.0 (TUBE light) to start with.

Also, you made it sound like there were two ends to the cage, which makes me think that you have a horizontal enclosure of some sort. As in, your cage is longer than it is taller... If this is true, I have read that it is beneficial to provide chameleons with taller cages rather than wider, as they are arboreal and therefore natural climbers.

 

[sharp229]

@kinyonga I am going to be getting a chameleon at the end of the month and currently was planning on using a 75w red bulb for basking and at night time during the winter if it gets too cold here in Nebraska. Would you advise against this?

There should be no light at night as it could disturb their sleep. Chameleons can see both color and UV so they will see a red light. For at least veileds and panthers, you can use a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) to provide heat at night if the temperature drops below the 50's. This will ensure there is no light. It is best to use a standard white incandescent bulb during the day since it is more natural.

 

[kinyonga]

I wouldn't use a red light as a basking light during the day since it's not a "natural" color so the chameleon isn't likely to realize its a source of heat. It's also not good to use any light at night.