Constant dark coloration

[Blinc24]

Hi again, I just got my 4 month male nosy be 3 days ago. His temps and humidity are ideal and I'm not in the room to bother him aside from checking on him a couple times a day. He is eating and drinking well but his color has me worried.

 

[Andee]

That's a pretty normal coloration in my opinion? Have you seen him a different coloration? The picture is too blurry for me to be sure it's a male. The pink hue he sports is usually seen on females but also seen on younger males.

 

[Blinc24]

The picture is too blurry for me to be sure it's a male

Ya he has some blue coming in on his side, he is a young male so I'm hoping it's just the transition process that may be affecting him, but I just can't help but feel like he may be sick

 

[ChamLB]

He's eating and drinking. I'd still bet on stress over illness.
Have you posted all your temps and setup somewhere? People here are always willing to review your husbandry if you think it would give you peace of mind. Cage pics are good too.

 

[Blinc24]

He's eating very well and his urates look good also.


His ambient temperature is 72 and his basking spot is 87. The bottom of his cage is 68. He also has another vine parrallel to his basking spot the is in the low 90s which may be a little much.
His humidity is 70 right now (about 15 minutes after the mister went off. Here are some pics of the set up (bottom one is a little out of date but it gives you the scope of it)

 

[timw1]

Maybe it's just me, but I would give him a nice big REAL plant in the center of his enclosure.

 

[Blinc24]

I actually did just order two from jakes frogs!

 

[timw1]

Cool, he will be a happy Cham-per!

 

[JacksJill]

Juvenile basking temps for his age should be ~82˚F. He isn't dark because he's too cold unless he's in a draft.

 

[broderp]

Juvenile basking temps for his age should be ~82˚F. He isn't dark because he's too cold unless he's in a draft.

^^^ This. I was going to say around 83-84˚F for the young ones. No more. Mine just turned 4 months old yesterday. ( I've only had him 2 days now) and his colors are all over the place, including the dark brown color yours has. I'm no pro, but it could be stress or just seeing what works best in his environment. Mine actually color matched the stick he was perched on, So he was a grey and teal color. Very odd.

If your little guy climbs on the mesh top, be sure the highest temp there is the 82-84˚F. If you don't, he may get burned.

 

[broderp]

I forgot, I woke this morning to find my little one dark and on the highest point of his enclosure basking and it reminded me: They also turn dark to absorb heat as well. Perhaps your little one was scared and cold, so he was not at the basking spot and dark to stay warm?

 

[Blinc24]

^^^ This. I was going to say around 83-84˚F for the young ones. No more. Mine just turned 4 months old yesterday. ( I've only had him 2 days now) and his colors are all over the place, including the dark brown color yours has. I'm no pro, but it could be stress or just seeing what works best in his environment. Mine actually color matched the stick he was perched on, So he was a grey and teal color. Very odd.

If your little guy climbs on the mesh top, be sure the highest temp there is the 82-84˚F. If you don't, he may get burned.

He only climbed up on the mesh the first day, but since then he hasn't done it. I can raise his basking light so that it's not as intense in that area. Little by little he is getting somewhat lighter each day. So I think it is stress from the move, but I just needed some reassurance.

 

[Blinc24]

I forgot, I woke this morning to find my little one dark and on the highest point of his enclosure basking and it reminded me: They also turn dark to absorb heat as well. Perhaps your little one was scared and cold, so he was not at the basking spot and dark to stay warm?

That would definitely make sense but it only worried me because it's all day for the past 3 days and even when he's not basking he's a dark brown.

 

[JacksJill]

I forgot, I woke this morning to find my little one dark and on the highest point of his enclosure basking and it reminded me: They also turn dark to absorb heat as well.

You will find they start most days dark to warm up. Stress will keep them dark longer. How is his poop looking? Are you seeing white urates and brown formed stool? That would be good and might reassure you. Still eating? good also.

 

[JacksJill]

If you have a vet you know you might consider taking a fecal (poop) sample in for analysis. Don't take your cham in yet he will only get more stressed. Just an idea probably not vital.

 

[Blinc24]

You will find they start most days dark to warm up. Stress will keep them dark longer. How is his poop looking? Are you seeing white urates and brown formed stool? That would be good and might reassure you. Still eating? good also.

Ya he's still eating very well and his poop looks good too, pretty large lol. The urates are perfectly white

 

[broderp]

That would definitely make sense but it only worried me because it's all day for the past 3 days and even when he's not basking he's a dark brown.

Is his basking spot out in the open? My little guy did not bask in the optimal spot his first day, I think he was just shy. I came back a few hours later and there he was right in the open on his basking spot. Mine is dark when he's not on the basking spot. I can only assume he's trying to absorb heat or is stressed.