Dark Panther?

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

Hi

I just got my first male panther chameleon on Wednesday, I read that it takes time for them to adjust to their new home.. he finally started eating some bugs yesterday and I just fed him about a little less than 10 bugs and put the rest in his feeder cup for later. My question is this first picture is the one I saw when I purchased him and since he’s been with me he’s really dark.. is that normal? I’m also posting a photo of his poop. I didnt know they pooped so big lol
I also caught him eating a part of the soil/ pothos plant should I be concerned?

what was posted by the breeder:

When he was delivered:

now:

salty dog · Dec 12, 2020

dehydrated!! give him water, he's beautiful!!!

Juanns01 · Dec 12, 2020

salty dog said:
dehydrated!! give him water, he's beautiful!!!

Yes he needs some water! What are your misting schedules? And how long have you had him?

Bazelthechameleon · Dec 12, 2020

Hi! You're panther chameleon looks beautiful. His eyes are a bit suken so I would reccomend giving him some water. This is unrelated to the subject, but I'm new to this forum and I can't seem to find how to post a blog. Could you help me find out how?

Klyde O'Scope · Dec 12, 2020

marthanova said:
I didnt know they pooped so big lol

Must be a Soady.

CBee7726 · Dec 12, 2020

Hi there,
Welcome to the awesome world of chameleon husbandry! Since you're new, I recommend doing a full husbandry review, so you can ensure that you are taking care of him in the best way possible

copy/paste the form below and provide your answers. One of our enthusiasts should be able to review it soon.

In the meantime, it is generally recommended to have a fecal analysis done with new chams to rule out any parasites, especially when droppings appear abnormal. It's not unusual that chams are a little dark in color when they first move to their new home, since there is a lot to get used to. However, it's also important to rule out health or husbandry issues. Was there a white/yellow part with or near his poop dropping? The urates are usually a good indicator of hydration in a cham.

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:

The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
Photos can be very helpful

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

Hi everyone thank you !
I have a mistking that goes off before lights turn on at 5:50am and then again at noon and again before lights turn off at 5:50pm and a run a fogger for 5 hours from 7pm-12am

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

Should I add more misting sessions ?

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

This is my current schedule:

I just changed it to this: please let me know if this is better or not

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
I’m told he’s an Ambillobe Panther Chameleon 5 months old
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Currently not handling I’m only near his enclosure to feed him and add water to the dripper
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I’m giving him small crickets,he’s eaten Spikes (Fly Larvae) & NutriGrubs, dubia roaches (he’s not eating those ) , gave him a treat for the week of two wax worms,
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Repti calcium with D3 and I have reptivite with D3 that I plan to give him tomorrow
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I have a mistking, a dripper and a fogger
Using distil
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
I posted a photo above looks dark brown , I haven’t taken him to the vet yet, how soon after getting him should I take him ?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I’ve only had him for 3 days

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Screen only with live plants and 1 fake vine , also have shower c
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Arcadia T5 6% for UVB , Arcadia Halogen Basking Spotlight 75w, and Arcadia Jungle Dawn 18" 22 Watt- for the plants
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
It ranges at 85 degrees at the basking area and 65-71 degrees at the middle/ bottom area
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
57 during the day and a high 90 at night
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Pothos , crouton, Focus, and snake plant
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?
On a cabinet next to my bed by a window
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Los Angeles CA
towards the bottom :

Reptofreak · Dec 12, 2020

Kinda looks like he may be getting ready to shed.

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

marthanova said:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

I’m told he’s an Ambillobe Panther Chameleon 5 months old

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

Currently not handling I’m only near his enclosure to feed him and add water to the dripper

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

I’m giving him small crickets,he’s eaten Spikes (Fly Larvae) & NutriGrubs, dubia roaches (he’s not eating those ) , gave him a treat for the week of two wax worms,

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?

Repti calcium with D3 and I have reptivite with D3 that I plan to give him tomorrow

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

I have a mistking, a dripper and a fogger

Using distil

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

I posted a photo above looks dark brown , I haven’t taken him to the vet yet, how soon after getting him should I take him ?

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I’ve only had him for 3 days

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?

Screen only with live plants and 1 fake vine , also have shower c

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

Arcadia T5 6% for UVB , Arcadia Halogen Basking Spotlight 75w, and Arcadia Jungle Dawn 18" 22 Watt- for the plants

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

It ranges at 85 degrees at the basking area and 65-71 degrees at the middle/ bottom area

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

57 during the day and a high 90 at night

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

Pothos , crouton, Focus, and snake plant

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?

On a cabinet next to my bed by a window

Location - Where are you geographically located?

Los Angeles CA

View attachment 285290
View attachment 285291 View attachment 285292

towards the bottom :
View attachment 285294

I meant Repti calcium with OUT D3 and I have reptivite with D3

kinyonga · Dec 12, 2020

marthanova said:
I meant Repti calcium with OUT D3 and I have reptivite with D3

I was waiting to see if you would change that!

Gingero · Dec 12, 2020

Congrats on the new chameleon!

To answer your question about his coloring -- keep in mind a breeder is going to post pics of the chameleon when they are "fired up" or looking their best. And chams will be darker in colors when they are stressed out. I would say that the colors in the first pic are his fired up colors and what you are seeing now are his resting/stress colors. Totally normal.

As far as the poop goes, since you've only had him a few days give him some time to start eating and drinking regularly and few poops to get back to normal. This is especially true is he was shipped. Stick to your hydration schedule for the next week or two and then make adjustments as needed as you see him poop a few more times.

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

Gingero said:
Congrats on the new chameleon!

To answer your question about his coloring -- keep in mind a breeder is going to post pics of the chameleon when they are "fired up" or looking their best. And chams will be darker in colors when they are stressed out. I would say that the colors in the first pic are his fired up colors and what you are seeing now are his resting/stress colors. Totally normal.

As far as the poop goes, since you've only had him a few days give him some time to start eating and drinking regularly and few poops to get back to normal. This is especially true is he was shipped. Stick to your hydration schedule for the next week or two and then make adjustments as needed as you see him poop a few more times.

Thank you, what are “normal” poops supposed to look like ?

Gingero · Dec 12, 2020

Enjoy this 6:55 long video all about chameleon poop (lots of pics included)

There is also this poop thread: Chameleon Poop 101 (chameleonforums.com)

marthanova · Dec 12, 2020

Gingero said:
Enjoy this 6:55 long video all about chameleon poop (lots of pics included)

There is also this poop thread: Chameleon Poop 101 (chameleonforums.com)

Thanks !!

Klyde O'Scope · Dec 13, 2020

marthanova said:
Thank you, what are “normal” poops supposed to look like ?

Umm... chameleon

!

There's also a sticky thread in the Health Clinic forum... Chameleon Poop 101

marthanova · Dec 13, 2020

I

CBee7726 said:
Hi there,
Welcome to the awesome world of chameleon husbandry! Since you're new, I recommend doing a full husbandry review, so you can ensure that you are taking care of him in the best way possible copy/paste the form below and provide your answers. One of our enthusiasts should be able to review it soon.

In the meantime, it is generally recommended to have a fecal analysis done with new chams to rule out any parasites, especially when droppings appear abnormal. It's not unusual that chams are a little dark in color when they first move to their new home, since there is a lot to get used to. However, it's also important to rule out health or husbandry issues. Was there a white/yellow part with or near his poop dropping? The urates are usually a good indicator of hydration in a cham.

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:

The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.

Photos can be very helpful