Darker green color
- Thread starter MergatroidSkittle
- Start date
CamoChameleonsHuman
Chameleon Enthusiast
Is your name Kyle?
Chameleomom
Chameleon Enthusiast
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
Agreed, SIGNIFICANTLY more foliage. A chameleons #1 defense against predation is its ability to blend in and stay hidden. Obviously your Cham doesn’t really have to worry about predation too much but they can’t override their instinct. Ideally you should have to actually look for your Cham for a couple of seconds when approaching the viv. Not all the time but occasionally. You should also try to build in one place where you cham can go and be completely hidden. This is for their comfort but the foliage I mentioned previously is for their health.
By having lots of foliage and branches of various thicknesses you are creating different gradients for your cham to move into and out of at will to meet their bodily needs. Start by placing a couple larger plants in your viv and connect them with a few branches. Then backfill the other gaps with smaller plants and connect them to your bigger plants with more branches. What gaps you have remaining should be filled with a few branches here and there so your Cham can access these areas as well. It’s a balancing act, you will need to play with it a bit, careful to not congest the viv by jamming too much in there.
To review:
-To a Cham, foliage and hiding spots = security.
-Think of the plants as towns/cities and the branches as the roads that connect them.
-Remember, empty space in a viv = wasted space.
If you’d be interested, we could review your husbandry with you to ensure your getting a solid start. Fill out the help form if interested.
Ballpark density goal:
By having lots of foliage and branches of various thicknesses you are creating different gradients for your cham to move into and out of at will to meet their bodily needs. Start by placing a couple larger plants in your viv and connect them with a few branches. Then backfill the other gaps with smaller plants and connect them to your bigger plants with more branches. What gaps you have remaining should be filled with a few branches here and there so your Cham can access these areas as well. It’s a balancing act, you will need to play with it a bit, careful to not congest the viv by jamming too much in there.
To review:
-To a Cham, foliage and hiding spots = security.
-Think of the plants as towns/cities and the branches as the roads that connect them.
-Remember, empty space in a viv = wasted space.
If you’d be interested, we could review your husbandry with you to ensure your getting a solid start. Fill out the help form if interested.
Ballpark density goal:
CamoChameleonsHuman
Chameleon Enthusiast
Nah I just saw the Monster Energy poster and figured his name was Kyle.Rut Roh I smell a story here. Inspector Gadget is on the case
MergatroidSkittle
New Member
Nope and to be 100% honest I’ve have that poster in my room since I was like 12
MergatroidSkittle
New Member
Yeah this is what I have so far. On Friday I’m picking up a t5 linear uvb bulb setup and I will definitely get more foliage I would like to switch to all live plants
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MergatroidSkittle
New Member
And thanks guys for the input and not to sound stupid but I’m new to navigating this whole website how and where do I fill out the help form lol. Thanks in advance for the patience with me be new to all of this
Syreptyon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Here you go! Just copy/paste this and fill in your responses to each prompt
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.
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Please Note:
- The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
- Photos can be very helpful.
MergatroidSkittle
New Member
- Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, female, I believe 3-4 months? She’s been in my care for 2 1/2 weeks
- Handling - I’ve handled her twice so far
- Feeding - Crickets, mealworms and kale, 5 crickets, 2-3 meal worms, Once in the morning when I get home from work and sometimes a snack before lights out, using the jello looking cricket food stuff and sometimes kale
- Supplements - just The stuff that came with the repti breeze chameleon kit
- Watering - Have a little dripper dripping constantly on a slower setting, I mist 2-3 times a day for about a minute, I’ve seen her drink a few times im sure she does while im at work
- Fecal Description - Looks normal from the stuff I’ve seen on google, looks healthy. She has never been tested for parasites
- History - None that I’m aware of
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - Repribreeze chameleon kit, 16x16x30
- Lighting - the dual dome kit that it came with
- Temperature - basking spot sticks at about 90 degrees, haven’t really tested the temp at the bottom of the cage, lowest overnight temp I have currently seen has been 72 degrees, Measured with the thermometer that the kit came with
- Humidity - I currently do not have a humidity gauge
I have a live plant and I mist the cage for added humidity - Plants - A schefflera plant
- Placement - In my room on top of my dresser her cage is the highest thing in my room below the ceiling lol. I have a fan pointed away from the cage towards me usually only on at night
- Location - Midwestern michigan
AnamCara
Chameleon Enthusiast
- Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, female, I believe 3-4 months? She’s been in my care for 2 1/2 weeks
- Handling - I’ve handled her twice so far
- Feeding - Crickets, mealworms and kale, 5 crickets, 2-3 meal worms, Once in the morning when I get home from work and sometimes a snack before lights out, using the jello looking cricket food stuff and sometimes kale
- Supplements - just The stuff that came with the repti breeze chameleon kit
- Watering - Have a little dripper dripping constantly on a slower setting, I mist 2-3 times a day for about a minute, I’ve seen her drink a few times im sure she does while im at work
- Fecal Description - Looks normal from the stuff I’ve seen on google, looks healthy. She has never been tested for parasites
- History - None that I’m aware of
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - Repribreeze chameleon kit, 16x16x30
- Lighting - the dual dome kit that it came with
- Temperature - basking spot sticks at about 90 degrees, haven’t really tested the temp at the bottom of the cage, lowest overnight temp I have currently seen has been 72 degrees, Measured with the thermometer that the kit came with
- Humidity - I currently do not have a humidity gauge
- Plants - A schefflera plant
- Placement - In my room on top of my dresser her cage is the highest thing in my room below the ceiling lol. I have a fan pointed away from the cage towards me usually only on at night
- Location - Midwestern michigan
Hello, I will let a more exprienced veiled keeper chime in for the details but I would like to point out just a couple of things and add some care images here.
1.I too bought the chameleon kit and found it was not adequate for my chameleon. You are going to want to upgrade to a larger cage at some point. Live plants are great! They are natural and help keep the humidity up -- but be sure any plant you are putting in is safe for your chameleon. Most importantly the light that you were given in that kit is NOT adaquate -- you will need a linear t5ho hood with a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb. Most keepers here suggest Arcadia bulbs as they last a while -- but that UVB Bulb will need to be replaced at max every 9 months -- unless you have a solar meter to measure the UV output. The proper light along with proper supplement and nutrition is really vital to a chameleons health. It sounds a little daunting but you'll get the swing of it in no time.
2. Ditch the supplements from the kit and get Repashy Calcium LoD -- consider adding a liquid vit a drop occassionally -- especially for the eggs she begin to produce.
3. Mealworms are not nutrition. See the care image below for food -- try roaches! Easy to keep and nutritious. BSFL, Silkworms, hornworms are good additions too. Staple needs to be either roaches (preferred) crickets or silks. Variety is best!
4. You will need a humidity gauge and a good temp gun.
5. You will want to gut load your feeders with a wider variety of nutritious food. See care image below.
6. You will need to be ready for her to lay infertile eggs when the time comes. Search this forum for lay bin info.
I'm sure a veiled keeper will be on here to fine tune my suggestions.
MergatroidSkittle
New Member
Thank you so much! I’ll be sure to get on gettin that stuff ASAP!!
MergatroidSkittle
New Member
Hey guys I put a new vine in my chameleons cage maybe about 20 minutes ago and it seemed to have really stressed her out. Is it normal for them to stress a little when u put something new in their cage?
CamoChameleonsHuman
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes. Chameleons are like cats. They like schedules and they hate change. But to be 100% positive could you please post a picture of your current setup?
MergatroidSkittle
New Member
I’m sorry I’m just now seeing this lol but ok thank you! And here’s a pic. (Don’t worry I’m getting new and proper lights real soon!
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CamoChameleonsHuman
Chameleon Enthusiast
More horizontal branches for her to climb. Think big city highway systems. Each one connecting to another. You want this in the middle to top 2/3 of the enclosure. Also she needs a T5HO linear UVB light or you're in a great risk for MBD.
