Feeding Schedule

[Swayne8998]

Hi, I have a one year old veiled chameleon (Yoshi). I have had him for a month now and just want to make sure I'm doing this feeding schedule right. I round all his food up to cricket size, and at his age he could eat about 30 large crickets. I feed him mainly dubias, with crickets second in line and superworms third. I estimate one male adult dubia about 8-10 large crix and one super about 3. When I feed him his roaches I feed him 3 and then don't feed him the next day (but I do set out some collards). I feed him insects every other day, with collards on the no-bugs days. I'll mix it up too, like 20 crickets and one adult dubia, or 5 supers and 15 crickets or something like that. I just don't want my little guy to get obese or underfed. Thanks

P.S. I dust his food with Fluker's Calcium with D3 once a week.

 

[reptilover]

My guy isn't a year old yet nor does he eat dubias so I cant help with that..

My main concern is that u need to supplement with plain phosphorus free calcium with NO d3 daily
With d3 2 times a month (once a week is to much imo)
And a multivit 2 times a month.

 

[reptilover]

I also recommend filling.this form out!
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Swayne8998]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled, Male, 1 year old, with me for 1 month
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? He loves to climb on me. Usually he climbs on me willingly daily when I'm cleaning his cage.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed him dubias, crickets, superworms, and collard greens. Rounded to 30 large crickets. Feeding insects every other day, veggies on the days when I don't feed him insects. I gutload with collard greens, romaine lettuce (once and a while), carrots, potatoes, oranges (dubias), and Fluker's Water Gel.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Fluker's Calcium with D3 on crickets/dubias once a week. This was recommended by the store we got him from who have cared for chams for years and have had this guy all his life until one month ago.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Auto misting goes for about 20 seconds every 2 hours. They drip off leaves into cups to keep moisture down, but he drinks from the cups more than off the leaves.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? No. He does his thing every morning after he basks. Stark white "Number one," brown and solid "Number two."
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. No

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen: 2 ft wide, 2 1/2 ft deep, 3 1/2 ft tall. Added plexiglass to half of the front and some up top to keep cats from jumping up top and tearing through. Does not affect ventilation. Custom cage made by the store we bought from.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? 12 1/2 hrs a day, 5.0 UVB Reptisun (26 watt), Intense Basking 150 watt that keeps basking spot about 100 degrees. Both Exo Terra(?).
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? One thermometer in ambient, one in basking. 100 at basking and 75 ambient.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Hygrometer in ambient area. Maintained by Exo Terra Monsoon Rainfall System and ReptiFogger (I live at 7000 ft). Stays at about 60% day and 80-90% at night.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? One live pothos, 4 plastic Exo Terra fake plants.
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? In my room. Fan at the center, but he is in a corner and the fan doesn't direct any air in his direction. 6 1/2 ft total, 1 1/2 ft from top. No high traffic.
Location - Where are you geographically located? Colorado, 7000 ft.

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. Just making sure my feeding is right. The calcium with D3 once a week was recommended by our experienced store that we know the two owners/employees personally. He has no MBD or anything goin on bad whatsoever.

 

[Swayne8998]

Correction: He always climbs on me willingly. I never force him.

 

[reptilover]

I'm still gonna firmly recommend plain calcium daily and a multivite with vit A 2 times a month and a slight ease up on the d3.. this my opinion and i mean no disrespect to your friends. This is just the method I hear over and over daily here and its the guidline i stand behind.

I also feel 100 is to hot for a basking zone, veileds ive seen do best around 90-93 max.
And me personaly, I mist 3 times a day for 3-5 minutes. So it gives it time to thouroughly dry inbetween to help prevent a respritory issue.

This is all my opinion and the things I've seen work. Your guy might be healthy I can't argue with a healthy cham. But I hope no problems arise for you. I'd love to see him!

 

[Swayne8998]

I know you don't mean disrespect. Your mistings are going to be different with you living in Washington. I live at 7000 ft, 20% humidity, so it dries out pretty fast. I'll post photos as soon as I get a photobucket account

 

[Swayne8998]

He's the little guy above my name

 

[reptilover]

I know you don't mean disrespect. Your mistings are going to be different with you living in Washington. I live at 7000 ft, 20% humidity, so it dries out pretty fast. I'll post photos as soon as I get a photobucket account

Sounds good! U could also use the paperclip in the toolbar (reply txt box) to put pics in from ur computer. Just a suggestion

 

[Swayne8998]

Thanks! I'll talk to my guys about the dusting, this might be the way to go.

I'd love to see some of your guy's pics!

 

[reptilover]

Lots of white on that guy! That's awsome! can we see a pic of ur whole setup?

 

[Swayne8998]

Thanks! I don't know what white means actually xD but heres the cage

Quite a few things have changed actually. This was before we had him. That wood tree is gone and so is the rock dish.

It is a custom 2 ft by 2 1/2 ft by 3 1/2 made to fit my ceiling. Its a wooden cage with reptile-friendly black paint and sealed with silicon. Screen on top of cage, front, and top right side. The background was added by our workers and the black plastic on the inside helps with humidity. Fiberglass screen. Added plexiglas in some areas to catproof Does the plexiglas prevent ventilation?? It is not sitting directly on the screen... it's about an inch and 1/4 of space between the two.