Female or male
- Thread starter Nikkishaps2211
- Start date
elizaann2
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hello and welcome! Oh my gosh you have a tiny little thing!! May I ask where you got him/her? That young I honestly don't know if you have a male or female yet.
When chameleons are this little they don't have any resources to fall back on if husbandry is off. For baby's safety, would you be open to doing a husbandry review?
When chameleons are this little they don't have any resources to fall back on if husbandry is off. For baby's safety, would you be open to doing a husbandry review?
Nikkishaps2211
New Member
Hi, the breeder told he/she was 8 weeks old has of August 03rd.
Sure! Baby is in an enclosure in which I can post. The enclosure has proper lighting, humidity gauges and temperture. Enclosure is misted frequently for water and humidity Currently eating approximately 12 to 15 mini crickets a day with a calcium dusting and also does fruit flies.
Do you have any tips or recommendations?
Sure! Baby is in an enclosure in which I can post. The enclosure has proper lighting, humidity gauges and temperture. Enclosure is misted frequently for water and humidity Currently eating approximately 12 to 15 mini crickets a day with a calcium dusting and also does fruit flies.
Do you have any tips or recommendations?
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Hi There and welcome. baby is quite young. It is recommended that they not be sold until at least 3-4 months old. They are quite fragile as hatchlings so your risks run higher with them being younger than that.
I am afraid you were given some improper info with the enclosure set up and lighting. Babies this young really should not have heat lamps on them. They can dehydrate really easily. Also your UVB is a compact bulb which is not something you want to use for a chameleon of any age. They simply can not put out the UVB levels that the cham needs. So chameleons suffer and fail to thrive along with developing MBD.
A T5HO fixture with a 5.0 linear bulb running the width of the enclosure is what you need. But with baby being so young you need to raise the fixture off the top of the cage 4 inches. And then have your branches/vines sitting 4-5 inches below the screen top. This gives a total distance of 8-9 inches. At the screen baby is still within safe limits having it lifted like this.
Baby should be eating a ton at this stage. More like 3 dozen feeders a day easily.
Is your calcium the without D3 version?
Nikkishaps2211
New Member
Nikkishaps2211
New Member
Beman,
Thank you so much for your advise, its highly appreciated. The calcium I believe doesnt have. However, i will confirm that. If It doesnt should it? I will definitely up his food as you mentioned and correct his lights asap. Anything else you?
Thank you so much for your advise, its highly appreciated. The calcium I believe doesnt have. However, i will confirm that. If It doesnt should it? I will definitely up his food as you mentioned and correct his lights asap. Anything else you?
CCT Reptiles
Established Member
It seems like beman is already helping you on the husbandry side of this, however for your answer on the sex you’ll have to get a pic where he or she has their tail straight out and look for a hemipenis bulge if you can get pics I’d gladly help you. Along with that I noticed you took a photo of its feet you’ll only be able to determine sex in veiled with the foot of the cham as they’ll have spurs on their back legs
So it should not contain d3. If it does stop using it and get the plain calcium without d3. Are you open to doing a husbandry review then we can help more. Right now baby is so little I can’t tell gender. So I’m no help there.
Nikkishaps2211
New Member
Also Beman, the T5H0 fixture, should that lay on the enclosure or lifted as well?
So your going to lift the T5HO. Do this... A T5HO fixture with a 5.0 linear bulb running the width of the enclosure is what you need. But with baby being so young you need to raise the fixture off the top of the cage 4 inches. And then have your branches/vines sitting 4-5 inches below the screen top. This gives a total distance of 8-9 inches. At the screen baby is still within safe limits having it lifted like this.
And I would pull off the heat lamp if your ambient house temps are in the 70's
If you want to do a husbandry review then you can copy and paste the info below into your reply and then fill out the answers to the questions. Then @MissSkittles or I will assist in doing your review. 
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
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.
Nikkishaps2211
New Member
Ok thank you, I will check on the calcium. What is a husbandry review?
See my post above yours. That is a husbandry review.
it’s just an experienced keeper looking through critical aspects to make sure you were given correct info for a good experience keeping Chams.Nikkishaps2211
New Member
Got it! Ok I will do it now.
Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Info:
- Your Chameleon - unknown sex, and age. 3 weeks
- Handling - Daily
- Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Crickets, feuits flies. What amount? What is the schedule? Approximately he's eatting 15 a day. Aree you gut-loading your feeders? Yes
- Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Zoo-Med repti calcium without D3
- Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? Spray bottle. How often and how long to you mist? Until everything is dripping wet. Do you see your chameleon drinking? Yes! He drinks the water droplets on the leaves.
- Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Black and white. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? No
- 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? Screen
- Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Zoo Med, black light to keep temp at 75F. Daytime light no heat
- Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? 71, 74, 79 Lowest overnight temp? 70 How do you measure these temps? Temperture guage
- Humidity - What are your humidity levels? 65 How are you creating and maintaining these levels? Yes What do you use to measure humidity? Gauge
- Plants - Are you using live plants? Yes If so, what kind? Tropical live plant
- Placement - Where is your cage located? On a desk. Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? no At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? About 4ft
- Location - Where are you geographically located? Nj
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi. Give me a little bit and I’ll got thru it all.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’ll be putting my feedback in bold. I do tend to talk a lot, so if this is looking too long, I’ll split it into two parts.
- Your Chameleon - unknown sex, and age. 3 weeks If you post some more pics with baby’s tail straight out or close to it, we can probably tell you gender. That is extremely young to be sent off to a new home. It will be essential that you make certain changes without any delay as babies have no resources to fall back on. They can decline very quickly if basic needs aren’t met. I don’t mean to scare you, but need you to know that some changes will be more important than others.
- Handling - Daily I’m going to say to stop this until essential needs are met. Handling causes too much stress for one so young.
- Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Crickets, feuits flies. What amount? What is the schedule? Approximately he's eatting 15 a day. This was already addressed, but I’ll restate. Baby should be given as many feeders of appropriate size that it can eat in about a 15-20 minute period, twice a day. Any feeder that is bigger than the space between the eyes is too big. Generally this young you’ll want to be feeding pinhead crickets, fruit flies and bean beetles. Aree you gut-loading your feeders? Yes You don’t say with what - well, fruit flies have their own goo. Things like the orange cubes and little jelly pots are poor for doing anything more than just keeping your feeders alive. Attaching some graphics below. One is of variety of feeders. While choice is limited due to size now, when baby is bigger you’ll want to give more variety. Feeding your bugs fresh produce is best and there are a few commercial products that are ok to add.
- Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Zoo-Med repti calcium without D3 This is great and you’ll want to lightly dust at every feeding except when using a different supplement. There are lots of supplements and ways to get vitamins and D3 in. One of the simplest is to use a combination multivitamin/D3 product such as Repashy calcium Plus LoD. You’ll use this for one feeding every other week.
- Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? Spray bottle. How often and how long to you mist? Until everything is dripping wet. Do you see your chameleon drinking? Yes! He drinks the water droplets on the leaves. You want to be misting for at least two minutes twice a day - right before lights go on and off. If needed, you can add an 1 minute misting mid day or use an dripper for about 15-20 minutes. Eventually you may want to invest in an automatic misting system. The best one out there is Mist King. Also, just fyi - many chameleons are secretive about drinking so you are one of the lucky few.
- Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Black and white. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? No The white is the urate and is one of the ways to tell your chameleon’s hydration. A little yellow or orange at one end is ok, but if all or most is dark, you need to increase your baby’s hydration. It’s always a good idea to take new animals to a vet for a wellness visit with a fecal check for parasites. It’s also a great way to start a relationship with a vet (that hopefully you’ll never need to see again).
- History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
To be continued….
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
- Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen Ok, I like screen for new keepers. Right now whatever size you have is ok, but baby is going to grow pretty quickly and will be needing at minimum a 2x2x4’ enclosure. If you have the space and ability to give larger, please do. You can always attach two enclosures together to create one larger one. https://chameleonacademy.com/double-wide-chameleon-cage-project/ Just have to advocate for more space for chameleons.
- Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Zoo Med, black light to keep temp at 75F. Daytime light no heat This has already been said, but the coil screw in uvb light is essentially worthless for a chameleon. The standard is a linear/long T5HO fixture with either ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. This uvb then needs to be 8-9” above basking branch. Since babies enjoy walking upside down along the screen top, you need to elevate your lights off the screen to prevent burns. On Etsy there is a product called ReptiRisers if you want to get ‘fancy’. I just use wire baskets from the dollar store. You want a 12 hour on/off cycle for your lights. No lights at night.
- Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? 71, 74, 79 Lowest overnight temp? 70 How do you measure these temps? Temperture guage Not all gauges are equal. The analog kind are notoriously inaccurate. You want a digital thermometer, preferably with a probe end. Until baby is about 3+ months old, you really don’t want temps to get above 78ish. At night, temps below 70 are wonderful.
- Humidity - What are your humidity levels? 65 How are you creating and maintaining these levels? Yes What do you use to measure humidity? Gauge Same with this gauge - use digital with a probe end if you aren’t already. Ideal daytime humidity is between 50-70% for panther chams. Using lots of live plants will add pockets of higher humidity and help maintain overall humidity levels. If needed, you can always cover 1-3 sides of your enclosure with something like shower curtain.
- Plants - Are you using live plants? Yes If so, what kind? Tropical live plant I can’t recall the name of your big plant, but it looks like one I used with my chams. Of course the pothos you are also using is perfect. Pothos is going to be your new bff.
You do want to add more branches, vines and live plants. The branches will create lots of little roads for baby to travel on. Have them of varied thickness to exercise the little mitten feet. Make sure all of the plants that you use are safe for chams. This will help.https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ You need to ensure that they are free from chemical pesticide and fertilizer. Gently wash the leaves with a mild dish soap and rinse, rinse, rinse. Usually we recommend repotting in an organic mix too. For branches, you can scavenge outside for natural ones. Avoid ones from trees with sap or odors like pine and eucalyptus. Oak is always safe. Give that a little scrub with soapy water, rinse like crazy again and let dry outside in the sun. They are then ready to use. To attach your branches and even plants, I’d suggest getting some Dragon Ledges if in your budget. https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ If that isn’t possible right now, get some garden trellis and attach it to the frame of your enclosure. Do be careful where the door is (yes, I learned the hard way) Zip ties are also a new bff. - Placement - Where is your cage located? On a desk. Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? no At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? About 4ft The higher we can get our chameleons, the safer they will feel.
- Location - Where are you geographically located? Nj
We are always here and very willing to answer whatever questions you may have and just help you out along the way. We also love sharing pics and experiences of our chams, so stick around and join the chamily.
Nikkishaps2211
New Member
Thank you so much for all the wonderful advise and tips. I did order a floor stand that will elevate the lights to the suggestion you've given. I already ordered the light from amazon and should be here tomorrow morning, my local store didnt have it.
Please let us know if you have questions come up. As baby matures a bit we would need pics of the tail base. So tail more pointed out straight to be able to try to determine gender.
Like this and this will give you more info about determining Panther gender. http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2013/04/male-or-female-how-to-sex-baby-panther.html
As baby matures a bit we would need pics of the tail base. So tail more pointed out straight to be able to try to determine gender. Like this and this will give you more info about determining Panther gender. http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2013/04/male-or-female-how-to-sex-baby-panther.html
