First Chameleon (Veiled)

Phil&James&Lacie

Phil&James&Lacie

New Member
Hi everybody! My name is James.

I (and my girlfriend Lacie) just joined and this is my first post. I got my first chameleon (and reptile) a couple days ago. His name is Phil! I know it isn't suggested to start with a chameleon but I work at a pet store as an animal caretaker so I felt I could handle him at home and I wanted to give him a better home.

I got Phil from a customer who bought him as a pet six months ago for his child and they lost interest in him (idk how!). I think he's 6-8 months old. I payed $45 for him and all the equipment he had (Zoo-Med chameleon starter kit). The first two photos are what his setup was when I got him.
50611161840__5F1E9E38-0615-4382-B42C-37F074EE1C52.JPG 50611163443__0AE86532-5074-4655-986E-3F16FCFE14F0.JPG

I immediately bought two live plants (a pothos and an umbrella plant) and redesined his vine so he could climb more and reach the top. It came with a little dripper but the bottom seems to always get soaked from the dripper overflowing the drip-catch dish in the bottom of the tank. I heard a wet floor is bad for his feet, is this true? The following pics are what his setup looks like now (he's really nervous around us).
IMG_1015.JPG IMG_1019.JPG

I suspect he wasn't given enough calcium as well. Could you guys please tell me if you think he looks healthy and if I should change anything in his habitat? Don't hesitate to tell me I'm doing something wrong, I want the best for Phil! Any tips and knowledge would be greatly appreciated! I'm excited to be a part of this community
 
Congrats on the new guy! And good job putting more foliage and climbing vines in for him! You have come to the right place.

First thing I would do is fill out the How to ask for Help questions in this link. Copy and paste it here with your answers. Once we can see what you are doing then we can help you tweak what needs to be changed.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

Then read this care sheet. Read it, read it again then reread it. It will help you so much! It's the best and most accurate care sheet you will ever find.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
 
Looks like an awesome set up for the little guy. If you havent already, I would replace the UVB bulb if that is the one that came with the set up from the previous owners. From the looks of how they set up the cage, they definitely did not do their research
 
Unless that bowl in the bottom is a dripper catch bowl, get rid of it. It's unnecessary and the cham won't use it. Use a misting system, and/or hand spraying.
 
Graves923 said:
Looks like an awesome set up for the little guy. If you haven't already, I would replace the UVB bulb if that is the one that came with the set up from the previous owners. From the looks of how they set up the cage, they definitely did not do their research
Click to expand...
. Good point. UV decreases with the use of the bulb, and it must be changed regularly. Although the Reptisun states change yearly, most change it every 6 months due to the marked decline in UV output, making it near useless. Remember that the screen also decreases UV reaching the cham. So most change every 6 months.
 
Graves923 said:
Looks like an awesome set up for the little guy. If you havent already, I would replace the UVB bulb if that is the one that came with the set up from the previous owners. From the looks of how they set up the cage, they definitely did not do their research
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice! I did not think of that. What wattage should I buy for a cage this size?
 
Angelwolf said:
Unless that bowl in the bottom is a dripper catch bowl, get rid of it. It's unnecessary and the cham won't use it. Use a misting system, and/or hand spraying.
Click to expand...
It's in there to catch the drips. It often overflows though so would misting by hand be enough moisture for him?
 
WAMBO said:
Congrats. Follow the caresheet as gospel. I would buy either a Mistking or Climist misting unit, and add a drainage system. Poor hydration/Dehydration can lead to poor health, renal failure and ultimately, death.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice! How would I go about adding a drainage system? I have felt flooring my right now.
 
Peachypink said:
Congrats on the new guy! And good job putting more foliage and climbing vines in for him! You have come to the right place.

First thing I would do is fill out the How to ask for Help questions in this link. Copy and paste it here with your answers. Once we can see what you are doing then we can help you tweak what needs to be changed.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

Then read this care sheet. Read it, read it again then reread it. It will help you so much! It's the best and most accurate care sheet you will ever find.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Click to expand...

Thank you, Peachpink! Here's my info:
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled, male, 6-8 months old. We've been caring for him about a week now
  • Handling - I have not handled him at all yet. He's still very scared of me.
  • Feeding - 10 crickets a day (mixed large and small) and I put some mealworms on the floor. I haven't got a feeding schedule yet but am thinking around noon. I am feeding the crickets dog food, apples, and any other scrap fruits and veggies I have available.
  • Supplements - I dust the crickets with Flukers calcium and D3 everyday (I suspect he hasn't been getting enough).
  • Watering - We mist him with a spray bottle 2-3 times a day. We also have a little dripper but we stopped using t because it always seems to get the floor soaked. I have never seen him drink. He does open his mouth sometimes when I mist. The previous owner I do not think misted him because he hates it.
  • Fecal Description - he has only dropped a poop and pee sac once that I can see since I got him (a week ago). It isn't fresh so it's dried and black.
  • History - He was originally bought from a PetSmart as a baby.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - ZooMed
  • Lighting - ZooMed Tropical UVB & Heat lamp combo (it came with the kit). Plus a red bulb for night. Not sure of brand or wattage. We switch the lights at 11am and 11pm.
  • Temperature - See pic from above for the setup. I don't have a thermometer or humidity gauge yet but plan to get them.
  • Humidity - I mist 2-3 times a day.
  • Plants - Pothos and Umbrella plant.
  • Placement - Low traffic, in a bedroom next to the radiator and window. About 6 feet from the floor.
  • Location - Albany, NY

Current Problem - He is often at least half-grey. Is he just scared around us still? I'm worried he may have not been getting calcium from his previous owner. Bottom of the cage is often getting soaked.

Thanks for the help! :)
 
You just need a reservoir that will hold the amount of water in the dripper. You dont necessarily want the water to be open, either. Crickets and worms will drown, and heaven forbid, your cam falls in and can't get out. I got a bucket from a local garden center (no drain hole), and I took a piece of the Exo Terra mesh squares and rubber banded it across the top. It doesn't over flow, crickets never get in, and it's secure enough that I have a very small plant sitting on top of the screen, to not only camouflage the bucket, but to allow the dripper to drip into. Plant gets watered, looks nice, and breaks the fall of the droplets, so no splatter, either. I have my dripper propped on the corner of the frame, on top of the cage, and the hose runs to the front corner where the bucket is. About every other day, I dump out the bucket and refill tje the dripper. Easy access, and takes 5 min total.
 
Angelwolf said:
You just need a reservoir that will hold the amount of water in the dripper. You dont necessarily want the water to be open, either. Crickets and worms will drown, and heaven forbid, your cam falls in and can't get out. I got a bucket from a local garden center (no drain hole), and I took a piece of the Exo Terra mesh squares and rubber banded it across the top. It doesn't over flow, crickets never get in, and it's secure enough that I have a very small plant sitting on top of the screen, to not only camouflage the bucket, but to allow the dripper to drip into. Plant gets watered, looks nice, and breaks the fall of the droplets, so no splatter, either. I have my dripper propped on the corner of the frame, on top of the cage, and the hose runs to the front corner where the bucket is. About every other day, I dump out the bucket and refill tje the dripper. Easy access, and takes 5 min total.
Click to expand...
Great idea!
 
Welcome! Definitely nix the red night bulb, they don't need any nighttime lights, they disrupt your little guy's sleep terribly. If your ambient temperature are below 50 at night use a ceramic bulb instead. Congrats on the scale baby, you did a great thing by taking him! That original setup he was in before you got him was a sin. The sad thing is that is exactly what's in the "chameleon kit" so without further advice many new keepers don't know it's a death trap. It's a great start to build an enclosure for a baby or juvenile, and cheaper than buying the individual components but there should be a huge disclaimer on the box!
 
Phil&James&Lacie said:
Thank you, Peachpink! Here's my info:
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled, male, 6-8 months old. We've been caring for him about a week now
  • Handling - I have not handled him at all yet. He's still very scared of me.
  • Feeding - 10 crickets a day (mixed large and small) and I put some mealworms on the floor. I haven't got a feeding schedule yet but am thinking around noon. I am feeding the crickets dog food, apples, and any other scrap fruits and veggies I have available.
  • Supplements - I dust the crickets with Flukers calcium and D3 everyday (I suspect he hasn't been getting enough).
  • Watering - We mist him with a spray bottle 2-3 times a day. We also have a little dripper but we stopped using t because it always seems to get the floor soaked. I have never seen him drink. He does open his mouth sometimes when I mist. The previous owner I do not think misted him because he hates it.
  • Fecal Description - he has only dropped a poop and pee sac once that I can see since I got him (a week ago). It isn't fresh so it's dried and black.
  • History - He was originally bought from a PetSmart as a baby.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - ZooMed
  • Lighting - ZooMed Tropical UVB & Heat lamp combo (it came with the kit). Plus a red bulb for night. Not sure of brand or wattage. We switch the lights at 11am and 11pm.
  • Temperature - See pic from above for the setup. I don't have a thermometer or humidity gauge yet but plan to get them.
  • Humidity - I mist 2-3 times a day.
  • Plants - Pothos and Umbrella plant.
  • Placement - Low traffic, in a bedroom next to the radiator and window. About 6 feet from the floor.
  • Location - Albany, NY

Current Problem - He is often at least half-grey. Is he just scared around us still? I'm worried he may have not been getting calcium from his previous owner. Bottom of the cage is often getting soaked.

Thanks for the help! :)
Click to expand...
Ok....here we go. You're doing a great job learning. And trying to offer what is best but there are some things that need some change.

-go out and get a digital probe thermometer. Temps are very important. Especially the basking temp. On a 6-8 month old the basking temp should be 85 and then after 8 months can be 90-95. Especially if you have him next to a radiator, it might be hotter than you think.

-definitely get rid of the night heat. He doesn't need it and it actually does harm in a couple of ways. First is the light, it disrupts his circadian rhythm. Chams need a good day/night schedule that mimics the sun to regulate hormones and other internal functions. They need complete dark to sleep. Second, they need the temp drop for digestion and metabolism.

-suppliments- stop the D3 every day. Even if he was not given it by his previous owner, too much is still toxic. You need plain Calcium with NO D3 for daily, the D3 twice a month and the multi vitamin twice a month. If you have a multi with D3 in it then you can just use that twice a month instead of the two separate ones. Or you could get Rashpray Calcium Plus Low D and use that 3 times a week and the other days use the Calcium No D3.

-feeding- dog food is not the best gut load. Fruits and veggies are great. You can even give fruits and veggies to your veiled. But I would also look for a better dry gutload like cricket crack or bug burger.
Also, meal worms should be a treat only and not a daily feeder. Look into getting a bigger variety. Crickets can be a great staple. Look also into getting things like silk worms, dubia, black soldier fly larve(I let mine turn to flies and my panther goes nuts for them, my veiled is still figuring out what to do with them, but he's new, lol). Also you can get hornworms, great for hydration but not as a staple. Also super worms, butter worms and wax worms can be treats also. Supers a little more offer than the others.
Go to the feeders forum and learn about feeders.

-watering- mine still run form the spray sometimes. The hand misters put out a lot of large drops and they don't really like it but it is critical that they get the hydration. And the longer sessions help them to clean out their eyes and encourage them to drink. I would highly recommend getting an automatic mister like a mistking. Best investment I ever made. As much as we want to be available 3-4 times a day to stand there for 3-5 minutes to spray, let's be honest, there are days it.might not happen. Plus, if you even go anywhere, it's a lifesaver. I believe you can find drainpans at DIY Cages that will fit the zoomed. Then start looking through the enclosure thread and see what others have done. I have one that I dump the drain pan and the other I use a wet vac on until I can get it on a permanent base that I can drill holes for drainage. I did use for a while just a large towel that I traded out every day with a dry one. Chams are shy drinkers so you might never see him drink. Just pay attention to his urate, if it's white, your good, if it's yellow or orange then he's dehydrated.

Eventually I would say get a linier UVB bulb instead of the combo. It covers more area. And keep in mind UVB need to be replaces every 6 months unless you have an Arcadia, those can be a year.

Is there a reason you are doing 11-11? I would try and follow sunrise sunset if you can.

I know it's a lot...but you can do it and pretty soon you'll have it all down and he will be a happy guy. Good luck!

(Sorry for any typos, im doing this on my phone)
 
I have a little dripper as well. In order to keep it from soaking the floor bottom, I position above one of my live plants (one that likes a little bit of water throughout the day). I also put an aluminum pie pan underneath the potted plant so excess water can easily drain without getting the floor wet.
 
Peachypink said:
Ok....here we go. You're doing a great job learning. And trying to offer what is best but there are some things that need some change.

-go out and get a digital probe thermometer. Temps are very important. Especially the basking temp. On a 6-8 month old the basking temp should be 85 and then after 8 months can be 90-95. Especially if you have him next to a radiator, it might be hotter than you think.

-definitely get rid of the night heat. He doesn't need it and it actually does harm in a couple of ways. First is the light, it disrupts his circadian rhythm. Chams need a good day/night schedule that mimics the sun to regulate hormones and other internal functions. They need complete dark to sleep. Second, they need the temp drop for digestion and metabolism.

-suppliments- stop the D3 every day. Even if he was not given it by his previous owner, too much is still toxic. You need plain Calcium with NO D3 for daily, the D3 twice a month and the multi vitamin twice a month. If you have a multi with D3 in it then you can just use that twice a month instead of the two separate ones. Or you could get Rashpray Calcium Plus Low D and use that 3 times a week and the other days use the Calcium No D3.

-feeding- dog food is not the best gut load. Fruits and veggies are great. You can even give fruits and veggies to your veiled. But I would also look for a better dry gutload like cricket crack or bug burger.
Also, meal worms should be a treat only and not a daily feeder. Look into getting a bigger variety. Crickets can be a great staple. Look also into getting things like silk worms, dubia, black soldier fly larve(I let mine turn to flies and my panther goes nuts for them, my veiled is still figuring out what to do with them, but he's new, lol). Also you can get hornworms, great for hydration but not as a staple. Also super worms, butter worms and wax worms can be treats also. Supers a little more offer than the others.
Go to the feeders forum and learn about feeders.

-watering- mine still run form the spray sometimes. The hand misters put out a lot of large drops and they don't really like it but it is critical that they get the hydration. And the longer sessions help them to clean out their eyes and encourage them to drink. I would highly recommend getting an automatic mister like a mistking. Best investment I ever made. As much as we want to be available 3-4 times a day to stand there for 3-5 minutes to spray, let's be honest, there are days it.might not happen. Plus, if you even go anywhere, it's a lifesaver. I believe you can find drainpans at DIY Cages that will fit the zoomed. Then start looking through the enclosure thread and see what others have done. I have one that I dump the drain pan and the other I use a wet vac on until I can get it on a permanent base that I can drill holes for drainage. I did use for a while just a large towel that I traded out every day with a dry one. Chams are shy drinkers so you might never see him drink. Just pay attention to his urate, if it's white, your good, if it's yellow or orange then he's dehydrated.

Eventually I would say get a linier UVB bulb instead of the combo. It covers more area. And keep in mind UVB need to be replaces every 6 months unless you have an Arcadia, those can be a year.

Is there a reason you are doing 11-11? I would try and follow sunrise sunset if you can.

I know it's a lot...but you can do it and pretty soon you'll have it all down and he will be a happy guy. Good luck!

(Sorry for any typos, im doing this on my phone)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info!
 
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