First time starter please help

[Justboy]

Hi, i was planing on getting a yemen chameleon and spent many months learning about them, but fell in love with pygmy chameleons when i got to the pet shop. i've only had them a 4 days now and would like some advice.
Firstly, which is male and which is female? (i dont know how to link pictures yet so i've added them as an attachment)
Secondly i am worried about the second chameleon as it seems very inactive and spends most of its time down on the substrate, in comparison the first chameleon is very active and spends its day wondering arround hunting.
Thirdly, with in 4 days of setting up the tank the main log seems to have grey fluff on the cut ends of it? is this bad? and how do i prevent it.

I care for them by misting them once a day and feeding them 6 size 2 crickets everyday (between them) however i've only seen the inactive chameleon eat once. The temp stays arround 75 to 80 and i have a light on them for a few about 6 hours a day when the light outside fades.

 

[pssh]

I'm not very good at sexing them, but it may be a female and the substrate is no good for laying eggs. You need organic fertilizer free soil on the bottom so it can lay. If it is a femalethat needs to lay it may die if you don't get soil now.

The fluff sounds like mold so remove the log immediately. 80 degrees is way too hot for pygmies and can actually kill them if it remains that warm, they are a low temp species.

 

[Justboy]

Hi thanks for your advice, i'll go and get some soil within the next few hours, as for the temp i was following this guide http://www.herpfamily.com/docs/Bearded Pygmy Leaf Chameleon.html, and most other guides say the same thing about the temp? should i still lower it anyways?

 

[pssh]

75 would be ideal, pygmies are sensitive to the temperature and heat stresses them out which can kill them.

Make sure the soil is damp. If you can get picture of the pygmies from the side with their tails in the shot others can help sex them. I want to saythe first one is male just because of the pattern, but again, I'm not very good at sexing them...

There is also a thread called sexing pygmies 101 that you may find useful. Do a quick search and you should find it.

 

[kinyonga]

You can sex them by looking at the tails...males have longer tails.

This thread shows a female...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/r-brevicaudatus-sexing-6994/

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I believe they are both male and I am rather certain they are not the same species.
Your enclosure needs a bit of work and we need better pictures if we are to determine gender/species.
I do not think the second animal is brevicaudatus.
Here is the proper way to construct a habitat suitable for these animals:

http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=63

Pssh: Have you a lot of experience with this species to be able to offer advice on this topic?

-Brad

 

[Justboy]

I've changed the substraight now to a soil, and removed the log, does anyone have idea's why this log would grow mould after just 4 days in a tank? shouldnt it of been treated? again cham 1 is doing well, feeds well and is happy to come onto my hand, i'm still not sure about cham 2, i'm quite sure it wont be with us in the mourning =(. I was told when i purchased these chameleons they where a breeding pair, and that the substraight was fine, i feel a little anoyed now.

I will have new pictures up tomorrow so please check back and help.

Thank you all

 

[serenitystarlite]

I have some logs in my gargoyle geckos' tank which I put a coat of water-based polyurethane on. It keeps them from getting moldy in a more humid enclosure and makes them easier to clean. If you do this, just make sure you let them air dry for at least a couple of weeks to get rid of fumes. I did the same thing with the branches in my chameleon cages to make them waterproof and easy to clean.

 

[Lizardlover]

75 would be ideal, pygmies are sensitive to the temperature and heat stresses them out which can kill them.

Make sure the soil is damp. If you can get picture of the pygmies from the side with their tails in the shot others can help sex them. I want to saythe first one is male just because of the pattern, but again, I'm not very good at sexing them...

There is also a thread called sexing pygmies 101 that you may find useful. Do a quick search and you should find it.

actually I would recommend bed-a-beast or eco-earth because it doesnt turn into mud when it comes into contact with a lot water.

Picture 1 is a definite male R.Brevicaudatus

Picture 2, Im not 100% sure of, is a male R.Temporalis

 

[Carlton]

does anyone have idea's why this log would grow mould after just 4 days in a tank? shouldnt it of been treated? i'm still not sure about cham 2, i'm quite sure it wont be with us in the mourning =(.

No way are they a breeding pair. Different species certainly and I think you are right...looks like temporalis. They are stressed partially due to the poor care and misidentification by the seller, being confined together probably, and the "weaker" one is now declining. It may be ill too. A shame. Separate them!

The log can mold if there were any spores already on the wood that were re-activated by the moist conditions. Who knows what if anything the wood was treated with. Possibly just dried out, not really cleaned.

 

[Justboy]

I think your right, there different species, i feel really cheated now. I will seperate them tomorrow first thing, if cham 2 (r.temporalis) is still with us. Like i said cham 1 (R.Brevicaudatus ) is fine and hopefully i'll have some more stuff to put in the tank tomorrow providing it comes in the mail.
And again i think i'll take that log back and talk to them about it, see whats what, because i paid £15 for it and it should be treated.