I just bought a baby Jackson chameleon (male), and figured I'd better sign up for some kind of forum. I have, so far, worried about him quite a bit, and I feel like it would be nice to have quick access to a place I can ask questions.
I keep forgetting to ask the store how old he is, but he's about an inch long (not counting the tail - the tail is way too hard to measure). He seems to be doing well, for now. I just talked to the breeder who keeps his mother, and he says I'm doing everything right and that I have nothing to worry about.
That said, I'm likely to freak out if anything out of the ordinary happens, and will need access to some form of chameleon expert very quickly - hence my signing up to this forum. I'd be worried enough if he was an adult, but since he's so small, I'm scared to death that I'm going to kill him.
Anyway, as to the description of the chameleon, his horns are just barely noticeable - little bumps on his head, so far. He's been drinking nearly every time I mist the cage, he's been eating (or, at least, trying to eat - he seems to miss whenever he fires at a bug more than an inch or so away) regularly, and he's been changing colors more often than I know how to explain. It always frightens me when he turns black, but he seems alright - he doesn't become lethargic when he's black (in fact, he's pretty much always active, unless he's sleeping). When he's hunting, he usually turns tan, with a bright green pattern down his sides and around his eyes. As soon as he stops hunting, he turns either dark brown or black.
I'm keeping him on my computer desk, just to the right of my monitor - it helps me pay more attention to him, because I'm usually at my computer (I'm a computer techie and programmer who works from home).
Also, I've got a cat, but he hasn't paid any attention to the chameleon, yet. He's way more interested in the fake mouse I've got hanging on an elastic band from my bedroom doorway (he's broken the elastic band twice in the past half hour).
Oh, and I have yet to choose a name. No idea what to choose. Might go with Galli, though (after a character I made up).
[edit] I found another new poster ... uh ... post, which contained a reply with a questionaire, so I figured I'd fill it out now.
Cage Info:
* Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
It's a typical 10 gallon glass tank with a screen top. I plan to switch to something much taller (and with better ventilation) once his horns are about half an inch long.
* Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I'm using a ... uh ... no idea what the brand is (the box is long since gone), but it's a 7% UVB light (according to the markings on the bulb). I turn this one on when it begins to get light outside, then turn it off a little while after it gets dark out. I also have the cage near a window so that he gets a bit of natural sunlight.
I've also got a dark heat lamp (one of those "moonlight" ones), which I just bought. I haven't yet decided how long to leave it on, but I might just leave that one on all the time - it depends on the temperature in the tank.
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I just bought a thermometer today, but it broke within moments of putting it in the cage. That was a fun mess to clean up.
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Once again, I'm not sure what the levels are. I'm spraying the cage three to five times per day, and he's drinking droplets of water nearly every time I spray. I need to get something that measures humidity - I'll try to grab something tomorrow (as well as a replacement thermometer).
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Not yet. I just have plastic ones, for now.
* Location - 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?
There's no such thing as a high traffic area in my house. I have one friend, and we usually go do stuff at his place (he's a smoker, and there's no way I'm letting him smoke in my house). It's near my PS3, which has fans in it, but other than that, just the wind from the window. The top of the cage is about three and a half feet off the floor - but then, the bottom of the cage is only a foot under that.
Chameleon Info:
* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Male Jackson. Not sure of the age, but it's very small, so I'm guessing it's very young. I've had it since ... uh ... last Saturday.
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
As seldom as possible, for now. I put my hand in the cage, but I don't touch him if I can help it. Although, he did crawl onto my finger when I wasn't looking, once - scared me a bit. He basically just used my finger as a bridge to get to another branch - I think he saw a cricket.
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
So far, I'm just feeding him crickets. I've got a few vegetables at the bottom of the cage and I give him about 30+ per week. I know I should probably be putting fewer in at a time, but the breeder who owns his mother said that as long as I have some form of vegetable in the cage, the crickets should chew on those instead of him.
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Rep-cal, it seems. I plan to dust the crickets once every other day or so.
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Spray bottle. I spray the cage so that the sides and all visible plants have droplets on them, and I do that between three and five times daily - depending on how thirsty he seems. He drinks nearly every time I spray the cage, and doesn't wait until I'm gone.
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
The poo seems to be very dark, with a white tip. I don't want to turn on the light to look closer, though - he's sleeping.
I keep forgetting to ask the store how old he is, but he's about an inch long (not counting the tail - the tail is way too hard to measure). He seems to be doing well, for now. I just talked to the breeder who keeps his mother, and he says I'm doing everything right and that I have nothing to worry about.
That said, I'm likely to freak out if anything out of the ordinary happens, and will need access to some form of chameleon expert very quickly - hence my signing up to this forum. I'd be worried enough if he was an adult, but since he's so small, I'm scared to death that I'm going to kill him.
Anyway, as to the description of the chameleon, his horns are just barely noticeable - little bumps on his head, so far. He's been drinking nearly every time I mist the cage, he's been eating (or, at least, trying to eat - he seems to miss whenever he fires at a bug more than an inch or so away) regularly, and he's been changing colors more often than I know how to explain. It always frightens me when he turns black, but he seems alright - he doesn't become lethargic when he's black (in fact, he's pretty much always active, unless he's sleeping). When he's hunting, he usually turns tan, with a bright green pattern down his sides and around his eyes. As soon as he stops hunting, he turns either dark brown or black.
I'm keeping him on my computer desk, just to the right of my monitor - it helps me pay more attention to him, because I'm usually at my computer (I'm a computer techie and programmer who works from home).
Also, I've got a cat, but he hasn't paid any attention to the chameleon, yet. He's way more interested in the fake mouse I've got hanging on an elastic band from my bedroom doorway (he's broken the elastic band twice in the past half hour).
Oh, and I have yet to choose a name. No idea what to choose. Might go with Galli, though (after a character I made up).
[edit] I found another new poster ... uh ... post, which contained a reply with a questionaire, so I figured I'd fill it out now.
Cage Info:
* Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
It's a typical 10 gallon glass tank with a screen top. I plan to switch to something much taller (and with better ventilation) once his horns are about half an inch long.
* Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I'm using a ... uh ... no idea what the brand is (the box is long since gone), but it's a 7% UVB light (according to the markings on the bulb). I turn this one on when it begins to get light outside, then turn it off a little while after it gets dark out. I also have the cage near a window so that he gets a bit of natural sunlight.
I've also got a dark heat lamp (one of those "moonlight" ones), which I just bought. I haven't yet decided how long to leave it on, but I might just leave that one on all the time - it depends on the temperature in the tank.
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I just bought a thermometer today, but it broke within moments of putting it in the cage. That was a fun mess to clean up.
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Once again, I'm not sure what the levels are. I'm spraying the cage three to five times per day, and he's drinking droplets of water nearly every time I spray. I need to get something that measures humidity - I'll try to grab something tomorrow (as well as a replacement thermometer).
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Not yet. I just have plastic ones, for now.
* Location - 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?
There's no such thing as a high traffic area in my house. I have one friend, and we usually go do stuff at his place (he's a smoker, and there's no way I'm letting him smoke in my house). It's near my PS3, which has fans in it, but other than that, just the wind from the window. The top of the cage is about three and a half feet off the floor - but then, the bottom of the cage is only a foot under that.
Chameleon Info:
* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Male Jackson. Not sure of the age, but it's very small, so I'm guessing it's very young. I've had it since ... uh ... last Saturday.
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
As seldom as possible, for now. I put my hand in the cage, but I don't touch him if I can help it. Although, he did crawl onto my finger when I wasn't looking, once - scared me a bit. He basically just used my finger as a bridge to get to another branch - I think he saw a cricket.
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
So far, I'm just feeding him crickets. I've got a few vegetables at the bottom of the cage and I give him about 30+ per week. I know I should probably be putting fewer in at a time, but the breeder who owns his mother said that as long as I have some form of vegetable in the cage, the crickets should chew on those instead of him.
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Rep-cal, it seems. I plan to dust the crickets once every other day or so.
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Spray bottle. I spray the cage so that the sides and all visible plants have droplets on them, and I do that between three and five times daily - depending on how thirsty he seems. He drinks nearly every time I spray the cage, and doesn't wait until I'm gone.
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
The poo seems to be very dark, with a white tip. I don't want to turn on the light to look closer, though - he's sleeping.
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Your house temps sound great for a Jacksons.
