Hello! Refresh my memory...

[GatorBat77]

It's been 16 years since I last had a 2 Veileds & a Panther Cham. Looking forward to getting my new juvie veiled (3.5 months old)! My enclosure is properly set up and ready to go.
Questions:
1. What behavior should I look for once he arrives - Stress vs comfort within enclosure.
2. Start handling after a week of being acclimated?

Appreciate the advice!

 

[lexiexxox]

1) Normally they would be stressed getting used to their new environment
2) Yes wait a week before trying to handle them, let them settle in

 

[kinyonga]

Do you know about supplementing, proper UVB lighting, watering and all the other husbandry things that are important. Things have changed quite a bit in the last 16 years!

 

[lexiexxox]

Do you know about supplementing, proper UVB lighting, watering and all the other husbandry things that are important. Things have changed quite a bit in the last 16 years!

Yes! For UVB you need to have a high output 5.0 T5 HO Linear UVB bulb that matches the width of your inclosure. There are some cool videos on youtube that explain it more in depth. For watering you can either get a misting system, or do it by hand with a spray bottle. You just need to make sure there are plenty of water droplets on the leaves for your cham to stay hydrated. Get a digital hydrometer to make sure humidity levels stay between 40% and 70%. A >6 month old cham can have as small as a 18x18x32in mesh enclosure, and after that, they need a 24x24x48in mesh enclosure. Leave the bottom bare. Make sure there are plenty of places for them to hide and climb by using big leafy plants and clean pieces of driftwood or bamboo. Use real plants, but research if yours are safe for the chameleon. Clean everything thoroughly to make sure there are no pesticides or small bugs on the things you place in the cage. Make sure the cage is mesh for proper ventilation. I feed my chameleon mainly crickets, occasionally super worms and hornworms. I dust them with supplements using this schedule:
Week 1
M- Cal T-Cal W- Cal Th-Cal F-Cal S-Cal S-Cal w/ vitamin D3
Week 2
M- Cal T-Cal W-Cal Th-Cal F-Cal S-Cal S- Multivitamin
Repeat
Make sure the main calcium is phosphorus and vitamin D3 free. The other calcium should have D3. You can get these supplement powders at Petsmart Petco or Amazon. Make sure their basking temp is 80-95°F and their bottom temp is around 70-75°F. Achieve this using a heat bulb of some kind. Again, more in-depth vids on youtube with a quick search! I use a digital thermometer that has the measurement point tied to the basking branch to make sure the basking place isn’t too hot or too cold for my cham. Too hot can cause major burns and permanent scars on their skin. To prevent that further, make sure the branch is low enough from the top of the cage so they can’t touch the top and burn themselves. Oh also I gutload my insects using carrots and mustard greens. Lol that was a lot! But hoped it helped. Any other questions?

 

[kinyonga]

@lexiexxox I was asking the OP but it looks like your husbandry is pretty good! (You missed gutloading/feeding insects though! )

 

[GatorBat77]

Do you know about supplementing, proper UVB lighting, watering and all the other husbandry things that are important. Things have changed quite a bit in the last 16 years!

Refresh my memory more! A lot of conflicting info out there.

 

[lexiexxox]

@lexiexxox I was asking the OP but it looks like your husbandry is pretty good! (You missed gutloading/feeding insects though! )

Oops lol! I mentioned gutloading by the end haha.

 

[GatorBat77]

Yes! For UVB you need to have a high output 5.0 T5 HO Linear UVB bulb that matches the width of your inclosure. There are some cool videos on youtube that explain it more in depth. For watering you can either get a misting system, or do it by hand with a spray bottle. You just need to make sure there are plenty of water droplets on the leaves for your cham to stay hydrated. Get a digital hydrometer to make sure humidity levels stay between 40% and 70%. A >6 month old cham can have as small as a 18x18x32in mesh enclosure, and after that, they need a 24x24x48in mesh enclosure. Leave the bottom bare. Make sure there are plenty of places for them to hide and climb by using big leafy plants and clean pieces of driftwood or bamboo. Use real plants, but research if yours are safe for the chameleon. Clean everything thoroughly to make sure there are no pesticides or small bugs on the things you place in the cage. Make sure the cage is mesh for proper ventilation. I feed my chameleon mainly crickets, occasionally super worms and hornworms. I dust them with supplements using this schedule:
Week 1
M- Cal T-Cal W- Cal Th-Cal F-Cal S-Cal S-Cal w/ vitamin D3
Week 2
M- Cal T-Cal W-Cal Th-Cal F-Cal S-Cal S- Multivitamin
Repeat
Make sure the main calcium is phosphorus and vitamin D3 free. The other calcium should have D3. You can get these supplement powders at Petsmart Petco or Amazon. Make sure their basking temp is 80-95°F and their bottom temp is around 70-75°F. Achieve this using a heat bulb of some kind. Again, more in-depth vids on youtube with a quick search! I use a digital thermometer that has the measurement point tied to the basking branch to make sure the basking place isn’t too hot or too cold for my cham. Too hot can cause major burns and permanent scars on their skin. To prevent that further, make sure the branch is low enough from the top of the cage so they can’t touch the top and burn themselves. Oh also I gutload my insects using carrots and mustard greens. Lol that was a lot! But hoped it helped. Any other questions?

This was awesome!!! Thank you! I love the simplified info!

 

[kinyonga]

Oops lol! I mentioned gutloading by the end haha.

So you did!

 

[MissSkittles]

Chameleonacademy.com is an awesome resource to get reliable information. There’s also a podcast that you can access from there. The creator of both of those, Bill Strand is also the creator of Dragon Strand which makes beautiful enclosures and dragon ledges which help secure things inside a non Dragon Strand enclosure.

 

[GatorBat77]

Chameleonacademy.com is an awesome resource to get reliable information. There’s also a podcast that you can access from there. The creator of both of those, Bill Strand is also the creator of Dragon Strand which makes beautiful enclosures and dragon ledges which help secure things inside a non Dragon Strand enclosure.

I love Dragon Strand! I'll check out the link!