Help me be a good Mom

[fattoushlove]

Hello all,
I am in need of some sage advice about my lovely chameleon. Backstory: I owned a baby chameleon (fattoush) for a little less than a year. The poor baby was blinded by the UVB coil light and thus couldn't hunt and died. I would like to know the most cost effective way to protect my new juvenile veiled from the same fate. Right now the light is exo terra 2.0W and it is about 1/2in from the top of the cage. Cage is a 5 gal and the tallest point he can get is about 4in from the top.
What has worked best for all you chameleon enthusiasts out there? I want the best living environment for him possible(with a budget in mind).

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums. I recommend a Reptisun 5.0 tube style UVB bulb and a screen cage. I just love veileds and wrote this blog when I had my babies. I hope you will find it helpful so that you can keep your little one healthy and happy.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[carol5208]

hello and welcome. JannB gave you some great info to follow to raise a happy and healthy chameleon. The first thing I would do is get rid of the 5 gallon(is it a tank?) That is way to small for a juvenile or even a baby.

 

[fattoushlove]

Thank you

Thank you, for responding. I am def. going to get a larger mesh cage as soon as I can. I appreciate the help. They are such amazing little creatures!

 

[Lovereps]

Hello and welcome to the forum!
That's so sad about poor Fattoush.

People here are happy to help you get things set up so that your cham can live a long and healthy life.

Unfortunately a 5 gallon enclosure is far too small for your cham.

You can save money by buying some used supplies--except for the UVB lightbulbs, which stop putting out enough UVB at about 6 months.
I wouldn't trust a used one, since it is very easy for a seller to underestimate how long it was used for.
I would also not reuse anything porous, like branches, because they are difficult to disinfect.
If you buy used supplies, be sure to clean and sanitize them with a bleach solution.

Here is some excellent info on Veiled cham care:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/


The 2.0 bulb doesn't really provide enough UVB for a cham.
Many people here safely use a Reptisun 5.0 bulb right on the screen top of the enclosure.

Here are more details on the lighting needs:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/lighting/

 

[fattoushlove]

All great advice

Much agreed, I have been concerned about the cage since I had fattoush. I appreciate the knowledge and will go about being a responsible cham owner as soon as possible. Thank you!

 

[fattoushlove]

If you helped FATTOUSHLOVE last week....

Hi to the two ladies who took interest in my thread and commented on my new cham. I just wanted to thank you so much for giving me your fantastic advice...I got Chlyde(named him finally) a 38 gallon mesh enclosure and a reptiglo uvb light(13 watt). He is eating well and loves his new home. I am looking at adding live plants(non-toxic of course) to keep in humidity.
Please friend me if you find me I would love to keep you updated on Chlyde and I would love to hear more about the wonderful creatures we commonly love.
Thanks again!
Melissa

 

[Decadancin]

Welcome!

Hey Melissa, nice to have you here on the forums! Glad to hear your new friend is doing well. Some great choices for live plants are golden pothos (easy to care for) and hibiscus (suggest a 6500k grow light for this to keep healthy) and there are plenty others. When your boy gets a bit older you will need to have a basking site set up. A simple incandescent household bulb in a dome fixture will do the trick. (Since on a budget, don't get at the pet store. Home improvement store will have them ) This will aid digestion and help Chlyde warm up for the day! Best of luck with your new friend and again, Welcome to the forums!!!

 

[jannb]

Hi to the two ladies who took interest in my thread and commented on my new cham. I just wanted to thank you so much for giving me your fantastic advice...I got Chlyde(named him finally) a 38 gallon mesh enclosure and a reptiglo uvb light(13 watt). He is eating well and loves his new home. I am looking at adding live plants(non-toxic of course) to keep in humidity.
Please friend me if you find me I would love to keep you updated on Chlyde and I would love to hear more about the wonderful creatures we commonly love.
Thanks again!
Melissa

So happy to hear that you got him a larger home. Glad that he's doing well.