Help me improve their health

[Lpsouth1978]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon- The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • 1. (Chuck Norris) Ambilobe x Sambava, 2 years old, in my care almost 2 years
  • 2. (Bruce Lee) Ambilobe, 1.5 years old, in my care 1+ year
• Handling- How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • 1. A few times a month
  • Never
• Feeding- What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Almost exclusively crickets (neither will touch roaches, and they are afraid of any worms I have tried). I feed 5-6 large crickets 3-4 times a week. Crickets are fed collard, turnip and dandelion greens, squash, carrots, whatever I have available really. Also always have Repashy Superload in the tub with them.
• Supplements- What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Rep-Cal w/o D3 every feeding, Rep-Cal W/ D3 2x a month, Reptivite w/o D3 2x a month
• Watering- What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Mist king misting system w/2 nozzles in each cage (just ordered 2 more and will be switching to 3 per cage) They are misted for 30 sec @ 2am, 7am, and 10pm, and for 3 min @ 11am and 4pm. I sometimes see them drink, Chuck more than Bruce.
• Fecal Description- Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • Mostly white urates with slight yellow end. Poo is pretty solid and brown. Both have been tested for parasites, but not recently.
• History- Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
  • Chuck has had a history of losing his color. Last time I fixed it with more outside time.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type- Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • 48x24 Reptibreeze screen cages, all sides except lower door and top are wrapped in plastic.
• Lighting- What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • 4 bulb 24" T5 fixtures w/3 daylight plant bulbs and a Reptisun 5.0 UVB bulb, Sansi Pool Bulb for basking (in Dome fixture).
• Temperature- What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Basking @ 85-87, Floor @ 72-74, night time @ 68-70, Measured with temp probes, wireless thermometers in cage, and laser temp gun
• Humidity- What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • 40%-50% mostly. Using misting and wrapped cages in plastic to try and keep it up. Often use foggers @ night, but with temps rising may not be able to much for the next several months. Wireless hygrometers throughout cage and one wired probe near basking spot.
• Plants- Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Mostly Golden Pothos and spider plants, tried some others but most die too quickly.
• Placement- 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?
  • In the dining nook, low traffic and not used a lot, no air vents, there is a ceiling fan nearby, but it is rarely used. Cages are on stands and the tops are about 7' from the floor.
• Location- Where are you geographically located?
  • Phoenix Arizona area

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
It was brought to my attention by a member on this forum that "they do not look very healthy". I know that their colors are not a bright as they could be, but I did not see anything else that concerned me. Now I am questioning that. I just ordered new Reptisun 5.0 T5 UVB bulbs even though the current ones are only a few months old, and increased the misting to 5 minutes each instead of 3. I also plan on removing and replacing dead/dyeing plants this weekend. Please let me know what more I can do and what you see that makes you think the do "not look very healthy".

 

[MissSkittles]

Not finding anything wrong with your husbandry other than you could offer more variety of feeders.
Aside from their colors being washed out, my eyes aren’t seeing anything wrong with your guys. I recall when Chuck lost his vibrancy and have had it happen last year to my guy in addition to it having happened to other’s, I’m thinking it’s just something that some male panthers go thru annually. Why not all, why does it happen in the first place…no idea.

Panthers have been known to go through full color phases, especially in the winter. It doesn't happen often, but here's a few for examples. https://www.chameleonforums.com/panthers-mid-life-crisis-color-change-76455/ Mine lost all the red and orange for the winter months but come spring he got it all back. He only did it once and is back to normal now

 

[Beman]

Yeah so your husbandry is spot on... They both look healthy, hydrated, at a good weight, no signs of mbd or any other issue I can visibly see.
I think you got that comment from that member because of the category your thread was in... And the fact that you would be possibly taking away from their business by having the post up.

While colors may be more muted this does happen with panther chameleons. I have seen it numerous times and then spring hits or they see another cham and they pop in color again.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Both chams are beautiful!

 

[Lpsouth1978]

Thank you all for the affirmation that they both look healthy. Here are some new pics after cleaning things up and replacing some plants today. I still need to get a couple more plants for Chucks cage, but I think they both look better already.