help! No experience with veiled cham(s)

[jackschamnewbie]

I just recieved two baby veiled chams and have no idea how their housing and treatment differs from the adults. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for keeping them healthy?

I have them in an aquarium with grape vines and small ferns. 14w t8 uvb lamp on top and no basking light because I do not know what temps the babies need, trying to stay on the safe side.

I know aquariums do not offer any drainage but I have heard that veiled chams do not need as much water?
ugh pleeeease help idk what to do with them, not prepared at all.
They are so cute, i could not refuse them.

Any advice is very greatly appreciated

 

[szpond]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

I would start off by reading this top to bottom, it really is a detailed and easy to follow care guide.

After reading, do let us know if you have any questions about the set-up.

An aquarium is not the best choice for a veiled chameleon for it offers poor ventilation, and chameleons have very delicate respiratory systems. Chameleons are kept very well in screen enclosures and there is also success keeping in large well ventilated terrariums (for example, glass sides with a screen top and screen front, which I've seen quite a few of).

I have not kept a baby in awhile but from what I understand, baby veileds can be housed together until a certain age. Another user will have to chime in to what age this is. However, they will need to be separated in the near future.

Also it is very important (for they will be eating a lot when they're young!) that the enclosure is small enough that they can hunt well, not too large that they can't find their food easily.

---

I'm taking another look at the photos. Do you know of their age?
It seems as though the rocks that are covering the soil in the potted plants are rather small -- small enough that a chameleon may accidentally pick one up while shooting their tongue at prey, swallowing a stone. I would replace these with larger rocks to be safe.

 

[jackschamnewbie]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

I would start off by reading this top to bottom, it really is a detailed and easy to follow care guide.

After reading, do let us know if you have any questions about the set-up.

An aquarium is not the best choice for a veiled chameleon for it offers poor ventilation, and chameleons have very delicate respiratory systems. Chameleons are kept very well in screen enclosures and there is also success keeping in large well ventilated terrariums (for example, glass sides with a screen top and screen front, which I've seen quite a few of).

I have not kept a baby in awhile but from what I understand, baby veileds can be housed together until a certain age. Another user will have to chime in to what age this is. However, they will need to be separated in the near future.

Also it is very important (for they will be eating a lot when they're young!) that the enclosure is small enough that they can hunt well, not too large that they can't find their food easily.

---

I'm taking another look at the photos. Do you know of their age?
It seems as though the rocks that are covering the soil in the potted plants are rather small -- small enough that a chameleon may accidentally pick one up while shooting their tongue at prey, swallowing a stone. I would replace these with larger rocks to be safe.

I am not sure of their age but 3" nose to tale on the bigger one.

I have an 18x18x30 exo but I felt like this is really big for them,
I put in larger rocks and am still trying to find something that is screen on atleast 2 sides. I saw a thread for a pygmy enclosure that was screen on top and bottom and had railing and vines for them to have an easy time hunting. I need to find a tupper ware is all then its on. Do you know where I could find leaf littler that would be suitable for use with the babies?

I used the fish tank because I knew the feeders would stay in and be easy to find. Not sure how that will be changed by using plastic instead seeing as the pinheads can crawl right up it.

 

[szpond]

I am not sure of their age but 3" nose to tale on the bigger one.

I have an 18x18x30 exo but I felt like this is really big for them,
I put in larger rocks and am still trying to find something that is screen on atleast 2 sides. I saw a thread for a pygmy enclosure that was screen on top and bottom and had railing and vines for them to have an easy time hunting. I need to find a tupper ware is all then its on. Do you know where I could find leaf littler that would be suitable for use with the babies?

I used the fish tank because I knew the feeders would stay in and be easy to find. Not sure how that will be changed by using plastic instead seeing as the pinheads can crawl right up it.

I could be a bit off, but I would assume somewhere between 2-3 months old.

What are the dimensions of what you are keeping them in right now? Seems to be pretty large, but it may just be the photo.

I have made my own enclosure for my adult cham, it can actually be relatively easy but because you already have your chameleons I would look for something already made to make it quicker.

Why not check out the site sponsors and see what types of cages they have to offer?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/index.php?page=sponsors&type=supplies

I have purchased a cage from http://diycages.com/ and was very happy with it. Same with the price. You could also purchase a small repti-breeze from PetSmart or PetCo, the size of the small will be beneficial to their hunting. The dimensions are escaping me, though I will type them out if I remember them. Though I need to ask, why the need to use a leaf litter? I like the clean look you have right now, no substrate on the bottom, no soil or loose matter (like leaf matter) that they could accidentally eat while hunting.

Pygmy chameleons are quite a different type of chameleon; they are forest floor dwellers, whereas veiled chameleons are tree dwellers. Pygmy chameleons have an entirely different set-up than "true" chameleons such as a veiled chameleon, so I wouldn't use a pygmy set-up for reference.

It is good they are large enough for pinheads. Having an all screen enclosure is very engaging for a chameleon because the prey can climb up screens -- think about what fun hunting, lots of exercise. Look up some of the custom made enclosure threads that are floating around the site -- they are very useful, and I used one as a guideline for my custom made enclosure, which is five feet tall, two feet wide by two feet.

 

[camimom]

an 18x18x30 is fine for them.

I put my hatchlings in a cage that size.

you need to follow the directions on the blog,

if you cup feed they wont have an issue with food.

 

[jackschamnewbie]

I could be a bit off, but I would assume somewhere between 2-3 months old.

What are the dimensions of what you are keeping them in right now? Seems to be pretty large, but it may just be the photo.

I have made my own enclosure for my adult cham, it can actually be relatively easy but because you already have your chameleons I would look for something already made to make it quicker.

Why not check out the site sponsors and see what types of cages they have to offer?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/index.php?page=sponsors&type=supplies

I have purchased a cage from http://diycages.com/ and was very happy with it. Same with the price. You could also purchase a small repti-breeze from PetSmart or PetCo, the size of the small will be beneficial to their hunting. The dimensions are escaping me, though I will type them out if I remember them. Though I need to ask, why the need to use a leaf litter? I like the clean look you have right now, no substrate on the bottom, no soil or loose matter (like leaf matter) that they could accidentally eat while hunting.

Pygmy chameleons are quite a different type of chameleon; they are forest floor dwellers, whereas veiled chameleons are tree dwellers. Pygmy chameleons have an entirely different set-up than "true" chameleons such as a veiled chameleon, so I wouldn't use a pygmy set-up for reference.

It is good they are large enough for pinheads. Having an all screen enclosure is very engaging for a chameleon because the prey can climb up screens -- think about what fun hunting, lots of exercise. Look up some of the custom made enclosure threads that are floating around the site -- they are very useful, and I used one as a guideline for my custom made enclosure, which is five feet tall, two feet wide by two feet.

Yea, the exoterra I have is all screen and what I used for my jackson as she was getting bigger. I will clean and get that ready tonight for sure. It has a few holes from installing the misters and branch screws that need plugged but it is still in decent shape. Problem is the feeders being small enough to get lost and some will be able to crawl right through the screen.

I am working on building a drain table with 3 screened enclosures on it. The dimensions for the enclosures will be 3'lx2.5'dx4'h each.

I am just worried that the feeders will accumulate in the corners and have too much space to not all get eaten in a short ammount of time. If given enough time the feeders will eat the plants, one of which is mildly toxic (pothos) and that is not something that I am ok with my chams eating.

As for cup feeding... I dont really like to do that. I am scared that I will make them lazy and fat or poor hunters.

I havent cup fed unless I was supplementing or using feeders that are able to escape through the screen.

Probably just gonna get over myself and cup feed them for the time being... Any one know how to make a good cup for feeding that fruit flies cant get out of and the chams wont be terrified of?

 

[camimom]

ive cup fed all of my chams.

going on two years and not a single one is fat or lazy.

fat happens because of over feeding, not cup feeding.

to keep them from getting lazy, which can occur, I change where I put the feeder cup.

I also use a large Tupperware container the size of a shoe box for my adult males, so they have to move around the tub to get to food

 

[jackschamnewbie]

I could be a bit off, but I would assume somewhere between 2-3 months old.

What are the dimensions of what you are keeping them in right now? Seems to be pretty large, but it may just be the photo.

I have made my own enclosure for my adult cham, it can actually be relatively easy but because you already have your chameleons I would look for something already made to make it quicker.

Why not check out the site sponsors and see what types of cages they have to offer?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/index.php?page=sponsors&type=supplies

I have purchased a cage from http://diycages.com/ and was very happy with it. Same with the price. You could also purchase a small repti-breeze from PetSmart or PetCo, the size of the small will be beneficial to their hunting. The dimensions are escaping me, though I will type them out if I remember them. Though I need to ask, why the need to use a leaf litter? I like the clean look you have right now, no substrate on the bottom, no soil or loose matter (like leaf matter) that they could accidentally eat while hunting.

Pygmy chameleons are quite a different type of chameleon; they are forest floor dwellers, whereas veiled chameleons are tree dwellers. Pygmy chameleons have an entirely different set-up than "true" chameleons such as a veiled chameleon, so I wouldn't use a pygmy set-up for reference.

It is good they are large enough for pinheads. Having an all screen enclosure is very engaging for a chameleon because the prey can climb up screens -- think about what fun hunting, lots of exercise. Look up some of the custom made enclosure threads that are floating around the site -- they are very useful, and I used one as a guideline for my custom made enclosure, which is five feet tall, two feet wide by two feet.

I was thinking about using leaf litter to prevent them from hurting themselves if they fall from a branch. They also provide a place for the feeders to hide and crawl around and help with humidity. I forget who but someone recommended that I try it when I was having problems with my previous enclosure.

 

[jackschamnewbie]

ive cup fed all of my chams.

going on two years and not a single one is fat or lazy.

fat happens because of over feeding, not cup feeding.

to keep them from getting lazy, which can occur, I change where I put the feeder cup.

I also use a large Tupperware container the size of a shoe box for my adult males, so they have to move around the tub to get to food

That is a really good idea, Im gonna try that