How to stop this?

[korykory]

For my veiled chameleons terrarium I have a dual lamp that comes with a 5 UVB light and a basking light. For the first couple of days, the UVB light wasn’t warming his enclosure enough and so we got a stronger one and it was completely fine for a couple days until yesterday I noticed these burns??

His lights used to rest on top of the terrarium but I moved them to about 6 inches above to hopefully stop this. He now keeps climbing to the top.

I know he’s due to shed soon so is it just that extra thin layer burning or is something seriously wrong.

I’m new at this and am really hoping I’m not hurting him or if this will have long term effects on him.

How do I stop this from happening?

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome. It sounds like you have a screw in uvb bulb. Those are basically worthless for chameleons and probably most other animals. What you need is to toss that and get a linear T5HO fixture with either an Arcadia 6% or ReptiSun 5.0 uvb bulb. Avoid knock off brands - they are not effective. Once you have the correct uvb, the basking area needs to be about 8-9” below it for correct uvb exposure. Then you need to adjust your basking bulb strength to provide a basking temp of 80F for young ones and females and 85F for grown males. I’m going to guess you probably are in need of additional guidance and that is something you can most definitely get from us here. I need to get off line right now, but others can help if around. If you post some pics of your total enclosure it will be a start. For an in depth and complete husbandry check, you can answer the questions found here. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/ Copy & paste with your answers.
For the burn on your sweetie, you really need a vet visit for proper treatment. If you need help finding one, just ask.

 

[korykory]

Here is my husbandry check filled out.

Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Male, and about 7-8 months old. I’ve had him for around a week and a half.

Handling - Since I just got him, he doesn’t let me handle him at all. Anytime I get close he starts to hiss and do t-rex hands. I haven’t held him at all.

Feeding - Mealworms and baby crickets? Every night and morning I give him about 4-5 mealworms with subelements and have fed him 10 baby crickets twice so far. I don’t have a feeder.

Supplements - I sprinkle Reptile Calcium brand Zoo Med, without D3 on his worms every other time he eats.

Watering - I have a dripper dripping constantly. I mist every maybe 2 hours for a couple minutes. I only seen him licking a leaf a couple times.

Fecal Description - Vertical, white, sometimes had a golden brown substance with it. He has never been tested for parasites.

History - I’ve only had him for a short while.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Screen.

Lighting - Dual bulbs. ReptiSun 5.0 UVB with amplified heat. Daylight Blue Basking light. Every morning I turn them on, every night I turn them off.

Temperature - Near the bottom it’s about 67-68 and I don’t know about his basking area. I’m not sure about lowest temp at night. I have a thermostat hung near the bottom of his terrarium.

Humidity - 60-70%. I have a humidifier propped into the upper side of the cage and I measured these levels with a humidifier measurer.

Plants - There are two live plants and some fake. I don’t know what kind but I know they’re safe for him.

Placement - In my quiet basement. His cage is sat on a table, 5-6 feet from the basement ceiling.

Location - Michigan

Here is a picture of him and his full current terrarium.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ll go thru your husbandry. I am working and can get called away at any time, but will get back to this as able. Depending on how busy it gets, it might take me all night though.

 

[BleuSaphir]

Do you have Arcadia or zoo med T5 uvb? I only see the dual kind for coil uvb.

 

[MissSkittles]

My feedback will be bold and I’ll be breaking this into two sections to be more digestible.
Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Male, and about 7-8 months old. While it’s not always easy to tell, going from his casque size, I’m thinking he’s much younger…like about 4 months old. Either that, or his growth may be a bit stunted. Where did you get him from? Most chain pet stores have incorrect husbandry. I’ve had him for around a week and a half.

Handling - Since I just got him, he doesn’t let me handle him at all. Anytime I get close he starts to hiss and do t-rex hands. I haven’t held him at all. This is pretty normal for veileds, plus he needs time to settle in and feel safe. While he may never become ‘friendly’, you do want to work on building trust with him. This is a wonderful blog on doing that. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/ Chameleons are similar to fish, in that they are more for looking at.

Feeding - Mealworms and baby crickets? Every night and morning I give him about 4-5 mealworms with subelements and have fed him 10 baby crickets twice so far. I don’t have a feeder. I’m attaching some graphics for you. You want to feed him just once in the morning so he has time to bask and digest. It’s very hard for me to tell you how many feeders to give him without knowing his age. He does look like a smaller than adult size and will need some good nutrition to recover from that burn, so I’ll say to give him about 8 or so appropriately sized feeders daily. To determine what size feeders, look at the space between his eyes. That is the maximum size he is able to eat. I’m thinking the equivalent of 1/2” crickets would be a good size for him. Mealworms are not good staple feeders. There are much better options. What I often advise is to get a variety pack from one of the on line insect vendors. Here’s a few options. https://www.rainbowmealworms.net/chameleon-sampler-pack/
https://joshsfrogs.com/kp/josh-s-frogs-chameleon-feeder-bundle-kit58304

Of course I’m getting called away. Sorry…will return to as soon as able.
Supplements - I sprinkle Reptile Calcium brand Zoo Med, without D3 on his worms every other time he eats.

Watering - I have a dripper dripping constantly. I mist every maybe 2 hours for a couple minutes. I only seen him licking a leaf a couple times.

Fecal Description - Vertical, white, sometimes had a golden brown substance with it. He has never been tested for parasites.

History - I’ve only had him for a short while.

 

[korykory]

Do you have Arcadia or zoo med T5 uvb? I only see the dual kind for coil uvb.

No I don’t have those. I had no idea they were needed. If I get it, do I use it along with the ones I already have?

 

[BleuSaphir]

You would have to entirely change your light fixtures.

 

[korykory]

My feedback will be bold and I’ll be breaking this into two sections to be more digestible.
Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Male, and about 7-8 months old. While it’s not always easy to tell, going from his casque size, I’m thinking he’s much younger…like about 4 months old. Either that, or his growth may be a bit stunted. Where did you get him from? Most chain pet stores have incorrect husbandry. I’ve had him for around a week and a half.

Handling - Since I just got him, he doesn’t let me handle him at all. Anytime I get close he starts to hiss and do t-rex hands. I haven’t held him at all. This is pretty normal for veileds, plus he needs time to settle in and feel safe. While he may never become ‘friendly’, you do want to work on building trust with him. This is a wonderful blog on doing that. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/ Chameleons are similar to fish, in that they are more for looking at.

Feeding - Mealworms and baby crickets? Every night and morning I give him about 4-5 mealworms with subelements and have fed him 10 baby crickets twice so far. I don’t have a feeder. I’m attaching some graphics for you. You want to feed him just once in the morning so he has time to bask and digest. It’s very hard for me to tell you how many feeders to give him without knowing his age. He does look like a smaller than adult size and will need some good nutrition to recover from that burn, so I’ll say to give him about 8 or so appropriately sized feeders daily. To determine what size feeders, look at the space between his eyes. That is the maximum size he is able to eat. I’m thinking the equivalent of 1/2” crickets would be a good size for him. Mealworms are not good staple feeders. There are much better options. What I often advise is to get a variety pack from one of the on line insect vendors. Here’s a few options. https://www.rainbowmealworms.net/chameleon-sampler-pack/
https://joshsfrogs.com/kp/josh-s-frogs-chameleon-feeder-bundle-kit58304

Of course I’m getting called away. Sorry…will return to as soon as able.
Supplements - I sprinkle Reptile Calcium brand Zoo Med, without D3 on his worms every other time he eats.

Watering - I have a dripper dripping constantly. I mist every maybe 2 hours for a couple minutes. I only seen him licking a leaf a couple times.

Fecal Description - Vertical, white, sometimes had a golden brown substance with it. He has never been tested for parasites.

History - I’ve only had him for a short while.

Thank you so much for everything btw, you’re being such a great help.

I thought he was about 5 months but I posted a picture of him on Reddit and was told he was about 7-8 months old. I’m so new at everything so I’m just going with what more educated people say. I bought him Petco.

I don’t mean to bumbard you with my stupid questions but is there any way to build trust without having to hand feed or hold feeders to your knowledge? I’m just really uncomfortable doing that lol.

I attached a picture of the space between his eyes to my best ability if this will help. I’ll note not to get mealworms anymore.

 

[korykory]

You would have to entirely change your light fixtures.

Do you have a recommendation of the ideal light setup? So many people have different things and I’m really unsure what’s best.
Thank you so much for bringing that to my attention though.

 

[ehdee6]

For lighting here is a picture reference.

You'll want either a zoomed 5T 5.0 kit (you have to replace the bulb every 6 months.), or an Arcadia T5 6% (bulbs need replacing every 12 months).

 

[korykory]

For lighting here is a picture reference.

You'll want either a zoomed 5T 5.0 kit (you have to replace the bulb every 6 months.), or an Arcadia T5 6% (bulbs need replacing every 12 months).
View attachment 365208

Thanks so much I’ll probably end of getting the Arcadia. I have the duel one in the picture you attached, what would you recommend I do? What I mean is should I toss it and get one of the T5HO fixtures or keep it along with an Arcadia.

 

[ehdee6]

I would get the Arcadia and use the dual for the heat lamp, just leave one spot empty.

Also, for the bugs... I'm also creeped out by holding them, except BSFL... I use a cup to put the bugs in instead, eventually they'll climb onto the cup and you can gently try and take them out of the cage on to your hand. I try and hold the cup further and further away with each bug, until they're almost out of the cage. The trick is getting all 4 of their feet onto the cup too. Try and make sure their tail isn't wrapped on a branch, either; it's like a fifth extra strong arm.

 

[korykory]

I would get the Arcadia and use the dual for the heat lamp, just leave one spot empty.

Also, for the bugs... I'm also creeped out by holding them, except BSFL... I use a cup to put the bugs in instead, eventually they'll climb onto the cup and you can gently try and take them out of the cage on to your hand. I try and hold the cup further and further away with each bug, until they're almost out of the cage. The trick is getting all 4 of their feet onto the cup too. Try and make sure their tail isn't wrapped on a branch, either; it's like a fifth extra strong arm.

Got it!

I’m so glad someone agrees with me, they freak me out way too much. That’s such a solid plan and I’ll for sure try that. Thanks so much.

Is your chameleon comfortable with you after a couple times of doing that? I want to take him outside for some natural sunlight since I feel bad with his terrarium being in the basement.

Oneeeee last stupid question, is it easy/how do you get him back into his cage. I know that sounds really stupid to ask but I heard prying them is really dangerous since they have really fragile bones. What if he just starts to crawl up my arm and not go back in lol.

 

[MissSkittles]

Yay! I’m back and will pick up where I left off.
I only listed a couple of on line insect vendors who sell variety or combo packs, but there are others. If you have just the one insectivore, the variety packs make sense. Do check out the forum sponsors for your buggy needs. They are great! https://www.chameleonforums.com/sponsors/?tag=food
I did add the graphics at the bottom. Just as important as everything else is what you feed your feeders. The orange and other cubes, jelly pots and some of that stuff is really not good for much. Giving your insects fresh clean produce is great and will keep your bugs healthy and hydrated. I also add some commercial mix (Repashy Bug Burger) just to round things out and for when in a rush. Many will blend their fresh produce together and freeze in cubes, which is quite convenient. Additional FYIs: I don’t specifically gutload. I do keep my bugs well fed at all times. Avoid spinach as it contains oxalates which bind to calcium.

Supplements - I sprinkle Reptile Calcium brand Zoo Med, without D3 on his worms every other time he eats. Ok, but you want to lightly dust at every feeding. It can be hard to avoid your feeders looking like powdered donuts with that brand calcium. What I do is put the smallest pinch in the bottom of a tall deli cup and then add my feeders and they will walk/move around and dust themselves. You are also going to need to provide D3 and multivitamins. The easiest way that many of us do is to lightly dust one feeding every other week (or twice a month if you prefer) with combination product Repashy Calcium Plus LoD. Another you could use is ReptiVite with D3, but the Repashy is a bit better. It has a pic of a Jackson’s chameleon on the label…not the one with the leopard gecko.

Watering - I have a dripper dripping constantly. It’s much better to use a dripper for just about 15-20 minutes per day. I mist every maybe 2 hours for a couple minutes. You want to mist for two minutes, twice a day - right before lights go on and off. I only seen him licking a leaf a couple times. Most chams are secretive drinkers, so you’re a lucky one.

Fecal Description - Vertical, white, sometimes had a golden brown substance with it. He has never been tested for parasites.He really needs a vet visit for his burn and it’s always best to take a fresh poo for a fecal check…especially since he came from Petco. They do not test and often do have parasites.

History - I’ve only had him for a short while. We’re going to make sure that you do everything possible so that he’ll be with you for a long time.

 

[ehdee6]

Chameleons are a bit like people; sometimes they have good days, sometimes they have bad days. Somedays they'll run up to you as soon as you open the door for food, others they'll give you the side eye until you put the food down and walk away.

It's rare for a vailed chameleon to really take to you. Some of the most experienced keepers here rarely handle some of their chams.

My female vailed I've had since she was a baby, and she's really used to me. It honestly still takes A LOT of patience and time to try and get her out of her cage sometimes. It's not an overnight success for them to trust you, it takes months of learning each other's behavior before they'll really be comfortable.

But my Jackson is SUPER shy. I got him when he was about 7-8 months old. So, we didn't have the younger stages to bond. I've only held him maybe five times since May. But he'll come to me and eat BSFL out of my hand, lately.

I wouldn't recommend talking them outside. They can jump and run quicker than you think. If your UVB and husbandry is ok, there's no need to take them outside even if it's in a basement. If really are comfortable at handling them in the future; you can make an outdoor enclosure to put them in. Taking my cham outside isn't something I'd ever be personally comfortable with. Too many horror stories.

 

[MissSkittles]

No I don’t have those. I had no idea they were needed. If I get it, do I use it along with the ones I already have?

You will want to toss out the screw in uvb bulb. You can definitely use the dual light dome fixture. In some of mine I have basking bulb on one side and plant bulb on the other…or I leave that side empty.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/sponsors/?tag=food

Reddit

I’m not a fan of putting anyone else down, but I have to say Reddit is not a good place for learning proper chameleon care.

I don’t mean to bumbard you with my stupid questions but is there any way to build trust without having to hand feed or hold feeders to your knowledge? I’m just really uncomfortable doing that lol.

No such thing as stupid questions! Ask what you need to…it’s how we learn. It does take time to get used to the bugs and some never do. That’s ok. The only feeders I actually place on my hand for hand feeding are silkworms and hornworms (I don’t often have hornworms though). I don’t mind so much touching some of the others, but don’t really want to hold them. I’ll use small cups that I hold.

I want to take him outside for some natural sunlight

@ehdee6 has given you great feedback on this (and other things too). Never force or pull your chameleon from whatever it’s gripping. I don’t know about breaking bones on a healthy cham, but it sure would hurt them. Always reach from below and I have one hand approaching from the front and the other behind to kind of corral them on to my hand. I have been bitten too many times to count by my veiled girl and not even when trying to hold or handle her! That’s just the way she is. I’ve given up on trying to take some of my chams (the veileds mainly) outside as they get too stressed.

 

[MissSkittles]

Here is part two. Hopefully work won’t call me away again.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Screen.

Lighting - Dual bulbs. ReptiSun 5.0 UVB with amplified heat. What do you mean, “amplified”? Daylight Blue Basking light. Every morning I turn them on, every night I turn them off. You want a 12 hour schedule. Eventually you’ll want a timer to make life easier. This is how I have my lights - linear uvb going diagonally with plant light on one side of it and basking light on the other. Yes, that is a dual dome fixture but I only had one side in use for the basking bulb. This is also how I set up my enclosure for a panther. More on that later.


Temperature - Near the bottom it’s about 67-68 and I don’t know about his basking area. It’s vital to know basking temps. Too low and he will have trouble getting warm enough for his body to function optimally, to high and he is at risk for burns (plus anecdotally have a shorter life). I’m not sure about lowest temp at night. Night temps are also vital to know when you are using a humidifier or fogger. Too warm with high humidity and there is high risk for respiratory infection. I have a thermostat hung near the bottom of his terrarium. I suggest a digital thermometer/hygrometer with a wired probe end, or you may want to use one of the smart meters like Govee. Basking temps for him should be between 80-85 during the day. At night, if you are fogging you need the temp to be below at least 68.

Humidity - 60-70%. I have a humidifier propped into the upper side of the cage and I measured these levels with a humidifier measurer. This is much too high. During the day, you want nice dry humidity levels of between 30-50%. At night, you are only going to use a fogger/humidifier IF your temps are below at least 68. (Yes, I know I’m repeating myself.) See above about getting a good hygrometer.

Plants - There are two live plants and some fake. I don’t know what kind but I know they’re safe for him. Same as we get accustomed to the bugs, we learn about plants. I see mostly plastic plants. Those need to be replaced by safe, clean, live ones. Our veiled friends tend to nibble their leaves and it only takes one bite of a fake plant to cause what can be a fatal bowel obstruction. Pothos is probably the workhorse plant for chameleons. They are perfect for them and super easy for us. Try to avoid the more tropical plants on the list I’ll be directing you to as those will need some heavy duty lighting. For now, stick with those plants which do well as houseplants, like weeping fig, pothos, spider plant, tradescantia zebrina, Polk dot plant, etc. Make sure to gently wash the leaves with a gentle soapy solution - like Dawn original dish soap. Rinse them very very well. I also advise to remove all soil down to the bare root and repot in organic soil. You want to get rid of any possible chemical pesticides and fertilizers as well as bird and other animal poo that may have occurred. Here’s the plant list. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ Also, you need to remove the soil at the bottom and develop a better way to manage excess drainage. The water bowl is not needed. Contrary to Reddit, chams don’t drink from bowls or glasses. They do lap water off leaves and drips. Having a bare floor is best for now. Eventually and sooner than you think, your guy will be needing a larger enclosure of at least 2x2x4’. You’ll want to provide him lots of plants and leafy areas, like in my pic above. He’ll also need lots of branches and vines to travel. They can be a challenge to hang, but there are solutions, like Dragon Ledges https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ I’ve been using garden trellis on my last few enclosure builds.
Just starting to build one.


A freshly finished double sized with garden trellis.


Placement - In my quiet basement. His cage is sat on a table, 5-6 feet from the basement ceiling. Ok. I don’t know how high your ceiling is, but height is safety for chams. Even though I’m pretty short, I have all of my enclosures where my chams are able to look down at me and their world.

Location - Michigan

There’s a lot of places on line to get info about keeping chameleons, but very few to get the correct info. Of course, the forum is one and as you see, gives personalized feedback, individual help, understanding, etc. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ is a fantastic place to learn as much as you want about chams and their care. Along with the husbandry program, there are podcasts, YouTube videos and even an ezine. The info is the most current. The other place is Neptune the Chameleon on YouTube and other platforms. She even has partnered with Pangea Reptile and created a proper chameleon kit. https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...tarter-chameleon-kit-by-neptune-the-chameleon

If you need help finding a good vet who has experience with chameleons, here is our list. While just about any exotics vet may see chams, we’ve found not too many are actually very experienced with them.
I hope I’ve been of some help. I should have warned you…I talk a lot.

 

[korykory]

Here is part two. Hopefully work won’t call me away again.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Screen.

Lighting - Dual bulbs. ReptiSun 5.0 UVB with amplified heat. What do you mean, “amplified”? Daylight Blue Basking light. Every morning I turn them on, every night I turn them off. You want a 12 hour schedule. Eventually you’ll want a timer to make life easier. This is how I have my lights - linear uvb going diagonally with plant light on one side of it and basking light on the other. Yes, that is a dual dome fixture but I only had one side in use for the basking bulb. This is also how I set up my enclosure for a panther. More on that later.
View attachment 365211

Temperature - Near the bottom it’s about 67-68 and I don’t know about his basking area. It’s vital to know basking temps. Too low and he will have trouble getting warm enough for his body to function optimally, to high and he is at risk for burns (plus anecdotally have a shorter life). I’m not sure about lowest temp at night. Night temps are also vital to know when you are using a humidifier or fogger. Too warm with high humidity and there is high risk for respiratory infection. I have a thermostat hung near the bottom of his terrarium. I suggest a digital thermometer/hygrometer with a wired probe end, or you may want to use one of the smart meters like Govee. Basking temps for him should be between 80-85 during the day. At night, if you are fogging you need the temp to be below at least 68.

Humidity - 60-70%. I have a humidifier propped into the upper side of the cage and I measured these levels with a humidifier measurer. This is much too high. During the day, you want nice dry humidity levels of between 30-50%. At night, you are only going to use a fogger/humidifier IF your temps are below at least 68. (Yes, I know I’m repeating myself.) See above about getting a good hygrometer.

Plants - There are two live plants and some fake. I don’t know what kind but I know they’re safe for him. Same as we get accustomed to the bugs, we learn about plants. I see mostly plastic plants. Those need to be replaced by safe, clean, live ones. Our veiled friends tend to nibble their leaves and it only takes one bite of a fake plant to cause what can be a fatal bowel obstruction. Pothos is probably the workhorse plant for chameleons. They are perfect for them and super easy for us. Try to avoid the more tropical plants on the list I’ll be directing you to as those will need some heavy duty lighting. For now, stick with those plants which do well as houseplants, like weeping fig, pothos, spider plant, tradescantia zebrina, Polk dot plant, etc. Make sure to gently wash the leaves with a gentle soapy solution - like Dawn original dish soap. Rinse them very very well. I also advise to remove all soil down to the bare root and repot in organic soil. You want to get rid of any possible chemical pesticides and fertilizers as well as bird and other animal poo that may have occurred. Here’s the plant list. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ Also, you need to remove the soil at the bottom and develop a better way to manage excess drainage. The water bowl is not needed. Contrary to Reddit, chams don’t drink from bowls or glasses. They do lap water off leaves and drips. Having a bare floor is best for now. Eventually and sooner than you think, your guy will be needing a larger enclosure of at least 2x2x4’. You’ll want to provide him lots of plants and leafy areas, like in my pic above. He’ll also need lots of branches and vines to travel. They can be a challenge to hang, but there are solutions, like Dragon Ledges https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ I’ve been using garden trellis on my last few enclosure builds.
Just starting to build one.
View attachment 365212

A freshly finished double sized with garden trellis.
View attachment 365213

Placement - In my quiet basement. His cage is sat on a table, 5-6 feet from the basement ceiling. Ok. I don’t know how high your ceiling is, but height is safety for chams. Even though I’m pretty short, I have all of my enclosures where my chams are able to look down at me and their world.

Location - Michigan

There’s a lot of places on line to get info about keeping chameleons, but very few to get the correct info. Of course, the forum is one and as you see, gives personalized feedback, individual help, understanding, etc. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ is a fantastic place to learn as much as you want about chams and their care. Along with the husbandry program, there are podcasts, YouTube videos and even an ezine. The info is the most current. The other place is Neptune the Chameleon on YouTube and other platforms. She even has partnered with Pangea Reptile and created a proper chameleon kit. https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...tarter-chameleon-kit-by-neptune-the-chameleon

If you need help finding a good vet who has experience with chameleons, here is our list. While just about any exotics vet may see chams, we’ve found not too many are actually very experienced with them.
I hope I’ve been of some help. I should have warned you…I talk a lot.

Wow, thank you so so much for you in-depth reply. I really appreciate it. It’s been so hard to find accurate information and how to care for my little guy properly without getting judged lol.

I’m taking screenshots and noting everything you said down and will get everything fixed to my best ability.

Do you have any suggestions on how to get more educated on chameleons in general? I’d love not to freak out anytime he does something new and want to give him the best home as possible while he’s with me. I aspire to be as educated as you are!!