Husbandry Feedback

[Rangotheveiledchameleon]

Hello! I just recently got a new chameleon named Camilo, and wanted some feedback on his enclosure and his care to see if I could be doing anything better.

Chameleon Info:

• Ambilobe Panther Chameleon~ Male~ in my care for 2 weeks~ Age around 6 Months
• Handling- Not handled, was very scared of me anytime I approached his cage but he’s starting to care less and not freak out if I come near him, I will avoid beginning tong feeding/ hand feeding/ handling until he is completely comfortable with my presence
• Feeding - Dubia Roaches, Crickets, and BSFL as staple~ Hornworms, Silkworms, and Superworms occasionally. (Crickets medium, BSFL large, everything else small)
• Cupfeeding
• Flukers Calcium NOD3 every day on everything but BSFL, BSFL are dusted with Bee Pollen, Hornworms are never dusted just because he loves their blue color but they are only fed once a week or so. ~~ZooMed Calcium with D3 every 2 weeks, Vitamin without D3 every 2 weeks
• Watering - Mist 2x a day once in morning and once before lights turn off, he does drink infront of me occasionally
• Fecal Description - smooth, thick, dark brown normal chameleon poop, white part is not discolored or dry~never tested for parasites

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Zen Habitats 2x2x4 the sides are all this kinda wood like plastic that don’t let moisture through, and front is glass, top is screen
• BIOACTIVE!! (generic isopods and springtails nothing special), organic soil, leaf litter, sand, charcoal etc, with leca as drainage. Converted bottom of cage to be waterproof and sealed.
• Lighting - 11 Hours of Sleep—13 hours of Daylight
• Arcadia T5 UVB, 75 Watt basking bulb, and a plant light, the basking bulb is in a dual lamp fixture but the other side is empty
• Temperature - Day Ambient is around 74-80F—-Night 68-75F
• Basking temp is 85-90F
• Humidity - Day-45F-65F. Night-60F-80F
• Plants - 100% live plants
• Placement - Very low traffic room

Context: So the reason I use a non-screen enclosure (besides top) is partly humidity and safety. I used to use a reptibreeze and I could never get the humidity levels up, also I have a cat and a lot of kids that visit my house; both of which are rarely allowed in the chameleons room but you never know, so I needed a sturdy cage and the reptibreeze was pretty flimsy

Also I try my best to give him plenty of “air” by using live plants and keeping the door of the cage open throughout the day (only when I am supervising). Once he is more comfortable I will allow him to have some supervised free roaming on a plant indoors, or maybe even outside but I’d have to do some research first.

I will attach pictures of his cage and him.

If I left anything out please ask.

Thank you!

 

[elizaann2]

Hello and welcome! Honestly I’d say you are off to a wonderful start! Below is what I noticed:

Can you share the brand of vitamins and d3 with us?

I would not tong feed, the tongs can hurt their tongues

Temps for your baby is too high. His ambient temps should be 78-72 and his backing temp should be 80.

What type of uvb do you use?

 

[Rangotheveiledchameleon]

Hello and welcome! Honestly I’d say you are off to a wonderful start! Below is what I noticed:

Can you share the brand of vitamins and d3 with us?

I would not tong feed, the tongs can hurt their tongues

Temps for your baby is too high. His ambient temps should be 78-72 and his backing temp should be 80.

What type of uvb do you use?

Yea no problem. I use zoo med repti calcium without d3, zoomed repti calcium with d3, and flukers reptile vitamin. I was thinking I switching to reptivite with d3 and doing away with the seperate vitamins and d3.

Noted! I will stay away from tong feeding. I was reading about how it could harm them but also know some keepers who do it but I’d rather be safe than sorry, I’ll stick to cup/ hand feeding.

Also for the temps I always heard put your baby in their “adult enclosures” right away despite age, but also kinda knew baby’s need lower temps. Anyways thank you, I will definitely raise is heat lamp a few inches away from his basking branch to get the right temp.

And I use the Arcadia T5 UVB Rainforest Kit I believe it was 6%, I placed it diagonally across the cage and it reaches all of the top of his enclosure but he can get a way from it a little if he goes deeper down in the cage.

 

[elizaann2]

Ya I would just use the vitamin and D3 combined it just makes it easier. I like the Repashy LoD brand myself. I’m not familiar with the vitamins you are currently using you’ll want to make sure it has preformed vitamin A in it. This is often missed in multivitamins.

Perfect you want the 6% uvb light and make sure it’s about 9 inches above the highest branch in his enclosure. You’ll want that branch to run directly under the uvb light so baby can choose what temp he wants to be at and still get uvb.

If you can set up more branches and plant cover that would be great too. Chameleons always appreciate branches and plants

What are you feeding him?

 

[BleuSaphir]

You should plant the plant hanging into the ground. Replace the hanging plant with another Pothos. Or another type of vine.
Otherwise I think his enclosure looks good.

 

[Rangotheveiledchameleon]

So I took what @BleuSaphir and @elizaann2 said and moved the pothos from the floor to the top, and moved the umbrella plant from the top to the bottom and added a small hibiscus tree/plant that I grew to the back corner to fill in that space. I think it’s looking much better now and i definitely like the pothos at the top better and Camilo has been investigating it and I think he likes it too.

I will attach a picture below

Also, with the new pothos at the top and my big philodendron, they kinda block most light from reaching the bottom and all those plants need light so I added a small plant led bulb in a lamp at the bottom.

Does anyone think this would be “bad” for my chameleon in any way?
I know plant lights aren’t necessarily harmful but I’ve never seen anyone put one at the bottom mostly just at the top.
It is hitting all the plants in question perfectly so it’s ideal to keep it.
If you compare the original picture I added to the new one, even with the new light the enclosure is still a bit darker than how it was before so I think it might be fine.

Also that empty space right in front of the new lamp has a plant and a vining plant planted into the bio active soil that will eventually grow in and climb the branches to fill in that space.

Also I am looking in the purchasing some ventilation fans that I can strategically place to filter air in and out of the enclosure without “bothering” Camilo in any way.
I have already found some forums!

Thank you for your feedback!

 

[elizaann2]

That’s all looking excellent! The plants should grow in. Maybe you can adjust the top plants more so they are in the front/top of the enclosure to help create a ‘curtain’ of coverage? I’m not sure about the plant light below, I’ve debated this myself because I also need more light at the bottom of my enclosures.

 

[elizaann2]

I’d say just keep an eye on temps down there unless others in here say it’s not a good idea for whatever reason.