I have a chameleon!!

[clpalmer57]

Hi I'm brand new to your forum and I have my first chameleon!! I think I have a senegal, male less than a year old. A few months ago I was admiring a young neighbors chameleon. It got a little expensive for him and his parents weren't helping him(what a shame,he's a great boy) and he asked if I would take him in. We made a screen cage together and we're sharing ownership. I have a question about humidity. I have a drip cup on the top, but you can't control humidity in a screen house.
I named him Darwin and although he's a little stressed, he's eating well, drinking from the drips, and has picked a sleeping spot in a plant.I realize he might be wild caught and I don't really approve of that but he seems pretty healthy. Any tips for me?

 

[Kate]

Congratulations on your new baby. You could put live plants in the enclosure and hand spray the viv 3-4 times a day till it is dripping wet, this will help with humidity and hydration. Please feel free to ask lots of questions here as you will find there is a wealth of knowledge here. Pics would be good.

 

[carol5208]

What Kate suggested is good advice. If you can run a dripper all day that would help but you must figureout something for drainage and something that is not too deep(drowning) if you are going to drain inside the cage. If you search for drainage on here there are some people who have come up with great ideas on how to keep the cage floor dry. The only other thing I would suggest is getting your chameleon tested for parasites if it is wild caught which it probably is like you said. A vet can do a fecal for you. And yes pics would be great. What type of lighting are you using?

 

[chameleonkev]

Welcome to the addiction, it's worse than crack . Soon you will have a house full lol

 

[skittles1234]

Welcome to the addiction, it's worse than crack . Soon you will have a house full lol

Is that why I have no money and have a ficus or hibiscus in every inch of my house...chameleons are crack? Gosh they should put a warning label on them!!

 

[chameleonkev]

Won't be long before there illegal in 10 states lol

 

[BocaJan]

It is important to at least locate a herp or exotic vet in your area. If you look underneath the Chameleon Forums bar at the top you will see the button that says Forums. The second choice is the health one. One of the top choices in that category is what we call a "sticky" and you can look through the notes and find a vet in your area.

A fecal is where you take in a fresh poop and they will do an evaluation on it, checking for parasites. If there is anything that needs to be treated they will let you know. Most exotic vets charge around $25 for one. Just call ahead of time and ask if you can drop off a sample and they will just call you back with the results.

 

[clpalmer57]

Thanks for all the welcoming advice! I do have live plants and I'll post some pics. He is fascinating,really. I love the way he moves, like when he imitates a leaf. I'm already hooked! Cindy

 

[chameleonkev]

If this is your first Cham you might want to fill the the care sheet in full and then if there are any little room for improvement with anything we can help, it's worth it just so you no your doing everything the best possible

 

[Kate]

THEY DO COME WITH A WARNING!!!!!!!

 

[Dcolognesi]

I'm somewhat new to the forums but I've got a great humidity solution.
I went to Walmart and bought some ABSORBERS.. Kind of like a rubbery shammy cloth you would use on your car.
-Secure them tight to the back half of the cage
-Be sure to get them wet while misting.
- they will stay wet and trap humidity BUT will dry out so your not having to worry about bacteria...
Worth a shot on a screen cage!