Im new please check my setup.

[Tristmagistus]

I want everyone to take a look at my setup I did the best I could with the info I was given and the limited money and supplies. But the cage drains and the plants are live except her vines she sits in I only run the fogger and on the side of the cage near the bottom at night for humidity I had it in the shot to show its existence. She eats crickets that I bought food for that's supposed to be gut load. And idk how old she is but I keep her basking area between 80 to 90 during day and at night a cooler cage that sits around 70 my house doesn't seem to get colder. Humidity sits around 40 during day and gets around 80 to 100 at night. She wasn't drinking enough for a moment but she is now! I want to take good care of her and Petco just saw me as a sale. Please give me any tips! Ideas are welcome too!

 

[Tristmagistus]

Also I just changed from the horrible dual light fixture that came with the cage to the new ones you see

 

[Serbianchameleon]

Can you fill this form up? I can see by the pictures that you dont have enough leaves (hiding spots) The whole enclosure should be covered in leaves.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[ERKleRose]

You need veiled-safe life plants only, as fake ones are an impaction risk (which can lead to death). You also need to replace the Exo Terra vines with safe ones. You want your cage to be brimming with plants, lots of tree branches of multiple species and diameters (just none from toxic or sap-producing trees), and lots of vines (preferably all live, but Fluker's fake vines can work, just no moss, Exo Terra, or fake vines with leaves on them). Filling out the husbandry form that @Serbianchameleon posted would be great, as well!

Here are two plant charts and a plant link, along with 2 cage set-up links!
https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/
http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2012/04/how-to-set-up-proper-chameleon.html

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."I want everyone to take a look at my setup I did the best I could with the info I was given and the limited money and supplies. But the cage drains and the plants are live except her vines she sits in I only run the fogger and on the side of the cage near the bottom at night for humidity I had it in the shot to show its existence".

You said..."She eats crickets that I bought food for that's supposed to be gut load"... I would feed/gutload crickets, roaches, superworms, locusts with a wide assortment of greens such as dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, and veggies such as carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, and a very small amount of berries, apples, pears, melon, etc. You can feed her appropriately sized locusts, crickets, roaches, BSFL, silkworms and once in a while wax worms, superworms, hornworms, etc.

You said...."And idk how old she is but I keep her basking area between 80 to 90 during day and at night a cooler cage that sits around 70 my house doesn't seem to get colder"...80F is warm enough for a female and especially once she is sexually mature.
Are you are that female veileds can produce eggs even without having mated once they are mature? Diet and temperatures can slow down or even stop the production and extend her life. If not controlled she can develop huge clutches, MBD, follicular stasis, eggbinding and prolapse and die.

As she approaches sexual maturity you will want to feed her only 4 or 5 crickets or equal calories in other insects every 2 or 3 days...and keep the basking temp at 80F. (All lights should always be out at night BTW.)
You will also need a proper lay in in the cage at all times once she is approaching maturity.

You said..."Humidity sits around 40 during day and gets around 80 to 100 at night. She wasn't drinking enough for a moment but she is now!"...how do you provide water?

You said..."I want to take good care of her and Petco just saw me as a sale. Please give me any tips! Ideas are welcome too!"...
Please tell us what specific supplements you are dusting the insects with and how often you use each. I'm particularly looking at phos, calcium, D3 and the form of vitamin A in them.

I would add more live/real greenery that is nontoxic and well washed both sides of the leaves. Cover the soil with big stones that are definitely too big to ingest so she won't eat the soil.

Please tell us what specific lights you use and are they all off at night?

 

[BleuSaphir]

I would add more pothos to the setup.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

I would add more pothos to the setup.

That is a great plant but this set up needs many more plants and branches as well.

 

[Tristmagistus]

So many apologies this turned out to be a male.... and I did change the setup and got a money tree. I am gonna redesign a stand for the pothos as soon as I get to my grandfather's work shop.

 

[Tristmagistus]

I just added the vines I had removed back in for the moment as well so that there was some thing around the planter pot so he can climb all over the cage not just the top.

 

[Tristmagistus]

I also do turn off everything at night I added stones to the dirt and he got mad and threw one... so I got a bigger one i use a t8 lighting for the USB and a 50w day light.
Sorry I'm a busy guy and haven't had time to respond. I use a dripper system for water. He's hydrated now and doing a lot better with more plants and they are all non toxic I used the chart that had vieled tested plants.

 

[ERKleRose]

What is the brand, strength, and age of the UVB bulb, and how far away is it from his basking branch?

 

[Tristmagistus]

18" 15 watt 25 uvb t8 made by zilla and it sits on the cage and is 4 to 5 inches away from the perch is that too close I was told that was fine but I don't know who to believe anymore that's why I came here

 

[ERKleRose]

Does the fixture have plastic covering the bulb? You'll want either an Arcadia 12% or Zoo Med 10.0, with the bulb 7 inches away from the basking branch.

 

[Tristmagistus]

I was told to take the cover off

 

[ERKleRose]

Did you?

 

[Tristmagistus]

So I should raise it? And i got him maybe 3 weeks ago at most how much of what and when should I dust the crickets i have reptivite with d3 and calcium without d3.

 

[Tristmagistus]

Yes I did

 

[ERKleRose]

So I should raise it? And i got him maybe 3 weeks ago at most how much of what and when should I dust the crickets i have reptivite with d3 and calcium without d3.

Raise it to 7 inches away from his basking branch, and get either the Arcadia 12% or Zoo Med 10.0 T8 UVB bulb ASAP. Use the calcium without D3 every feeding, except for once every two weeks. On those days, use the Reptivite with D3 so it is used once every two weeks.

 

[Tristmagistus]

There was a guy at the store who tried to help me with what he knew and actually pointed me to the forums for any further assistance.

 

[Tristmagistus]

Thank you for your help someone misguided me on my lepoard ghecko and one is about to die... not trying to have a repeat with the chameleon! I work hard now to understand what I am doing!