Is he ok?

[Darwin760]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male veiled, in my care for a little under a week
Handling - Very little, for arranging enclosure/shower
Feeding - He eats about 15 crickets a day 7 or so at about 10am and 7 more at about 6pm. Gutloaded w/ Zilla cricket drink w cal, raw carrots, hibiscus blooms and spinach. I throw in an occasional mealworm and he also gets houseflies and wc grasshoppers quarantined for 1 night.
Supplements - Miner-all cal w/o d3 daily,repcal herptivite multi twice a month, zoomed reptical w d3 twice a month.
Watering - Mist 4-5 times a day for 3-4 min periods. He definitely drinks a lot but he gets frustrated w fake vines not retaining water very well
Fecal Description - Droppings look good w a slight orangish urate. He has not been tested.
History - I got him at petsmart...bad conditions but he seems a lot happier and getting healthier.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - repti breeze 18x18x36
Lighting - Reptisun 5.0 UVB and exo terra sunglo 60w
Temperature - 90 basking 78 lowest
Lowest overnight 65 been checking for last 5 days
Humidity - My humidity is very low I have to mist to get above 15% then it bumps to 55-70%. Working on DIY fogger, and mist king. Also going to plastic off 2 sides
Plants - Are you using live plants? Yes If so, what kind? Hibiscus, petunia and coleus
Placement - Cage is in corner of living room, not too much traffic, no tv or anything. Top is just above 7 ft up, very low ceiling.
Location - Central CA very dry area


He has seemed fine until today I went shopping. I came back and he was laying down on a lower branch with his tail curled. It is a newer branch added to his cage yesterday. He seemed to turn a somewhat yellowish color right when I got home. He started moving around and then laid low on a higher branch. He now seems normal again now that I'm home but I am just nervous and being very careful. Here is a pic

 

[birdlover71]

your guy

Seems ok but I am not an expert. You may want to cut out the spinach also.

 

[Meow Kitty]

cut the spinach it blocks their absorbtion of calcium (or some other vitamin), oj urate means he might be a little dehydrated, your husbandry looks great you supplements are great, i think you just had nervous jidders that he went to a lower branch, he might have been exploring it doesnt look like he's ill

 

[Swayne8998]

cut the spinach it blocks their absorbtion of calcium (or some other vitamin), oj urate means he might be a little dehydrated, your husbandry looks great you supplements are great, i think you just had nervous jidders that he went to a lower branch, he might have been exploring it doesnt look like he's ill

hibiscus blooms? ive never heard of those as a gutload, but i would stop untill you know for sure its safe

Chameleons naturally will eat hibiscus blooms if the plant is in it's cage. It is safe.

 

[camimom]

Your basking temp is too high. try lowering that to around 85.

Your gutloading needs to be drastically improved. Find blogs by sandrachameleon you shouldnt be feeding that store bough crap and should be feeding fresh fruits and veggies.

Try getting a scheffelara or Pothos, as these leaves retain water.

I would up his mistings, and do what else i suggested, and see how he does.

 

[Meow Kitty]

Chameleons naturally will eat hibiscus blooms if the plant is in it's cage. It is safe.

ahhh cool didnt know that

 

[Swayne8998]

Husbandry looks good, you have nothing to worry about. Chameleons are very interesting creatures that seem to do what they want, when they want lol.

I have never heard of the brands you use for supplementing... the schedule is spot-on but I use Rep-Cal brand supplements. Also for his age the basking should hover around 85 degrees, bump it up to 90 when he reaches 5-7 months. It will be good when you add that fogger. I myself live in a very dry climate and it will definitely help between mistings. Good luck

 

[Swayne8998]

Your basking temp is too high. try lowering that to around 85.

Your gutloading needs to be drastically improved. Find blogs by sandrachameleon you shouldnt be feeding that store bough crap and should be feeding fresh fruits and veggies.

Try getting a scheffelara or Pothos, as these leaves retain water.

I would up his mistings, and do what else i suggested, and see how he does.

Forgot to mention this. Yes, Sandrachameleon has many blogs on the nutritional value of different foods--you can start by taking out spinach, and adding in collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion leaves, kale, romaine, carrots, sweet potato/yams, oranges, apples, rolled oats, wheat/oat bran, alfalfa, and more. Variety is key to owning a healthy chameleon, both in gutload and feeders!!

EDIT: GOOD prepared gutload you cannot find in stores. Search for Repashy's Bug Burger, TikiTiki Reptiles'/SsimmswisS's Cricket Crack, DinoFuel, and a few others. Let us know if you have any questions

 

[DavidBuchan]

I think he's totally fine, but you get points for worrying about him too much He's a real little cutie, and you got some good advice.

 

[Darwin760]

Thank you all, will be changing up his supplements on my next check! Yea he makes me very worried a lot. I know how sensitive they are. No more spinach after today. I will also lower the temp for his basking. I appreciate all of your help!

 

[Swayne8998]

Thank you all, will be changing up his supplements on my next check! Yea he makes me very worried a lot. I know how sensitive they are. No more spinach after today. I will also lower the temp for his basking. I appreciate all of your help!

No problem, that's what we're here for! My veiled worried me a lot when I first got him. You will start to learn your cham's natural behavior, and you will ease up over time.