Is my chameleon happy and healthy?

[tknapp9]

Hello everyone. I just bought my first female veiled chameleon and I feel like I’m doing something wrong. I have a basking area in her enclosure where it’s around 87 degrees and I spray her enclosure twice a day. I’ve also been supplementing calcium with her crickets. My biggest concern is the UVB bulb. I bought the uvb bulb but later read that they don’t work as good as the linear bulbs so I was wondering if that’s true and if I should buy a linear UVB. I was also hoping someone could gauge how old she is so I can know how much to feed her. I’m just a little concerned because I feel that she is not at bright of a green as she should and I’m not sure how to fix it. I attached some images of the UVB bulb, enclosure and a picture of her. Please let me know what I’m doing wrong. Thank you!!

 

[Beman]

Hi there welcome to the forum. Give me a few minutes to go through what you have added.

 

[Beman]

So good news you actually have a little boy! based on his coloration and size guessing he is somewhere in the 6-9 month range.

So yes the UVB lighting is incorrect. You need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 or 6% linear bulb. You need a 24 inch fixture because that fits the 24x24x48 cage that you will need if yours is not the right size. You will place the uvb fixture directly on top of the cage and then the closest branches below the fixture should be 8-9 inches away from the screen top. This will put the cham in the right UVB level.
Secondly the red bulb needs to go. You want a 60 watt regular incandescent white bulb. basking temps should be 80-85 max daytime. Both of these are asap items.

All lighting should be on a 12 hours on 12 full hours off cycle. This way they sleep soundly.

Overall the cage needs a redo. And all of the tape on the inside of the cage is high risk with a chameleon. Not only trying to eat it but it sticking to their skin. I am guessing you tore holes through the cage trying to attach stuff. So if this cage is a 24x24x48 then you want to buy aluminum window screen and rescreen your ripped panels.

Then to attach fake vines you can use floral wire but make sure all sharps are on the outside of the cage. I recommend the flukers vines for fake vines because the coating on the ones you have now can come off and get stuck in their eyes when they rub their face on them.

All fake plants should be removed. You need all live veiled tested plants. Veileds will actively eat plants so fake become an impaction risk. See image below. Then take 1 inch or larger stones and cover the dirt in the pots so the cham can not eat the dirt. I like the river stones you can buy at the craft store.


Can you show me a picture of the labels for your supplements your using?

Start reading everything in this husbandry module. It will help you a lot with the cage set up. Then ask questions here.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[elizaann2]

Hello and welcome!!! You have a beautiful boy there

@Beman has given you some excellent advice. Your in the best of hands with her!

 

[tknapp9]

So good news you actually have a little boy! based on his coloration and size guessing he is somewhere in the 6-9 month range.

So yes the UVB lighting is incorrect. You need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 or 6% linear bulb. You need a 24 inch fixture because that fits the 24x24x48 cage that you will need if yours is not the right size. You will place the uvb fixture directly on top of the cage and then the closest branches below the fixture should be 8-9 inches away from the screen top. This will put the cham in the right UVB level.
Secondly the red bulb needs to go. You want a 60 watt regular incandescent white bulb. basking temps should be 80-85 max daytime. Both of these are asap items.

All lighting should be on a 12 hours on 12 full hours off cycle. This way they sleep soundly.

Overall the cage needs a redo. And all of the tape on the inside of the cage is high risk with a chameleon. Not only trying to eat it but it sticking to their skin. I am guessing you tore holes through the cage trying to attach stuff. So if this cage is a 24x24x48 then you want to buy aluminum window screen and rescreen your ripped panels.

Then to attach fake vines you can use floral wire but make sure all sharps are on the outside of the cage. I recommend the flukers vines for fake vines because the coating on the ones you have now can come off and get stuck in their eyes when they rub their face on them.

All fake plants should be removed. You need all live veiled tested plants. Veileds will actively eat plants so fake become an impaction risk. See image below. Then take 1 inch or larger stones and cover the dirt in the pots so the cham can not eat the dirt. I like the river stones you can buy at the craft store.


Can you show me a picture of the labels for your supplements your using?

Start reading everything in this husbandry module. It will help you a lot with the cage set up. Then ask questions here.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
View attachment 345085

Thank you for all the great information. I’m working on redoing his enclosure at the moment. Here’s the supplement I’m using.

 

[Gloriawood]

Just want to say hi and welcome! Your guy is so handsome does he have a name?
You are in good hands here and following Beman’s advice will make sure your little man happy and healthy as can be I had a similar set up with mine when I first got him and had a bunch of changes to make as well. I can happily say he is thriving now.

 

[elizaann2]

Thank you for all the great information. I’m working on redoing his enclosure at the moment. Here’s the supplement I’m using. View attachment 345098

I’m not familiar with that supplement myself. How often do you use it? I see it has D3 which your baby should only get 2x a month. Do you have a plain calcium you use as well or just this one?

 

[tknapp9]

I’m not familiar with that supplement myself. How often do you use it? I see it has D3 which your baby should only get 2x a month. Do you have a plain calcium you use as well or just this one?

I’ve just been using this one. I usually toss the crickets around in it before giving them to him. I put a cricket block and some apple in the container with my crickets.

 

[Beman]

Thank you for all the great information. I’m working on redoing his enclosure at the moment. Here’s the supplement I’m using. View attachment 345098

Ok so this one you want to stop using. It has D3.

You want a calcium without D3. Rep cal makes one there are actually quite a few of these types. So you are just looking for one that says without D3. Then you need a multivitamin. I prefer Repashy Calcium plus LoD version. It has a jackson chameleon on the front of the bottle.

So you would do calcium without D3 at all feedings. You are lightly dusting the insects they should not look like powdered donuts. Then you want the multivitamin to use 2 times a month say the first and the 15th.