just bought 1 st chameleon.

stephaaaaanie

New Member
I just bought a 2 week old veiled Chameleon. My first reptile. And still trying to figure out what I need to make him happy. I have a very ventilated cage. No glass just the black wiring on all sides. The temp is at 80. I have 15W 30% uva 5% light. and also a 60W daylight lamp. And is confused on how to lower the temp for night time. Also for the humidity as of right now I have a little sprayer that I spray quite often. As well as a bag of ice with holes on top dripping down. And question I have warm humidifier not sure if I should use it or not? Help would be much appreiciated.
 
Please read my responses to this thread, In them you will see everything you need for the setup and care of a veiled chameleon https://www.chameleonforums.com/new-veiled-need-advice-43202/index2.html

2 weeks is very young, you will need to get fruitflies and once it is bigger you will need pinhead crickets. Also, look at the hind legs, it may be a little hard to tell right now but see if you can see little spurs on the heels. If you do it's a boy if you don't it's a girl. You need to know this for further down the road when it will depict the food quantity and teperature.
 
hello and welcome, here is a good link with lots of info

https://www.chameleonforums.com/complete-veiled-care-sheet-52263/

as for lowering the temps just turn off the lights temp should drop, and the bag of ice may not be a good idea it will be very cold drip, try a cup with a small hole so it drips slowly, also are you sure it is 2 weeks not 2 months how big it your cham.
can you post pic of it and your setup

also here is list of info you should get together and post.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
 
yeah the lady told me he is 2 weeks old. but im not sure. and which light should i turn off for at night?
 

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Here's some information you might find useful...
Here's some information you might find helpful......
Exposure to proper UVB, appropriate temperatures, supplements, a supply of well-fed/gutloaded insects, water and an appropriate cage set-up are all important for the well-being of your chameleon.

Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects before you feed them to the chameleon with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. (Some UVB lights have been known to cause health issues, so the most often recommended one is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light.) D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you and your parents to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200604210...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
 
Maybe as old as 3 months.You have A decent start on your setup.And your Cham looks good.Do A little research on you set up so you can make some ajustments.like removing that substrain off the bottom of the cage. oh and welcome to the forums
 
Okay wow. The place that sold it to me said 2 weeks and its a boy. Great. and I don't see that extra thing on the foot so I'm thinking its a girl. I'll take a pic of the feet tomorrow and u guys can tell me from then. Thanks for the props of the terrarium. Noticed my cham was getting mad about the ice water so took it out seems to be better now. Also warm humidifier good or bad?
 
Okay wow. The place that sold it to me said 2 weeks and its a boy. Great. and I don't see that extra thing on the foot so I'm thinking its a girl. I'll take a pic of the feet tomorrow and u guys can tell me from then. Thanks for the props of the terrarium. Noticed my cham was getting mad about the ice water so took it out seems to be better now. Also warm humidifier good or bad?

To know if u need the humidifier you should have a humidity "reader" they are cheap like 4 bucks at petsmart. homedepot or lowes, have electric ones that are 10 dollars that read both temp and humidity. If u cant keep the humidity above 30-40% with just misting. I'd put the humidifer on.

Oh and turn of ALL the lights at night. they dont need any at night.
 
Chameleon seems happy:) I love being able to see if it doesnt like something cuz it will get the black spots. going to go buy the humidity scale today. And im also thinking getting another light for the bottom because it is very wet and cold down there and I've never seen him go down there. Advice for what light or if I even need another light ( I do have list of my 2 lights, first post). Also saw him eat for the first time this morning. Very cool.
 
Chameleon seems happy:) I love being able to see if it doesnt like something cuz it will get the black spots. going to go buy the humidity scale today. And im also thinking getting another light for the bottom because it is very wet and cold down there and I've never seen him go down there. Advice for what light or if I even need another light ( I do have list of my 2 lights, first post). Also saw him eat for the first time this morning. Very cool.

Black spots? Do you mean a pattern of black dots all over? From looking at pictures of various chams, are you sure it's a veiled?

Cham cages should have a gradient of temp and humidity so the cham can choose the micro climate it happens to want at any one time. As it gets used to its new space it will probably roam all over the cage. You don't necessarily have to light the lower areas unless you are trying to keep plants alive. What I often do is put a single tube fluorescent fixture vertically on one side of the cage with either a "regular" white fluorescent bulb or a used ReptiSun 5.0. It won't add much heat but will lighten up those lower areas and keep my plants a bit greener. Also, if you feed your cham out of a plastic container you can put it in the lower part of the cage (not right under drippers of course)...and your cham will roam more and explore while hunting.
 
Black spots? Do you mean a pattern of black dots all over? From looking at pictures of various chams, are you sure it's a veiled?

Cham cages should have a gradient of temp and humidity so the cham can choose the micro climate it happens to want at any one time. As it gets used to its new space it will probably roam all over the cage. You don't necessarily have to light the lower areas unless you are trying to keep plants alive. What I often do is put a single tube fluorescent fixture vertically on one side of the cage with either a "regular" white fluorescent bulb or a used ReptiSun 5.0. It won't add much heat but will lighten up those lower areas and keep my plants a bit greener. Also, if you feed your cham out of a plastic container you can put it in the lower part of the cage (not right under drippers of course)...and your cham will roam more and explore while hunting.

It's definitely a veiled, there is a picture. They will get dark spots when they are unhappy. Molly used to do the same thing.
 
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