Just got a Veiled chameleon, need help and advice

[Pilotman800]

I just got my first Veiled chameleon, and am very excited about it. I have done plenty of research and need some help with something my baby chameleon is doing. He is hanging upside down from the top of the cage, and just staying there. He is currently in a glass cage with a mesh top. I am planning on ordering a mesh cape for him ASAP, since the glass is not good for him. I was thinking that he is probably stressed? He hasn't really changed color or anything. He just quickly climbs to the top of the cage and hangs there. I have handled him but have decided to not do it anymore until he gets used to his new surroundings. He has not tried to bite me if that helps.

Also, since he is a baby, is it okay to feed him LIVE crickets, or should they be dead?

I got him yesterday. I mist the cage twice a day and put in 2-4 crickets twice a day as well. He has a basking spot on the right side of the cage, where there are no plants. I put the plants and hiding spots on the left side of the cage so they wouldn't be directly under the lamp. I was thinking maybe I should put some plants in the basking spot because chameleons don't like to be on the ground. As for water, I read on a site that misting the cage is enough watering, since most chameleons drink the water off the leaves. I have a hard time believing this, and would like to have someone clarify. Just incase, I put a little bowl of water. I heard this is useless though, since they don't drink from standing water.

Thanks for the patience, I know you experienced owners probably cringed while reading this.




Your Chameleon - Veiled, I think its a female, not sure of the age either, id say a month or two. This is the second day its been in my care.
Handling - Ive handled it a few times, but have decided to stop.
Feeding - Im feeding it crickets. 2-4 crickets twice per day. In the morning and mid/late day.
Supplements -I haven't bought calcium yet, I was planning on going back tomorrow to buy it.
Watering - I mist the cage and have a bowl of water. I mist twice a day, one in the morning, one at night. I have not seen my chameleon drinking.
Fecal Description - I have not seen any fecal droppings yet. It has not been tested for parasites.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass cage, 20"L X 10"W X 12"H
Lighting - Im using a Zilla day blue light, which apparently provides UVA rays. I turn it on when I wake up and leave it on until it starts to get dark outside.
Temperature - I have not had the chameleon long enough to record temperatures. I will start doing so.
Humidity - Humidity levels are around 60% normally and 80% when misted. I have a guage that came with the cage that measures temperature and humidity, which is what I use.
Plants - I have a fake bush, and I am adding ficus trees, as I heard they are great.
Placement - I have the cage on top of a desk. It is about 4 feet off the ground.
Location - Miami, Fl

 

[burnedrose]

I, personally, have never used dead crickets. I use live crickets and I never bucket feed, I always allow them to roam around so the chameleon gets her hunting instinct going.

The bowl of water isn;t really needed unless you are using it to create humidity, which I've seen used with glass cages, but I don't trust it. They are used to just licking the leaves - and they get a lot of water that way.

Regarding the cage climbing thing, he could be trying to stay warm and it's warmer on the roof or that could jsut be where he likes to hang out. Chameleons LOVE to climb vertically. How tall is the cage? maybe it isn't tall enough and it's like he is coming to a standstill. In my cage, for my female veiled, I have a plant directly under the basking light, a plant near the basking light and a plant outside of the basking light - and a series of vines that connect all the plants, so she can pick and chose where she wants to go. All my plants are at least 16 inches long, too, so she can really chose the appropriate temp variant for her.

 

[Pilotman800]

I, personally, have never used dead crickets. I use live crickets and I never bucket feed, I always allow them to roam around so the chameleon gets her hunting instinct going.

The bowl of water isn;t really needed unless you are using it to create humidity, which I've seen used with glass cages, but I don't trust it. They are used to just licking the leaves - and they get a lot of water that way.

Regarding the cage climbing thing, he could be trying to stay warm and it's warmer on the roof or that could jsut be where he likes to hang out. Chameleons LOVE to climb vertically. How tall is the cage? maybe it isn't tall enough and it's like he is coming to a standstill. In my cage, for my female veiled, I have a plant directly under the basking light, a plant near the basking light and a plant outside of the basking light - and a series of vines that connect all the plants, so she can pick and chose where she wants to go. All my plants are at least 16 inches long, too, so she can really chose the appropriate temp variant for her.

Hmmm, I guess I should remove the bowl of water then. I can only see it gathering bacteria from the crickets.

As for the cage warming, I think that is very possible. She was right under the lamp, but I turned it off cause its already 11 PM.

Ill be sure to add a plant under the basking lamp for her when I get a mesh cage.

 

[kinyonga]

You don't mention a UVB light...do you have one?

Here's some information I hope will help you too with things like supplements, gutloading, etc.
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.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it. At that size you only need to feed it every two or three days. Feed it enough that it doesn't get fat (and, of course, doesn't get thin either).

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

If you also 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. 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 as well 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 which has beta carotene.)

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 to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums and congrats on your new baby. I keep veileds and have a blog for new keepers attached for you below.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

And the " big dogs" to the rescue!!!
As always...you aren't gonna get much better(well I always add Carol, Olimpia and a few select others) than with who is helping you right now. My motto is listen to Jann and Linda, and you will learn
I gotta stop being your # 1 fan Jann!
anne

 

[carol5208]

You need a UVB bulb! Get a Reptisun tube 5.0. Also, definitely remove the bowl of water! Your chameleon can fall in it and drown!!!! I think you might need to do a little more research here! Also if you chameleon is that young, then you are starving the little thing! You should be feeding around 15-20 crickets a day!

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

Wow!, the trifecta

 

[Pilotman800]

Thank you both for the great information! It really cleared up a lot of my questions. However, I noticed I do not have a UVB light. The light I have is a day blue light and on the box it came in it says "Provides basking heat" and "emits full-spectrum light and UVA rays" I thought this was sufficient but I guess I was wrong. And after reading the blog, I realized mine is 50 watts.... Thats not good.

Im going to purchase the recommended UVB light tomorrow. It works as a basking light as well, correct?

Thank you for the patience with the dumb questions.

Ill make sure to feed it more as well.

 

[carol5208]

Wow!, the trifecta

you are so funny!

 

[carol5208]

No, you need both UVA and UVB. Your UVB bulb does not really emit any heat. I would ditch the blue bulb. Just use a regular household white bulb. that is all you need. Try a 40 watt to start. You want your basking temp in the low 80 range. And none of your questions are dumb!!! It is great that you ask!

 

[Pilotman800]

Oh, I see. How often should I have the UVA and UVB bulbs on per day? Should I have them both on at the same time? Or should I use the same lamp and just switch between bulbs?

Thanks.

EDIT: I read in the blog that I don't need a basking light yet, since he's just a baby. So when it is time to put in the basking light, how long per day is appropriate?

 

[carol5208]

same time for both bulbs. 12 on 12 off. I turn mine on at 8 am and off around 8 pm. It depends on your schedule of course, that is why timers are nice!

 

[carol5208]

Oh, I see. How often should I have the UVA and UVB bulbs on per day? Should I have them both on at the same time? Or should I use the same lamp and just switch between bulbs?

Thanks.

EDIT: I read in the blog that I don't need a basking light yet, since he's just a baby. So when it is time to put in the basking light, how long per day is appropriate?

depends on how cold your house is though too. You can have the basking bulb but you don't want your temp to get too much above 82 or so.

 

[Pilotman800]

depends on how cold your house is though too. You can have the basking bulb but you don't want your temp to get too much above 82 or so.

Oh I don't think I have to worry about that, haha. My mom refuses to lower the temp below 80 degrees. Sucks for me, but great for my cham.

Then again, while he was upside down on the roof of the cage, he was DIRECTLY under the current basking light.

 

[carol5208]

if you post a pic of your chameleon we can estimate how old it is. Also, are you sure you have a girl?. boys have little spurs on the back of their heels. There are many chameleons sold at pet stores and the owner is told the wrong gender! You chameleon may be older than what you told us also.

 

[Pilotman800]

if you post a pic of your chameleon we can estimate how old it is. Also, are you sure you have a girl?. boys have little spurs on the back of their heels. There are many chameleons sold at pet stores and the owner is told the wrong gender! You chameleon may be older than what you told us also.

Then again, while he was upside down on the roof of the cage, he was DIRECTLY under the current basking light. So it might be a good idea to have one just in case. Do you agree?

Ill take some pictures right now. Im pretty sure its a girl. I didn't see the spurs behind the feet. She's such a small little fella though, haha.

 

[hinoco1225]

No, the UVB does not produce heat and does not work as a basking bulb. You need BOTH a basking bulb and a UVB bulb... preferably a Reptisun 5.0 linear bulb. And make sure you get a fixture for it as well. (Definitely do NOT get a Zilla UVB because they are terrible, Repti-Glo is ok but Reptisun is the best).

I believe live crickets (and other safe insects) are best. Definitely feed at least 15-20 per day for a baby so young. Once she is about 6 months old you can cut back a little.

Please post her basking temp once you have measured it. She does need a plant under the basking bulb and the temp should be around 80-85 for a baby (increase it slightly with age).

Hope this helps!

 

[hinoco1225]

Probably the reason your cham was on the screen under the basking bulb is because there was nowhere else for her to comfortably be under it.

 

[hinoco1225]

One more thing: I would mist three times per day instead of two. Once when lights go on around 8, once around 2 in the afternoon, and once around 7 (or about an hour before you decide to turn the lights off). This gives her multiple opportunities to drink, and an afternoon misting is very important since that is the hottest part of the day.

And try to get that screen enclosure ASAP