Just not doin right

[Dominomyles]

Hey all I'm gonna fill out this how to ask for help form in hopes one of you can help me out. I got my male panther chameleon on June 3, so tomorrow it will be 2 weeks exactly since I picked him up.
I am not a total newbie to caring for chameleons, and just can't figure out what the problem is, if there is one.

Chameleon Info:
YOUR CHAMELEON - Male ambilobe panther chameleon, 4 months old.

HANDLING - I don't handle him often, I am trying to get him used to me. He has been fairly good with me handling him. I handled him for the first time since the day I brought him home only about 4 days ago.

FEEDING - He is eating about 5 medium-large crickets (size appropriate besides a few that grow while in my keeper) a day, however sometimes he won't eat the crickets. And he is eating a couple superworms, mealworms, and he's eaten 3 small waxworms since I got him. I'm gut loading the crickets with something called total bites, we used it at the store I worked at and it's been the best gut load I've ever seen, in my opinion. The crickets go nuts over it.

SUPPLEMENTS - I dust everything he eats minus a couple, with calcium without d3. I haven't had him long enough to do the other supplements, but will be dusting calcium with d3 and a vitamins powder once monthly.

WATERING - I heavily mist 3-4 times daily. I have seen him drink only once, but he stopped when he realized I was watching him.

FECAL DESCRIPTION - His feces has been very normal, good consistency and color with normal bright white urates. That was until a couple days ago the urates have been more yellow/orange. Has not been tested for parasites.

HISTORY - Can't really think of anything extra except that 2 days ago he shed. Very very clean shed, almost perfect.

Cage Info:
CAGE TYPE - XL reptibreeze

LIGHTING - 100watt powersun suspended about 6 inches from the top. I also recently added a 6500k fluorescent tube to keep my plants alive. His lights are on for about 12-15 hours a day. I don't have a timer any more so until I get one I'm manually turning the lights on and off. His lighting schedule is pretty consistent though. At night, everything is completely off.

TEMPERATURE - I know this may sound bad, but I judge by hand. I worked at a reptile specialty store and my boss never trusted those little gauges and he taught me to feel the temps. They seem pretty perfect to me and there is a noticeable difference between the top and bottom. He has seemed very content with it, eating and dedicating normally, moves from top to bottom, etc.

HUMIDITY - Humidity is maintained because of my misting and I keep live plants in the enclosure, the bottom is covered in Eco earth as is the top layer of soil in the planters.

PLANTS - I have a ti plant and a plant that I can't think of the name. Sweet ver.... Something. I checked both to make sure no toxins. I recently added the later of the 2 when I got the tube light because my hibiscus died.

PLACEMENT - Located next to my study desk, low traffic, no vents or fans, etc. it is 4 ft tall, so the top is 4 ft from the floor.

LOCATION - TX

CURRENT PROBLEM - I can't really put my finger on it. He just isn't himself the past couple days. I will attach pictures of when I first got him and picture I took today. His colors are totally off. He shed 2 days ago, very clean shed, he started in the afternoon and was done when I turned the lights off that night. His urates also show dehydration but the fact that his shed was perfect and that he doesn't physically look dehydrated makes me wonder why they're yellow/orange.

Please excuse my dead hibiscus in the last few pictures, he was on that when I was changing the plants in his enclosure because the 2 (small and large) hibiscus died.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

Not sure what the problem is here. A couple of things I notice though (may or may not be related to problem in question).

The first thing is the Powersun bulb. While they are good bulbs and are certainly adequate, I would recommend getting another bulb to be used for a basking spot W/O UVB. Currently if he needs to bask he has no option but to also get UVB exposure. He has no where to go to get away from the UVB AND get heat.

Second, GET A THERMO and HYGRO. It doesn't matter how much experience you have "judging" temps with your hand, you can not be more accurate than a good thermo/hygro. Your boss was right not to trust the little dials, they can be incredibly inacurate. Get a digital thermo/hygro with probes. These are very accurate. You need to be tracking your temps and humidity.

Third, if his urates are yellow, offer more water. You may have to mist more often or for longer durations. You can also add a dripper. Just because his eyes are not sunken in and he is showing no other signs of dehydration, does not mean he is not somewhat dehydrated.

Other than these things, it seems like your guy is doing well. At his age his coloring can change dramatically from day to day, this does not mean there is something wrong, he is just a young chameleon still adjusting to his new home and developing his colors.

Of course if there is ANY doubt, have a qualified herp vet take a look.

 

[Dominomyles]

Why should I have a spot with no UVB? And how would I do that? My understanding is that they should always have a UVA/UVB source. If I had a reptisun and heat bulb, the reptisun would also always be on him. Hope that statement made sense. Maybe I am misunderstanding what you mean.

With the hydration, I feel like if I mist more then his enclosure will be wet at all times. He has a pretty adequate water supply. I will mist more though!

The coloring, it's almost like he is staying very angry for the past couple days. The colors aren't the only thing I guess that worried me, he is very pissy lately. More than usual I should say.

I'll get the temp and humidity gauges when I go to the store.


Thank you by the way!!!

 

[Chris78]

i have the 18 x 18 x 36 reptibreeze cage. i started with a dripper, it was kind of a hassel every time i would turn it on, plus my veiled would just flick his tongue at the drips instead of going up to the drip hanging there a lick it. i bought Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Terrarium Humidifier, i have the fog entering from the top of the cage through the screen. the fog creates droplets that hang from the screen. for some reason he will go right up to those drops and lick them until he gets his fill. i only use purified water (.89 cents/gallon at walmart) as to not wreck the fogger with contaminates and then you know the water shouldnt hurt your cham either. just an idea if you dont want to have to mist your cage all day. the fogger is about 45$ at amazon. let me know what you think.

 

[sharp229]

Chameleons can see UVB light and are capable of regulating UVB exposure just like heat exposure. If you have a separate UVB and heat bulb, the chameleon can move under the one he wants. I know my chameleons move between the two. I had an enclosure with a heat bulb, UVB bulb, and PowerSun and he usually seemed to prefer the individual sources.

His eyes do look slightly more sunken in the recent pictures, but its hard to say because it could be the camera angle. In any case, you may need to mist longer each session as they can take a while to start drinking. He may also need to be alone to drink, if that is not already the case.

You said you just recently started handling him, so this is another possible reason for the darker colors. Do you grab him out of the cage, or does he walk on to you himself? It can take them along time to get used to people.

 

[Dominomyles]

Thanks for the info about the lighting, that makes a lot of sense and I should have known that! Now I'm putting that together in my head.

As for the handling, I am not grabbing him, but he is not walking into my hand willingly. I put my hands underneath him and kind of give him to other option but to come onto my hand and wait til he's on them and that's how I remove him. Hope that made sense. I thought that too originally but he seems to stay at a calm color when I take him out. He doesn't gape or hiss or get angry at me for handling him anymore for the most part. He has before, and I just put him back immediately as to not stress him. I only have him out until he no longer is tolerating it. I don't like to push it especially since he's new. I'm trying to work him up so I can take him out and bring him outside. I think the longest he's ever been in my hands is 5 minutes, tops. He also eagerly takes worms from my hands, and since his little pissy fit for the past couple days he is less eager, still takes them but is mad until it's in his mouth. He even hissed at me today while grabbing the worm from me. Like tongue out and hissing at the same time! I did not handle him at all today, and he's been like this all day since I turned the lights on.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

Young chameleons often get an attitude as they get to be about 5-6 months old. This is kind of a phase they go through. Many times they will grow out of it, other times they won't. Mine did this and now he is back to being a total sweetheart. He is 10 months today.

 

[Lazy Boy]

Has he shed since you have had him? He might have a shed coming and they tend you get a little grumpy. After the shed they go right back to normal.

 

[shmeenakoz]

Young chameleons often get an attitude as they get to be about 5-6 months old. This is kind of a phase they go through. Many times they will grow out of it, other times they won't. Mine did this and now he is back to being a total sweetheart. He is 10 months today.

Do they ever!! Its the chameleon terrible 2's Mine was such a little monster at that age and often just seemed off. As someone else also said a shed could be cause for this as they do shed quite often around this age. My guy is now 7 months and no longer has a crappy attitude, quite the opposite. He runs to jump on my arm every day when I go to fed him. Good luck and just monitor him closely.

 

[Dominomyles]

Yes, he shed a couple days ago.

 

[Psychobunny]

Chams do go through moods, it passes.
Just keep up with what you are doing.
Try to get hime out of his cage and on a free range, or give him some time outside in the sun (with supervision).
Often that can improve their mood.

Keep him well hydrated, and keep an eye on his urates.

Try to interact with him, hand feeding, etc.

When they get to about 4 to 5 months, their personality starts to change as they become sexualy mature.

 

[Dominomyles]

His urates are whitening up again, and I actually saw him lick some water today off a leaf so I am happy so far. I got a temp reader, and of corse forgot the humidity gauge. I have been keeping an eye and it has fluctuated between 89-92 in his basking spot. Is that alright? It's a temp gun thing so idk if it's fluctuating or I'm probly just getting not the exact same spot everytime.

 

[Lovereps]

His urates are whitening up again, and I actually saw him lick some water today off a leaf so I am happy so far. I got a temp reader, and of corse forgot the humidity gauge. I have been keeping an eye and it has fluctuated between 89-92 in his basking spot. Is that alright? It's a temp gun thing so idk if it's fluctuating or I'm probly just getting not the exact same spot everytime.

Temp guns are the most accurate readings.
He needs lower basking temps at his young age.
Easily done by using a lower wattage bulb or by raising the fixture higher above the cage.
Please read the info on this excellent forum Panther caresheet, as it will guide you well with basking temp info, diet, etc. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/panther/
Glad he is doing better.