Juvenile Veiled, new owner

Haidgley

Haidgley

New Member
I am very worried for my juvenile veiled, as I bought it from Petco. Not sure of the age or sex, neither was Petco. He or she does bunches of strange things but the first one: They have been keeping their mouth open frequently today and it will open it a little and then as far as it can and then close it. It pretty much stays in the same spot on the branches all day. It has been holding this dark green color for awhile. I’m very nervous any help at all would be greatly appreciated
 
Hi. If you could answer these questions, someone can review your husbandry and better tell you what may be going on.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
MissSkittles said:
Hi. If you could answer these questions, someone can review your husbandry and better tell you what may be going on.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - I believe she is a girl? I’m not 100% sure
  • Handling - I’ve only had her for about a week and I’ve handled her about three times, including putting her in her cage for the first time.
  • Feeding - I am feeding her gut loaded small crickets with calcium powder and sometimes mealworms. I give her about ten throughout the day. At first, I’d feed her 5 before I went to work (around 7AM) and five more when I got back (around 6 PM) I feed the crickets multiple different things (tomato, spinach, blueberries, carrots, and broccoli)
  • Supplements - right now I am only using Exo Terra Calcium powder. And I’ll sprinkle some on the first five crickets I feed her everyday.
  • Watering - I ordered an automatic dripper system, but until that arrives, I’ve kind of DIY’d my own. I only mist whenever I notice the humidity dropping, which isn’t very frequently. I have only seen her drink once since I got her, unfortunately. And it wasn’t a lot at all.
  • Fecal Description - i have never seen her use the bathroom. At all. I’m very worried about that.
  • History - i bought her from Petco this past weekend. I believe it was the 16Th of August. And we all know that Petco doesn’t properly care for their animals.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
Click to expand...
 
Haidgley said:
here of some pictures that I just took a second ago.
5E5FE99B-4108-40E2-85AD-04E42879173A.jpeg
3FB82666-D564-47AF-BFFC-8D2D9BEF0678.jpeg
47F39568-B073-4D78-B850-7D53EAAF938F.jpeg
Click to expand...
 
Hi there we need the whole form filled out with detail please. Please take a picture of the supplement they gave you to use and I would like to see what the lighting is that they had you buy along with a picture of the entire enclosure. When you say you ordered an automated dripper... What did you order exactly?

Cage Info:

  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
 
The substrate they gave me was some sort of compressed coconut shredding or fiber? I cant remember exactly what it was and I no longer have the packaging. The lighting is a mini dual lamp with a 6 watt UVB light and the other doesn’t produce any heat at all I don’t think. Again, I no longer have the packaging. The automatic dripper that I ordered is a ZooMed Little dripper. The cage is all glass except the top. I got this instead of screen/mesh because my house is pretty dusty. I believe the dimensions are 22\11\25, it’s a curved tank. I usually turn the lights on around six AM, and off about seven PM. I don’t have anything to measure different temps of the tank. But I did order one. I have a hydrometer and I like to keep it at about 60. All of her plants are fake plants. Her tank is considerably low, but it’s not in a high traffic room and there is a little ventilation in that room from ceiling fans, but not much. And we live in Texas.
 
Ok, I'm not the most experienced but I'll tell you some things that are obviously wrong. First of all you seem to have the compact uvb bulb. You'll need a linear uvb T5 5.0, you can try reptisun on amazon and you'll also need the hood for the linear bulb. Chameleons need lots of ventilation and I looks like your enclosure does not offer that! I would move him to a mesh enclosure ASAP!
 
Another thing, your best bet is to remove the substrate. It's a risk for impaction and it will host bacteria. Best to leave the bottom bare. The vine you have seems to be flaky, which is another impaction risk. Best to go with real, sanitized branches! You are going to need to do a lot of changes if you want your chameleon to be ok.
 
Haidgley said:
Okay, this is a lot to take in. Thank you all so much, this all sounds very expensive but I’ll try my best!
Click to expand...
I know it's a lot and yes, correcting the problems will be pricy. I just had to tell you what I know because I'd hate for something to happen to your little guy/girl.
 
@Haidgley I am going to give you feedback on the info you provided. But you have a lot of changes your going to have to make or the cham will get sick and die. This will be overwhelming as almost everything is incorrect. You were given wrong advice on what you purchased. See my feedback in red bold.
  • Your Chameleon - I believe she is a girl? I’m not 100% sure Get pics of the back of the back feet so we can see if there are tarsal spurs.
  • Handling - I’ve only had her for about a week and I’ve handled her about three times, including putting her in her cage for the first time.
  • Feeding - I am feeding her gut loaded small crickets with calcium powder and sometimes mealworms. I give her about ten throughout the day. At first, I’d feed her 5 before I went to work (around 7AM) and five more when I got back (around 6 PM) I feed the crickets multiple different things (tomato, spinach, blueberries, carrots, and broccoli) Mealworms should never be fed they are harder for them to digest and low in nutritional value. She should be eating more like 15 at this age every day and it should be in the morning. Gutload needs to change you are using calcium binding veg. See image.
  • Supplements - right now I am only using Exo Terra Calcium powder. And I’ll sprinkle some on the first five crickets I feed her everyday. All feeders should be lightly dusted. You can use a cup or plastic bag to shake them in the powder. I am not sure which exo terra calcium you are using... you need calcium WITHOUT D3 at all feedings except 2 times a month you will use calcium WITH D3 and 2 times a month you will use a multivitamin. These two get rotated week to week on 1 day only.
  • Watering - I ordered an automatic dripper system, but until that arrives, I’ve kind of DIY’d my own. I only mist whenever I notice the humidity dropping, which isn’t very frequently. I have only seen her drink once since I got her, unfortunately. And it wasn’t a lot at all. Plants must be misted morning and evening and dripper dripping on the plants so baby can drink.
  • Fecal Description - i have never seen her use the bathroom. At all. I’m very worried about that.
  • History - i bought her from Petco this past weekend. I believe it was the 16Th of August. And we all know that Petco doesn’t properly care for their animals. They gave you incorrect info on basically everything you bought.
The substrate they gave me was some sort of compressed coconut shredding or fiber? I cant remember exactly what it was and I no longer have the packaging. This has to go as it can cause impaction issues if she eats it or takes feeders off of it. Substrate is only recommended if a fully bio active set up is being done. Otherwise it will grow bacteria and become a health issue.
The lighting is a mini dual lamp with a 6 watt UVB light and the other doesn’t produce any heat at all I don’t think. Again, I no longer have the packaging. Incorrect UVB lighting. You need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 UVB bulb that runs the width of the enclosure. Basking branch should be 9 inches below this fixture for the proper UVB level. Baby will develop MBD with current lighting.
The automatic dripper that I ordered is a ZooMed Little dripper.
The cage is all glass except the top. I got this instead of screen/mesh because my house is pretty dusty. I believe the dimensions are 22\11\25, it’s a curved tank. This is not a correct enclosure. It is not made with vents at the bottom to create air flow. Higher risk of RI and too high of temps with this enclosure. I suggest getting a 2x2x4 screen enclosure. This is easier to control and regulate temps and humidity levels while providing air flow.
I usually turn the lights on around six AM, and off about seven PM. I don’t have anything to measure different temps of the tank. But I did order one. Temp at basking branch at the top should be no hotter then 79-80 degrees.
I have a hydrometer and I like to keep it at about 60. Too high. They need a 30-50% at the max for humidity.
All of her plants are fake plants. Live plants are recommended. Veileds eat their plants and fake ones are a risk for impaction. Live plants help stabalize humidity levels as well. Use the Veiled tested plants from this list. https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf
Her tank is considerably low, but it’s not in a high traffic room and there is a little ventilation in that room from ceiling fans, but not much. Should not be on a low table. They prefer to tower above in the room gives them a feeling of safety as they are arboreal animals and being on the ground means danger for them.
And we live in Texas.


Accurate info and Product links for things I like:

https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/NeptunetheChameleon?sub_confirmation=1

www.dragonstrand.com

https://tkchameleons.com/collections/accessories/products/shooting-gallery

chameleon-food(1).jpg
chameleon-gutload.jpg
 
Wow I feel terrible. My poor baby is probably so sick already. Thank you so much. I’ll do everything I can but I spent over $400 on her current setup.
 
Haidgley said:
Wow I feel terrible. My poor baby is probably so sick already. Thank you so much. I’ll do everything I can but I spent over $400 on her current setup.
Click to expand...
See what you can return. Petco is known for giving totally incorrect advice. They got me for close to $500. So I do understand. These guys are expensive I have 4k into two enclosures now 2 years later. Not saying that baby is sick already just that it will happen without everything being corrected.

That husbandry program link I gave you will walk you through every single aspect of care and what you need.

Most important is correct lighting, cage, supplementation, temps, live plant, and food. These are the things that need to be corrected now.

Let us know if you have any questions.
 
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