more questions from a new chammy parent

[amycrespi]

does anyone reccomend using a reptifogger for keeping up humidity?
I have a baby veiled. I assume he's only a few months old as he is rather small. I have him in a 12x12x18 glass terrarium but I purchased a 16x16x30 screened in to move him into which I will be doing today. I have a monsoon mister going in there but am still having issues getting humidity just right.
I am really looking for general advice, really, as I am very concerned about keeping this guy alive, thriving and growing!

 

[amycrespi]

also curious...
Goji seems to LOVE hanging upsidedown.
I have a linear light that has to sit on the top of his habitat.
that puts him like 1 inch away from the light.
isn't that bad? what can I do?

 

[Remkon]

A fogger can work miracles if you're in a dry environment where humidity becomes an issue, just don't fog the whole enclosure, it's ok to have part of it in the fog but the chameleon needs to be able to avoid the fog. A fogger with a hygrometer is recommended but not required.

I doubt Goji loves to hang upside down out in the open but in the current setup he doesn't have a lot of paths to travel and he also lacks a good basking branch and foilage.
Provide him with a branch around 8 inch away from the UBV light, this is the ideal distance for most lamps, little closer will work too to compensate for the loss due to the light having to penetrate the mesh. You should adjust distance to heat lamp accordingly to realize the temperature on the baskingspot (keep in mind the chameleon has to be in between take that into account).
Foilage is good for cover but will also help keep humidity in (especially real plants), you can check the resource section on this side to see which plants are safe to use (this is important especially for a veiled since they tend to also eat greens).

You can't keep em from climbing the mesh altogether but by providing enough paths you will limit it... Climbing the mesh can cost them nails (which will slowly grow back or not at all) and it can also put em dangerously close to their heatlamp with risk of getting burned.

Good luck.

 

[Decadancin]

So, just a few things...

I would get a plant such as a Schefflera arboricola

This would provide some climbing height in the enclosure, add some hiding/security options for Goji, and help maintaining humidity levels.
I would be much more concerned if he climbs directly under the basking bulb. Depending on the temps he could get some pretty bad burns.

I would suggest you fill out the info below (cut and paste into new post) to get some recommendations as well as ways to be successful keeping your veiled.

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?

Also, do you have drainage? Be prepared just in case the timer on the monsoon goes bad (and it will ) and you will come home to a puddle...

 

[amycrespi]

A fogger can work miracles if you're in a dry environment where humidity becomes an issue, just don't fog the whole enclosure, it's ok to have part of it in the fog but the chameleon needs to be able to avoid the fog. A fogger with a hygrometer is recommended but not required.

I doubt Goji loves to hang upside down out in the open but in the current setup he doesn't have a lot of paths to travel and he also lacks a good basking branch and foilage.
Provide him with a branch around 8 inch away from the UBV light, this is the ideal distance for most lamps, little closer will work too to compensate for the loss due to the light having to penetrate the mesh. You should adjust distance to heat lamp accordingly to realize the temperature on the baskingspot (keep in mind the chameleon has to be in between take that into account).
Foilage is good for cover but will also help keep humidity in (especially real plants), you can check the resource section on this side to see which plants are safe to use (this is important especially for a veiled since they tend to also eat greens).

You can't keep em from climbing the mesh altogether but by providing enough paths you will limit it... Climbing the mesh can cost them nails (which will slowly grow back or not at all) and it can also put em dangerously close to their heatlamp with risk of getting burned.

Good luck.

Thank you so much!
so that high point I have in there with the leaves on top isn't a good basking point?
do you mean a branch going horizontal from left to right?
I just set this reptibreeze up not 10 mins before I posted my question. he had tons of vines and beaches in his prior home but still hung upside down every day. in fact, when i first laid eyes on him he was upside down and had every day since I brought him home. I kinda figured it was his thing.
ill be sure to get him more vines and branches

 

[jamest0o0]

I would consider saving for a mistking, monsoons are notorious for failing. Also just want to point out, the cage you are moving him to is still not large enough for an adult veiled. What are your humidity readings. I wouldn't worry about a fogger unless it's very dry. He needs more branches and live plants(which are a must for veileds IMO) as mentioned. Another thing, remove the carpet at the bottom, that is a breeding ground for bad bacteria. Misting should be around 10-20minutes a day(depending on hunidity). He is hanging upside down because there arent any other high high points in the cage. It's good to have his basking spot and top perches above eye level or it makes them uncomfortable. I can bet if you do this he will rarely be hanging on the top.

 

[amycrespi]

So, just a few things...

I would get a plant such as a Schefflera arboricola

This would provide some climbing height in the enclosure, add some hiding/security options for Goji, and help maintaining humidity levels.
I would be much more concerned if he climbs directly under the basking bulb. Depending on the temps he could get some pretty bad burns.

I would suggest you fill out the info below (cut and paste into new post) to get some recommendations as well as ways to be successful keeping your veiled.

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?

Also, do you have drainage? Be prepared just in case the timer on the monsoon goes bad (and it will ) and you will come home to a puddle...

• Your Chameleon - male veiled aprox 2 months old in my care for 2 weeks
• Handling - I've only touched him twice, once to move into new habitat I set up this morning and once to inspect something I thought I saw on him yesterday
• Feeding - setting lose about 10 crickets every morning, though I don't tink he eats that many every day. I'm feeding the crickets those flukers orange chunks and i also have one of those zoo med cricket feeder blocks in there for them too.
• Supplements - this is what I need to get right. I have zoo med repticalciym without d3 that I'm dusting the crickets with. I also have the same with d3 but since overt only had him for 2 weeks, i haven't used that yet. I just also got reptivite and rebtiboost but I'm not sure how to use them.
• Watering - monsoon goes every 3 hours for 30 seconds and i mist regularly. yes I've seen him drink!
• Fecal Description - hasn't been tested. droppings are dark blackish with white chunk
• History - goji and i don't have much of a history yet. I did hear him sneeze twice this morning but not again after that. kinda worried about that and he doesn't seem to be interested in his crickets today.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - 16x16x30 reptibreeze
• Lighting - 5.0 linear uvb reprising and a blue 60 watt incadessant bulb. we turn both lights on at about 6am and off again around 6pm
• Temperature - his basking point is between 70 and 80 degrees and the bottom of his habitat is around 60
• Humidity - again, brand new habitat went from 12x12x20 (I think) glass to 16x16x30 mesh. right now i have the reptifogger going and his humidity hasnt really gone past 50%. still trying to figure it out
• plants - no live plants yet
• Placement - In upstairs bedroom (mine) on a dresser that's about hip height. the top of his enclusure is about as tall as I am so about 5 feet 9 inches from floor
• Location - milford, ct

 

[amycrespi]

I would consider saving for a mistking, monsoons are notorious for failing. Also just want to point out, the cage you are moving him to is still not large enough for an adult veiled. What are your humidity readings. I wouldn't worry about a fogger unless it's very dry. He needs more branches and live plants(which are a must for veileds IMO) as mentioned. Another thing, remove the carpet at the bottom, that is a breeding ground for bad bacteria. Misting should be around 10-20minutes a day(depending on hunidity). He is hanging upside down because there arent any other high high points in the cage. It's good to have his basking spot and top perches above eye level or it makes them uncomfortable. I can bet if you do this he will rarely be hanging on the top.

mistking! i will look that up.
I did some rearranging and will be looking for more beaches and vines but does this look a little better?

 

[amycrespi]

mistking! i will look that up.
I did some rearranging and will be looking for more beaches and vines but does this look a little better?

oops forgot to attach photo

 

[amycrespi]

one more time!

 

[Syreptyon]

Couple of things. First of all, the orange cubes you are using to gutload your crickets are really no good. You need to be gutloading them with fresh produce, which may include the following: collard greens, turnip greens, escarole, dandelion greens, mustard greens, kale, sweet potato, carrots, papaya. There are other good options, too, if you use the search bar. But those commercially available cricket food are not nutritious enough for you chameleon.

Sounds like you're on the right track with supplements. Use the calcium w/out D3 at every feeding, the calcium with D3 twice a month, and the reptivite twice a month as well. Treat the reptivite like you do your calcium - just lightly dust your feeders.

As for the monsoon, other than being notorious for breaking (I second the Mistking recommendation!), 30 seconds is not enough time to stimulate your chameleon to drink. They need 2-3 minutes at minimum, which is another problem with the Monsoon. It's great that you're hand misting in addition, though!

Replace the blue light you have with a white one. Just a regular household incandescent will do, the blue ones are not recommended.

For humidity, reptifoggers work better in a glass enclosure than a screen - so I think they are not the best for chameleons, personally. I tried using one with my screen cage and it did not increase humidity at all outside the spot being actively "fogged" (which my chameleon refused to go near). I recommend you get an ultrasonic room humidifier! That's what I use and it works great along with my Mistking.

Finally, as others have pointed out, be sure to add a whole ton more foliage in the cage. Your cham needs to feel safe secure, and like he has places to hide. I recommend getting a live plant or several (schefflera arboricola, pothos, ficus, to name a few). These will help with humidity and make your little friend feel much more secure and less stressed. Part of the reason he's hanging upside down is probably because he doesn't have enough horizontal walkways to utilize. Be sure also to add many many more horizontal branches/vines/walkways of whatever sort so he can get around better. Remember he want to be high up at all times, so it is best to create a little highway system for him to walk all over! Otherwise the big enclosure isn't living up to its full potential