Hey guys, new here. I recently bought a baby veiled chameleon a couple of days ago from a reptile convention and im still getting used to having the little guy here. And he worries me sometimes, because when he crawls around the mesh cage into the light, he turns dark green and sometimes even brown, and he gets dark areas on his head. From what ive read and what the pet store owner told me, Chams turn dark colors when they are absorbing heat and ive read one post where the owner even said its normal for his Cham to turn black when in the heat. PLZ HELP
My Cham turns dark green and sometimes even Brown
- Thread starter Justice
- Start date
kdc5019
New Member
Yes chams are known to turn darker colors when basking. However if your talking about dark spots, it could be a burn.
What is your cage setup like? Temp /Humidty? Supplement schedule? Enough foilage?
There are alot of things that need to take place for you cham to be happy.
Maybe you can fill out the "how to ask for help" form on the forum and we can better assist you.
What is your cage setup like? Temp /Humidty? Supplement schedule? Enough foilage?
There are alot of things that need to take place for you cham to be happy.
Maybe you can fill out the "how to ask for help" form on the forum and we can better assist you.
NHenn
Avid Member
Hello and welcome to the forums! You came to the right place for help.
It is really hard to tell what the problem could be without some pictures. Could you please post some of him, his head with those dark spots as well as his cage. It could be as simple as he is just trying to warm up and it is normal but it is hard to tell without pictures.
Your one line about "into the light", do you just mean basking in the light or is the actual bulb in his cage? If it is please take it out immediately.
Also, as this is your first little guy I recommend reading through as much as possible here https://www.chameleonforums.com/cha...sheets-caging-lighting-nutrition-more-104558/. It will have tons of information that will make both yours and your chameleons life a lot more enjoyable.
It is really hard to tell what the problem could be without some pictures. Could you please post some of him, his head with those dark spots as well as his cage. It could be as simple as he is just trying to warm up and it is normal but it is hard to tell without pictures.
Your one line about "into the light", do you just mean basking in the light or is the actual bulb in his cage? If it is please take it out immediately.
Also, as this is your first little guy I recommend reading through as much as possible here https://www.chameleonforums.com/cha...sheets-caging-lighting-nutrition-more-104558/. It will have tons of information that will make both yours and your chameleons life a lot more enjoyable.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
If his color changes are in response to a change in temp, light, or activity its pretty much normal. When really active and moving around they do tend to show brighter markings than when they are relaxed. When he is basking does he tend to flatten himself, lean sideways, and turn darker on the side closest to the bulb? This is normal as increasing the amount of skin surface exposed to the heat and turning darker does help him absorb heat faster. Spotting and other markings help him "hide" from potential predators because he will look less like a small animal and more like a sun spotted clump of foliage. Its called "disruptive coloration". Normal.
Now if these dark spots do not disappear at all, they might be signs of skin problems. Doesn't sound like that to me.
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled, Honestly don't know how old it is, didn't ask, but it is a baby, probably 4 weeks or less. I've had it since Jan 6 of this year.
Handling - Probably once a day or less, or just whenever i get concerned when it turns dark.
Feeding - Ive been trying to hand feed him meal worms but no luck, but ive let out cricks into his cage two times. first time didnt eat any and second time he ate maybe 4-6. I have only emptied cricks twice and have tried to feed him worms probly once a day for the few days ive had him. When i put the cricks in i put some carrots and a potato as well.
Supplements - I dust the cricks with Zoo Med's Repti Calcium and some other multi vitamin i got from a petstore by my house, ripped of the tag so i don't know exactly what brand it is.
Watering - I dont have a dripper so i spray down the cage and mist it every hour or two, just whenever i worry again. I usually take a min or two to spray everything down, including him. ive seen him drinking the water many times.
Fecal Description - From what i can tell, his feces are brown.
History - All i know is that he came from a breeder who was at the Reptile convention, and he was in a cage like mine with like 20 other little chams.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass, W16,L14, H18
Lighting - I honestly misplaced the box of the bulb came in, but im sure it was Zoo Med , or one of those big brands, and when i bought it the employee at petco told me it can be used for basking and it was a uvb, so she said that was the only bulb i needed. I leave it on for 12 hours from when i wake up which is around 8-9, and turn of at the same time in the afternoon.
Temperature - I dont know how to check the temp from top to bottom, but the strip i bought says its about 80 degrees, maybe a lil higher, the lowest overnight temp ive seen so far is 50 degrees, but that is in LA and i will be moving to San Francisco in three weeks,
Humidity - I dont know the humidity levels because i havnt bought a humidity gauge, but i try to maintain humidity by spraying down the cage every once and a while and making sure that the floor is moist so when he goes down there, im also planning on getting a live plant to.
Plants - im only using the artificial leaves that came with the cage so far.
Placement - The cage is located on the top of my dresser which stands 4 1/2 feet tall, the cage is not near any vents or heaters or anything. except a window which i dont open.
Location - Im Located in LA atm but will be in SF in three weeks
Current Problem - He doesn't eat as much as i've heard they're supposed to and he turns brown and dark green when he crawls around the cage exposed to the heat.
Your Chameleon - Veiled, Honestly don't know how old it is, didn't ask, but it is a baby, probably 4 weeks or less. I've had it since Jan 6 of this year.
Handling - Probably once a day or less, or just whenever i get concerned when it turns dark.
Feeding - Ive been trying to hand feed him meal worms but no luck, but ive let out cricks into his cage two times. first time didnt eat any and second time he ate maybe 4-6. I have only emptied cricks twice and have tried to feed him worms probly once a day for the few days ive had him. When i put the cricks in i put some carrots and a potato as well.
Supplements - I dust the cricks with Zoo Med's Repti Calcium and some other multi vitamin i got from a petstore by my house, ripped of the tag so i don't know exactly what brand it is.
Watering - I dont have a dripper so i spray down the cage and mist it every hour or two, just whenever i worry again. I usually take a min or two to spray everything down, including him. ive seen him drinking the water many times.
Fecal Description - From what i can tell, his feces are brown.
History - All i know is that he came from a breeder who was at the Reptile convention, and he was in a cage like mine with like 20 other little chams.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass, W16,L14, H18
Lighting - I honestly misplaced the box of the bulb came in, but im sure it was Zoo Med , or one of those big brands, and when i bought it the employee at petco told me it can be used for basking and it was a uvb, so she said that was the only bulb i needed. I leave it on for 12 hours from when i wake up which is around 8-9, and turn of at the same time in the afternoon.
Temperature - I dont know how to check the temp from top to bottom, but the strip i bought says its about 80 degrees, maybe a lil higher, the lowest overnight temp ive seen so far is 50 degrees, but that is in LA and i will be moving to San Francisco in three weeks,
Humidity - I dont know the humidity levels because i havnt bought a humidity gauge, but i try to maintain humidity by spraying down the cage every once and a while and making sure that the floor is moist so when he goes down there, im also planning on getting a live plant to.
Plants - im only using the artificial leaves that came with the cage so far.
Placement - The cage is located on the top of my dresser which stands 4 1/2 feet tall, the cage is not near any vents or heaters or anything. except a window which i dont open.
Location - Im Located in LA atm but will be in SF in three weeks
Current Problem - He doesn't eat as much as i've heard they're supposed to and he turns brown and dark green when he crawls around the cage exposed to the heat.
Attachments
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Dark spots are not necessarily problems! If they appear and disappear with his overall color change they are simply part of his reactive pattern. If a dark patch on the skin is visible regardless of what the rest of the cham displays then it might be a burn or infection. It's important to distinguish between the two.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
From looking at your husbandry and setup info I think part of his problem is stress. He is very exposed to view in that setup, and you just got him so he's not settled in yet.
There are other problems with your husbandry that need to change. I'd suggest reading the forums link to "cham care...start here" and compare your routines and setup to what the forum suggests. You'll need to improve his diet, dusting schedule, and modify the cage to help him settle in well.
There are other problems with your husbandry that need to change. I'd suggest reading the forums link to "cham care...start here" and compare your routines and setup to what the forum suggests. You'll need to improve his diet, dusting schedule, and modify the cage to help him settle in well.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Mealworms are not a great feeder and harder to digest. Your feeder gutload is marginal so he's not getting great nutrition right now. The types of dust and the schedule is important...calcium without vitamin D3 daily, calcium with D3 twice a month, and a herp multivitamin once a month. Again, please read the forum's article on basic cham care and you'll see what I mean.
Generally it sounds as if the pet supply you bought from didn't offer the better options for a good cage setup. I would not trust much of what they told you.
The type of UV bulb should be printed on the end of the tube. Many types of bulbs sold as UV emitting bulbs don't actually produce much, so the brand is IMPORTANT!
You must get a humidity gauge. The little dial types most pet shops carry are not very accurate so be cautious.
The strip type thermometers are also not very accurate.
Deevo
New Member
I would also getting a large live plant as your base and build around it. Get something like a fiscus or umbrella tree. Then you can zip tie vines to the sides of the cage to help make him feel more secure, they will also help keep moisture in and prevent him from climbing the hard wire mesh as much.
You can also check out garden centres or a bird section of a pet store for wooden "ladders" and other things for him to climb. I use a 5.0 uvb bulb in an aluminium housing and a daylight basking bulb in a ceramic housing.
Also if anything I highly recommend getting a little dripper if you don't already and allow it down drop and splash down onto the base plant.
From your pics you have two dishes on the floor? What are they for? Chameleons won't drink from still water 99% of the time and it is a drowning hazard for them, especially as babies.
You can also check out garden centres or a bird section of a pet store for wooden "ladders" and other things for him to climb. I use a 5.0 uvb bulb in an aluminium housing and a daylight basking bulb in a ceramic housing.
Also if anything I highly recommend getting a little dripper if you don't already and allow it down drop and splash down onto the base plant.
From your pics you have two dishes on the floor? What are they for? Chameleons won't drink from still water 99% of the time and it is a drowning hazard for them, especially as babies.
the bowl has worms in there, ive tried feeding them to him by holding it out to him but he doesnt eat it, so i left it in the bowl just incase he might see them moving and get them, the other are two crickets that lived, so just left them there too but ill take the crickets out
and thanks im definitely going to get a real plant for him to hide and climb on, he looks completely fine and healthy when hes on the leaves though and just sitting there taking in the heat, but when he gets off the leaves and climbs around he gets really dark, you have any idea why?
and thanks im definitely going to get a real plant for him to hide and climb on, he looks completely fine and healthy when hes on the leaves though and just sitting there taking in the heat, but when he gets off the leaves and climbs around he gets really dark, you have any idea why?
