My Chameleon/ Advice

[Dragonfly1]

Hi All,

Please can you kindly give me some guidelines, I just want some reassurance on Misting and misting techniques for my chameleon, same with dusting ect.. just some experienced advice as i am not too sure with what i was told when i bought him, i keep reading different things and i believe here is the best place for it and for me to learn my way and give my chameleon the best life possible.

Many Thanks in advance.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - I was told it was veiled chameleon
Male
In my care for 1 week.

Handling - 1 - twice a week, read everywhere only handle when needed as they are not to be handled.

Feeding - Locusts, Need more info on this dusting?

Supplements - ?

Watering - I was told to mist twice a day (Manually) but i have been sneaky doing it 3 - 4 times a day for about 15 squirts a time, he’s always drinking it (spits his tongue out at the drops)

Fecal Description - Somewhat dark red/brown latest one, sometimes bit of white in it looks like a slug.. hard to describe

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Wood Glass Doors height = 3 foot Width slightly under 2 foot. Depth 1.5 foot.

Lighting -Repti Glo 10.0 UVB 15W and a 40w Spot light for basking. Around 12 hours a day, will be putting lighting on an automatic controlled system

Temperature - Basking Area around 79F around 76 on the floor.

Humidity - Unsure need to know best ways around this. I am not afraid to spend money and time to keep my pets safe and live the best life possible.


Plants - None, recommendations are kindly welcomed.

Placement - On top of Snakes Viv near a radiator (not on) about 6 foot off the ground.

Location - UK

 

[jamncristian]

schleffara, pothos, & ficus make good terrarium plants

fecal description is asking you to describe his poop, what are you talking about??

i recomend zoo-med reptisun 5.0 if you can get it

post pic if you can of your cham & enclosure

 

[Cham101]

veiled

well first off veileds need a screen enclosure.. your lighting souds ok except for the basking temp. I would not feed just locusts. You need to gutload your feeders and then dust them with a cricket dust. I use herp care by mardel... my veileds like a basking temp in the 90 degree range. Vieleds are more a desert chameleon then a panther..

 

[jamncristian]

veileds are not desert chameleons, they live in the tropical/semi-tropical regoins of yemen. you need a cage that is taller than long or wide because chameleons like to climb and be high off the ground

 

[Dragonfly1]

jamncristian sorry i misready it ;-)

Here are a couple pics attached.

I have started to mist a bit more each time i do it he seems to like it and goes around the viv drinking it.

Btw I have a Repti Glo 5.0 UVB but was told it needs to be 10.0 the 5.0 can only be used in needed times for about 1 weeks

 

[kinyonga]

One concern I have is that you have a light inside the cage.

Is the top of your cage screen?

How old is the chameleon? Does it have tarsal spurs?

I dust at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for the usually poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus found in many of the feeder insects.

I dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder to ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it and leaving it to produce the rest of its D3 from its exposure to the UVB light. (The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic, BTW.) D3 from supplements can build up in the system and cause problems. D3 produced from exposure to UVB should be self-regulated by the chameleon as long as it can move out of the UVB or away from it.

I dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. Beta carotene can't build up in the system like prEformed vitamin A can. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert it so some people give a little prEformed vitamin A once in a while. Excess prEformed vitamin A may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD...so be careful not to overdo it.

Gutloading/feeding your insects a nutritious diet is also important. Crickets, roaches, superworms, locusts, etc. can be fed a wide variety of greens (dandelions, kale, endive, collards, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, celery leaves, etc.)

Appropriate temperatures also play a part since that aids in good digestion.

 

[Dragonfly1]

I have a Light + UVB

Cham is a baby, i have only had him a week now.

One concern I have is that you have a light inside the cage.

Is the top of your cage screen?

How old is the chameleon? Does it have tarsal spurs?

I dust at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for the usually poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus found in many of the feeder insects.

I dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder to ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it and leaving it to produce the rest of its D3 from its exposure to the UVB light. (The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic, BTW.) D3 from supplements can build up in the system and cause problems. D3 produced from exposure to UVB should be self-regulated by the chameleon as long as it can move out of the UVB or away from it.

I dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. Beta carotene can't build up in the system like prEformed vitamin A can. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert it so some people give a little prEformed vitamin A once in a while. Excess prEformed vitamin A may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD...so be careful not to overdo it.

Gutloading/feeding your insects a nutritious diet is also important. Crickets, roaches, superworms, locusts, etc. can be fed a wide variety of greens (dandelions, kale, endive, collards, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, celery leaves, etc.)

Appropriate temperatures also play a part since that aids in good digestion.

 

[Nixehface]

I have a Light + UVB

Cham is a baby, i have only had him a week now.

Just to let you know (I'm not saying it's the right thing to do) that I have my lights in my enclosure and my cham does just fine.
A lot of people here in the UK do this and a lot of people in the US thinks it's a big no-no.

As long as you take note of where your cham likes to sit near the light and just make sure he can't get to it or just put a cage around it if you are going to continue keeping the lights inside.

Also, you could use a few more branches in there and abit of foliage to hide.... B&Q is stocking a fair few plants now so look for a weeping fig, an umbrella tree or a hibiscus... they are like £10 atm.

 

[jamncristian]

since your in the UK you should try getting a hold on indian walking sticks

they are good if fed with a variety of other feeders and chams love them

they eat bramble, bouganevilla, guava, and oak leaves

 

[renzo0684]

well first off veileds need a screen enclosure.. your lighting souds ok except for the basking temp. I would not feed just locusts. You need to gutload your feeders and then dust them with a cricket dust. I use herp care by mardel... my veileds like a basking temp in the 90 degree range. Vieleds are more a desert chameleon then a panther..

this is not true veileds do not need screen enclosures. many people in the UK have had great success with glass terrariums (sp). One thing about the cage is I would take the light out and cut a hole in the top and put screen over it and set the light on top..also did you treat the wood so it doesnt rot from the moisture?

 

[Dragonfly1]

He has no way of reaching the light its self. I will have to take note of all these names and take a look on the week end :-D grab some more bits. Bear in mind i went based on the advice of the seller for the set up. She also said handle the Cham every single day or it will be come agresive and you will not be able to go in its cage. I read otherwise many different people so i only handle once - twice a week.

I appreciate all your help and advice, have all been very welcoming and i enjoy learning more here also very happy i joined this community.

Thanks alot guys. I will take better close up pics, so you can see it properly at all angles.

 

[renzo0684]

He has no way of reaching the light its self. I will have to take note of all these names and take a look on the week end :-D grab some more bits. Bear in mind i went based on the advice of the seller for the set up. She also said handle the Cham every single day or it will be come agresive and you will not be able to go in its cage. I read otherwise many different people so i only handle once - twice a week.

I appreciate all your help and advice, have all been very welcoming and i enjoy learning more here also very happy i joined this community.

Thanks alot guys. I will take better close up pics, so you can see it properly at all angles.

you will get very mixed emotions on handling of your cham..... I dont handle either of mine bexause my veiled hates my guts and plots;my death at night. I dont handle my panther because he is still to young for me to know how he feels about being held.... mostly though chams are meant to be animals you look at and dont touch....

 

[Cham101]

screen vs. glass

well everyone has there own opinion on glass or screen. i only use screen enclosures.. I believe the consensus is that screen cages are best. I know there are plenty of people that feel glass enclosures are fine too. The chameleon can see its reflection in the glass and this adds stress(depending on the personality of the chameleon i guess) as they are solitary for the most part. to each there own.

 

[Cham101]

sorry to burst your bubble

not trying to start an arguement no offense.. yes they are in the more tropical regions, but need I say more..

"Climate: The climate of Yemen is considered to be mostly desert. The hot and humid west coast contrasts the temperate regions in the western mountains which are affected by seasonal monsoons. There is an extraordinarily hot, dry, and harsh desert in the east.
Location: Yemen is located in the Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea. Yemen is between Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Environment: Environmental issues in Yemen include a very limited natural fresh water supply and inadequate supplies of potable water. Overgrazing, soil erosion, and desertification are also large issues."


thank you

 

[serenitystarlite]

well everyone has there own opinion on glass or screen. i only use screen enclosures.. I believe the consensus is that screen cages are best. I know there are plenty of people that feel glass enclosures are fine too. The chameleon can see its reflection in the glass and this adds stress(depending on the personality of the chameleon i guess) as they are solitary for the most part. to each there own.

The consensus in the UK seems to be glass, and they cannot see their reflection in the glass, otherwise people in the UK would be having issues with it. The problem with glass is that some people think an aquarium is adequate for a chameleon, which it's not.

He has no way of reaching the light its self. I will have to take note of all these names and take a look on the week end :-D grab some more bits. Bear in mind i went based on the advice of the seller for the set up. She also said handle the Cham every single day or it will be come agresive and you will not be able to go in its cage. I read otherwise many different people so i only handle once - twice a week.

I would put some kind of cage around the light, just in case. Do you have a digital thermometer with humidity gauge? They are the most accurate. If it's a baby, lower the basking temp into the low 80s so you don't fry him. Did they tell you how old he is? Is your UV light a coil bulb? There have been some issues with some of them causing blindness. I will never use a coil bulb with any of my chams. I prefer the repti-sun 5.0 tube because I know they are safe.

Handling really depends on the cham. You can try to get him more used to you, but don't stress him out. My female veiled is nasty but she'll come over to me if I have food. I've tried handling her to get her used to me, but she's still pretty mean. The rest of my chameleons are much nicer and don't mind being handled, though I don't handle them much.

 

[redmoonbettas]

Screened cages or glass?

Ive found both will work if you dont go over board on the water in the glass type/ but remember you will be misting alot and i run my dripper every day. Most people you read about say they only run dripper every other day . I run my dripper twice a day and mist twice a day because these guys stay thirsty! If the animal always has acces to water the odds of geting hydrated are lower.

 

[Dragonfly1]

Sorry for the delay i thought i would pop up this video rather then pics.

http://www.dragonfly1.com/chameleon.wmv

 

[Elizadolots]

He's cute. If it were me, I'd put some smaller vines that reach down to the floor to give him good climbing options. I think you should cage the light, you might not think he can get to it now, but a) they'll surprise you with how far they can reach and b) he'll grow.