My chameleon has had black spots for days after shedding

mackbanks00

New Member
Yoshi, my chameleon is about 4 months old and he shed for the first time the other day. Ever since he shed he has been spotted black for days. I cleaned his cage and re arranged so he had more plants, but I can't figure out what's wrong with him. He has a free range tree and when I take him out and put him on it he is green and when he's asleep he is green but during the day he is spotted black.
 
here are some photos
 

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Copy and paste this into your reply. Fill it out and be as detailed as possible. Attach pics of the entire enclosure including the lighting on top. If you add pics of the cham's back foot from the side view we can tell gender for you as well.


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.

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Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
  • Your Chameleon - It’s a four month old, male veiled chameleon. I’ve had him for about 4 weeks.
  • Handling - I handle him about once every other day and put him on his live tree he climbs on outside his cage.
  • Feeding - I feed him about 15 crickets a day and i have food and supplements in the cricket cage with the crickets.
  • Supplements - Zoo med
  • Watering - I mist him 4 times a day for about 1 minute, yes i’ve seen him drink before
  • Fecal Description - He has brown poop with a white dot at the end. It’s not runny it’s pretty solid

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - It’s a screen cage not sure the dimensions
  • Lighting - I have the double dome fixture with the zoo med lights that comes with the chameleon kit. I turn them on at 8 am and then them off at 8 pm
  • Temperature - I have a thermometer in his cage and his basking spot is 85 and the cooler spot is like 70
  • Humidity - I don’t have a humidity measurer.
  • Plants - He doesn’t have live plants in his cage but he has his trees i take him out and put him on throughout the week that are live trees that are safe for him
  • Placement - His cage is on a taller table and it’s in a low traffic area where no one goes. it’s not by a window and he is in a quiet spot
  • Location - i’m in georgia
  • The photos i included are before i set the cage up on the table. This was right after i put it together.
 

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See my feedback and questions in bold. :)
  • Your Chameleon - It’s a four month old, male veiled chameleon. I’ve had him for about 4 weeks. If he has little spurs on the back of his hind feet than it is a male.
  • Handling - I handle him about once every other day and put him on his live tree he climbs on outside his cage.
  • Feeding - I feed him about 15 crickets a day and i have food and supplements in the cricket cage with the crickets. What are you feeding the crickets? What supplements are you talking about? See gutload and feeder images below.
  • Supplements - Zoo med What type please take a picture and how are you using this? You should be using calcium without D3 and than a multivitamin with D3 2 times a month on say the 1st and the 15th. Repashy calcium plus LoD or Reptivite with D3 are two multivitamins with D3 that can be used 2 times a month. Correct supplementation is important. This is lightly dusted on your feeders and then given to the cham.
  • Watering - I mist him 4 times a day for about 1 minute, yes i’ve seen him drink before Mist him morning and evening 2-4 minutes. add a dripper during the day. A plastic solo cup with tiny pin holes in the bottom sitting on top of the cage dripping on plants below it.
  • Fecal Description - He has brown poop with a white dot at the end. It’s not runny it’s pretty solid

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - It’s a screen cage not sure the dimensions So this is ok for a baby. It is a 16x16x30 but you will need to start looking at buying a 2x2x4ft enclosure and have it set up in the next month or two to move him into it.
  • Lighting - I have the double dome fixture with the zoo med lights that comes with the chameleon kit. I turn them on at 8 am and then them off at 8 pm The Compact UVB bulb in this fixture will not work for your cham. You need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 or 6% bulb and basking branch should be 8-9 inches below. This needs to be an immediate purchase. Without the correct UVB lighting baby will develop MBD. Like this fixture https://www.amazon.com/Reptisun-T5-...=1631552756&sprefix=Reptisun+T,aps,221&sr=8-4

  • Temperature - I have a thermometer in his cage and his basking spot is 85 and the cooler spot is like 70... 85 is too hot... Should be more like 80. raise the fixture off the top of the cage or drop the branches lower. Make sure the temp probe is hooked in on the branch right below where the heat light is for an accurate reading.
  • Humidity - I don’t have a humidity measurer. you want to get one of these. Veileds need a daytime level of 30-50%
  • Plants - He doesn’t have live plants in his cage but he has his trees i take him out and put him on throughout the week that are live trees that are safe for him. All fake plants need to be removed. Veileds eat their plants so fake ones are dangerous. You can hang them on the outside of the cage to provide more security for him. You need the veiled tested plants from this list. And get 1 inch or larger stones to put on the soil top to keep him from eating the dirt. https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Chameleon-Plants-061321.pdf
  • Placement - His cage is on a taller table and it’s in a low traffic area where no one goes. it’s not by a window and he is in a quiet spot This is good.
  • Location - i’m in georgia
  • The photos i included are before i set the cage up on the table. This was right after i put it together.
You will want to get something for water run off. Either a washing machine pan or dragon strand makes drainage trays.

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


chameleon-gutload.jpg
chameleon-food(1).jpg
 
I just got him a new light and a drip system. It’s the light you said to get.
 

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yeah it’s the t5 high output light i got it from a reptile store near me.
I by no means am trying to question you. But the fixture stands taller like most of the T8 lights do. So if you have the box I would love to see a pic of it.

Does the fixture have a piece of plastic covering the bulb where it sits on the screen?
 
no, it doesn’t have a piece of plastic and the lady gave me the bulb and the fixture and i bought them both together. Also, i cant find any plants that are tall enough to take up the whole cage. does it matter how tall they are?
 
no, it doesn’t have a piece of plastic and the lady gave me the bulb and the fixture and i bought them both together. Also, i cant find any plants that are tall enough to take up the whole cage. does it matter how tall they are?
ok so it didn't come in a box? T5's are generally shorter and more streamline. If it is a T8 and that is what she gave you then it would be much different distance to basking needed and bulb strength. So hopefully you got the right one.

Did you try going to lowes or home depot and looking at their indoor plants section? Normally you can find some nice 3-4 foot money trees or umbrella trees there.
 
after i changed his light and added a thermometer for the humidity and fixed it he changed back to his green color. i also added the drip system. i’ll go get some live plants tomorrow.
 

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ok so it didn't come in a box? T5's are generally shorter and more streamline. If it is a T8 and that is what she gave you then it would be much different distance to basking needed and bulb strength. So hopefully you got the right one.

Did you try going to lowes or home depot and looking at their indoor plants section? Normally you can find some nice 3-4 foot money trees or umbrella trees there.
I got him some live plants today.
 

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