My First Chameleon!

Oconnell.alicia.m

Oconnell.alicia.m

New Member
Chameleon Info:

  • Your Chameleon - Veiled Juvenile Chameleon, unsure on age or sex I would love some help in this area. My Son named him( guessing on sex) Fish.
  • Handling - I’ve only had him for 3 days, I’ve only handled him once and that was today, he climbed out of his enclosure to me.
  • Feeding - Crickets, the pet store told me to feed him about 6-7 a day? And I have the calcium supplement to sprinkle over them. Also gave him some kale but he doesn’t seem to be interested.
  • Supplements - Repticalcium
  • Watering - hand misting with a spray bottle for now. About 4 times a day. I’ve seen him drinking a few times.
  • Fecal Description - Last I saw was brown looked soft no difficulty passing.
  • History - Unfortunately I got him from pet co and they weren’t able to give me any information other than that it’s a Juvenile veiled chameleon.


Cage Info:

  • Cage Type - Reptibreeze screen cage
  • Lighting - From reptibreeze set up has a daylight and a uvb bulb.
  • Temperature - Cage floor stays about 72-75 Fahrenheit. Once my hydro meter gets here I’ll be able to measure both floor and basking spot.
  • Humidity - Waiting on my hygrometer to arrive from Amazon. Frequent misting.
  • Plants - Currently a hibiscus, planning on getting a Pothos, as he attempted to eat the fake mossy vine the pet store recommended so I took that out.
  • Placement - cage is in my living room on my desk will be moved once I get the stand for it to a lower traffic area.
  • Location - Central North Carolina


Current Problem - I would love some help identifying his sex, and approximate age. And any other first time Chameleon owner tips. I’ve had reptiles in the past but this is my first Cham!
 

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Hi there see my feedback in red bold.

Chameleon Info:


  • Your Chameleon - Veiled Juvenile Chameleon, unsure on age or sex I would love some help in this area. My Son named him( guessing on sex) Fish. Female about 4 months old.
  • Handling - I’ve only had him for 3 days, I’ve only handled him once and that was today, he climbed out of his enclosure to me.
  • Feeding - Crickets, the pet store told me to feed him about 6-7 a day? And I have the calcium supplement to sprinkle over them. Also gave him some kale but he doesn’t seem to be interested. Should be eating more like 12 a day at this age. What is the supplement you are using? Please take a picture. Leave the veggies for your insects. See image for gutloading nutrition for your insects. As she matures you will have to start cutting back her food. By about 6 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeders so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3-4 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 10 months old.
  • Supplements - Repticalcium With D3 or without D3? you will need a multivitamin as well and I will give a recommendation based on which repticalcium you have.
  • Watering - hand misting with a spray bottle for now. About 4 times a day. I’ve seen him drinking a few times. How long are you misting for?
  • Fecal Description - Last I saw was brown looked soft no difficulty passing. I would recommend getting a fecal done to ensure there is not a parasite issue.
  • History - Unfortunately I got him from pet co and they weren’t able to give me any information other than that it’s a Juvenile veiled chameleon. Yep they never know anything.


Cage Info:


  • Cage Type - Reptibreeze screen cage. Looks like you got the chameleon kit... Will not be good long term. I like dragon strand cages but I suggest a 2x2x4foot for her since you will need to accommodate a permanent lay bin. (females will lay infertile eggs)
  • Lighting - From reptibreeze set up has a daylight and a uvb bulb. You will need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 zoo med bulb. This should run the width of the cage and then basking should be placed 9 inches down.
  • Temperature - Cage floor stays about 72-75 Fahrenheit. Once my hydro meter gets here I’ll be able to measure both floor and basking spot. You will not want basking to be over 81 for her. Very important for females because as she ages she needs this temp no higher at basking to help control the amount of eggs she produces.
  • Humidity - Waiting on my hygrometer to arrive from Amazon. Frequent misting. Listen to this podcast https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-89-naturalistic-hydration-for-chameleons/
  • Plants - Currently a hibiscus, planning on getting a Pothos, as he attempted to eat the fake mossy vine the pet store recommended so I took that out. Hibiscus will die off because they need a ton of light.
  • Placement - cage is in my living room on my desk will be moved once I get the stand for it to a lower traffic area.
  • Location - Central North Carolina


Current Problem - I would love some help identifying his sex, and approximate age. And any other first time Chameleon owner tips. I’ve had reptiles in the past but this is my first Cham!


Links I like:

www.dragonstrand.com

https://chameleonacademy.com/

https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/

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

Lay bin info https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/

chameleon-food(1).jpg
chameleon-gutload.jpg
 
Hi. I noticed a couple of things you should change. That green carpet...toss it out. It’ll just become a bacterial breeding ground. Bare floor is best and easiest to keep clean. Also toss out that fake plant. Veileds are well known to eat their plants and have eaten fake leaves and become impacted. Live plants are always best. Pothos is my favorite...easy to grow, long vines add extra climbing area, big leaves to drink off and hide behind and always a ready snack. Schefflera, dracaena, ficus benjamina are also safe and seem to be the most popular.
 
MissSkittles said:
Hi. I noticed a couple of things you should change. That green carpet...toss it out. It’ll just become a bacterial breeding ground. Bare floor is best and easiest to keep clean. Also toss out that fake plant. Veileds are well known to eat their plants and have eaten fake leaves and become impacted. Live plants are always best. Pothos is my favorite...easy to grow, long vines add extra climbing area, big leaves to drink off and hide behind and always a ready snack. Schefflera, dracaena, ficus benjamina are also safe and seem to be the most popular.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I tossed the green carpet with the mossy vine. It’s bare. Seems like it would be easier to clean. Will be getting a Pothos later this week.
 
Hi there see my feedback in red bold. I responded wit ha few more questions in blue?
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled Juvenile Chameleon, My Son named him( guessing on sex) Fish. Female about 4 months old. By what time do I need to have her lay bin completed?
  • Feeding - Crickets, Should be eating more like 12 a day at this age. So If I understand correctly, 12/day for the next two months, over the next two months she should drop back to about 7 a day, and then by 10 months I should drop her back to only feeding her every three days with 3-4 feeder crickets?? I see the info below regarding insects to feed,I will approach that once I'm a little more comfortable with knowing what she needs nutritionally.
  • Supplements - Repticalcium I have Repticalcium without D3. Its just a sample size for now that came with the kit, but planned on getting more. I also have the zoo Med's reptivite vitamins, see picture below.
  • Watering - hand misting with a spray bottle for now. About 4 times a day. I’ve seen him drinking a few times. How long are you misting for? A couple Min at a time? How long should I be misting for if doing this by hand?
  • Fecal Description - Last I saw was brown looked soft no difficulty passing. I would recommend getting a fecal done to ensure there is not a parasite issue. What should it look like? with this Covid stuff going on our vet is pretty hard to get into right now, thankfully were starting to open things up but it might be a week or two before I can. Also when taking to the vet how should I transport?
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Reptibreeze screen cage. Looks like you got the chameleon kit... Will not be good long term. I like dragon strand cages but I suggest a 2x2x4foot for her since you will need to accommodate a permanent lay bin. (females will lay infertile eggs) I plan on building our next cage versus buying a cage that way we can make sure it has exactly what we want, but I will be sticking with this cage until then. Any ideas on how to make this one better? Can I still put a lay bin in this one or will she need to be in a bigger cage by the time she needs a lay bin? When does she need that by?
  • Lighting - From reptibreeze set up has a daylight and a uvb bulb. You will need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 zoo med bulb. This should run the width of the cage and then basking should be placed 9 inches down. Is this the correct light? Would like some clarification before I buy.
  • Temperature - Cage floor stays about 72-75 Fahrenheit. Once my hydro meter gets here I’ll be able to measure both floor and basking spot. You will not want basking to be over 81 for her. Very important for females because as she ages she needs this temp no higher at basking to help control the amount of eggs she produces. Dually noted, so if it is to warm do I just move her basking spot down?
  • Humidity - Waiting on my hygrometer to arrive from Amazon. Frequent misting. Listen to this podcast https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-89-naturalistic-hydration-for-chameleons/
 

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I’ve attached a stool picture can you tell me if it looks normal? Or
 

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@Oconnell.alicia.m Awesome easy for me to see!!!!! I will respond again in green :)

Hi there see my feedback in red bold. I responded wit ha few more questions in blue?
  • Your Chameleon - Veiled Juvenile Chameleon, My Son named him( guessing on sex) Fish. Female about 4 months old. By what time do I need to have her lay bin completed? Most of the people with females recommend by 6 months old. They may not lay until a year but some will lay earlier.
  • Feeding - Crickets, Should be eating more like 12 a day at this age. So If I understand correctly, 12/day for the next two months, over the next two months she should drop back to about 7 a day, and then by 10 months I should drop her back to only feeding her every three days with 3-4 feeder crickets?? I see the info below regarding insects to feed,I will approach that once I'm a little more comfortable with knowing what she needs nutritionally. So from 7 months to 10 months you want to reduce feeders down so it is gradual taking 1 or 2 a week out. Then when she is used to 3-4 feeders a day you want to get her moved over to 3 feedings a week. It will be less of a shock for her system. You can then put her on a monday, wednesday, friday schedule.
  • Supplements - Repticalcium I have Repticalcium without D3. Its just a sample size for now that came with the kit, but planned on getting more. I also have the zoo Med's reptivite vitamins, see picture below. Ok that calcium sample will last you a bit. I do not know if the reptivite is with or without D3. THey do not clearly label those. I would order the Reptivite with D3 so you know for sure that is what your using. That will only be given two times a month and the calcium without D3 at every other feeding. Check out "cricket shakers" they are a great way to dust your feeders without a mess. I have one for each supplement I use.
  • Watering - hand misting with a spray bottle for now. About 4 times a day. I’ve seen him drinking a few times. How long are you misting for? A couple Min at a time? How long should I be misting for if doing this by hand? At least 2 minutes... A mistking will make your life easier.
  • Fecal Description - Last I saw was brown looked soft no difficulty passing. I would recommend getting a fecal done to ensure there is not a parasite issue. What should it look like? with this Covid stuff going on our vet is pretty hard to get into right now, thankfully were starting to open things up but it might be a week or two before I can. Also when taking to the vet how should I transport? Don't stress this now unless eating declines but I would get a fecal done since she is a petco baby.
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Reptibreeze screen cage. Looks like you got the chameleon kit... Will not be good long term. I like dragon strand cages but I suggest a 2x2x4foot for her since you will need to accommodate a permanent lay bin. (females will lay infertile eggs) I plan on building our next cage versus buying a cage that way we can make sure it has exactly what we want, but I will be sticking with this cage until then. Any ideas on how to make this one better? Can I still put a lay bin in this one or will she need to be in a bigger cage by the time she needs a lay bin? When does she need that by? I would plan on a bigger cage by the time she is about 6-7 months old. Take a look at this link for set up https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/
  • Lighting - From reptibreeze set up has a daylight and a uvb bulb. You will need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 zoo med bulb. This should run the width of the cage and then basking should be placed 9 inches down. Is this the correct light? Would like some clarification before I buy.
  • Temperature - Cage floor stays about 72-75 Fahrenheit. Once my hydro meter gets here I’ll be able to measure both floor and basking spot. You will not want basking to be over 81 for her. Very important for females because as she ages she needs this temp no higher at basking to help control the amount of eggs she produces. Dually noted, so if it is to warm do I just move her basking spot down? Basking will end up being based on your uvb. So most of the time this may mean raising the basking fixture. get this if you want to make it easier and drill holes in the mounting plate to screw it directly into your frame. use quarter inch self tapping screws. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007D1BUJY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s05?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  • Humidity - Waiting on my hygrometer to arrive from Amazon. Frequent misting. Listen to this podcast https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-89-naturalistic-hydration-for-chameleons/
 
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