Need advice on humidity and basking temps

[Beman]

Per week, I feed him 4 feeders every other day. 2 of those days I add a hornworm. His staple is large crickets. I add variety by replacing a cricket with superworms or silkworms. Sometimes the silkworms are small so I give him 2 to equal 1. I was just speaking of adding a hornworm at each feeding while he's being treated for Giardia. If I stop feeding Carmelo, he will come out of his enclosure to bite me. He loves to eat. Besides my granddaughter would report me to the authorities for pet abuse.😉

He is on a diet to lose weight right? If so your actually feeding him normal amounts right now with the 4 feeders every other day. This is what a normal healthy not overweight male could eat and this intake will not cause a weight drop. But if your boy is overweight then there is further reduction that you have to do. A normal decreased diet to get them to slowly drop weight is 2-3 feeders 2 days a week only.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

He is on a diet to lose weight right? If so your actually feeding him normal amounts right now with the 4 feeders every other day. This is what a normal healthy not overweight male could eat and this intake will not cause a weight drop. But if your boy is overweight then there is further reduction that you have to do. A normal decreased diet to get them to slowly drop weight is 2-3 feeders 2 days a week only.

Good advice. Is the hornworm included in the 3 feeders?

 

[Beman]

Good advice. Is the hornworm included in the 3 feeders?

Yep... Don't do the reduction until he is off treatment though.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

Yep... Don't do the reduction until he is off treatment though.

Ok. This is day 3 of treatment. He is not happy and does not look good (I could be over thinking this). Today, he actually hissed at me during medication administration. When I returned him to the enclosure he started clinging to the top of the enclosure, for 2 minutes. Sometimes he closes one eye briefly. It's probably normal but I don't like it.

 

[Beman]

Ok. This is day 3 of treatment. He is not happy and does not look good (I could be over thinking this). Today, he actually hissed at me during medication administration. When I returned him to the enclosure he started clinging to the top of the enclosure, for 2 minutes. Sometimes he closes one eye briefly. It's probably normal but I don't like it.

Medication is not easy for them... Not only is it traumatic when you have to give it to them it also stresses them out. Make sure you have a dripper on the cage so he has consistent access to water.
Eye closing can be a stress response. It can also be just the toll of being sick and being treated for it. These are my first two thoughts since your husbandry is correct. Other things can contribute such as incorrect supplementation and UVB lighting.


The only thing you can do is try to make the interaction as stress free as possible. When you put him back in the cage put him in mid level so he does not immediately go to the top screen. This gives him a bit of time to orient himself to the cage.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

Medication is not easy for them... Not only is it traumatic when you have to give it to them it also stresses them out. Make sure you have a dripper on the cage so he has consistent access to water.
Eye closing can be a stress response. It can also be just the toll of being sick and being treated for it. These are my first two thoughts since your husbandry is correct. Other things can contribute such as incorrect supplementation and UVB lighting.


The only thing you can do is try to make the interaction as stress free as possible. When you put him back in the cage put him in mid level so he does not immediately go to the top screen. This gives him a bit of time to orient himself to the cage.

Supplements are calcium (w/o D3) at every feeding except 1st and 15th. 1st and 15th Reptivite w/D3. Uvb - T5HO 5.0 (8-9inches) above branch. He's not eating. Even refused hornworm. He has a dripper and basking is at 80.

 

[Beman]

Supplements are calcium (w/o D3) at every feeding except 1st and 15th. 1st and 15th Reptivite w/D3. Uvb - T5HO 5.0 (8-9inches) above branch. He's not eating. Even refused hornworm. He has a dripper and basking is at 80.

This is correct... So I think he is having a hard time with treatment. How long is he on meds?

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

@Beman he is

just laying around. His eyes are slightly sunken. See pics.

This is correct... So I think he is having a hard time with treatment. How long is he on meds?

He had 5 doses. 1 dose per day. I have given him 3 doses. I have not given him the 4th dose. I'm calling the Vet 1st thing in the morning. He ate 2 hornworms late this evening. I'm watching his temps closely. I've covered the front of the enclosure to increase the duration of the nighttime humidity. I ran the fogger 30 minutes longer than normal. I'm gonna bump his basking temp to 82/83 to see if that makes a difference. I usually keep basking around 80. I understand that Veileds prefer a basking temp of 80-85. Since the basking temp helps with digestion maybe Bumping the basking temp up may help with metabolizing the medication. What's your thought on increasing basking? Also, tomorrow I'm gonna hand spray 2 minutes every 90 minutes. This should bump humidity up to 30-40%.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

@Beman his nighttime colors look good. He is not sleeping in his normal spots. I added a dripper near his bed (I wasn't thinking about placement until I noticed him in a new sleeping spot tonight) and it probably made his normal bed too wet. Tomorrow, I'll move the dripper away from his normal sleeping areas.

 

[Beman]

I keep Beman at 82-83 at basking. He has always done really well with this temp at basking.

I don't see any issue in spraying during the day just make sure the humidity is not going high and that the cage is drying back out. I would honestly be less worried about humidity during the day. Veileds are very tolerant. My focus would be on humidity at night. Do you have a fogger for nights? You can use these at night if your temps are below 67ish. You just want to only use them when it is cool so they do not get a respiratory infection.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

I keep Beman at 82-83 at basking. He has always done really well with this temp at basking.

I don't see any issue in spraying during the day just make sure the humidity is not going high and that the cage is drying back out. I would honestly be less worried about humidity during the day. Veileds are very tolerant. My focus would be on humidity at night. Do you have a fogger for nights? You can use these at night if your temps are below 67ish. You just want to only use them when it is cool so they do not get a respiratory infection.

Yes, I have a fogger. I use it at night when the temp is under 67. I bring the humidity up to 70%. I always turn it off before I go to bed. By morning the humidity is usually around 45-50% and the enclosure is almost dry. He gets morning shower along with uvb and uva. I am having trouble keeping the basking temp between 82/83 degrees. Im going to the pet store for higher watt bulbs. What are your feelings about using a Dimming thermometer? This might help me get to 82/83 degrees and maintain that temp throughout the day.

 

[Beman]

Yes, I have a fogger. I use it at night when the temp is under 67. I bring the humidity up to 70%. I always turn it off before I go to bed. By morning the humidity is usually around 45-50% and the enclosure is almost dry. He gets morning shower along with uvb and uva. I am having trouble keeping the basking temp between 82/83 degrees. Im going to the pet store for higher watt bulbs. What are your feelings about using a Dimming thermometer? This might help me get to 82/83 degrees and maintain that temp throughout the day.View attachment 333200View attachment 333201

I use a herpstat with a dimming control. I would go nuts if I had to constantly keep up with temps at basking. So I am pro dimming fixture. But you need to use incandescent bulbs with them just FYI.