Need advice pls...

Hello all.

I have a few questions. I would like some answers from all the veterans here. I live in El Paso, TEXAS. Very dry weather.

1. I have read not to keep the grass like turf that came with my reptibreeze chameleon kit I bought at Petco because it may create bacteria? On top of each enclosure i have a uvb, heat and nocturnal lamp?
2. Both my enclosures (one housing a 6-8 month jackson and one housing a 3 month old or younger jackson) are mesh. I spray them with jug water around 3-4 times a day. Should I put some covering on both sides of enclosure to keep humidity in? Better option? I also have live plants (non lethal to them) and bamboo plus other jungle vines.
3. Humidity should never go below?
4. Should I just use moss at the bottom of enclosures? to help keep it humid?
5. many people online put a small bowl on the enclosure wall for them to eat?
6. Dont know the exact age of my baby but from end of tail to head is around 3 1/2 inches?
7. I have them next together about 2 feet apart next to each other and I have a medium to big size humidifier going. Should I keep humidifier going all day or how much? I have it under them and in between? they are in the living room.
8. Should each one have its own humidifier? or one medium to big one i between them?
9. What are the temperatures they should have during the day and night? Humidity level? What are dangerous temps and humidity levels I should watch for?
10. Any other suggestions on how to keep humidity going good in the enclosures that would be great. With this covid19 I am home all day. I dont need a mister, I am the mister......haha.

On another note.

I got my baby jackson at petcoTuesday 4/14. He is walking around fine. He drank a lot of water the day I brought him home. I kept misting he kept drinking for a while. I tried to put a small cricket that I got at Petco as well and held it in a small bowl for him to eat it. He would not. so i left the bowl in there on top of a plant and later on the cricket was gone. Hoping he ate it and did not get away. the cricket tried and tried to get out but could not so I am leaning towards that spartacus ate it. Yesterday same thing. Today I put two mealworms in a bowl again and held it there and he did not even flinch to eat them. So I left them in bowl on top of same plant. This was about 1 hour ago. Mealworms still there. Should I worry? Or is he maybe getting used to his new home? Maybe he is nervous when I try and feed him? Should I just keep leaving the food in bowl? Any ideas?

I know a lot of questions. But if you can pls answer as many as yall can.

Best......
 
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honestly its perfectly fine if your cham doesn't eat at first. Looks great, just one thing is that mabye more plants in the taller enclosre. :)
 
@Chams=Gods Yes its fine if a chameleon doesn't eat for the first week or so but these enclosures are not "great". Major changes need to be made.

Perhaps you should start a thread so your husbandry can be reviewed.

@JacksJill will help the OP.. she is very experienced with Jacksons.
 
My answers in purple
1. I have read not to keep the grass like turf that came with my reptibreeze chameleon kit I bought at Petco because it may create bacteria? On top of each enclosure i have a uvb, heat and nocturnal lamp? You will want to up grade your UVB to a linear T5 bulb. You will only need the basking spot to be around 78˚F until they are close to a year old. I use a 40 or 50 watt bulb for mine depends on your house temps. They need no heat or light at night actually prefer and thrive at closer to 60˚F at night with high humidity 80-100% from a humidifier at night only.
2. Both my enclosures (one housing a 6-8 month jackson and one housing a 3 month old or younger jackson) are mesh. I spray them with jug water around 3-4 times a day. Should I put some covering on both sides of enclosure to keep humidity in? Better option? I also have live plants (non lethal to them) and bamboo plus other jungle vines. More plants and covering the back and 2 sides can help hold humidity you don't need a lot during the day only 40-55% range
3. Humidity should never go below? 35% day time and 75% at night

4. Should I just use moss at the bottom of enclosures? to help keep it humid? Moss gets gross quickly and you will lose bugs in it. I leave mine bare for easy cleaning.
5. many people online put a small bowl on the enclosure wall for them to eat? I like these because they hold bugs wet and make feeding easy to track. https://tkchameleons.com/collections/accessories/products/shooting-gallery
6. Dont know the exact age of my baby but from end of tail to head is around 3 1/2 inches? This blog may help https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/weight-tracking-on-jackson.2343/
7. I have them next together about 2 feet apart next to each other and I have a medium to big size humidifier going. Should I keep humidifier going all day or how much? I have it under them and in between? they are in the living room. Make it so they can't see each other. They are very territorial and one is likely intimidating the other even if you don't see any threatening behavior. Any divider will work. You will need that humidifier at night. I run mine about 5 hours starting around midnight. I direct the fog into the cages with tubing.
8. Should each one have its own humidifier? or one medium to big one i between them? You could split the out put from the one you have.
9. What are the temperatures they should have during the day and night? Humidity level? What are dangerous temps and humidity levels I should watch for?
Temperature:
Baby/juvenile (<9 months): 70-75F (21-23C) ambient, 75-80F (23-26C) basking I stay under 78˚F I think they like more heat than is good for them.


10. Any other suggestions on how to keep humidity going good in the enclosures that would be great. With this covid19 I am home all day. I dont need a mister, I am the mister......haha. Mist longest first thing and last thing at night with 1-3 very short mists midday just to put a little water on some leaves for drinking. High humidity during the heat of the day may lead to respiratory infections so don't do too much. You really need to monitor your humidity levels closely. analog hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate.

On another note.

I got my baby jackson at petcoTuesday 4/14. He is walking around fine. He drank a lot of water the day I brought him home. I kept misting he kept drinking for a while. I tried to put a small cricket that I got at Petco as well and held it in a small bowl for him to eat it. He would not. so i left the bowl in there on top of a plant and later on the cricket was gone. Hoping he ate it and did not get away. the cricket tried and tried to get out but could not so I am leaning towards that spartacus ate it. Yesterday same thing. Today I put two mealworms in a bowl again and held it there and he did not even flinch to eat them. So I left them in bowl on top of same plant. This was about 1 hour ago. Mealworms still there. Should I worry? Or is he maybe getting used to his new home? Maybe he is nervous when I try and feed him? Should I just keep leaving the food in bowl? Any ideas? He will take time to settle in and may not eat if he can see you or the other cham. Yes use some kind of feeder so you can tell if he eats.
 
Thank you Jacks Jill.

What type of humidity meters do yall recommend?

im thinking of getting the following at home depot tomorrow. what do yall think?

Where in the enclosure should i place it?

does it matter when i spray the mist if it gets on digital thermometer?

thx
 
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