Need advice

[Mike08]

Hello first off new owner of a beautiful chameleon that i got from a friend who had no idea or want to properly care for. I must say that i have only my research to go on but am looking for advice on how to provide a healthy and happy environment for it thrive in. When i acquired what i believe is a male veiled chameleon from this person the enclosure was filthy his color was dark and very drab he wont eat i can only get him to drink water from an eye dropper while holding him and he sits with his mouth open under the basking lamp all day. I am looking for advice to help bring him back to a happy healthy state. Thanks for any info you can provide me with.

 

[Ares05]

Fill out this form in detail. Include pictures of your cham and its current enclosure from the lights down. Welcome to the forums!

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.

 

[Mike08]

I believe I have a male veiled chameleon. I do not know the age. I have only had him for 3 days.
I handle him at least 30 minutes per day.
I have not been able to get him to eat yet. He just started drinking water.
He has a fountain to drink out of but have only seen him drink out of an eye dropper in my hands.
His cage is 3 feet tall and 18 inces wide. Its is a full screen cage. His cage is in front of a tinted blacked out window.
I am worried that he is underweight and possibly unhealthy. When i received him he was in a filthy cage. I am new to chameleons and want to make sure he is okay.

 

[Beman]

Are you able to give any other details from that form or are you still to new to it all?

I am going to give you a crash course in reading. Read through these and the one that is the podcast go through and look at the ones related to hydration, feeding, UVB lighting, and housing.

https://chameleonacademy.com/
www.chameleonbreeder.com
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Do you know what his temps are at basking? They Gape (open their mouth) when they are either too hot or if they have a respiratory infection. What type of bulb are you using.

Your gonna need to buy much more and need to pull the fountain and mist his plants down really well instead. Cage is too small for him as well.

 

[Mike08]

Are you able to give any other details from that form or are you still to new to it all?

I am going to give you a crash course in reading. Read through these and the one that is the podcast go through and look at the ones related to hydration, feeding, UVB lighting, and housing.

https://chameleonacademy.com/
www.chameleonbreeder.com
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Do you know what his temps are at basking? They Gape (open their mouth) when they are either too hot or if they have a respiratory infection. What type of bulb are you using.

Your gonna need to buy much more and need to pull the fountain and mist his plants down really well instead. Cage is too small for him as well.

I am still new to this.
His temperature at basking spot is 86 degrees.

What would you recommend to get? This is what we got him with. I want to make sure he is happy and healthy.

 

[Mike08]

Sorry but also is it ok to mist the cage while he is in it? I know this is alot of questions but i wanna do this correctly

 

[Beman]

Read through those links I gave you. Like I said crash course. How are you measuring the basking temp? How many inches is he from it? And what type of bulb are you using exactly?

 

[Beman]

Sorry but also is it ok to mist the cage while he is in it? I know this is alot of questions but i wanna do this correctly

Yes, but they do not typically like being sprayed directly. You want room temp water only. Not warm not cold just room temperature. You want to mist the plants for a minimum of 2minutes each time.

 

[Mike08]

Read through those links I gave you. Like I said crash course. How are you measuring the basking temp? How many inches is he from it? And what type of bulb are you using exactly?

I am using a tank thermometer. I am currently using a 60 watt daylight uvb reptile bulb. He is just a few inches away from the thermometer. Thank you for all your help.

 

[Beman]

I am using a tank thermometer. I am currently using a 60 watt daylight uvb reptile bulb. He is just a few inches away from the thermometer. Thank you for all your help.

Is this bulb like a standard household bulb or is it like a coil? Tank thermometers are not accurate. As far as UVB you will need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 uvb bulb. That first link I gave you has tons of info.

If he is gaping due to health issues he needs a vet asap. Respiratory infections are bad and they go downhill very very quickly.

 

[nickeeyy]

I am using a tank thermometer. I am currently using a 60 watt daylight uvb reptile bulb. He is just a few inches away from the thermometer. Thank you for all your help.

Hi 60 UVA or UVB; you'll need both but I tell ya, if your cham is gaping (mouth open) that needs to be addressed immediately/ first ! If respiratory infection it needs to be cared for #stat ...

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the world of chameleons!
It's a beautiful coloured pattern on it!

Is the chameleon only gaping when it's sits under the basking light? Is he wheezing at all?

Please remove the fountain...it can lead to a bacterial infection if not kept very clean all the time.

If your greenery is artificial I would replace it with real non toxic plants that are well washed...both sides of the leaves. Veileds tend to munch on greenery from time tomtime and if they chew on artificial ones and ingest the leaves it can lead to impaction.

I recommend that you dust the insects just before feeding them to it at most feedings with a phos free calcium powder and twice a month lightly with a phos free calcium/ D3 powder. This ensures that you don't overdose the vitamin D3 and allows the chameleon to produce the rest of the D3 it needs from its exposure to the UVB light that you are providing for it. D3 from supplements can build up in thensystem and lead to health issues. Also, twice a month dust with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. If it needs preformed source of vitamin A then you can give it to it separately. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and lead to health issues...so be careful with it.

I recommend that you use a long linear reptisun .5.0 tube light as a UVB light.

For watering you can use a dripper that drips at about 1 or 2 drips per second. I would mist the cage at least twice a day so that it can drink from the leaves too.

Don't handle him so much so that he gets a chance to get used to his new home.

To get him to eat you can try to stick the head of a cricket BETWEEN HIS TEETH so he bites down on it when his mouth closes.

Good luck! If you have any more questions just ask!

 

[Mike08]

Thank you so much. Like I said I got him from someone who didn't care for him. I want to make him as happy as I can.

 

[kinyonga]

Sounds like he has a good home now!