Need feedback on my new panther chameleon setup.

[lostinspace23]

Hello ! I just got a panther chameleon from the reptile store around my home. The store owner said it was a nosy be panther chameleon. I added some pictures of him to this thread. can someone help me identify if it is what the store owner said it was. Also I am very new with chameleons and this is my first set up ever for a chameleon. I thought I did a good job on the set up, but after reading a few threads on here I have a lot of doubt if I am doing this right, I want this little fella to live long and be strong. I have many questions II need help with. this is how I have my set up at the moment, I have a mister that is running every 3 hours for a minute all day long. I also have a humidifier that is running most of the day and the hose I have coming from the top of the screen shooting down into the tank. I have a dripper going all day for him to drink water. basking spot is around 87 degrees, and the humidity stays from 50% to 60%. I never let it go up past 60% and the lowest i have seen it go is 45% but i bring it back up. with the humidifier i dont turn it off but do play with it depending the humidity , sometimes high to bring it up or very low to just keep the humidity set. i am using a 25 watt heat bulb, that i what i was told by pet store owner to get and use, and i use a 5.0 reptisun for uvb . Please give me feedback on what i am doing right or wrong, what i should look out for. I am open to any conversations whatsoever . I just want to learn and give this little guy a great life.

 

[lostinspace23]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Panther chameleon , store owner said from 5 to 6 months, I have had him for 3 days.
• Handling - I have handled maybe once everyday since I got him
• Feeding - crickets in the morning around 8am, and around 6pm. repashy gut loader is used to feed crickets,
• Supplements - repashy calcium plus, only on wednesdays, repashy gut loader for crickets, and Reptile Calcium everyday when fed crickets.
• Watering - misting system, goes off every 3 hours for one minute , and a dripper running all day, yes have seen chameleon drink from water sources. also have a humidifier running most of the day.
• Fecal Description - browish color with a bit of white. no never tested for parasites.
• History - He was the biggest one out of the clutch. I chose him based off my best knowledge thinking it was a male.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - zoo med reptibreeze screen tank , 16x16x30
  Lighting - 5.0 reptisun for uvb ( the longe bulb idk how many watts) 25 watts basking bulb. - they are ran from 8am to 8pm. at night I run no lights or heat bulb. basking stays around 87, and the middle part of the tank around 72-75 under the ubv stays around 79-82
• Humidity - humidity around the top part of the tank stays around 50%-60% never past 60 and lowest it goes is 45% but i bring it back up when hits that low, run humidifier all day at different speeds. depending on humidity.
• Plants - 2 plants at bottom, potos plant , dont remember the second one
• Placement - in my reptile room. not much traffic.
• Location - phoenix az

 

[JacksJill]

You are off to a very good start. Lots of plants, a variety of levels to create heat and humidity gradients.
Now suggestions for improvements/upgrades.
"Handling - I have handled maybe once everyday since I got him"
I would handle him less for now unless he is running out on to your hand of his own choosing then still keep it short he has a new environment to deal with first. Also if you have other reptiles wash your hands well between animals. Beardies have parasites they tolerate quite well but your cham won't.
"Watering - misting system, goes off every 3 hours for one minute , and a dripper running all day, yes have seen chameleon drink from water sources. also have a humidifier running most of the day."
You should try adding a longer misting in the morning 3-5 minutes several days a week. Your mister won't do that so hand misting will work. He/she will need that to clean his/her eyes and get a good drink. As you are in AZ I get why you are using a humidifier. I would back off during the mid day and give the cage a chance to dry. You may need to add plastic to a third side at certain times of the year depending on your HV/AC.
"Lighting - 5.0 reptisun for uvb ( the longe bulb idk how many watts) 25 watts basking bulb. - they are ran from 8am to 8pm. at night I run no lights or heat bulb."
These lights will do for now that you are using the smaller cage if you go for the 24x24x48 later with that much plant cover you may need to adjust. When you say long one do you mean t5 or t8 or long cfl?

 

[timw1]

Looking good! A linear uvb bulb would be a better choice. Dust with calcium everyday, with D3 once or twice a month and dust with a mineral supplement once or twice a month. Feed your bugs fresh veggies and fruits. Also feed a variety of insects like roaches, silkworms, hornworms and black soldierfly larva. A dry gutload like cricket crack is the way to go instead of the commercial stuff.

 

[lostinspace23]

These lights will do for now that you are using the smaller cage if you go for the 24x24x48 later with that much plant cover you may need to adjust. When you say long one do you mean t5 or t8 or long cfl?
[/QUOTE]

Its not long like a tube t5 or t8. I said long because the i have 2 5.0 reptisun uvb and one was like maybe 25 watts and the other more watts and one was longer than the other. I am using the longer one with stronger watts . sorry I dont know what cfl means. what does it mean ?

 

[lostinspace23]

Looking good! A linear uvb bulb would be a better choice. Dust with calcium everyday, with D3 once or twice a month and dust with a mineral supplement once or twice a month. Feed your bugs fresh veggies and fruits. Also feed a variety of insects like roaches, silkworms, hornworms and black soldierfly larva. A dry gutload like cricket crack is the way to go instead of the commercial stuff.

repashy calcium plus i use only on wednesdays every week, is that to often ?, repti calcium i use everyday

 

[lostinspace23]

You are off to a very good start. Lots of plants, a variety of levels to create heat and humidity gradients.
Now suggestions for improvements/upgrades.
"Handling - I have handled maybe once everyday since I got him"
I would handle him less for now unless he is running out on to your hand of his own choosing then still keep it short he has a new environment to deal with first. Also if you have other reptiles wash your hands well between animals. Beardies have parasites they tolerate quite well but your cham won't.
"Watering - misting system, goes off every 3 hours for one minute , and a dripper running all day, yes have seen chameleon drink from water sources. also have a humidifier running most of the day."
You should try adding a longer misting in the morning 3-5 minutes several days a week. Your mister won't do that so hand misting will work. He/she will need that to clean his/her eyes and get a good drink. As you are in AZ I get why you are using a humidifier. I would back off during the mid day and give the cage a chance to dry. You may need to add plastic to a third side at certain times of the year depending on your HV/AC.
"Lighting - 5.0 reptisun for uvb ( the longe bulb idk how many watts) 25 watts basking bulb. - they are ran from 8am to 8pm. at night I run no lights or heat bulb."
These lights will do for now that you are using the smaller cage if you go for the 24x24x48 later with that much plant cover you may need to adjust. When you say long one do you mean t5 or t8 or long cfl?

You may need to add plastic to a third side at certain times of the year depending on your HV/AC == Would this be due to the house getting to cold right ? adding a plastic to the third side?

 

[JacksJill]

Compact fluorescent. They will work in smaller cages but the linear bulbs are better and necessary for larger cages.

 

[JacksJill]

If your heat or ac is running it will dry the air out more and you may or may not need the help with heat and humidity. Sorry, it's not an exact science more of an art getting the right balance it varies house to house, area to area and season to season.

 

[lostinspace23]

If your heat or ac is running it will dry the air out more and you may or may not need the help with heat and humidity. Sorry, it's not an exact science more of an art getting the right balance it varies house to house, area to area and season to season.

We have been running the a/c and humidity stays good, and temps are good. The reptile room I have has a vent that leads the a/c air to the room but for some reason that room never gets really cold like the rest, its like the air flow is way less than it is in any other room. But I do understand what you are saying. Also what is your opinion on running the humidifier at night time ? should it be off or on ?

 

[timw1]

repashy calcium plus i use only on wednesdays every week, is that to often ?, repti calcium i use everyday

He only needs minerals twice a month. You need to dust with calcium with D3 once or twice a month.

 

[JacksJill]

I can give you general panther info but I keep Jackson's that need a night time temperature drop and I use icepacks and during the hottest months a cool mist humidifier to chill things out over night. My BF breeds panthers and he only uses a misting system and some hand misting but he's close to the ocean.
Hopefully some people from your region can chime in for further adjustments.

 

[lostinspace23]

He only needs minerals twice a month. You need to dust with calcium with D3 once or twice a month.

I will start using the calcium plus twice a month only then.

 

[tjcondy]

I'm really digging all the lives plants, looks so good!

 

[Remkon]

Did not read any replies above but.
1. make sure he can't get burned with the lamp on the mesh.

2. if you have the option try to place the habitat on a more elevated position. They are tree dwelling creatures and feel saver when they are up high.

Otherwise great looking enclosure! and smart chameleon that he already knows how to read temperatures and humidity.
Speaking of which... your humidity gauge is better placed lower, like half way up the enclosure as humidity under the basking spot will be lower compared to the rest of the enclosure. You don't wanna keep throwing water at it to bump humidity while there's no real reason to.