Need help with lighting change. Cham is stressed and I am stuck.

[treeann]

Chiquita’s UV bar recently burned out so we have replaced it and ever since she has been displaying stress colors and trying to escape her cage every day. I do not know what to do from here.

Let me start by saying we originally had the wrong light. I know now that was too strong for her. She had a T5 HO 10.0 UVB bar that has been on her cage since we got her in April. It burned out about a week and a half ago and we purchased a 5.0 to replace it with. Thankfully she does not seem to have any lasting damage. She has never been burned and her eyesight is great. But she has been very upset, I assume, with the lower level of UV. Nothing else in her care or routine has changed. Every day she has had dark stress spots all day and when I leave her cage open she leaves. She has been climbing up the sides and onto the ceiling which she did when we first got her and I know is a sign of unhappiness with her environment. We took her outside and colors returned to normal and stayed that way for a while after bringing her in, so the sun seemed to make her happy.

I’m wondering where we go from here. Is this just going to be a painful transition period until she gets used to the lower UV or should I try to find her something between 5.0 and 10.0? I’m not even sure if that exists. When we get close to her and feed her colors do calm down, so I’m 99% sure it is due to the lighting. Please help! I don’t want to see her upset like this and I want her to be safe and happy.

Attached pics are some angry Chiquita under her new light and some happy Chiquita elsewhere. Thank you so much.

 

[Beman]

Can I see a pic of the entire cage set including the lighting on top so I can see where everything sits. How old is she now?

 

[treeann]

Can I see a pic of the entire cage set including the lighting on top so I can see where everything sits. How old is she now?

Sorry, I thought I replied but I guess I never posted it. She should be 7-9 months now. Her UV bar is directly on top of the cage right now but I am obviously willing to make any and all adjustments. Currently her basking lamp is behind and is tilted at an angle.

 

[ehdee6]

Just wondering, is there a lay cage for her in there? She might be ready to lay eggs...

@MissSkittles has an excellent blog on it:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/

 

[Beman]

Sorry, I thought I replied but I guess I never posted it. She should be 7-9 months now. Her UV bar is directly on top of the cage right now but I am obviously willing to make any and all adjustments. Currently her basking lamp is behind and is tilted at an angle.

Ok you want a t5HO fixture and bulb. Strength would be 5.0 or 6%. Nothing stronger. Now the closest branches below this fixture type and strength would sit 8-9 inches below it. This will put her in the correct UVI.

And if you do not have a lay bin as mentioned above by @ehdee6 I highly recommend it. Looks like baby girl needs a cage upgrade as well. Take her up to a 2x2x4 foot. You have plenty of plants to fill a bigger one out and she will need the space to accommodate a lay bin as a permanent feature.

I do not think the lighting strength reduction is the cause for the pattern change... She is starting to show her big girl colors. To me it looks receptive.. However my skill set is with males more than females and their colors for receptive vs gravid etc. @MissSkittles can you post pics or link a thread showing female colors?

And just to triple check... you for sure have a T5HO fixture right? not a T8?

 

[treeann]

Ok you want a t5HO fixture and bulb. Strength would be 5.0 or 6%. Nothing stronger. Now the closest branches below this fixture type and strength would sit 8-9 inches below it. This will put her in the correct UVI.

And if you do not have a lay bin as mentioned above by @ehdee6 I highly recommend it. Looks like baby girl needs a cage upgrade as well. Take her up to a 2x2x4 foot. You have plenty of plants to fill a bigger one out and she will need the space to accommodate a lay bin as a permanent feature.

I do not think the lighting strength reduction is the cause for the pattern change... She is starting to show her big girl colors. To me it looks receptive.. However my skill set is with males more than females and their colors for receptive vs gravid etc. @MissSkittles can you post pics or link a thread showing female colors?

And just to triple check... you for sure have a T5HO fixture right? not a T8?

She does for sure have a T5. I ordered a 10.0 just to put back in for a day or so to put back in as a test to eliminate the lighting change as what is going on with her. She has a lay bin however it is taller than it is wide and we are upgrading her to a bigger cage soon (currently 18x18x36) and her bigger lay bin will fit nicely. Here’s a picture of her from just now where she is colorful but doesn’t look nearly as stressed:

 

[Beman]

She does for sure have a T5. I ordered a 10.0 just to put back in for a day or so to put back in as a test to eliminate the lighting change as what is going on with her. She has a lay bin however it is taller than it is wide and we are upgrading her to a bigger cage soon (currently 18x18x36) and her bigger lay bin will fit nicely. Here’s a picture of her from just now where she is colorful but doesn’t look nearly as stressed:

10.0 is going to be way too strong of a UVI exposure for her. You will need 11-12 inches between the bottom of the fixture and her highest branch below it to have her in a 3 UVI level. With a 5.0 bulb you only need 8-9 inches.

Those are big girl colors hun... I am betting on receptive. Next phase is gravid then they lay eggs.

 

[MissSkittles]

She’s beautiful! Has she been restless? Frequently roaming all thru her enclosure, up and down and all around? They usually do that when receptive - all dressed up and looking for a mate. If you haven’t yet seen my blog, here it is. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/ I have found that they much prefer a larger lay bin, but only needs to have 5-6” of sand in it. Also, do you ,Ean she is currently in an 18x18x36” or that will be her upgrade? If that is the upgrade, I have to urge you to go larger to at least 2x2x4’. Our girls can be quite active and enjoy having as much space as we can give.

 

[ehdee6]

Although, my female (about 9-10 months old) hasn't had her first lay; I've followed the advice of feeding and heating very closely. As per the advice in this forum. Which, ultimately, leads to the chameleon academy, and Gringo.

@MissSkittles has a great example of receptive colors in this post: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-long-does-female-stay-receptive.171875/

 

[treeann]

Alright, after rereading the blog, I’m pretty sure you guys are spot on. The last few days she has been super antsy roaming around her enclosure and yesterday and today she’s hardly eaten anything. I’ll keep you updated! Thank you!!

 

[ehdee6]

Please do keep us updated! Make sure she has easy access to her lay bin, and give her lots of privacy when she's digging. I hope everything goes smoothly...

@MissSkittles anything to add?

 

[T&A Chameleons]

I also think she is getting ready to lay eggs.

 

[MissSkittles]

Please do keep us updated! Make sure she has easy access to her lay bin, and give her lots of privacy when she's digging. I hope everything goes smoothly...

@MissSkittles anything to add?

Nope. Nothing I can think of at the moment that I hadn’t already put in my blog, other than keep us posted. We’re always here to help, share and celebrate.