Need help with my chameleon ASAP can someone help?

[Leewales]

Hello everyone who reads this and thanks for tacking the time to.

Me and my other half went to the local pet shop to get our bearded dragons some greenery, now for a while me and my other half were thinking of buying a baby chameleon and did all the research into nosebe chams but when we went to the pet shop we seen this chameleon that they were selling with the tank and bits and bobs for £200 through a closing down sale and we seen he had the very tip of his back was cut and he was damn near pitch black so we knew he wasn't happy now because the store was closing down we knew something bad would probably happen to him so we bought him to give him a better home. We were told it was a giant chameleon by the bloke who sold him.

We got him home and we found that his tank was filthy, it took me and my other half about 2 hours to get it to any standard for him to live in, the cork substrate was that old and soggy it had actually moulded to the base and sides and we had to scrape it off.

After some research we found out he is a Furcifer VerRucosus and I'm finding it hard to find info on the specie of chameleon he is and what needs to be done with regards as Viv, setup like heating temps, UVB lights, what kind of things we need to put in there as in branches etc,

If someone could help it would be much appreciated and thanks in advance

 

[Cheyenneohhh]

Congrats on your new chameleon and I'm sorry everything was in such bad shape. I'm sure someone on here will be able to help you with all of your needs.
Maybe if you could post some pictures it might help?

 

[Flapenn]

heres a thread of some pics of the same species cham you have. Stick around and we will get you all the info you need to know to keep your cham healthy and happy.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/chazam-hanging-out-82088/

 

[Tweaked tC]

After some research we found out he is a Furcifer VerRucosus and I'm finding it hard to find info on the specie of chameleon he is and what needs to be done with regards as Viv, setup like heating temps, UVB lights, what kind of things we need to put in there as in branches etc,

If someone could help it would be much appreciated and thanks in advance

If he is a giant spiny then you will need a large set up, he will be 18" or more. You'll need a good size 5.0UVB bulb, and some good sized plants able to support him. FLCHAMS.COM has a good list of ok plants to use and you will need lights to help the plants stay healthy unless you buy a few plants and rotate them from inside to ouside to get sunlight. Bend a branch and other knock offs seem to be good to help connect plants together and stable place under the heat lamp. I'm not sure on the temps, maybe a senior member can weigh in on that. Drip system, you can make one of those, very easy with a milk jug if your cage is strong enough to support it. If not a hook in the ceiling and a hanging plant chain wrapped around the jug will support it for sure. Ask away, thats what we are here for

 

[Leewales]

Thanks for all your help this pic is him after a day with us, he seems happiest when we're holding him, if anyone else could help than that would be great but thanks for what people have said its been much appreciated

 

[carol5208]

it could be a giant spiny, as the coloring looks like Maxxtu's but with all the spikes burned off. I dont see any spikes except in the very back and there are only two of them.

 

[HydroCarbon]

I can't stand ppl or store who font take care of your animals. Good save and good luck.

 

[Leewales]

Yeah and the tip of his had a big chunk of skin came off and what looked like a bone in there as well :s I know that's why we couldn't leave him but we do have an appointment at the vets tomorrow to make sure nothing has got infected, we're praying everything is fine as we've already got attached

 

[Flapenn]

Glad to hear he is in good caring hands now. Let us know how his vet visit goes. As far as husbandry could you post some pics and details of how your housing him and what lighting he has. Also his source of water.

 

[Leewales]

It's a 48x24x23" wooden Viv, with cork substrate, waterfall, we also spray him twice today, it has a ficus (dying) and a fair few branches and log stumps. It has a 60 watt basking bulb and don't know what grade UVB with a thermostat to control the temp. Now that's what came with the Viv I any to go get a new 250 watt basking build with reflector casing but don't know what to set it to yet, a new 10.0 UVB and I am going to cut outa square on the top and put mesh and put these above the tank so he can't burn on them.

How does this sound and is there anything I need to change?

Thanks

 

[Carlton]

Thanks for all your help this pic is him after a day with us, he seems happiest when we're holding him, if anyone else could help than that would be great but thanks for what people have said its been much appreciated

This is a F. verrucosus, but he has lost a lot of his spines. Most likely a wildcaught imported adult too. They are native to slightly drier habitats than most panther locales, but temps should be similar. Humid, but not as much actual rain. He's in poor shape so give him as much water as you can every day. This is also probably one reason he seems docile right now. A comment about "most happy when we're holding him"...not exactly true. He's going to show brighter colors when you handle him because it is a mild stressor, but he does NOT really enjoy it. When he gets back some reserves don't be surprised if he decides he'd rather not be handled. Just have to wait and see on that one.

 

[jojothefirst]

Welcome to the forum. some fantastic people on here that can give you a lot of help.
I know nothing about this species but I would assume the people that do will say 250 watt would be way to hot and no need for the waterfall and substrate...... I do know that that viv is a "vivexotic" and if it is 2 foot wide is is the "AX24" model.
I am also in wales. Which part are you from and which shop was this that sold him to you? (PM me if you dont want it to be public)

It's a 48x24x23" wooden Viv, with cork substrate, waterfall, we also spray him twice today, it has a ficus (dying) and a fair few branches and log stumps. It has a 60 watt basking bulb and don't know what grade UVB with a thermostat to control the temp. Now that's what came with the Viv I any to go get a new 250 watt basking build with reflector casing but don't know what to set it to yet, a new 10.0 UVB and I am going to cut outa square on the top and put mesh and put these above the tank so he can't burn on them.

How does this sound and is there anything I need to change?

Thanks

 

[Elizadolots]

Hi! I second the idea that the 250 watt bulb is way too much....I would start with a 40 watt bulb in that set up and then check the temps. The wattage is not as important as the temperature. I'm hopelessly American so you'll need to translate temperatures...I think the top of the enclosure (measured at 6 inches from the top of the enclosure) should be between 85 and 90 degrees. I think the bottom should be very close to the temperature of the room.

That said, I also think the 10.0 UVB bulb is probably too intense. Most of us use a 5.0 in a contained environment like that.

I appreciate the fact that the heat bulb is caged, but I'm freaked out by the UVB bulb...maybe I've just never seen that. I would really like to see that a) with a hood to point the beneficial UVB down to the enclosure and b) a screen to make sure your chameleon cannot get too close. While those bulbs are cool, they emit a damaging light. In humans, most burns are caused by UVB.

I see you have ventilation at both the top and the bottom of the enclosure, that's great. You might want to encourage airflow by putting a fan near the top vents pointing AWAY from the enclosure to pull air out faster. I say that because your lights are in the enclosure, normally the lights are on top of a screened top, so their heat pulls the air out of the enclosure....You'll probably get some of that effect just as it is, but if you can help it along it would be good.

 

[Leewales]

Well he's been to the vets and we've been told he's servile dehydrated as well has been really badly neglected but he will recover, so we went out and completely kitted his Viv out, removing the lights from in the Viv to the outside changing the UVB and heat systems as well as lights and added a mister and more foliage and branches and he already seems happier after a few hours.

I'm from wrexham north Wales jojothefirst, the shop I got him from was the Morton reptile centre in chick, which thankfully is closing down, but let's be honest I know the have in the same tank a cwd, creted gecko and a basilisk so says it all and should of been closed down a while ago.

But here's a pic of the new and improved Viv what do you all think?

 

[Leewales]

And the top

 

[jojothefirst]

And the top

looks good to me. only thing I would suggest is to raise the viv off the floor on to a stand/table as I know my male veiled preferred to be above eye level.
Seems like he is at a much better home now.
Im in newport south wales btw so opposite end.

 

[Elizadolots]

I feel so much better....the only thing I'd suggest is crafting or buying a hood to direct the UVB down into the enclosure. You could do this with foil. Just make a tent that covers the bulb...you want the only light to be going into the enclosure, not all over the room.

I agree with the suggestion to raise it up. If you can make it so the basking spot is above your eye level, you'll give your chameleon the sense of superiority he feels is his due.

 

[Leewales]

Oh he already is on a 3 foot stand just didnt get it in the shot haha yeah that's a very good idea with the foil il give that a try, thank you very much

 

[Elizadolots]

You're very welcome. It was suggested by another poster, I can only take credit for passing it on....

Do you have a handle on the temperature thing? It's sort of important. You want the enclosure to go from quite warm at the top to comfortable for you at the bottom. That way the chameleon can regulate body temperature by moving about the cage...if the whole cage is warm, he's stuck....

 

[Leewales]

Well at the minute the bottom is freezing, the middle is a bit cold and his basking spot is pritty warm so i was thinking of getting either a more powerful buld like 100 watt because all we have at the min is a 60 watt or maybe getting a ceramic heat buld which is 60 watt, which one would you rekon?

Cant give you accurate temps at the minute as im waiting for my digital thermometer to come in the post, only got the dial guages in at the min and i hate going by them as they are seriously in accurate