New Ambilobe panther

Shaunny

Member
Hi guys and girls,

I'm Shaun

I got a new panther this weekend and I have a few quick questions

His name is Trevor and was born on the 3rd of may this year

Should I be looking to get a humidifier for Trevor? As I'm out most of the day I don't want the humidity to drop too low. We went out yesterday and the meter said it got to 38% at lowest and around 76-80 when I misted in the morning.

If I need one do I still need a dripper or does the humidity machine produce enough to form water droplets? I will still mist in the morning and early evening but just wanted something for the day. So say have it on a timer to come on 2 or 3 times when I'm out. Will this work? What you you do when your out?

He is already eating well and taking nymph dubia's and small locusts from me. I have a live plant in there and a plastic vine until I can get a pothos plant. He is on paper towel at the moment but I see a lot of people don't use anything. His basking spot is about 80-85 depending on where I hold the laser gun and the cool side near the top of the viv is between 75-78. Does this sound ok to you guys? I have a small cup about 2-30mm deep with the nymphs in and I let the locust run free as the nymphs are crap climbers.

He gets pure calcium dusted on his food every day and then twice a month he will get calcium plus. I have the calcium plus for my bearded dragons which is why I use that and was told that would be ok as small dosages. I know most use the 3 dust method but its a little more convienient for me. I can change if you think it would be best.

Hope to start taking to you guys soon

Many thanks

Shaun
 
Hi Shaun and welcome to the forums! Sorry we have been so rude and not answered any of your questions! You don't need your humidity at a constant high. It should rise and fall 38% is a low but as long it gets high and progressively drops down to that level you should be OK. Running a dripper throughout the day will help with humidity as will live plants. 85 is good for a basking and around 70 to 75 for overall temp is good. As far as the humidifier...I have never used one. A lot of people use automatic misters to go off throughout the day when they are not home to provide water and help with the humidity
 
Thank you for the replays and hi!!!

I will have to look into getting a humidifier then if that's the case as I thing a few more peeks of humidity thought my working hours would be better dont you?

I will get a mister but as he is in an exo-terror viv and I think it will just fill the bottom up too much when I'm out. You can't put any form of drainage in there as its a glass bottom. I was told these are best for young to help with humidity but I may be wrong. I will get him a full screen cage when he needs to be mover to something bigger, that way I can build a drainage sump at the bottom and get a mister.

http://m.flickr.com/lightbox?id=9356183811

http://m.flickr.com/lightbox?id=9358956752

Ps that's the only way I can upload a pic as I'm at work so ill do it better later

Cheers

Shaun
 
here are some pics to save you going on the link if that even worked.

Just one other thing i wanted to check. i see on many posts about using the Reptisun 5.0 tube is this the best because i am using an arcadia will this be ok?







 
So the misses just text me saying that Trevor is sitting under the basking light with his mouth open. I haven't seen him do it when he is everywhere else in the viv only under the spot.

I have done some searches on here but can't really make out if he is just thermoregulating or its too hot. I would say thermoregulating but is that the cause of the whole viv being too hot or just the spot? It's 85 at the highest point so he can move down slightly if it is too hot. What I don't want too do is get a smaller bulb and then not be able to keep the main viv temps right. Is thermoregulating a problem because my bearded dragons do it all the time and love to bask and they are very healthy. I know they are far from different species but surely in the wild they will just move lover down the canopy if its too hot and keeping the basking spot in the upper portion of what it's meant to be is better right?

Cheers Shaun
 
I think it's too hot, Chameleons will still sit under the bulb even though it is too hot for them. I'm pretty sure they lack that judgement. I would either move your lights up or lower his basking spot. Also how are you measuring the temperature of his basking spot? A temp gun,electric gauge, or plastic gauge?
 
A temp gun.

I have moved it up by 2" already so that it doesn't make the mesh top hot and short of cutting the branch down I can't make the spot lower so will dropping to a 25w decrease the whole viv drastically? This will mean takin it out and disturbing him again which I have only had him for 4 days
 
If you have already moved it up and he is still opening his mouth I would move it up more and just try to find that perfect point where the temperature is perfect for him and he stops opening his mouth. What watt bulb are you using right now? Almost everyone uses 75w & 60w bulbs. And using a temp gun is great I just wanted to make sure your temperatures were precise.

Btw the arcadia uvb bulb is fine, it is actually better than the reptisun. It's the 6% right?
 
No it's a %10 is this wrong? this is what I was sold in the shop I got him from. It's a 40w reflector spot bulb (metal foil half way around)
 
No it's a %10 is this wrong? this is what I was sold in the shop I got him from

Hi Its bradley from RFUK! This forum is great for more chameleon stuff.

many people will say the 10% is too strong but it isnt especially as it is above mesh. Even a 10% doesn't come close to what they would get in the wild.

I take it that it is a strip bulb?

it wont be too strong and will not cause issues.
 
Hi mate didn't know you were on here too lol

Good to know that mate cheers. It's a tube and overhangs slightly as I went bigger so I don't have to change the starter etc when I switch to a new mesh cage
 
Hi mate didn't know you were on here too lol

Good to know that mate cheers. It's a tube and overhangs slightly as I went bigger so I don't have to change the starter etc when I switch to a new mesh cage

Yep on most forums. There is a lot more chameleon activity on here! You will find the people in the US do things differently to people in the UK.

Always better to go bigger and save money so you do not have to bug bigger when he goes into a bigger cage.
 
What do you use as a mister if at all? Can't remember if I asked you already! I want one for when he goes into his cage for when I'm at work. I was looking and everything seems to be from the us
 
What do you use as a mister if at all? Can't remember if I asked you already! I want one for when he goes into his cage for when I'm at work. I was looking and everything seems to be from the us

I use an automatic misting system called pollywog but the best is the mistking which you can get in the uk from junglefrog.co.uk
 
here are some pics to save you going on the link if that even worked.

Just one other thing i wanted to check. i see on many posts about using the Reptisun 5.0 tube is this the best because i am using an arcadia will this be ok?








where did you buy your plastic plants? NICE CHAM AND SET UP!
 
Hey guys.....

So Trevor had his first successful shed an it looking good. He has been very active today and I noticed he could see an umbrella plant on the same unit as the viv. well he was climbing at the glass and even on the bottom today so it twigged he must have been trying to get to it. So I put it in front of the viv with the doors open and he came out on his own accord.

Is this a good sign that he is settling in?
 
Hi guys.....

Just an update on Trevor really.

He is eating like a pig, anywhere between 10-20 medium crickets with a few locust and dubia's thrown in too. He is still a pissy little boy mind lol. I let him come out on a plant every now and then so he gets used to coming out. I put it in front of his viv so he can do it on his own, even paws at the door now and then.

One question though.....he seems to go dark even near black from time to time is this because of stress? he can be like it for a few hours and even goes in his really pissed off hiding spot now and then. Is there anything I can do to help this if it is stress? I read they can do it when eating too much but I'm sure he would stop if he was full wouldn't he?
 
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