New and could use some help..

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

Hey,

So I've been trolling the forums the past week trying to cram together the information to raise a healthy, happy chameleon. My girlfriend Sarah and I went to the local reptile store in town- Fell in love with a baby Veiled (already named Melon) and put a down payment that day.

We are building the enclosure today, something small (measurements recommended by raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.com) as I want to 'free live/range' him once hes old enough.

I already bought and repotted hibiscus- which will be too big, too much wood and wire mesh and spent too much on the Veiled. (the last one isnt much of a worry as we already love him)

So instead of losing more money on educated guesses I was hoping to get direct answers on the few things left to buy before we can bring him home..

---
Lighting - I've read Reptisun 5.0 UVB is the best, what prices do you pay on average? I'm looking at around 36$. Best to order online or pick up at the best store? Two lamps best or does the heating/UVB do better in the same 'basking spot'?

Basking spot, best to use brand name 60w? I've read some users here using home bulbs in a lamp for basking.

How separate should the basking spot be from the rest of the enclosure? (for cooling)

Supplements - Do you order online? At the Petco I work I can purchase only two of the needed supplements and I'm not even sure if its correct or not.

Zoo Med Reptivite with D3

Calcium supplement spray or powder best?

The misting will be done manually for now due to cost, gonna try to find a humidity measurement. In Tucson Arizona so I'm thinking twice a day won't be enough. Is a fan on high at night bad for the chameleon? AC is also on almost constantly due to heat, so I'm worried about the draft of both being an issue. Room doesn't get above 78 and AC attempts to keep it at 76 but it feels colder with the AC on of course, so should I cover the cage to avoid the direct air?

Thank you for any information you can give me, I've always wanted a chameleon but Melon was a total impulse buy. We just need the basics now so we can bring him home.

-Zachariah

 

[squeekz1992]

Hey,

So I've been trolling the forums the past week trying to cram together the information to raise a healthy, happy chameleon. My girlfriend Sarah and I went to the local reptile store in town- Fell in love with a baby Veiled (already named Melon) and put a down payment that day.

Congrats!!! I love her name

We are building the enclosure today, something small (measurements recommended by raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.com) as I want to 'free live/range' him once hes old enough.

I already bought and repotted hibiscus- which will be too big, too much wood and wire mesh and spent too much on the Veiled. (the last one isnt much of a worry as we already love him)

So instead of losing more money on educated guesses I was hoping to get direct answers on the few things left to buy before we can bring him home..

---
Lighting - I've read Reptisun 5.0 UVB is the best, what prices do you pay on average? I'm looking at around 36$. Best to order online or pick up at the best store? Two lamps best or does the heating/UVB do better in the same 'basking spot'?

Good bulb, I think online or instore the price is about the same, $35-49, depending on how big you get ( linear bulbs work best! )but online you have to pay shipping which is really expensive, so I would buy in store, but thats just me. Altogether, the UVB bulb and the dome to put it in will run you around $100 in the store, or, for now you could just do the regular bulb, there is some debate about that on here though. Linear bulbs are best because they cover the entire top of the cage providing UVB even in the cool spots.

Basking spot, best to use brand name 60w? I've read some users here using home bulbs in a lamp for basking.

I used a 100W on my full grown, so I think as long as the temps are good, then 60W should be fine for the baby, you can just use clear lightbulbs like you put in a lamp, that will save some money there!!

How separate should the basking spot be from the rest of the enclosure? (for cooling)

The basking spot should be the highest point in the cage, like the back corner for instance. Basking spot should be about 85 degrees

Supplements - Do you order online? At the Petco I work I can purchase only two of the needed supplements and I'm not even sure if its correct or not.

Zoo Med Reptivite with D3

Rep Cal calcium without d3 for every feeding RepCal with d3 1-2x per month. Multivitamin 2x per month

Calcium supplement spray or powder best?

Powder, you dust the food in it and then your sure they're getting the Ca they need.

The misting will be done manually for now due to cost, gonna try to find a humidity measurement. In Tucson Arizona so I'm thinking twice a day won't be enough. 4-5x per day for 5 minutes each timeIs a fan on high at night bad for the chameleon? AC is also on almost constantly due to heat, so I'm worried about the draft of both being an issue. Room doesn't get above 78 and AC attempts to keep it at 76 but it feels colder with the AC on of course, so should I cover the cage to avoid the direct air? Yes the draft of both is bad. Don't put the cage where a fan is on. Keep the cage on the opposite side of the room from the vents.

Thank you for any information you can give me, I've always wanted a chameleon but Melon was a total impulse buy. We just need the basics now so we can bring him home.

Good luck with your new baby

 

[lysinlight87]

I'd mist him 4 times a day. That's what I do and I live in cold & rainy England lol

You need to dust his feeders with plain calcium powder (no D3) every feed & use a multivit dust every 2 weeks. Too much D3 can cause big problems.

 

[maxttu]

$36 for a 5.0? What size are you getting? You should be able to find them for < $25, more like $21 all day long. If you have time to order online it'll be even cheaper...Good luck!

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

@squeekz1992 Thank you for the information! Will be adjusting the protocol so to speak. Will the bulb say "linear" on the packaging?



@lysinlight87 Yeah I'll have to invest in a mister, was planning on it anyway as I want him to free range. Some days he may get only 2 mistings, as long as this isn't normal he should be fine with the dripper right?




@maxttu What site do you order yours from? Don't know reptile sites so don't know any to trust. At Petco its actually 44.99 and have to buy a special dome lamp for it. With my employee discount it comes out around 36 just for the bulb.

 

[squeekz1992]

Yep! And it will be in a long box! But the bulb isn't included!

 

[maxttu]

Try not to get the dome. Go with the linear bulb and fixture. Try LLLreptile dot com. I believe they're pretty reasonable... Just do a search for reptisun 5.0 in your search engine...

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

Yeah was planning on ordering the supplements from LLLreptile.com also because it seems alot of members buy from them. Just had bad experiences with websites that are mom and pop business; wrong orders or nothing sent at all.

Thanks again, you guys are calming my worries.

 

[Elizadolots]

maxttu's right. Go to a hardware store or even WalMart for the fixture and then buy a 5.0 in the appropriate size. lll sells every size for $19.95. You'll pay more at Pet Smart, but you won't have to pay for or worry about shipping (I would be afraid of breakage). Put your basking bulb and UV bulb close to each other (in nature, both come from the same source). The temperature should start to drop off 10 inches or so from the top of the cage.

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

I'm dyslexic so sorry if my questions seem simple but what is the 5.0? 5% UVB?

What watt is the best for the UVB? Or if I go both the wattage for that? I just don't want to burn him, and the size of the linear lamp/bulb matter? I mean for the cage size/age of the chameleon, not for compatibility to each other.


Thanks again for the help! You guys are life savers, possibly literally.

 

[maxttu]

I'm dyslexic so sorry if my questions seem simple but what is the 5.0? 5% UVB?

What watt is the best for the UVB? Or if I go both the wattage for that? I just don't want to burn him, and the size of the linear lamp/bulb matter? I mean for the cage size/age of the chameleon, not for compatibility to each other.


Thanks again for the help! You guys are life savers, possibly literally.

The 5.0 is %. Don't worry about burning him with the uvb, it barely puts out any heat. The length of your bulb and fixture will depend on the size of your enclosure. It should sit on top of the enclosure covering most of the width of the cage. If you have a 24x24x48, you'll want a 24" light, etc...

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum The wattage just depends on the length/size of the bulb (which depends on the size of your enclosure). If yours is a tube which says 'Reptisun 5.0' then you have an ideal bulb to last for 6 months. For a Veiled the general humidity is not so important. 2 good mistings per day is enough. Here is a great all-round caresheet for Veileds with all the basics you need - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

Thank you guys!

Will be bringing him home within a week, we are excited. Cage is built today, its only 24" X 24" X 24" for a couple months. Once he gets big enough and I have set up his free range he wont need a cage.

So I really need THREE lights. UVB, UVA and heating? Rather then having three light fixtures/bulbs I'm guessing thats what the dual bulbs are for so you only have two fixtures.

 

[maxttu]

No. The heat and 5.0 is all that you'll need. The 5.0 is UVA/UVB.

 

[Elizadolots]

I'm dyslexic so sorry if my questions seem simple but what is the 5.0? 5% UVB?

What watt is the best for the UVB? Or if I go both the wattage for that? I just don't want to burn him, and the size of the linear lamp/bulb matter? I mean for the cage size/age of the chameleon, not for compatibility to each other.


Thanks again for the help! You guys are life savers, possibly literally.

Honestly, I don't know what those numbers mean. I'm sure that a study of the documents about the bulbs would provide that information but I haven't done it.

All I know is that the 5.0 is the most recommended here for chameleons. The 10.0 is recommended for dessert types of reptiles (chameleons live in trees).

If you have an extremely large enclosure or you use the "fabric mesh over PVC frame" type of cage, a 10.0 might be appropriate for a chameleon. The fabric mesh obstructs a lot of light so a higher wattage bulb might be a good idea.

 

[DavidBuchan]

All I know is that the 5.0 is the most recommended here for chameleons. The 10.0 is recommended for dessert types of reptiles (chameleons live in trees).

Sorry, can't help it - that's a funny typo I think you mean desert reptiles, not the kind that you have for pudding

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

I have chicken wire with some kind of coating to keep off rust (also softer on his feet) didnt want to risk another story of a chameleon losing his claws.

Thanks for the feed back though guys, I think I'm just about ready to bring him home.