New baby chameleon!

[jannb]

This is a really great link to a site that you can read and study on how to keep your little guy healthy and happy. It helped me allot when I first got my chameleon. (I have 2 veileds) I still refer back to this site when I have a question. I wish you nothing but the very best of luck with your little guy. Chameleons are very special animals and they take allot of very special care. Jann
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

 

[Sang]

sequioa, he may have a degree in herpatology, BUT keep in mind unless he specializes in specifically chameleons, his advice might not be the best.

SO unless his degree is in herpatology specializing in chameleon variety.. and not your typical inguanidae, then he might have an idea what he is talkin about, just not the complete picture.

ALSO im sorry if you don't like how critical the members are on the forums, they all care greatly for these animals and hate to see them suffer.

its obvious your not willing to change your husbandry to better suit the animals health THUS , i will label the animal helpess and at the whim of the owner.

 

[chequepoint]

What kind of UVB bulb are you using? Is it compact, linear, or Mercury Vapor? This is a VERY important question.

You're not ignorant. You admitted from the beginning that you knew you should be using a screen enclosure, but chose to use a fishtank. That rules out ignorant.

Also, I have a degree in music, that doesn't mean I can play every instrument. If he didn't specialize in chameleons and their captive care, his education may be lacking. Just as I have a working knowledge of chameleons, but wouldn't know where to begin keeping a snake without research.

Well he has his degree in herpetology...so I think what he is telling me is correct. As for the heating pad he told me they use it in zoos. I'm not here to argue how I am wrong and everyone on this forum is right. I started this thread to figure out his feeding situation.

This is turning into a situation, Jannb you don't even know me so do not portray me as an evil spirited person by saying "poor helpless animals that can only do what people do to them." I could tell you about some of the poor helpless animals I saw when I was working that the humane society, so don't start with that please.

The lighting is UVA and UVB bulbs.

No I am not getting defensive calling me an idiot might be grounds for getting defensive, I believe ignorant might be the proper word to use. As for saying I am not listening to anything you are saying this is a conversation over the internet I cannot construct a new cage within a matter of minutes between responses.

This is obviously going now where, thanks for some of the help I received in the beginning of this thread, who is to say I haven't been listening?

 

[Dunnigan]

Also, I have a degree in music, that doesn't mean I can play every instrument.

I actually laughed when i read this, Right now i am going to college for music and my friends all assume that i can play everything...I cant, i'm majoring in percussion performance...put a flute in front of me and just by picking it up i may break it! just like the whole herp thing...there are many reptiles just like there are many instruments.

 

[sequoia]

REGUARDLESS of my boss, this cage is not his permanent cage. I agree the fish tank is not the best cage for him. I am sorry if I seemed to be taking offense to anyone. However I do believe the set up I do have will work fine, he has proper lighting, heating, environment, and air flow.

Just in case anyone is wondering; I will put down exactly what is in the cage and the set up consists of.

29 gallon tank

Screen lid with flow in/out low draft quiet fans

Zoomed repti sun 5.0 fluorescent bulb

Zoomed ceramic heater (stays on 24hrs)

Zoomed basking bulb (for cold winter days)

Synthetic vines (placed at different levels so he can decide how much sun/heat he gets)

Two large plants (which he already is demonstrating great love for)

One large branch

Three vining live plants (I forgot the exact spelling of the name, but it is a safe plant to use)

Five ground plants (used for humidity)

One synthetic wall vine plant (he sleeps in)

Terrarium moss

Synthetic substrate

Humidity/Temperature gauges

All the plants are in their own containers I have had the terrarium for two months now and no signs of parasites. All of the ground plants have been grown from root. I honestly don't see how this could go wrong. He has cool spots and warm spots in the cage. The terrarium has proved to be a viable small ecosystem so far. I mist it daily and constantly monitor the temperature and humidity. I am aware that a screen cage would be better but from reading literature over caring for chameleons. The only reason why (I may be wrong) they need that is for cross ventilation. From the system I designed one fan draws in the air in on one side of the cage and the other on the opposite end blows out the air. My hypothesis is that this will create a cross ventilation type environment UNTIL I build him a cage.

Now what are your thoughts?

 

[Dunnigan]

never experienced it but i have heard of situatons of chams eating moss or other substrate and it causing blockage...but on the other hand the guy i bought my guy from uses some kind of moss with 6 or 7 different chams and has NO problems...

 

[sequoia]

I have heard that as well, but I think that happens when their food is presented on or near the moss which might cause some confusion. I don't know I may be wrong.

 

[Eyal]

I would just buy a Flexarium from Exo-terra or go with a screen/glass from LLLreptiles.
I wouldnt go for:
-Ceramic heater
-Substrate
- Dont know about the fans, i have heard that constant airflow (when too much) animals, such as we humans , numb away. If we (humans) sit in an office with a constant air flow on our right face, it will numb in time.

And please listen to our advices, if you asked for help here, this is what we're saying.
And its not only the humidity whats the hard thing. They have to get their drinking reflexes, there will be ALOTS of water in your aquarium. A flexarium doesnt cost much, and you'll have a free drainage solution. You'll maybe need to spray for like 5-15 minutes everytime you spray him, unless you want to take the cham to the shower, many times a day.

Problems:
-(Numbness)
-Bacteria
-Fungus
-Getting the cold of various temps at night
-Drainage (still water in there will cause bacterial infection)

 

[chequepoint]

Ditch the ceramic heater, especially if its on for 24 hours. Chameleons detect light and use it to find heat, your ceramic heater is interfering with its ability to regulate its temperature, especially in a fishtank.

Is the uvb light linear or compact? Compact UVB lights can cause blindness among other things.

I'd ditch the substrate entirely, as it will prove to be a breeding ground for bacteria, especially in a tank.

Apart from the issues with ventilation, tanks cause stress on chameleons because they don't interpret glass as a barrier. It is confusing to them, and makes them feel unsafe. They can also interpret their own reflection as a predator in the tank, causing a constant amount of stress, even if not visible to you.

None of this is personal. All anyone cares about here is the animal.

 

[sequoia]

With the glass situation, would putting up a back ground on the rear, right, and left sides help?

Ok well I have different people telling me different things. The last post said ditch the ceramic heater then the post before said use one...then a couple posts back one guy said I could pull it off in the fish tank..hah I'm confused.

With the fan set up, I don't run them all day I figure that I could run them an hour a day.

Right now the cage temp is 80 with 50% humidity, earlier when he was basking he was all under the light and loving it then I put his food in, he turned bright green an ran back to the cover of his vines.

I hope he feeds tomorrow morning.

Should I spray him directly? I got it near him and he didn't seem to like it to much.

 

[Chamero]

Hey, honestly a pic would help greatly... got any around? The fan idea may work, I actually have seen it done before. That being said, the whole thing about climate control is that its much easier when the cage is bigger. What part of the world are you located?

 

[Eyal]

Okey. Could you post a picture? It would easier the mind a bit.

Yeah you can spray directly on him, but from a distance and gently.

 

[Julirs]

It could work temporarily, as long as you are not using compact UVB, ditch the ceramic heater, watch your temps closely, and do not let water start standing around on the aqaurium bottom.