ApocalypseUK
New Member
the 10% may be a better choice as it will allow the UVB to penetrate through the mesh better, also not sure when you may have to but you say you have a female try look up what females need also about there egg bound situation 
New Cham and I'm new to all of this
- Thread starter Purple tang
- Start date
Dgood
Established Member
the 10% may be a better choice as it will allow the UVB to penetrate through the mesh better, also not sure when you may have to but you say you have a female try look up what females need also about there egg bound situation
Jackson's chameleons give live birth, so you don't have to worry about eggs being bound up in your Cham
. When they drop an infertile yolk it looks kinda like they dropped a yellow slug looking thing.Purple tang
New Member
I'll look out for that of I didn't know I would probably freak out and pass out lol as for the calcium I get plain calcium and how often do I feed her crickets a day
as for the calcium I get plain calcium and how often do I feed her crickets a day
Dgood
Established Member
Here is the supplement and feeder care sheet for Jackson's
Jackson's Chameleons - Food & Nutrition
Feeding:
Chameleons are insectivores meaning they should only be fed live insects. Great feeder insects include crickets, silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, dubia roaches and superworms. Waxworms and mealworms are high in fat content and harder to digest so should only be used on occasion. The rule of thumb is to not feed insects that are longer than the width of your chameleon's head.
Neonates: as many small crickets as they can eat several times a day
Juveniles 3-6 months of age: 10-12 small crickets daily
Juveniles 6-12 months of age: 8-10 medium crickets every other day
Adults over 12 months of age: 6-8 medium-large crickets every other day
Chameleons should be fed in the first half of the day to give them time to bask and digest their food properly. Crickets need to be properly gutloaded with calcium rich vegetables several hours before being fed to your chameleon. Inadequate dietary calcium leads to metabolic bone disease, a very serious illness. Commercially available gutloads usually aren't properly balanced or sufficient for good nutrition. See Chameleon Food for more information.
Supplementation:
Calcium and other vitamins are very important to your chameleon's health. Feeder insects should be lightly dusted with powdered supplement before being fed to your chameleon. As a montane species (native to higher altitudes) Jackson's have decreased supplementation requirements compared to tropical species due to metabolism differences. Use calcium (without D3 or phosphorus) twice a week, a multivitamin once a month, and calcium with D3 once a month.
Hydration & Misting
The cage should be misted at least twice a day, drying out completely between misting sessions. This raises relative humidity as well as stimulates your chameleon to want to drink. Water can be provided by means of a dripper (not a waterfall or water bowl). The dripper should be placed on top of the cage so that the water droplets drip down and accumulate on plant leaves. Other watering options include manual and automated misting sytems. Chameleons do not recognize standing water as a drinking source. See Water & Humidity for more information.
Jackson's Chameleons - Food & Nutrition
Feeding:
Chameleons are insectivores meaning they should only be fed live insects. Great feeder insects include crickets, silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, dubia roaches and superworms. Waxworms and mealworms are high in fat content and harder to digest so should only be used on occasion. The rule of thumb is to not feed insects that are longer than the width of your chameleon's head.
Neonates: as many small crickets as they can eat several times a day
Juveniles 3-6 months of age: 10-12 small crickets daily
Juveniles 6-12 months of age: 8-10 medium crickets every other day
Adults over 12 months of age: 6-8 medium-large crickets every other day
Chameleons should be fed in the first half of the day to give them time to bask and digest their food properly. Crickets need to be properly gutloaded with calcium rich vegetables several hours before being fed to your chameleon. Inadequate dietary calcium leads to metabolic bone disease, a very serious illness. Commercially available gutloads usually aren't properly balanced or sufficient for good nutrition. See Chameleon Food for more information.
Supplementation:
Calcium and other vitamins are very important to your chameleon's health. Feeder insects should be lightly dusted with powdered supplement before being fed to your chameleon. As a montane species (native to higher altitudes) Jackson's have decreased supplementation requirements compared to tropical species due to metabolism differences. Use calcium (without D3 or phosphorus) twice a week, a multivitamin once a month, and calcium with D3 once a month.
Hydration & Misting
The cage should be misted at least twice a day, drying out completely between misting sessions. This raises relative humidity as well as stimulates your chameleon to want to drink. Water can be provided by means of a dripper (not a waterfall or water bowl). The dripper should be placed on top of the cage so that the water droplets drip down and accumulate on plant leaves. Other watering options include manual and automated misting sytems. Chameleons do not recognize standing water as a drinking source. See Water & Humidity for more information.
Purple tang
New Member
Should I upgrade the basking light as well to a 100 watt the hottest it usually will get to is 73
Lathis
Chameleon Enthusiast
I wouldn't go higher with the bulb. Instead, you can adjust the location of the basking spot. Do you have any of those bendy jungle vines? You can use small zip ties to secure the vines to the screen cage at any location.
Ps: major kudos to you for jumping in with both feet! It can be overwhelming getting everything set up. You're doing great and almost there! Your little lady will be much happier and healthier because of all your effort. Dgood and everyone else are giving you great advice. Jackson's are the best chams in my humble opinion
Purple tang
New Member
Thanks can't wait till I have it all setup
Purple tang
New Member
Can I put a mango tree in there without any complications
Purple tang
New Member
I wouldn't go higher with the bulb. Instead, you can adjust the location of the basking spot. Do you have any of those bendy jungle vines? You can use small zip ties to secure the vines to the screen cage at any location.
Ps: major kudos to you for jumping in with both feet! It can be overwhelming getting everything set up. You're doing great and almost there! Your little lady will be much happier and healthier because of all your effort. Dgood and everyone else are giving you great advice. Jackson's are the best chams in my humble opinion
I think I will upgrade to 100 w or 75 since I keep my house at around 73 all day and get the 10.0 UVB bulb with calcium supplement and vitamin
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
thanks
If you have access to backyard trees that are not sprayed with pesticides I would use bark covered branches instead of dowels. Common ornamental trees such as maple, willow, alder, beech, poplar, or fruit trees would work fine. Dowels tend to be cut from softwoods like pine, so they will absorb water constantly and can eventually form molds. You can collect tree branches of varying diameters and shapes, scrub loose bark, mosses, or sap off them with a stiff brush and a 1:10 bleach to hot water solution, rinse well, and let dry. Use zip ties or light gage wire to attach the branches however you want them in the cage.
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
the 10% may be a better choice as it will allow the UVB to penetrate through the mesh better, also not sure when you may have to but you say you have a female try look up what females need also about there egg bound situation
You don't really need a 10% Reptisun for a jackson's unless you have a very very tall cage. Just make sure she can bask within 18" of the UV lamp.
Purple tang
New Member
I don't think she can is it normal for her to open her mouth while basking in the cage how often do I feed her I give her 1 med - large cricket a day and what's the diffrence between the 10.0 and 5.0
Lathis
Chameleon Enthusiast
If she's opening her mouth while basking, she is probably too hot. Some chameleons aren't smart enough to move if they get too hot. Do you check the exact temperature at the basking spot? It should be between 80 and 85 degrees, no hotter than that or she will overheat.
The difference between the 5.0 and 10.0 lights is the intensity of the UVB. Most people recommend the 5.0 for normal cages and the 10.0 for special or extra large enclosures.
One cricket a day isn't enough food. She should probably eat more like 4-5 crickets or other feeders every day, and some days she may not eat that many. Dgood gave you a great basic feeding guide earlier in this thread. Just remember to start rotating other bugs into her diet too like superworms, silkworms, and hornworms.
The difference between the 5.0 and 10.0 lights is the intensity of the UVB. Most people recommend the 5.0 for normal cages and the 10.0 for special or extra large enclosures.
One cricket a day isn't enough food. She should probably eat more like 4-5 crickets or other feeders every day, and some days she may not eat that many. Dgood gave you a great basic feeding guide earlier in this thread. Just remember to start rotating other bugs into her diet too like superworms, silkworms, and hornworms.
Purple tang
New Member
Will my local petsupermarket have the superworms
Purple tang
New Member
Lathis
Chameleon Enthusiast
Looks dehydrated. The orange part should be almost pure white. Give her extra long spray sessions (use warm water) and run a dripper for her during the day. Jackson's love a lot of water and need higher humidity. It may take her a while to get rehydrated. Plus, I think hand misting is a good opportunity to bond with your cham.
Purple tang
New Member
What do you mean by hand misting I mist her at least 6x a day like 10 sprays and she gets botherd and gets in her tree
Lathis
Chameleon Enthusiast
I know what you mean. My Jax can take a long time to decide if he wants a shower or if he hates me for getting him wet
Here's what I do that really works for me, so you might try this:
With a little practice, I bet she will come to love the warm shower too. I have an automated mister (MistKing), but I still do a warm shower in the mornings because my little guy loves it.
The shorter mistings that you are doing are perfect to keep the humidity up. I just know that my Jax is a little "princess" when it comes to drinking, so I have to be really patient with him during shower time and it took some trial and error before I found out what he likes. The warm water seems to make a huge difference, too.
Your girl may also be a shy drinker. If you don't have a dripper, you might give it a try. You can buy one (http://www.petco.com/product/9612/Zoo-Med-Little-Dripper.aspx) or make one from a plastic bottle. My Jax loves dripping water - it really stimulates his drinking response, so that might be something to try as well. That's a couple of ideas.
Here's what I do that really works for me, so you might try this:
Get one of those pump-action hand-held pressure sprayers with a lock to hold down the spray (it will really save your hands! much less work than a squirt bottle but a squirt bottle will work). I got one at Lowes/Home Depot in the garden section for less than $10 bucks. Worth every penny.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_36943-89543...tURL=?Ntt=hand+pump+sprayer&page=1&facetInfo=
- Fill the bottle with HOT water from the faucet. Hotter the better. It will cool to warm before it hits your cham.
- Spray all around her, so she knows the water is there and can get used to the idea that she's about to get wet. Then slowly move the spray up from her tail to her head. If she hates it, move away from her but keep the spray going and do it again, tail to head.
With a little practice, I bet she will come to love the warm shower too. I have an automated mister (MistKing), but I still do a warm shower in the mornings because my little guy loves it. The shorter mistings that you are doing are perfect to keep the humidity up. I just know that my Jax is a little "princess" when it comes to drinking, so I have to be really patient with him during shower time and it took some trial and error before I found out what he likes. The warm water seems to make a huge difference, too.
Your girl may also be a shy drinker. If you don't have a dripper, you might give it a try. You can buy one (http://www.petco.com/product/9612/Zoo-Med-Little-Dripper.aspx) or make one from a plastic bottle. My Jax loves dripping water - it really stimulates his drinking response, so that might be something to try as well. That's a couple of ideas.
Lathis
Chameleon Enthusiast
FYI, two good images of what well-hydrated chameleon droppings should look like. The first link is a little graphic
https://www.chameleonforums.com/mucus-39529/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleon-poop-112718/
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