New Chameleon owner - Few questions that I cannot find concise answers too.

[SacredFootballLB]

Hey All! I finally got my first chameleon; I've loved, wanted and researched them since the 4th grade (Don't care to figure out how many years ago that was but I'll be 23 this month). Her name's Sammi and is a veiled; about2 inches long (not including the tail)

Anyways, there are a few questions I have that get conflicting reports and from what I've been reading, I trust you all here much more

1. Is it recommended to not use substrate/bark/sand/flooring in the enclosure.

Here's what make sense to me: If the chameleon misses (rarely) or accidentally gets some of the substrate with their dinner, it can be detrimental to the chameleons health. This makes me strike out bark or anything large which would leave sand (calcium sand of course so at least it would be 'so' bad), reptile turf, moss-like plant matter and a substrate mix.

I'm using reptile turf now but i can see it going south quickly with how humid/wet it gets. She has an all mesh enclosure (if that adds to anything). This is what makes me think some sort of moss to soak up the remaining moisture so it doesn't just sit on the turf.

I'm torn on this so I'm looking for your thoughts/opinions/etc. I'm leaning more towards keeping the turf for safety. Any ideas for keeping the turf reasonably dry so it doesn't grow bacteria and such?

2. Will female veild's die if they cannot find a nest to lay their eggs when in season?

Also, I've checked a ton of acceptable plants for chameleons but I'm trying to narrow it done to the following criteria:
Something visually appealing (colors, flowers, etc.)
Something she'll enjoy eating (noms)

I'm thinking of getting a Bougainville for the flowering vine look. She really seems to love the fake bamboo stalks with leaves coming out of a rock decoration I got her. She'll leave her basking spot to go to it and once she starts cooling down will go back and repeat the process. I'd like to have something similar but from what I'm reading, that kind of bamboo is toxic to them. Is there something similar that will grow? Maybe like a Jade plant? I'll be taking a splice of the Pothos plant from work. I've always had a pretty decent green thumb so I'm not worried about plants being a little harder to raise. I've read the cleaning and preparation for plants post so I'll be doing that before any of the plants are introduced to her enclosure.

I'm also finding it quite difficult finding things to use in a mesh terrarium; everything has suction cups, lol. I'm looking for some sort of veggie clip to have in the terrarium to feed her greens. Ideas?

sorry for the long first post >.<

 

[Jamelon]

Hey im a new cham owner myself! as for substrates i think i would get rid of it. my cage bottom is bare but i have some paper towel in there to soak up the drips and stuff from misting also have a little pan in there to catch my dripper drops. Going to cover it with screen when i can so no feeders/chameleons can fall in . Im no experts in female chameleons but if they cannot lay their eggs problems can and will arise. As for plants, a hibiscus is highly recommended, but they dont do too well indoors, if its warm where you are some owners have 2 and keep one outside and swap when the one inside isnt looking too good. Also you can get a ficus, or umbrella plant those are good too, if you want a vine, go with pothos. As for the suction cups on everything i just use a thumb tac and stick it into the actual suction cup and it seems to hold well.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums. I have two veileds, a male and a female, Luie & Camille.

It's best to leave the cage floor bare. Female can lay eegs even if there's no male around. I'm attaching two links for you. One on general care for your veiled and the other on the laying bin and egg laying that you'll need for your female when she's older.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html#comment574

 

[JaxyGirl]

Hey All! I finally got my first chameleon; I've loved, wanted and researched them since the 4th grade (Don't care to figure out how many years ago that was but I'll be 23 this month). Her name's Sammi and is a veiled; about2 inches long (not including the tail)

Anyways, there are a few questions I have that get conflicting reports and from what I've been reading, I trust you all here much more

1. Is it recommended to not use substrate/bark/sand/flooring in the enclosure.

Here's what make sense to me: If the chameleon misses (rarely) or accidentally gets some of the substrate with their dinner, it can be detrimental to the chameleons health. This makes me strike out bark or anything large which would leave sand (calcium sand of course so at least it would be 'so' bad), reptile turf, moss-like plant matter and a substrate mix.

I'm using reptile turf now but i can see it going south quickly with how humid/wet it gets. She has an all mesh enclosure (if that adds to anything). This is what makes me think some sort of moss to soak up the remaining moisture so it doesn't just sit on the turf.

I'm torn on this so I'm looking for your thoughts/opinions/etc. I'm leaning more towards keeping the turf for safety. Any ideas for keeping the turf reasonably dry so it doesn't grow bacteria and such?

2. Will female veild's die if they cannot find a nest to lay their eggs when in season?

Also, I've checked a ton of acceptable plants for chameleons but I'm trying to narrow it done to the following criteria:
Something visually appealing (colors, flowers, etc.)
Something she'll enjoy eating (noms)

I'm thinking of getting a Bougainville for the flowering vine look. She really seems to love the fake bamboo stalks with leaves coming out of a rock decoration I got her. She'll leave her basking spot to go to it and once she starts cooling down will go back and repeat the process. I'd like to have something similar but from what I'm reading, that kind of bamboo is toxic to them. Is there something similar that will grow? Maybe like a Jade plant? I'll be taking a splice of the Pothos plant from work. I've always had a pretty decent green thumb so I'm not worried about plants being a little harder to raise. I've read the cleaning and preparation for plants post so I'll be doing that before any of the plants are introduced to her enclosure.

I'm also finding it quite difficult finding things to use in a mesh terrarium; everything has suction cups, lol. I'm looking for some sort of veggie clip to have in the terrarium to feed her greens. Ideas?

sorry for the long first post >.<

Hi and welcome to the forums!! It is recommended to not use any substrate because all types can be ingested which can lead to impaction and a visit to the vet. Most people use paper towels or a regular bath towel to absorb the moisture.

Regarding plants you don't want to put anything in there that is toxic because chams especially veileds like to eat plants. I believe bougainvillea and bamboo is toxic. Some recommended and nontoxic plants are ficus, pothos, hibiscus (nice flowering plant), Schefflera Umbrella plant.

 

[kinyonga]

Jamelon...be careful with thumbtacks...if it falls out in the cage the chameleon might eat it.

SacredFootballLB said..."Will female veild's die if they cannot find a nest to lay their eggs when in season?"...usually they will. This is why I always recommend that an opaque container of at least 12" D x 12" x 8" filled about 3/4 full of washed playsand be kept in the cage once the female is sexually mature. Also...once the female is sexually mature and can produce eggs, if you overfeed her constantly she will likely produce a large clutch of infertile eggs. Even when young its best IMHO to grow the female steadily but not rapidly to lessen the chances of her developing MBD.

Pothos and hibiscus are good plants to use.

Here are some good sites that may help...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20060421.../index.php?show=6.Vitamin.D3.and.Calcium.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20060502...rnals.com/vet/index.php?show=5.Vitamin.A.html
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/

 

[SacredFootballLB]

Thanks everyone for your replies

A further question about breeding/egg laying. Is it stressful for females to not mate when in season? Do they need to breed to remain healthy and happy or can they just lay unfertilized eggs when the time comes?

...I believe bougainvillea and bamboo is toxic. Some recommended and nontoxic plants are ficus, pothos, hibiscus (nice flowering plant), Schefflera Umbrella plant.

I read many bamboo plants are toxic as well although I've seen on this site and others that the "Heavenly Bamboo" is not.

I believe Bougainvillea to be safe: Safe Plants and other sites

 

[jannb]

Thanks everyone for your replies

A further question about breeding/egg laying. Is it stressful for females to not mate when in season? Do they need to breed to remain healthy and happy or can they just lay unfertilized eggs when the time comes?



It's best to keep her from laying eggs at all....see link above.

 

[SacredFootballLB]

Thanks everyone for your replies

A further question about breeding/egg laying. Is it stressful for females to not mate when in season? Do they need to breed to remain healthy and happy or can they just lay unfertilized eggs when the time comes?



It's best to keep her from laying eggs at all....see link above.

read that a few minutes after my post. Caught me before the removal ;P

Quick Question. I'm looking through the safe plants list found on the forums and am reading that some can still be poisonous. Does the safe plants list include flowers, fruit produced, leaves, etc? An example would be Honeysuckle:...in most species the berries are mildly poisonous...