Sarahcwilson
New Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - His name is Steve (named by a student), Nosy Be, Male, six months old, adopted him one month ago
Handling -
To clean his cage and to look at him, maybe once a day if he wants to. He's in my classroom, so I want him to be semi-used to people, although my kids don't get to hold him unless he needs to come out for cage cleaning. They just admire from afar.
Feeding -
I feed him mainly gut-loaded crickets (5 or so small - medium a day) and silkworms (3 - 4 a day). He gets a butter worm or two maybe once or twice a week. I feed the silkworms their mulberry leaf food. I gut-load the crickets about 4 - 8 hours before feeding them to him. Actually, they are always gut-loaded because I feed them every day. I feed them fresh dandelion greens, oranges, cucumbers, and other fresh produce (not kale, spinach, or broccoli). I made my own dry gut-load using one of Sandrachameleon's recent recipes. It's made of bee pollen, quinoa, seaweed, etc. They get that daily too.
Supplements -
I use Miner-all wo B3 at least every other feeding on the crickets, Miner-all with B3 once a week, and Reptivite once a week.
Watering -
I mist him with a hand mister three times a day for about one - two minutes each time (after lights are on for a while, noonish, and then at least two hours before lights out). I also use a fogger (It sits in a cup on the top of the cage so the mist drifts into the enclosure) that comes on twice a day for 15 minutes each time. My cage dries out between mistings and I mop up the floor to keep the moisture from building up. He drinks often. I make sure to see him drink in the morning and he is liking lately to sip from the droplets on the ceiling left by the fogger.
Fecal Description -
His droppings are well formed, slightly moist, dark brown with the end being a bright white. He goes about once a day or every other day.
History -
He travels in a dark box with branches in it over the weekend to come home. He lives in the classroom during the week.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - His at home cage is 2 x 2 x 4 feet. His at school cage is 18 x 18 x 36 in. Both enclosures are mesh. Since he is little, I have him in his smaller cage at school where he lives during the week. I use no substrate and all dirt (in pots) is covered with large smooth river stones. I sometimes will put paper towels down when the fogged is on; it drips!
Lighting - He has a basking spot lamp, 100 watt in both places. I bring the UVB Reptisun 5.0 back and forth. I will replace it in June (six month mark).
Temperature - I try to keep his basking spot at 80 - 85 degrees F. It falls to about 70ish at the bottom of his cage. He has all kinds of levels of branches to regulate temperatures. At home, I don't need to use a night heat lamp; it only goes down to about 65 F at the lowest (in winter). At school, he has a night time heat bulb (going to get a ceramic one soon so it doesn't emit light). It doesn't drop below 65 with the lamp at night.
Humidity - Humidity is at about 50 between mistings and goes up to 80 when misted. The fogger brings it up to about 60. I use a hygrometer in both places. Digital at school and a dial at home.
Plants - I have the safe umbrella plant in the big cage and another smaller live plant (can't remember its name but I checked several safe lists before I bought it).
Placement - At school, his cage is on a counter in a recessed counter area that has almost no traffic. The top of that cage is at about 6 feet off the floor. At home, he is on a table in my spare room with no foot traffic unless I'm in there to take care of him (feeding, misting, etc.) The top of his cage is at about 8 feet off the floor. No fans, air vents for either place.
Location -
Western Washington State
Current Problem -
I am just making sure my practices are good for my little guy! He is my first chameleon. I want to make sure he is well cared for.
I attached a photo of his at home cage (I am on break, but I'll attach his school home later).
What do you guys think? Any feedback is welcome.
Your Chameleon - His name is Steve (named by a student), Nosy Be, Male, six months old, adopted him one month ago
Handling -
To clean his cage and to look at him, maybe once a day if he wants to. He's in my classroom, so I want him to be semi-used to people, although my kids don't get to hold him unless he needs to come out for cage cleaning. They just admire from afar.
Feeding -
I feed him mainly gut-loaded crickets (5 or so small - medium a day) and silkworms (3 - 4 a day). He gets a butter worm or two maybe once or twice a week. I feed the silkworms their mulberry leaf food. I gut-load the crickets about 4 - 8 hours before feeding them to him. Actually, they are always gut-loaded because I feed them every day. I feed them fresh dandelion greens, oranges, cucumbers, and other fresh produce (not kale, spinach, or broccoli). I made my own dry gut-load using one of Sandrachameleon's recent recipes. It's made of bee pollen, quinoa, seaweed, etc. They get that daily too.
Supplements -
I use Miner-all wo B3 at least every other feeding on the crickets, Miner-all with B3 once a week, and Reptivite once a week.
Watering -
I mist him with a hand mister three times a day for about one - two minutes each time (after lights are on for a while, noonish, and then at least two hours before lights out). I also use a fogger (It sits in a cup on the top of the cage so the mist drifts into the enclosure) that comes on twice a day for 15 minutes each time. My cage dries out between mistings and I mop up the floor to keep the moisture from building up. He drinks often. I make sure to see him drink in the morning and he is liking lately to sip from the droplets on the ceiling left by the fogger.
Fecal Description -
His droppings are well formed, slightly moist, dark brown with the end being a bright white. He goes about once a day or every other day.
History -
He travels in a dark box with branches in it over the weekend to come home. He lives in the classroom during the week.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - His at home cage is 2 x 2 x 4 feet. His at school cage is 18 x 18 x 36 in. Both enclosures are mesh. Since he is little, I have him in his smaller cage at school where he lives during the week. I use no substrate and all dirt (in pots) is covered with large smooth river stones. I sometimes will put paper towels down when the fogged is on; it drips!
Lighting - He has a basking spot lamp, 100 watt in both places. I bring the UVB Reptisun 5.0 back and forth. I will replace it in June (six month mark).
Temperature - I try to keep his basking spot at 80 - 85 degrees F. It falls to about 70ish at the bottom of his cage. He has all kinds of levels of branches to regulate temperatures. At home, I don't need to use a night heat lamp; it only goes down to about 65 F at the lowest (in winter). At school, he has a night time heat bulb (going to get a ceramic one soon so it doesn't emit light). It doesn't drop below 65 with the lamp at night.
Humidity - Humidity is at about 50 between mistings and goes up to 80 when misted. The fogger brings it up to about 60. I use a hygrometer in both places. Digital at school and a dial at home.
Plants - I have the safe umbrella plant in the big cage and another smaller live plant (can't remember its name but I checked several safe lists before I bought it).
Placement - At school, his cage is on a counter in a recessed counter area that has almost no traffic. The top of that cage is at about 6 feet off the floor. At home, he is on a table in my spare room with no foot traffic unless I'm in there to take care of him (feeding, misting, etc.) The top of his cage is at about 8 feet off the floor. No fans, air vents for either place.
Location -
Western Washington State
Current Problem -
I am just making sure my practices are good for my little guy! He is my first chameleon. I want to make sure he is well cared for.
I attached a photo of his at home cage (I am on break, but I'll attach his school home later).
What do you guys think? Any feedback is welcome.
