New chameleon parent

[wear_ur_feelins]

Okay I js got this little explorer around 2ish days ago from Petco. I did research b4 hand but went to Petco and they pretty made me feel confirmed and confident. They ended up getting me to buy the starter kit (and I now know why it’s called the death kit). I’ve made some urgent changes after realizing things weren’t right and have an enclosure that’s good enough and I am actively working on it every day. They told me the hatch date was around August 22 of last year making it around 7 months. I also refer using “it” because I am not sure it’s gender and Petco told me 2 dif things, so I’m currently freaking out if I need to make a egg bin so It dont go egg bound. Also it’s is very very curious and adventurous, it has warmed up to me enough to crawl on me naturally but he really loves crawling everywhere and exploring, and recommendeations for things I can put in my room outside his cage for free time? Ik this is a lot but I don’t want to be another one of those ignorant p.o.s. who end up killing their Cham within a week. Thank you!

 

[LizardLurkin]

If you can get a close up picture of this chameleon's back feet, it'll be really easy to gender them. I'm personally thinking female with what we see, but it's good to make absolutely sure to know if you'll need to make a lay bin or not.

The biggest concern with the chameleon death kit (in my opinion) is that it supplies a completely ineffectual UVB coil bulb, as opposed to a proper t5HO linear UVB bar. The fake plants are also a concern for our veileds, since they do like to munch on leaves.
The order of business would be to get the correct UVB fixture and live plants (pothos do very well in chameleon cages!)
An upgrade to a 2x2x4 reptibreeze XL (or larger) is important too, but the necessary lighting is crucial for healthy development.
Go crazy with branches too, and make sure their basking branch is 8 inches below the light fixtures!

As for things outside the cage during free time, a good big old houseplant probably is the way to go. I have seen some impressive free range builds on this forum. I've not yet developed an out of cage hangout spot (because it's not necessary per se) but I do like the idea.

A really good way to get more tailor made help is by filling out this form.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[wear_ur_feelins]

Ok thank you I will filll the form and will get a photo of the back feet next time he lets me take him out.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

Species: veiled
Sex: not sure yet
Age: ~7months
Time in care: ~5days

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

Will make attempt once a day and if declined then no handling will be done.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

Food: crickets as main, super worms as treat
Amount: 2 crickets a day
Schedule: 7:30am 4:00-6:00pm
Gut loading: pre gut-loaded w veggies

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?

Calcium: Repti calcium without D3
Calcium brand: ZooMed
Other vitamins: Reptisafe water conditioner (haven’t used), Repetitive with D3 (haven’t used)

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

Watering technique: fogger from Amazon with hose laying on top.
Water schedule: fogger is controlled by humidity sensor keeping day range- %RH 37-47. And a night range %RH 60-80
Drinking?: I haven’t seen him drink except when he shot his tongue at the roof where water was condescending by the fogger, it made me very sad and mad at myself for being inadequate prepared.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

Fecal: tiny normal shits
Urate: I can’t find it
Testing: no

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Was told likes to escape and sure does like to explore

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions

Reptibreez 16x16x30

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

Basking: ZooMed daylight blue 60W
UVB: REPTIDLDB T5 10.00 12in 8W
Extra 1: plant light from Amazon
Extra 2: LuckyHerp2 ceramic heat emitter 50w (my room be cold)

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

Floor temp: 65 degrees
Bask spot temp: 80 degrees
Lowest night temp: my room it self is around 65 degrees at night and I turn all his things off but I haven’t mess night cage temp
Main Temp meter: Temperature Gun
Passive reader: shit on

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

See watering

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

I do have one, an umbrella plant. I refuse to use fake ones as he has proven he will eat them

• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?

In the middle of the room by doorway on desk. Top of cage is at chin level (I am currently looking for way to make taller)

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Colorado

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

I am also seeing a white spot on his face like a zit typa thing.

 

[LizardLurkin]

My replies will be bolded! I'm going to link a lot of resources and images to help you too!

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Species: veiled
Sex: not sure yet
Age: ~7months
Time in care: ~5days
If they're 7 months old, their casque is rather short, and they're not displaying the colorful vertical bars along the back as you'd see in a male.
I'm also not seeing a tarsal spur on the image I'm pasting below:

I'm really feeling you have a girl. I'll tag resident female veiled enthusiasts @MissSkittles for her opinion. I'll also link her laying bin guide <-
I'd get it in ASAP.

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Will make attempt once a day and if declined then no handling will be done.
I'll also link a guide to building trust. You don't need to handle often, but trust is important: Here you go!

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Food: crickets as main, super worms as treat
Amount: 2 crickets a day
Schedule: 7:30am 4:00-6:00pm
Gut loading: pre gut-loaded w veggies
I'm attaching good feeder and gut load images.

I'll also ask @MissSkittles her opinion on feeding frequency going forward assuming this chameleon is female.

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Calcium: Repti calcium without D3
Calcium brand: ZooMed
Other vitamins: Reptisafe water conditioner (haven’t used), Repetitive with D3 (haven’t used)
I've not heard of anyone using reptisafe water conditioner here. I can't vouch for it. I personally think it would be less questionable to purchase gallons of reverse osmosis water or steam distilled water. As for the vitamin supplementation, if you're not aware, you must follow a certain schedule. Calcium without D3 is for every feeding, however on two days of the month, you will use your reptivite.
This image might be more helpful to understanding the schedule better.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Watering technique: fogger from Amazon with hose laying on top.
Water schedule: fogger is controlled by humidity sensor keeping day range- %RH 37-47. And a night range %RH 60-80
Drinking?: I haven’t seen him drink except when he shot his tongue at the roof where water was condescending by the fogger, it made me very sad and mad at myself for being inadequate prepared.
You may want to consider running a dripper during the daytime if they seem thirsty. You could buy the big dripper for reptiles, or you could home make one following this video guide.
Foggers are great, however, they should run at night and if your temperatures are 67 farenheit or under. Higher temperatures with constant fogging carries risks for bacterial growth, and possibly respiratory infection. You don't want to fog when the heat bulbs are on.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Fecal: tiny normal shits
Urate: I can’t find it
Testing: no
It's a great idea to test for parasites when you can. Urates are usually faaairly close to the poop but...this is not always the case. Try imagining the trajectory of how it left the chameleon. It's probably on a leaf above where the poop has fallen. It's good to find it to get an idea of how hydrated your chameleon is.

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Was told likes to escape and sure does like to explore

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions
Reptibreez 16x16x30
2ftx2ftx4ft is the recommended minimum.

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Basking: ZooMed daylight blue 60W
UVB: REPTIDLDB T5 10.00 12in 8W
I'm unfamiliar with that UVB lighting brand. The trusted brands which are known to put out the correct UVB output for chameleon care are the Reptisun T5HO 5.0 or the Arcadia 6%. It is best to purchase the 24 inch hood rather than one to fit your current small enclosure.

Extra 1: plant light from Amazon
Extra 2: LuckyHerp2 ceramic heat emitter 50w (my room be cold)
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Floor temp: 65 degrees
Bask spot temp: 80 degrees
Lowest night temp: my room it self is around 65 degrees at night and I turn all his things off but I haven’t mess night cage temp
Those night time temperatures sound good for running the fogger. Make sure to keep that fog machine clean

Main Temp meter: Temperature Gun
Passive reader: shit on lol xD Do be diligent with spot cleaning!
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
See watering

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
I do have one, an umbrella plant. I refuse to use fake ones as he has proven he will eat them
Good luck with the umbrella plant! I hear they're hard to keep alive. I can't vouch for pothos enough though! My chameleon also really likes spider plants.

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
In the middle of the room by doorway on desk. Top of cage is at chin level (I am currently looking for way to make taller)
Height is safety for chameleons!

Location - Where are you geographically located?
Colorado

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

I am also seeing a white spot on his face like a zit typa thing.
Can you get a clear photo of this so-called zit?

In the meantime; you can also the chameleon academy's veiled chameleon profile, and watch Neptune The Chameleon's youtube channel which is filled to the brim with many niche topics.
I'm also going to tag a few star players here just in case I missed anything @Beman, @kinyonga
ALSO!!!!
I'm going to link one of Neptune's videos about floating branches to screen enclosures cheaply, because it'll be very handy for you:
For example. This is how my enclosure's structure started, with just zip ties and fishing wire, and the after:

AND if you collect branches, here's a guide on what's okay:

Buying treated branches is an option, too. However there are things to consider when foraging for your own. You will need to clean them before putting them in the enclosure. I took my long branches in the tub and scrubbed them with dawn dish soap and set them to dry.

I'm sorry all of this is really a lot, but I do want to help.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome! You’ve been given excellent advisement and I confirm you appear to have a sweet & spicy young lady. Do make sure to read my blog on caring for your cutie’s egg production needs. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/ Not sure if you’re aware, but even if she’s never seen a boy, she will produce eggs, like chickens do.
For feeding, it would be better to feed her 3-4 feeders, every other day or preferably 3 days a week. I feed all of mine Monday, Wed & Fri and on one of the weekend days is the treat day. Variety of feeders is preferred also. My favorite is silkworms as they are perfect for hand feeding to build and maintain trust.
You definitely want to get either an Arcadia 6% or ReptiSun 5.0 uvb bulb. Any other brand has not proven to have reliable output and could contribute to the formation of mbd.
Do you mist/spray at all for hydration? If not, you should. Misting for 2 minutes twice a day is perfect - right before lights go on and about 30 minutes before lights off. If needed, you can use a dripper for 15-20 minutes in the afternoon or add an afternoon misting for about a minute.
To give your plants their best to succeed, you’ll want to invest in a decent plant light. I run a 70w plant light above all of my enclosures and it’s strong enough for even hibiscus.
Also, do please upgrade to a larger enclosure. While 2x2x4 is the minimum, I say go as big as you can. I’m fortunate that I can provide each of my scaled sweethearts with double wides (2 XL enclosures joined together) and even my girls use all of their space.
I’m so very glad that you’ve found your way here and do hope to see more of you and your little green cutie.

 

[wear_ur_feelins]

Ok thank you I will filll the form and will get a photo of the back feet next time he lets me take him out.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

Species: veiled
Sex: not sure yet
Age: ~7months
Time in care: ~5days

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

Will make attempt once a day and if declined then no handling will be done.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

Food: crickets as main, super worms as treat
Amount: 2 crickets a day
Schedule: 7:30am 4:00-6:00pm
Gut loading: pre gut-loaded w veggies

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?

Calcium: Repti calcium without D3
Calcium brand: ZooMed
Other vitamins: Reptisafe water conditioner (haven’t used), Repetitive with D3 (haven’t used)

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

Watering technique: fogger from Amazon with hose laying on top.
Water schedule: fogger is controlled by humidity sensor keeping day range- %RH 37-47. And a night range %RH 60-80
Drinking?: I haven’t seen him drink except when he shot his tongue at the roof where water was condescending by the fogger, it made me very sad and mad at myself for being inadequate prepared.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

Fecal: tiny normal shits
Urate: I can’t find it
Testing: no

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Was told likes to escape and sure does like to explore

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions

Reptibreez 16x16x30

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

Basking: ZooMed daylight blue 60W
UVB: REPTIDLDB T5 10.00 12in 8W
Extra 1: plant light from Amazon
Extra 2: LuckyHerp2 ceramic heat emitter 50w (my room be cold)

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

Floor temp: 65 degrees
Bask spot temp: 80 degrees
Lowest night temp: my room it self is around 65 degrees at night and I turn all his things off but I haven’t mess night cage temp
Main Temp meter: Temperature Gun
Passive reader: shit on

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

See watering

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

I do have one, an umbrella plant. I refuse to use fake ones as he has proven he will eat them

• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?

In the middle of the room by doorway on desk. Top of cage is at chin level (I am currently looking for way to make taller)

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Colorado

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

Hi and welcome! You’ve been given excellent advisement and I confirm you appear to have a sweet & spicy young lady. Do make sure to read my blog on caring for your cutie’s egg production needs. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/ Not sure if you’re aware, but even if she’s never seen a boy, she will produce eggs, like chickens do.
For feeding, it would be better to feed her 3-4 feeders, every other day or preferably 3 days a week. I feed all of mine Monday, Wed & Fri and on one of the weekend days is the treat day. Variety of feeders is preferred also. My favorite is silkworms as they are perfect for hand feeding to build and maintain trust.
You definitely want to get either an Arcadia 6% or ReptiSun 5.0 uvb bulb. Any other brand has not proven to have reliable output and could contribute to the formation of mbd.
Do you mist/spray at all for hydration? If not, you should. Misting for 2 minutes twice a day is perfect - right before lights go on and about 30 minutes before lights off. If needed, you can use a dripper for 15-20 minutes in the afternoon or add an afternoon misting for about a minute.
To give your plants their best to succeed, you’ll want to invest in a decent plant light. I run a 70w plant light above all of my enclosures and it’s strong enough for even hibiscus.
Also, do please upgrade to a larger enclosure. While 2x2x4 is the minimum, I say go as big as you can. I’m fortunate that I can provide each of my scaled sweethearts with double wides (2 XL enclosures joined together) and even my girls use all of their space.
I’m so very glad that you’ve found your way here and do hope to see more of you and your little green cutie.

Hello and thank you so much! Yes I do go in with a spray bottle about twice a day. I am currently working on that bigger enclosure for my sweet girl. I understand the whole sensitivity she will has when deciding to lay her eggs but am still somewhat confused on the egg whole bin and privacy thing. Also do you thinks she’s already had her first clutch of eggs yet? I don’t know if there is a way to tell. Thank you so much I genuinely appreciate your help deeply!

 

[wear_ur_feelins]

My replies will be bolded! I'm going to link a lot of resources and images to help you too!

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Species: veiled
Sex: not sure yet
Age: ~7months
Time in care: ~5days
If they're 7 months old, their casque is rather short, and they're not displaying the colorful vertical bars along the back as you'd see in a male.
I'm also not seeing a tarsal spur on the image I'm pasting below:
View attachment 368498
I'm really feeling you have a girl. I'll tag resident female veiled enthusiasts @MissSkittles for her opinion. I'll also link her laying bin guide <-
I'd get it in ASAP.

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Will make attempt once a day and if declined then no handling will be done.
I'll also link a guide to building trust. You don't need to handle often, but trust is important: Here you go!

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Food: crickets as main, super worms as treat
Amount: 2 crickets a day
Schedule: 7:30am 4:00-6:00pm
Gut loading: pre gut-loaded w veggies
I'm attaching good feeder and gut load images.
View attachment 368499View attachment 368500
I'll also ask @MissSkittles her opinion on feeding frequency going forward assuming this chameleon is female.

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Calcium: Repti calcium without D3
Calcium brand: ZooMed
Other vitamins: Reptisafe water conditioner (haven’t used), Repetitive with D3 (haven’t used)
I've not heard of anyone using reptisafe water conditioner here. I can't vouch for it. I personally think it would be less questionable to purchase gallons of reverse osmosis water or steam distilled water. As for the vitamin supplementation, if you're not aware, you must follow a certain schedule. Calcium without D3 is for every feeding, however on two days of the month, you will use your reptivite.
This image might be more helpful to understanding the schedule better.
View attachment 368501
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Watering technique: fogger from Amazon with hose laying on top.
Water schedule: fogger is controlled by humidity sensor keeping day range- %RH 37-47. And a night range %RH 60-80
Drinking?: I haven’t seen him drink except when he shot his tongue at the roof where water was condescending by the fogger, it made me very sad and mad at myself for being inadequate prepared.
You may want to consider running a dripper during the daytime if they seem thirsty. You could buy the big dripper for reptiles, or you could home make one following this video guide.
Foggers are great, however, they should run at night and if your temperatures are 67 farenheit or under. Higher temperatures with constant fogging carries risks for bacterial growth, and possibly respiratory infection. You don't want to fog when the heat bulbs are on.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Fecal: tiny normal shits
Urate: I can’t find it
Testing: no
It's a great idea to test for parasites when you can. Urates are usually faaairly close to the poop but...this is not always the case. Try imagining the trajectory of how it left the chameleon. It's probably on a leaf above where the poop has fallen. It's good to find it to get an idea of how hydrated your chameleon is.

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Was told likes to escape and sure does like to explore

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions
Reptibreez 16x16x30
2ftx2ftx4ft is the recommended minimum.

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Basking: ZooMed daylight blue 60W
UVB: REPTIDLDB T5 10.00 12in 8W
I'm unfamiliar with that UVB lighting brand. The trusted brands which are known to put out the correct UVB output for chameleon care are the Reptisun T5HO 5.0 or the Arcadia 6%. It is best to purchase the 24 inch hood rather than one to fit your current small enclosure.

Extra 1: plant light from Amazon
Extra 2: LuckyHerp2 ceramic heat emitter 50w (my room be cold)
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Floor temp: 65 degrees
Bask spot temp: 80 degrees
Lowest night temp: my room it self is around 65 degrees at night and I turn all his things off but I haven’t mess night cage temp
Those night time temperatures sound good for running the fogger. Make sure to keep that fog machine clean

Main Temp meter: Temperature Gun
Passive reader: shit on lol xD Do be diligent with spot cleaning!
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
See watering

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
I do have one, an umbrella plant. I refuse to use fake ones as he has proven he will eat them
Good luck with the umbrella plant! I hear they're hard to keep alive. I can't vouch for pothos enough though! My chameleon also really likes spider plants.

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
In the middle of the room by doorway on desk. Top of cage is at chin level (I am currently looking for way to make taller)
Height is safety for chameleons!

Location - Where are you geographically located?
Colorado

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

I am also seeing a white spot on his face like a zit typa thing.
Can you get a clear photo of this so-called zit?

In the meantime; you can also the chameleon academy's veiled chameleon profile, and watch Neptune The Chameleon's youtube channel which is filled to the brim with many niche topics.
I'm also going to tag a few star players here just in case I missed anything @Beman, @kinyonga
ALSO!!!!
I'm going to link one of Neptune's videos about floating branches to screen enclosures cheaply, because it'll be very handy for you:
For example. This is how my enclosure's structure started, with just zip ties and fishing wire, and the after:
View attachment 368507View attachment 368508
AND if you collect branches, here's a guide on what's okay:
View attachment 368505
View attachment 368506
Buying treated branches is an option, too. However there are things to consider when foraging for your own. You will need to clean them before putting them in the enclosure. I took my long branches in the tub and scrubbed them with dawn dish soap and set them to dry.

I'm sorry all of this is really a lot, but I do want to help.

I can’t thank you enough. I am disappointed that I didn’t do the best research and let myself fall to the word of another big box company, but I will fix my inadequacy of research and injustice upon her (I’ve also decided on the name Artemisia) .