New Guy here with a new Girl!

[sevarious]

Hi all! im very new to chams but have had a leopard gecko for a year or so now. my wife got me what i always wanted for christmas! First i want to thank you all for all of the time you have put into all the info available on the forum!

here is my Lucy

and here is the mesh cagei picked up for 5 bux to use till i can get my aluminum and screen cage from LLL.

i know i need to put a potted plant in there and will be doing so tonight after a trip to walmart. she is right at 8 inches long from horns to tail. i was told she is a fischer's but i also read that there are several different species that were called fischers that arent... it was very confusing to me. can anyone specify her species? she is currently shedding some but here is a better picture-

i will put what all i have for her setup when i get done with it this weekend.
i do have a couple of questions of you guys dont mind-

does she look underweight?
the guy that was giving her up(shes a rescue) says she is about 8 months old and does NOT use her toungue to eat. is that normal at all?


Thanks in advance!

P.S.-thanks to the genius who had the idea of using a cup and the air flow control thing!

 

[Cainschams]

She is a fischers chameleon and you are right. There are quite a few species with "fischers" in the common name. The species you have is Kinyongia multituberculata. Here is a good thread that might make more sense for you.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/fischers-chameleon-kinyongia-fischeri-22395/

Is she a wild caught? She does look possibly gravid (pregnant) but it could also be her just blowing up.

Fill this link out as best as you can and then post it in here. This will help us get you on the right track or tweak anything that may be needed. This species is not the easiest to care for but not the hardest either. I also have some articles if you PM me your email I can send them.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[kinyonga]

You said she doesn't use her tongue...this is not normal. She should use her tongue. If she isn't it could be that it was injured or that she is lacking calcium or maybe even for some other reason.

She looks gravid to me too. I would recommend that you have an opaque container (minimum 12" deep x 12" x 8") of moistened washed playsand in her cage so she has a place to dig to lay eggs when the time comes.

 

[Cainschams]

Now that I have a bit more time:

Kinyongia multituberculata is a montane chameleon. Montane species need higher humidity and cooler temperatures than low land species. Here is how I kept mine when I had them along with my other montane species at the moment.

Day time temps should be between 70 and 78 degrees F with a basking site of around 80 to 85 and humidity no lower than 50% but 60 to 70% is ideal.

Night time temps should dip lower than 65 but its even better to be in the low 60s to high 50s IMO. Humidity should get higher than 70% during the night.

This species is shy and very active so a decent sized cage that is densely planted is necessary. Plants like pothos, ficus and schefflera (umbrella plants) are what I use. Live plants look much nicer and help retain humidity. For a female multituberculata I would go no less than 16x16x30. Depending where you live you might try a terrarium if humidity is hard to keep at a good level. I also use sticks from outside for more climbing places inside the cage. I use any sticks that do not have thick bark so it doesnt flake off and the animal doesnt accidentally ingest it. Recently I have been using dried hops vines that work super well!!

I know you said you are getting her a plant soon which is good but she might want something temporary before if you have anything around. Your cage is really bare in the pictures and this species loves lots of cover.

I found my animals not to be picky eaters. Crickets, roaches, flies, spiders, hoppers, etc were the main diet for mine.

Feeders need to be well gut loaded before being fed off. Fruits and veggies such as kale, kelp, mustard greens, dark greens in general (lettuce, spinach, broccoli are things to stay away from), squash, bell peppers, alfalfa, carrots, apples, oranges, pear, etc are good fruits. Usually I feed my flies the fruits since they do not take well to veggies along with bee pollen and honey. Crickets, roaches and hoppers will all eat the veggies and spiders I just toss in after I catch them and let the animal have whatever it was eating before hand.

I would supplement this species every feeding with a calcium powder without D3 in it. I do not use vitamin supplements for montane species only for a gravid female after she lays or drops. If they are being housed inside I use a calcium supplement with D3 once every month to month and a half. D3 can build up in the animal causing hypervitaminosis. I feed appx 6 appropriate sized feeders or equivalent too every other day and sometimes skipping 2 even 3 days between feeding. This has been efficient in keeping my adults at a good weight. Remember to dust VERY lightly.

Kinyonga explained what you need for a laying bin. Make sure you can dig a tunnel without it collapsing but you dont want the sand to be soupy. If all goes well with her laying, which I suspect she is gravid, you can incubate the eggs in vermiculite. I moisten the vermiculite enough to where I can only squeeze a drop or two of water out of a fistful. Place the eggs 3/4 the way buried. You will want to use at least a 8x8 tupperware container that is 2 to 3 inches full of vermiculite. Incubate the eggs between 65 and 70 degrees and they should hatch out around 11 months if they are fertile.

I cant tell if she is underweight from the pictures since they are a little blurry. A good way to tell with this species is looking at the cheeks. If they are indented then she is underweight. They should be slightly bulgy but not chubby cheeks. She does seem to be a decent specimen from the pictures.

Here is a good article on them and as I said, I can send a few more through email. If you have any questions feel free to ask away!!! This is one of my favorite species I have worked with.

http://chameleonnews.com/05DecKroo.html

 

[dclough77]

5bucks what a steal! nice girl there

 

[sevarious]

Well crap... The guy had 2 males and 2 females. Do they lay eggs without mating or only after mating? I will pick up some sand at walmart with the plant. I'm out and about on wifi so i will read everyones responses when I get to a pc. Thanks!

 

[Cainschams]

Yes, they can produce eggs without mating. Do you know if they guy had them in the same cage or actually tried to breed them?

 

[ShaunaLynnA]

welcome to the forums and congratulations on your little lady. She is a fishers for sure. Your right though there are many that are called fishers and actually aren't. Good luck with your girl and enjoy the raising of a chameleon!

 

[sevarious]

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - She is a Fischer's Cham and is about 8 months old CB. i got her from a guy going to college on 12/18/2010
* Handling - i have handled her a couple of times today and she has been fine with it so far.
* Feeding - th guy before me has been hand feeding her mealworms. i am going to try to get her to feed off crickets that i set loose in the cage after removing their back legs. also, i will be making a feeding hanger from a milk jug from the post on the site to see how she does with that.
* Supplements - i will be dusting them with a non d3 powder most feedings and will be dusting with a d3 powder 1x per week. i do not know the brand, i have not bought it yet. i have more shopping to do for her!
* Watering - i have 2 cups dripping into the cup using the flow control valve method. i will be misting her whole cage, but not her directly, 2-3 times per day. usually when i get up, when i get home from work, and when i go to bed. i will be investing in a humidifier adn a hose soon so i can fog her cage on a schedule. i have not seen her drinking yet but i have watched her sit under the dripping water like a shower.
* Fecal Description - she hasnt pooped yet. dont know about the parasite testing. does this have to be done by a vet or can it be done at home?
* History - apparently she has never eaten by shooting out her tongue.

Cage Info:

* Cage Type - mesh cage, i THINK its 16x16x30 but it may be a bit smaller. i will measure tomorrow.
* Lighting - the guy i got her from had a UVB light and fixture he gave us. i do not know the brand. is it on the bulb some where? i have a flukers clamp lamp with a 60 watt bug bulb that gives off an orange colored light for her heat. i will be setting it up with the timers tomorrow to turn on at 730 am and off at 730 pm so she will have a schedule.
* Temperature and Humidity - i do not know the temps or humidity yet. i will be going to get thermometer and hydrometer tomorrow

* Plants - i have 3 fake vines around the top, i am going to add some more and i have a live umbrella tree in there with her.
* Placement - right now it is located in my bedroom on my dresser. there is a vent about 8 ft away in the ceiling which is about 10 ft up.the cage top is about 6 ft above the floor.
* Location - i am located in Monroe, GA.

here is a pic of her cage with the tree in it.

 

[sevarious]

oh and for the people that said she is pregnant, i got some playsand and a tupperware container and will be washing the sand and putting it in. the genius i got her from DID have the males and females together and NOW tells me that they may have mated....

 

[Cainschams]

Looks like you are on the right track!! Glad to hear she is CB also.

The only thing I would suggest is not using D3 once a week. At max I would do it once a month. She should be fine for a little while without the humidifier as long as you keep her well watered until you get one.

WOW!!! What an expedition for a first chameleon!! You will do fine with her, I am sure!! Just make sure the tupperware container is large enough she can dig down 8 or so inches to lay the eggs. Once you see her really wandering the cage and staying at the bottom or laying eggs you will not want her to see you or she may not lay the eggs or abandon a hole she started. If this happens too many times she will become egg bound.

If you cannot keep the eggs between 65 and 72 degrees some place in your house I would invest in a mini fridge that you can control the temps. thinkgeek.com has them for a good price and that is what I use. It will take around 11 months for the eggs to hatch.

If you have any questions that you need answered in a hurry and do not get it on the forum, or youwould just like a voice for assurance/guidance, you can give me a call. Call anytime, I do not care! I already have my number plastered on the forum so I do not mind posting it. 304 771 6970 and ask for Cain. Anyone else is free to call me also. I can talk chameleons for hours

 

[sevarious]

i actually ended up getting bathroom trashcan from walmart for 3 bux. its about 15 inches deep, and 12x8 wide. i really appreciate all the feedback from everyone! i am going to be getting her a better cage this week or next, maybe one a little bigger than what i have in here now. i did measure and it is 16x16x30 but i think i remember reading that the mesh can rip out toenails and cause foot irritation. i have read both pros and cons to glass and im not sure with that but my house is really dry and i think i may need a glass tank to maintain proper humidity. i was looking at an exo terra tank at petsmart today and Lucys namesake, the girl who always helps us at petsmart and knows a TON about reptiles, says she had hers in one for 4 years with no issues. thoughts anyone?

 

[Cainschams]

i actually ended up getting bathroom trashcan from walmart for 3 bux. its about 15 inches deep, and 12x8 wide. i really appreciate all the feedback from everyone! i am going to be getting her a better cage this week or next, maybe one a little bigger than what i have in here now. i did measure and it is 16x16x30 but i think i remember reading that the mesh can rip out toenails and cause foot irritation. i have read both pros and cons to glass and im not sure with that but my house is really dry and i think i may need a glass tank to maintain proper humidity. i was looking at an exo terra tank at petsmart today and Lucys namesake, the girl who always helps us at petsmart and knows a TON about reptiles, says she had hers in one for 4 years with no issues. thoughts anyone?

It sounds like you may need a terrarium to better fit her needs for humidity, which is very important with this species. Please, ask every and all questions you have on here because you might get a few ways to successfully keep them. But, feel free to give me a call tomorrow anytime after 12 AM. I may be able to give you some quick advise. I have to warn you though, I can talk for hours about Kinyongia

 

[sevarious]

i have been looking at glass terrariums and they are REALLY out of my price range for the size youguys say i need. would there be an issue with getting a metal screen cage and using silicone to put some sort of plastic or plexi sheeting on the outside of a couple or 3 of the walls?

 

[reptoman]

A lot of people just put black plastic taped to the back and sides to keep humidity up. Thick mil trash bags cut to size would work.

 

[Silkyslim]

I ran into a humidity control issue coming into winter. I solved it with some Window insulation kits from the hardware store. I put the tape on the outside edges. Streched the plastic around it and busted out the blow dryer for a tight finish. Now the humidity never drops below 50% while the rest of the house sits at 0-19%.

I did also make adjustments to my auto mister times and added on a few more mins to the cycles, seems to be going well so far.

 

[Cainschams]

i have been looking at glass terrariums and they are REALLY out of my price range for the size youguys say i need. would there be an issue with getting a metal screen cage and using silicone to put some sort of plastic or plexi sheeting on the outside of a couple or 3 of the walls?

The terrariums are definitely pricey. There would be no problems with rigging up something on three sides of the screen cage. I would make it easy to put on and take off if you are able to house your animal outside at any point of the year. You also said you are getting a humidifier so that will help immensely.

 

[sevarious]

well i just ordered the Reptibreeze large 18*18*36 open air cage. the store will have it in by wed and i can work on checking the humidity and temps in it. eventually i want to build my own cage but that's a year or so down the road so i can have time to ask for the necessary tools for Christmas and bday for drainage on the new cage, i was thinking about building a simple stand of some sort where it sits into a little frame with it being open beneath and a big plastic container beneath it. any suggestions?

 

[sevarious]

forgot to ask, are there any tips on getting her to start using her tongue to eat?