New Jackson Chameleon: How am I doing?

[gonioporagirl]

Hey all, I recently got a 1 year old male Jackson chameleon (about 3 months ago), and I was wondering how I am doing care wise. I feed him two dubia roaches or crickets once a day. Biweekly, I will give him a powder calcium supplement without d3 on one of his feeders. Monthly I give him a supplement with d3 and a reptivite multivitamin. As for misting, I try to mist him for five minutes at least 3 times a day. However, since I have school, I sometimes have to go down to twice a day. I clean his cage weekly and try to spot clean whenever I see poop or urate. How am I doing with his care? What could I do to give him better care? Thanks for any responses.

 

[JacksJill]

You sound on track for a Jackson's with what you listed if you want more input filling out the how to ask for help form will cover more husbandry.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
One thing you could do if you haven't is use an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier to raise his cage humidity at night and run a dripper on the days you can only mist twice.

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

What is the humidity? Jackson’s dont need as much. As other chameleons do. Since they are from mountain area. They can be on the lower side like 60. Where others need to be on more of an higher side closer to 80

 

[JacksJill]

The humidity thing is true but not totally correct. In the wild their day time humidity can be as low as 30-45% but their night time can be in the 80-90% range.

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

The humidity thing is true but not totally correct. In the wild their day time humidity can be as low as 30-45% but their night time can be in the 80-90% range.

I was told it dont get as high as that there. Good to know. Mine never gets low because where i live. Humidity is always 60 where i live during summer but winter gets little low.

 

[GreenChameleons]

The humidity thing is true but not totally correct. In the wild their day time humidity can be as low as 30-45% but their night time can be in the 80-90% range.[/QUOTE

Spot on @JacksJill and it gives Jackson’s health issues and really we are doing them a bad service if the humidity is extremely high in the daytime just to add to it hope I’m not imposing. Bacteria tends to start growing at high temperatures and high humidity at a more rapidly. That’s why a colder night drop with higher humidity regulates this and a more healthy chameleon. I really never like to push those perimeters because higher chances of upper respiratory problems. Make sure if you get a aquasonic cool air humiditifers it’s disenfectted properly at lest 3 times a week if in all possible but it is how frequent you use it and even so the water should be replaced every day or much more bacteria can mount up quick in those things unless you have a Dyson humidifier lol. I hope I didn’t step out of bounds on this. Don’t Waste your money on a Zoo Med or expterra fogger because the one you can buy that has a hose or you can modify it to meet what you need with a PVC build or one that comes with hose or modify a pool cleaning hose. It is alway better if you can spend the money get the best you can get the first time around because it will save you time and money in the long run. Reptibreeze screen enclosures just don’t hold up the screws rust. I wouldn’t let the temperature raise above 82 being the basting spot. Temperature gradient needs to different temperatures. Top being the hottest and the bottom being the coolest. I would section off one side being the light/basking side and a section for a cool side.
If you every have the free time to watch and I mean watch your Jackson’s put it outside in the sun half shade and half sun but not in the direct sunlight. If your yard or wherever you are doesn’t have much shade you can use a towel to put on one side to create a shaded spot and the other partly sunny (indirect sunlight). I would highly recommend doing this at least a couple times a week to boost your chameleon’s health because there are many health benefits. Nothing beats natural sun. Make sure that you check not just the bottom of the enclosure for fecies also check the foliage just in case it got caught on a leaf or vine or something that nature. I would highly suggest that you get the Healthy Habitat spray cleaner it’s says safe to spray while your animals are in the enclosure but I never would chance it even if it states it non toxic just as a precaution. I would disinfect the entire encloser at least once or twice a week with something animal safe and natural. I personally have used organic distilled white vinegar but I would remove your chameleon from the enclosure and wipe it down and let it air out very well before you return your chameleon back in it’s enclosure if you so choose to do so. I say disinfect the enclosure at least 1-3 times a week just to clean the feeder waste fecies droppings that get on there as well as keeping your chameleon eating a feeder that chows down on your chameleon’s fecies as best you can. I would recommend changing your light bulbs every 4-6 months and I wouldn’t go over that time frame with artificial lights.