New Jacksons Chameleon Owner (Soon)

[muellerb24]

Well, it's been a while but I'm back to the page. In December, I had bought a cage and multiple plants, as well as fogging and misting systems, etc and was just about to buy another chameleon but that was halted to a stop when I realized that it was absolutely freezing in winter and the chameleon couldn't ship in under 30 degree weather. As a citizen in Chicago, I'm still disappointed in this horrible weather but that's besides the point. The whole chameleon process came to a stop and it took a few months for the weather to warm up and I've token the last few months to get some more research in and here is what I've got/plan to get so far.

I'll fill the "how to" sheet since it looked pretty helpful
Chameleon Info:

• Feeding - I plan on feeding my chameleon with dubia roaches and silkworms and on occasion, hornworms. I've seen some good things on Phoenix worms and may look to get some of those.
• Supplements - Repticalcium without D3 twice a week, Repticalcium with D3 at the start of each month, and Rep-Cal Herpavite Multivitamin in the middle of the month.
• Watering - I use a misting system and fogging system. I have the misting system going 1 minute for hour (not sure if that is too much or too little) and the fogger all day. Question: Should I keep these on at night or shut everything off at night?
• History - 2 Jacksons Chameleons when I was little and was fascinated.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Zoo Med Screen Cage ... 18x18x36
• Lighting - ReptiGlo UVB 5.0 15W with 40 watt basking lamp ... They will stay on from 8 Am to 8 Pm
• Temperature - Away from the basking lamp lays around 72 while the basking spot seems to top at 84-85
• Humidity - Most of the cage stays at around 50% while the part in the mister and fogger lays around 70% humidity.
• Plants - Live Darcaena and 3 Pothos plants
• Placement - Cage is located in its own little area but is 10ft from a glass sliding door
• Location - Chicago, Illinois

I'm still waiting for the fixture to put the UVB light in, some more branches, something to hold the basking light, as well as the supplements and gutloading products, and after those are in, I will be ready to get the feeders and then the chameleon.

Alright, if there are any more suggestions, I'm ready to listen to any advice

 

[JacksJill]

I love Jackson's too. Horns rule!
It's great that you got both the mister and the fogger. It turns out that in their native habitat the days are around 35% humidity but the nights are closer to 100%. They do their drinking during the morning or day getting the dew off of the leaves or rain drops during the rainy seasons. You won't have to work to get down to 35% your area by the lights will have lower humidity and you will have a range thru the cage with pockets of humidity in the plants.
If you run your mister for a long duration 2-5 minutes first thing after the lights come on, a couple of short times during the midday and another long session shortly before lights go out you will have given your Jackson's ample opportunity to drink and clean their eyes daily. The fogger is best used overnight to get that high humidity they sleep in and lower your overnight temps. They thrive with an overnight temp drop into the 60˚ F range. I run mine 4-5 hours a night after midnight. I hope you arranged some kind of drainage system these guys take some water.
Your basking temps are good for an adult male but high for females or juveniles.
Your supplement schedule is in line just don't put too much dust on the feeders it has to be very light dusting for montaine species with their slower metabolism. If you gut load your dubia well that will help round out the diet.
Sorry winter nixed your plans but it gave you the chance to get things together. If you want to you can check out the Kenyan Xanth Project on FB they have a lot of babies that aren't to far away from needing homes. They have been raised by good keepers.

 

[muellerb24]

I love Jackson's too. Horns rule!
It's great that you got both the mister and the fogger. It turns out that in their native habitat the days are around 35% humidity but the nights are closer to 100%. They do their drinking during the morning or day getting the dew off of the leaves or rain drops during the rainy seasons. You won't have to work to get down to 35% your area by the lights will have lower humidity and you will have a range thru the cage with pockets of humidity in the plants.
If you run your mister for a long duration 2-5 minutes first thing after the lights come on, a couple of short times during the midday and another long session shortly before lights go out you will have given your Jackson's ample opportunity to drink and clean their eyes daily. The fogger is best used overnight to get that high humidity they sleep in and lower your overnight temps. They thrive with an overnight temp drop into the 60˚ F range. I run mine 4-5 hours a night after midnight. I hope you arranged some kind of drainage system these guys take some water.
Your basking temps are good for an adult male but high for females or juveniles.
Your supplement schedule is in line just don't put too much dust on the feeders it has to be very light dusting for montaine species with their slower metabolism. If you gut load your dubia well that will help round out the diet.
Sorry winter nixed your plans but it gave you the chance to get things together. If you want to you can check out the Kenyan Xanth Project on FB they have a lot of babies that aren't to far away from needing homes. They have been raised by good keepers.

Thank you so much!