New light; Cham hissing

[Pistachiochameleon]

It’s winter in Washington and the 60w basking bulb wasn’t keeping the tank warm enough. I switched the bulb to a 75w and a couple mins later I come back to my Cham puffed up and hissing at nothing. It stopped after I turned the lights off. This morning when I turned them back on, she’s in her basking spot puffed up and dark. I used two different thermometers and her basking spot is 86-90. Is this this too hot?? Should I go back to having the basking spot 75-80?

 

[Graves923]

Fill the help form out found here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

Just copy and post as a reply and answer the questions the best you can and post below.

86-90*F should be fine for a juvenile to adult Veiled chameleon. I aim for 88*F on the branch since my chameleons back will be a few inches above the branch while basking.

Photos of the enclosure and chameleon would also help

 

[Calypratus]

When I got an automatic mister my chameleon hissed at it and got all dark. I assume they are just freaked out at whatever new thing they see. If it your basking spot was too hot, your chameleon would most likely avoid it not hiss at it. Just my guess.

 

[Beman]

Yeah I try to keep the branch at 85 or mine gets too hot and starts gapping. I would not drop it down again because 75-80 is not warm enough... From my experience they will not move from a heat spot that is too hot they stay there and bare it which is why it is so important to make sure the levels are correct.
You can lift the dome up a bit off the enclosure or get a dimmer switch that will allow you to control the level.
Your using the T5 for UVB right?

 

[Pistachiochameleon]

t5 comes this week... btw should I keep the 5uvb bulb it comes with or get the 10 UVB? Tanks 32inches talk.

And I wanted to swap the lighting one by one so started with the basking light that I could pick up yesterday.

 

[Beman]

t5 comes this week... btw should I keep the 5uvb bulb it comes with or get the 10 UVB? Tanks 32inches talk.

And I wanted to swap the lighting one by one so started with the basking light that I could pick up yesterday.

hmmmm Tank? would you post pictures of the entire enclosure for me so I can see the set up and then it would be helpful if you could fill out the form that Graves posted.
Keep the 5.0 compact and then dump as soon as the t5 shows up.

 

[Graves923]

When people say "tank" I get nervous... As stated above post some enclosure photos.

FYI, if this "Tank" has a glass top, UVB light will not penetrate through the glass.

 

[Pistachiochameleon]

No, no glass! All screen. Two sides have black paneling to help with humidity.

 

[Pistachiochameleon]

More horizontal branches are coming this week too! Along with cleaning up the shedding from last night lol

 

[Pistachiochameleon]

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, female; I have had her for about a month but she’s no more than 6months old.

• Handling - I handle her when she lets me... everyday other day. Some days, she hisses when I place my hand in her cage so I let her be.
• 
  
• Feeding - 10-12 crickets; every morning, guy loaded with carrots.

• Supplements - Zoo med Repti-calcium (no D3) and zoo med reptile vitamins. Dust crickets about every other feeding

• watering- i use a fogger For 10-30mins, 2x a day depending on the levels. And I spray the plants and cage for about 3mins with water about 3 times a day. I have never seen her drink the drips from plants. She does open her mouth and drink when I spray her.

• Fecal Description - Brown with some white matter. Pretty normal consistency not super dry, not super wet.

• History - Not too much sometimes she hisses at me

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage, 2 sides have black backing to help with humidity.

• Lighting - Zoo med, 60W daylight bulb. And repto sun 5.0 UVB bulb. Lights are off around 10pm in around

• Temperature - Basking is at about 80, mid tank is 70 and the floor is about 65. I use a combo of thermometers probe and plastic.

• Humidity - Humidity is about 60-70. Use a fogger and spray the cage. Have two sides enclosed to help. Tons of live plants.

• Plants - 2 Medusa air plants, 2 Tillandsia sky plants. 1 Phalenopsis Orchid. 1 Pothos. 1 Spider plant. 1 Chinese money plant. 1Schefflera umbrella tree. Those plants are all live and inside her enclosure. Right outside her enclosure I keep an assortment of Aloes, jade and snake plants.

• Placement - Next to a window, on a shelf. Her cage does get some natural light. Not a high traffic room. Top of the cage is probably 2 feet taller than me.

• Location - Washington state, PNW

 

[Beman]

No, no glass! All screen. Two sides have black paneling to help with humidity.

Ok that was what I thought from your other thread but like Graves when people say tank it throws up red flags lol. Make sure you are adjusting your gutloading as well as correcting your supplements. Adding the varied feeders is good too. Did I give you the images to help in the last thread?

 

[Pistachiochameleon]

Yes been going through the photos and researching more on the egg laying bin. I started adding more veggies to the crickets and will get the d3 going when it comes. Starting to add the non-d3 every feeding instead of every other.

And with this enclosurer should I order the 10uvb bulb for the 5t or stick with the 5uvb that the fixtures is coming with?

 

[Graves923]

I like how that enclosure is looking! More plants and branches to fill out most of the empty space and your cham will be feeling safe and secure. At the moment I would stick to using the 5.0 linear UVB since there isn't a whole lot of foliage that the UVB needs to get through.

Add a Calcium with D3 supplement used twice per month along with a multivitamin twice per month and plain calcium with every feeding.

 

[Beman]

Yeah I agree with Graves on the UVB especially since she is younger. Then move up to the 10.0 uvb bulb. I run a 12% but my enclosure is very planted out so that there are areas to get out of the uvb.
Here is an example of what we mean by lots of foliage and horizontal vines. You can twist the exo terra vines two together creating different gripping diameters as well which is really good for them.
You could put in a dwarf umbrella which would fill out your cage nicely and provide retreat areas.

 

[Pistachiochameleon]

Thanks so much! Really going to be a construction month. I’ll pick up some more Pothos and umbrella trees. Waiting for the small drift wood and vines.

 

[Beman]

Thanks so much! Really going to be a construction month. I’ll pick up some more Pothos and umbrella trees. Waiting for the small drift wood and vines.

Your welcome let us know if you have questions. there is a lot to having these guys but it is very well worth it.