New member/chameleon keeper

microracer24

microracer24

Member
Hey guys and gals my name is Joe and I'm new to the Chameleon scene. I want to introduce you all to Curl. He is a few months old I believe. I also think he may be a translucent but I'm not too sure...perhaps someone can identify him. This forum has been a God send as I admit I wasn't fully aware of the proper care of chameleons. I have owned several leopard Geckos but this is a whole different ballgame. I had a bit of a scare last night as he was keeping his right eye closed but after an hour of searching the forum I decided to wait and see if he was possibly going to start shedding...sure enough he is shedding today and the eye is open and looks healthy. I plan on keeping some gentle saline solution on hand as well as some antibiotic eye drops after reading so many threads on eye problems. Anyway I'll stop talking now and show him to you. Thanks again for such a great forum!

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He might be his feet look like they could have some translucency too them kind of hard to tell from the pics. Welcome to the forums, and the world of cham keeping.
 
Thanks for the warm welcome! And thanks Decadancin I wasn't sure...and I agree he is a cutie. My wife wasn't so sure about getting a chameleon but she fell in love with him at first sight. I added some live plants to his temporary home tonight. I'm hoping they help with humidity. I've only seen it get up to around 65% so far. I also made a nice feeder cup to hang over the side of the terrarium. I'm looking at purchasing one of the large Dragonstrand cages once he gets a little bigger. I like the fact that they have the ledge on the sides and removable tray on the bottom.
 
Hey guys he is keeping his right eye closed again while he is basking during the day. The left eye is open and constantly moving but he only opens the right eye when I approach him. He started shedding Thursday and still has some of the dead skin on him(none on the affected eye though). I've been misting a little extra but he really hates that and he won't let me get close enough to look at the eye. Humidity is around 77% right now. I talked to my neighbor who is a vet and he recommended a good herp vet. I will be calling them tomorrow to make an appointment. In the mean time what should I be doing? The eye is not sunken in like it was earlier in the week and he is eating. I haven't had to hand feed him.
 
He looks like a regular veiled to me...looks about the same age as my girl Izzie (9 weeks apprx). Congrats on the little guy! :D
 
I'm getting worried. I took him to the vet Monday and he got a shot of vit A and antibiotics just in case. Back Wednesday for another round and doc gave me eye drops. Well he isn't eating the last couple days and he closes both eyes during the day while basking. They look healthy when they are open but how do I get him to eat? I see all these people talking about how much their little ones eat and I don't think Curl has eaten more than 1 cricket or worm per day since I got him. The vet weighed him both visits and he was the same. I don't remember what he weighed.
 
jannb said:
Welcome to the forums. Curly is a little doll! What kind of lights are you using? Name and brands. When young their eyes can be very sensitive to lights especially news bulbs. Try turning of his lights for a couple of days and see if that helps. Here's my blog for new keepers. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-with-young-veiled-or-panther-chameleons.325/
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Wow I never even thought about that. I have a Exo-Terra UVB100 compact fluorescent and a 50w bulb for heat/basking. Come to think of it I noticed the eye issue a day after I put that UVB bulb in. I didn't think anything of it since I only had him for a few days at that point. I bought him Sunday and put the UVB bulb in Monday night. Noticed the eyes closing Tuesday or Wednesday. If it is the bulb what should I do for the UVB?
 
microracer24 said:
Hey guys and gals my name is Joe and I'm new to the Chameleon scene. I want to introduce you all to Curl. He is a few months old I believe. I also think he may be a translucent but I'm not too sure...perhaps someone can identify him. This forum has been a God send as I admit I wasn't fully aware of the proper care of chameleons. I have owned several leopard Geckos but this is a whole different ballgame. I had a bit of a scare last night as he was keeping his right eye closed but after an hour of searching the forum I decided to wait and see if he was possibly going to start shedding...sure enough he is shedding today and the eye is open and looks healthy. I plan on keeping some gentle saline solution on hand as well as some antibiotic eye drops after reading so many threads on eye problems. Anyway I'll stop talking now and show him to you. Thanks again for such a great forum!

View attachment 162470 View attachment 162471 View attachment 162472
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Where did u get him from?
 
microracer24 said:
Wow I never even thought about that. I have a Exo-Terra UVB100 compact fluorescent and a 50w bulb for heat/basking. Come to think of it I noticed the eye issue a day after I put that UVB bulb in. I didn't think anything of it since I only had him for a few days at that point. I bought him Sunday and put the UVB bulb in Monday night. Noticed the eyes closing Tuesday or Wednesday. If it is the bulb what should I do for the UVB?
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I don't like the coil bulbs. They use to have allot of problems with them damaging the eyes. The issues were suppose to be fixed but I have still seen a few very experienced keepers on here that said they were still causing eye problems with their chameleons.
 
jannb said:
I don't like the coil bulbs. They use to have allot of problems with them damaging the eyes. The issues were suppose to be fixed but I have still seen a few very experienced keepers on here that said they were still causing eye problems with their chameleons.
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I saw that there used to be issues but supposedly were ok now. I will use that bulb sparingly until I get his new home setup. Thanks for the info. I'll post tomorrow with an update.
 
microracer24 said:
PetSmart...
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I was just wondering because you might want to take him to the vet... I got mine from pet smart and they don't even mist them and they keep humidity lowwwww. That may be the problem try misting with a littttlleeee bit warmer water about lukewarm and just do that more often hope that helps if not take him to the vet immediately it may be something that needs antibiotics... Just don't worry and trust your gut
 
Lizzie The Chameleon said:
I was just wondering because you might want to take him to the vet... I got mine from pet smart and they don't even mist them and they keep humidity lowwwww. That may be the problem try misting with a littttlleeee bit warmer water about lukewarm and just do that more often hope that helps if not take him to the vet immediately it may be something that needs antibiotics... Just don't worry and trust your gut
Click to expand...
Thanks. He's been to the vet twice this week. I have to take him back Monday for another shot.
 
Ok so I just saw him eat for the first time...sort of. He snatched a wax worm, chewed it up, then spit it out. That would have been his first meal in 3 days I think. He is drinking though. His eye looks like it is opened more today since turning off the compact UVB bulb. My wife is picking up some small Horn worms for him so hopefully he will eat those.
 
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