New member

[Bokaru]

Hello,
I am a new chameleon owner. I have been raising a chameleon for roughly three months (May 25, 2010). He,she (Peppers) seems very happy so far and I hope for years of good health and chameleon experience from Peppers.

Peppers is a Senegal Chameleon who I purchased from a reptile company at a pet expo. Peppers is roughly 5.5" long, he is very friendly and happily climbs out onto my hands, and loves field and cave crickets that I catch in the wild.

I have attempted raising feeder crickets, but have just decided to buy them. I have though just started raising mealworms (they seem much easier from previous experiences).

I live in West Virginia, and although the climate is getting a little chilly I have made preliminary measurements to care for Peppers during the winter months.

Chameleons:
Name: Peppers
Breed: Senegal
Age: ~6mo
Sex: ? (presumably female)

 

[Gensen]

Welcome!

Just wanted to say Welcome... I too am a new owner and the people on the Forum have been great!

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!

If you fill out this form we can tell you if anything needs to be changed. Please be specific about the supplements, lights, etc. including brands, type of light (spiral, compact, etc.).

If you post some pictures it will help too.

 

[Bokaru]

I will make sure to when I get home. I dont see a link to the form though, could you resend it or PM me with it?

 

[Bokaru]

Never mind I think I found it. My fiance Yumekitsune4 showed me where to look.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Peppers - Senegal - F? - ~6mo old - 3mo of caring
Handling - 3-4 times a week just to move outside
Feeding - Fed once a day. 3-5 small insects or accordingly if larger food. Wild Field and Cave Crickets , Potato Worms, Feeder Crickets (T-Rex Calcium Plus Cricket and store bought/personally grown greens, mostly spinach)
Supplements - No dusting
Watering - I spray the cage 1-2 times a day ~3 minuets at a time and give him water through a pipet. Peppers drinks from both. (I am working on a dripper and fountain)
Fecal Description - Mostly black with small white area. No parasite testing yet.
History - N/A

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Roughly 2.5 x2.5 x 4' Screen and wood (homemade)
Lighting - 8:00am -8:30pm 2 Exoterra UVA and UVB
Temperature - I try to keep the room he is in at about 79-83 degree. I have the lights pointed high and measure it with a mercury and coil thermometer.
Humidity - I dont measure it at this point. I just try to make sure that pepper's cage is moist a decent amount of the day.
Plants - Fake vines up top, several vertical branches, and a philodendron growing at the moment in the bottom. I will be adding some ivy.
Placement - It is in a back room of my house close to a large window for lighting. Low traffic room.
Location - North-Middle West Virginia

Current Problem - No Problems

I will add pictures of the cage tomorrow.

 

[Seeco]

Hey, I only skimmed your post above but one thing I noticed was the fountain. I suggest you skip the fountain.

 

[kinyonga]

Spinach binds the calcium so it should be used sparingly/not at all.

You also said you use no supplements....its hard to know what to tell you on this since you feed quite a few WC insects and feed the insects Calcium plus....but I still think that it wouldn't hurt to dust lightly with a phos.free calcium powder.

 

[Bokaru]

Thanks for the reply folks. I will definitely take the dusting into consideration. I don't think the local pet stores have any (WV isn't the best place for reptile supplies) so I will have to order some off line probably. I'll avoid the spinach from now on, I had seen where some people recommended it. Do you recommend any greens or just store bought cricket food only?

I like the idea of the fountain, but I have seen where they are difficult to keep clean. My plan was for it to be a wedge shape box of slate that the water could trickle down the angled side of and then enter a small hole cut in the bottom. I would fill the top with aquarium gravel to make sure peppers didn't fall in.

If you all don't feel this is a good idea still, I'll probably drop the fountain idea.

Also this might just be a cosmetic issue only, but I have noticed that when Peppers expels, he tends to get some feces on his waist and tail. It looked like he may have had a bit of a rash at one point, but it might have been just a bit that build up on itself.

Could this be a food or hydration issue? or is it just common for chameleons to be a little messy?

Thanks again.
I will have pictures of the cage and Peppers soon.