New member

[Achesher]

And soon to be owner of a panther chameleon. I've been on here reading all the forums for the past month or so. I'm thinking I am just about ready to order. This is my set up




I am getting a container around for crickets and one for mealworms. Plan on ordering those and my Cham sometime this week.
Any advise or information is more than welcome.

 

[deadhd5]

Looks really good!

Only an few suggestions:

1.) Get another vine or more sticks for the bottom part of the cage. They like to hang out on a vine down there sometimes for the higher humidity and cooler temps.

2.) I would go for the 5.0 linear bulb, not the 10.0

3.) Don't order meal worms, get silk worms or dubia roaches instead.

Overall I think you will have a really happy chameleon!

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, and welcome - looks like a great start Most people on here use the 5.0, not 10.0.
Not a problem if you have the bulb a little way off the top of the cage, maybe a bit more foliage.
Here's a few great blogs to look at - General - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
Feeders - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...chameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
Gutloading - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
I notice you have the Repashy, it's great stuff, I add extra spirulina and bee pollen to mine A special recipe I call 'Sweet Green Bug Burger'

 

[AlecWade]

Welcome to the forums!

As you already know this is the best place to be if you are trying to become the best possible keeper for your new chameleon! Glad to have you on board.

As others have already suggested I would add a bit more to the bottom of the cage as your new chameleon will be young and will explore every piece of his new enclosure. You don't want him to have to use the screen as means of transport although it is inevitable, give him options! I think a pothos and a few sticks would work perfectly on the bottom of your set up. I really like the top portion of your cage nice job placing those branches well. I say add another 2 branches. The more basking options the better!

Have you checked your temps and humidity? Do a couple days where you run the bulbs and mist regularly to get your humidity and basking temps perfect before your new arrival! Your new cham will thank you for it!

 

[ISA my Veiled]

And one more thing, make sure you replanted that ficus in new organic potting soil without fertilizer or anything additives. And make sure you wash the tree to get rid of any pesticides that the place you bought it from may have use it may kill your chameleon if you do not.

1.pull out the ficus and get all the dirt off of it and then rinse off all the roots to make sure there is almost no dirt from the previous place you got it from. Then put it back into the washed container or pot that you may have and plant it in the new organic soil and water it because the plant is going to be in shock.

2. Wash off the leaves real good with just a brush. You really want to scrub the branches more and rinse the leaves like I said very well.

And welcome to the forum!!!! This place is awesome and you will find boatloads of information that will help you improve as a keeper and help you gain knowledge about your chameleon. Again welcome!

 

[Achesher]

Ok I am baking some more sticks in the oven now (sanitize of course) and am headed to the nursery to buy a nice pothos plant to stick in there. The good people at LLLReptile acctually suggested a 10 vs 5 UVB did some research..I've read that you lose appx. half of the UVB rays when passing through the black mesh screen. And since in the future I plan on buying an even larger cage I thought that a 10.0UVB would be more sensible..even though I will probably be buying a new bulb before I get a new cage... Also now looking into silkworms and keeping those...I realize a wide variety is key but my girl would trip if I brought roaches in the house XD

Thanks keep any comments coming

 

[Lathelia]

Ok I am baking some more sticks in the oven now (sanitize of course) and am headed to the nursery to buy a nice pothos plant to stick in there. The good people at LLLReptile acctually suggested a 10 vs 5 UVB did some research..I've read that you lose appx. half of the UVB rays when passing through the black mesh screen. And since in the future I plan on buying an even larger cage I thought that a 10.0UVB would be more sensible..even though I will probably be buying a new bulb before I get a new cage... Also now looking into silkworms and keeping those...I realize a wide variety is key but my girl would trip if I brought roaches in the house XD

Thanks keep any comments coming

You need to replace uvb bulb evry 6 months, so you could go with 5.0 for now. There are people on this forum who prefer to use 10 instead of 5. And yes, mesh blocks about 50%.
There are many feeders availabe, you may want to check Sandra's blog, if you haven't so far:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/
Silkworms are great feeders, but are a bit harder to keep, so you can start with someting else and then try silkies. I hate roaches too, but there is one called green banana roach that are green and are not scary at all, and chams love them!
Good luck and don't forget to post pictures of your first cham!

 

[cstorms]

Ok I am baking some more sticks in the oven now (sanitize of course) and am headed to the nursery to buy a nice pothos plant to stick in there. The good people at LLLReptile acctually suggested a 10 vs 5 UVB did some research..I've read that you lose appx. half of the UVB rays when passing through the black mesh screen. And since in the future I plan on buying an even larger cage I thought that a 10.0UVB would be more sensible..even though I will probably be buying a new bulb before I get a new cage... Also now looking into silkworms and keeping those...I realize a wide variety is key but my girl would trip if I brought roaches in the house XD

Thanks keep any comments coming

I'm with you on the roaches. My wife told me my guy would be assassinated if I brought one roach in the house. Looks like he's gonna be trying those at my friends house.. Tried hornworms but he ate three one day and was over it after that. Good luck figuring out the variety, that's where I'm at right now!

 

[Achesher]

Ok so I threw a Pothos in there, wrapped some of the vines around the sticks and vine I already had in there. I'm pretty impressed if I may say it really filled the cage. Still got to throw a couple more sticks in there for him to climb along..I'm about ready to order.


Assuming my new panther is going to be 3-4 months old should I order small sized worms and for the crickets .125"?

 

[AlecWade]

That would work 1/8" or 3/16" would be perfect. 1/4" may outgrow your cham if you bought a lot of them and your Cham is not a big eater. Do follow ISA's advice and wash both the pothos and umbrella plant VERY thoroughly. I have sickened my first Cham when I did not know this. Luckily I noticed the signs of a sick chameleon and put it together that the plant was not safe!