New owner and I’m looking for some knowledge!

[titus22jackson]

I am a new owner of a saved chameleon. He was found in a local park by my girlfriend, but didn’t look good(first photo). I decided I wanted to try to nurse him back to heath but not too sure what I’m doing. He’s a picture of him now and a picture of his current terrarium. Looking good? Too many plants? Jug with a hole in is as a drip system is temporary. He has also been sleeping while hanging on the side of the cage. Is that okay? He was very welcoming and loved to be handled the first few days but is now very hesitant to crawl into my hand. He was alone all day in a quiet house the first couple days but is now in a house with 8 people 2 cats and 2 dogs. Could he be scared with so much other stuff happening? I’m sorry this is long but I just have so many questions. Any advice or knowledge will help. Thank you!

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome! He looks like a pretty healthy little guy. Does he have his eyes closed during the day?
You do need to make some improvements in his enclosure. The best place for accurate and up to date care info is here. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/
Your guy is going to need a much bigger enclosure…a 2x2x4’ is the minimum for an adult. To help him feel safe, it needs to be elevated as high as reasonably possible. You’ll want to fill it with safe live plants and give him lots of branches and vines to travel on. No substrate on the floor is best (after bioactive) and easiest to keep clean. You want to try to simulate a forest edge and provide him with places to take shade and hide when he wants.
Priority right now is to get a proper uvb source for him. You’ll want to get a linear T5 fixture with either ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. It will need to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure, so 24”. For basking light you can use an incandescent bulb. I’d say 60-75w would be a good place to start for a basking temp of between 82-85f. Then basking area should be at a level where his back is about 8” below your lights.
Second priority is proper supplements. There’s so many different supplements and regimens, but I’ll give the one I like and use. You’ll need to lightly dust all of his feeding with a phosphorus free calcium without vitamin D3. One feeding every other week you’ll instead use Reptivite with D3.
For feeding, you’ll want to be giving him around 3 feeders every other day or 3 days a week. Attaching feeder and gutload graphics for you. Caring for your feeder bugs is important so that they are healthy and provide good nutrition to your chameleon.
Other great sources of info on husbandry can be found at Neptune the chameleon on YouTube. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want.

 

[titus22jackson]

Hi and welcome! He looks like a pretty healthy little guy. Does he have his eyes closed during the day?
You do need to make some improvements in his enclosure. The best place for accurate and up to date care info is here. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/
Your guy is going to need a much bigger enclosure…a 2x2x4’ is the minimum for an adult. To help him feel safe, it needs to be elevated as high as reasonably possible. You’ll want to fill it with safe live plants and give him lots of branches and vines to travel on. No substrate on the floor is best (after bioactive) and easiest to keep clean. You want to try to simulate a forest edge and provide him with places to take shade and hide when he wants.
Priority right now is to get a proper uvb source for him. You’ll want to get a linear T5 fixture with either ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. It will need to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure, so 24”. For basking light you can use an incandescent bulb. I’d say 60-75w would be a good place to start for a basking temp of between 82-85f. Then basking area should be at a level where his back is about 8” below your lights.
Second priority is proper supplements. There’s so many different supplements and regimens, but I’ll give the one I like and use. You’ll need to lightly dust all of his feeding with a phosphorus free calcium without vitamin D3. One feeding every other week you’ll instead use Reptivite with D3.
For feeding, you’ll want to be giving him around 3 feeders every other day or 3 days a week. Attaching feeder and gutload graphics for you. Caring for your feeder bugs is important so that they are healthy and provide good nutrition to your chameleon.
Other great sources of info on husbandry can be found at Neptune the chameleon on YouTube. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want.
View attachment 314023View attachment 314024View attachment 314025View attachment 314026

Hi and welcome! He looks like a pretty healthy little guy. Does he have his eyes closed during the day?
You do need to make some improvements in his enclosure. The best place for accurate and up to date care info is here. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/
Your guy is going to need a much bigger enclosure…a 2x2x4’ is the minimum for an adult. To help him feel safe, it needs to be elevated as high as reasonably possible. You’llwant to fill it with safe live plants and give him lots of branches and vines to travel on. No substrate on the floor is best (after bioactive) and easiest to keep clean. You want to try to simulate a forest edge and provide him with places to take shade and hide when he wants.
Priority right now is to get a proper uvb source for him. You’ll want to get a linear T5 fixture with either ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. It will need to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure, so 24”. For basking light you can use an incandescent bulb. I’d say 60-75w would be a good place to start for a basking temp of between 82-85f. Then basking area should be at a level where his back is about 8” below your lights.
Second priority is proper supplements. There’s so many different supplements and regimens, but I’ll give the one I like and use. You’ll need to lightly dust all of his feeding with a phosphorus free calcium without vitamin D3. One feeding every other week you’ll instead use Reptivite with D3.
For feeding, you’ll want to be giving him around 3 feeders every other day or 3 days a week. Attaching feeder and gutload graphics for you. Caring for your feeder bugs is important so that they are healthy and provide good nutrition to your chameleon.
Other great sources of info on husbandry can be found at Neptune the chameleon on YouTube. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want.
View attachment 314023View attachment 314024View attachment 314025View attachment 314026

Thank you for all the great info. I have a tank and lights on the way and I’ll add the reptive too. Any ideas about the sleeping on the cage? I feel like I might be overly worried about it but just wanna be safe. Could it be the size of the tank?

 

[MissSkittles]

Thank you for all the great info. I have a tank and lights on the way and I’ll add the reptive too. Any ideas about the sleeping on the cage? I feel like I might be overly worried about it but just wanna be safe. Could it be the size of the tank?

As long as he isn’t sleeping during the day when lights are on, I wouldn’t worry. Sometimes one of mine sleeps hanging onto the screen. They have an amazing ability to grip tightly when asleep. Once you get him his larger enclosure and plenty of plants to hide in, he’ll find his favorite sleeping spots. Right now his space is limited.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Hi and welcome! As Miss Skittke said, you’ll need a much bigger cage for him and she gave you the size you need. He may be sleeping like that due to the small cage size. Once you get everything dialed in with a larger cage he will probably find a nice spot on a branch in amongst the foliage to sleep. He will feel more secure then.

 

[MissSkittles]

Just for reference, this is how I set up one of my enclosures. Those black bars on the side are Dragon Ledges which make it so much easier to hang branches, vines and even plants. https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ Some have made their own version. I’ll look for the link to that.

 

[MissSkittles]

Here you go. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/diy-aluminum-ledges-and-cage-makeover.183866/

 

[MzLaurie11]

I am a new owner of a saved chameleon. He was found in a local park by my girlfriend, but didn’t look good(first photo). I decided I wanted to try to nurse him back to heath but not too sure what I’m doing. He’s a picture of him now and a picture of his current terrarium. Looking good? Too many plants? Jug with a hole in is as a drip system is temporary. He has also been sleeping while hanging on the side of the cage. Is that okay? He was very welcoming and loved to be handled the first few days but is now very hesitant to crawl into my hand. He was alone all day in a quiet house the first couple days but is now in a house with 8 people 2 cats and 2 dogs. Could he be scared with so much other stuff happening? I’m sorry this is long but I just have so many questions. Any advice or knowledge will help. Thank you! View attachment 314007View attachment 314010View attachment 314009

Welcome and congrats on you new family member. not too many plants but substrate is not a good idea. keeping the bottom clean allows u to keep a close eye on feces and urates and prevents mold and bacteria. I see you need a strip uvb light. Get this immediately! .it should be as long or longer thaN the top of the cage when they ate young they like slerping on the screen. As they in a vwrtical.position. thisvwill change as they get bigger. You cham is taking ownership of cage And being territorial which is normal. There are many differnt opinions on how much you ahould handle a cham. Of course each cham also has its own unique personality. I handle mine a lot but we have our own relationship and he is very attached to me. since you have many pets when yoy handle him kerp him with you. Also walks in the sun are very good for them. It appears you have a male looks about 6 months or so. Since you have no back ground you might want to havebhisbfeces checked. You can pick up a kit at rainbowmealworms.com if the lab comes back with a parasite then of course you will have to address it through a vet visit they also have a nice variety of feeders and shipping.is fast. Welcime to the forum and i am sure you will be getting tons of advise.