New owner would like help!! (Panther)

I

Icecoldpav

New Member
Hey everyone, I've been told and reading, time for them to get used to everything is a must but I just want my Pasquale to be a happy chameleon and it's stressing me out lol. I've had him 3 days now and have all vitamins and food set up no problem but my cage temperatures are bugging me big time. When I went to pick him up from the breeder he was gorgeous and stood out from the rest now he seems more black and brown than anything he has his moments but still. I use 75 watts halogen for basking a 5.0 UVB and a 5000k for the plants (umbrella tree which he seems to love and drinks from) and a few dracoena to help with humidity the cage is 23x23x42 screen in front and back and sides are wood (it gets cold in Canada so I thought it was best) his cage temp seems to be steady at 60-65 and his basking at 81 I have a few lower incase he finds it hot but humidity is killing me I have an ultrasonic cool mist to help but it lowers the temp by about at 15 mins the hour but humidity drops to 50% real quick. I mist 3-5 times a day. Thanks for reading I appreciate it (oh he's 6 months old) i would really love any advice . Pics are earlier I found you guys at night and really don't want to bother him right now if you need better pics I'll be glad tomorrow thank you again oh I removed the fake leaves in the middle that where hanging . Sorry I'm all over the place it worries me lol
 

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Icecoldpav said:
That would be one and maybe any other advice
Click to expand...
Well, for the humidity, I might be able to help you with that. It's been a dry winter, so I am familiar with the struggle with humidity. I have covered my screen cage in a plastic painter's dropcloth on all sides except for the front so I can access the cage. I have a warm mist humidifier and I keep the door to the chameleon room closed so that the heat and humidity gather in the air and stay in the air for a long period of time. I also keep the door closed when I have the heater on so that the room warms up with the cage. The warmth somehow raises the humidity, so you may want to keep that in mind when coming up with a solution.
 
Also, would you mind filling this out so we can get a more detailed idea? Thank you for posting pictures.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
 
CamrynTheCham22 said:
Well, for the humidity, I might be able to help you with that. It's been a dry winter, so I am familiar with the struggle with humidity. I have covered my screen cage in a plastic painter's dropcloth on all sides except for the front so I can access the cage. I have a warm mist humidifier and I keep the door to the chameleon room closed so that the heat and humidity gather in the air and stay in the air for a long period of time. I also keep the door closed when I have the heater on so that the room warms up with the cage. The warmth somehow raises the humidity, so you may want to keep that in mind when coming up with a solution.
Click to expand...

That's actually a really bad idea and an RI waiting to happen. Heat+humidity+no airflow is a recipe for bacterial growth in the lungs(RI) and everywhere else. Warm mist humidifiers are not recommended, ultrasonic cool mist is the way to go if you must. But as I've mentioned in other threads(idk what the obsession is lately with foggers...) it's not necessary to use one for most people and is more hassle than necessary along with running the risk of illness due to improper use. Humidity swings are fine and ideal.

As for the OP... are you saying your humidity drops to 50%? That's perfect... after misting I'd assume it's up to 60-70 which is also perfect. Basking temps around mid/high 80s would be best. "Misting 3-5 times a day" does not tell us much. You should be misting by the minute(for example on most* days my mister goes off when lights turn on for 7-8 minutes to entice drinking, followed by a few more 2-3minute misting sessions throughout the day). I adjust the misting for time of year as well. I might only mist 10 minutes total in the summer, while in the winter it could be around 20minutes since the air is so dry. I don't use a fogger for panther chameleons either. Hope this helps
 
Thank you it really does it's been stressing me out and preferred an opinion over what I've been reading thank you again!! If there's anything else I should know or am missing please let me know
 
It's normal for him to be a darker color, you just got him. He will get used to his new home and will lighten up. Also, like James advised, you need to up your basking temp a little.
 
I've found out that chameleons like to stress their owners out. My little guy liks to do something new every day and it has me searching this forum non-stop lol. Like yesturday he was mad at me and was brown most of the day while basking. That's normal(both being mad and brown while basking) Than he would lean on his side while basking. again this is apperantly normal, still had me stressed thinking he was hurt or something. It's ussually while basking. Day #2 with me he kept opening his mouth and panting, I did have to lift my light up due to high temp and risk of burning.

From what I've gathered anything can be normal while basking excpet if his eyes are closed. Anything else seems to be okay lol(I'm still new so don't take this as a fact please)
 
Oh yeah. Also meant to say as others have... the dark colors are normal! If they're basking they'll almost always be dark. And when just getting them they'll often be dark for awhile. My one ambanja was a brownish/black for a couple weeks.
 
jamest0o0 said:
That's actually a really bad idea and an RI waiting to happen. Heat+humidity+no airflow is a recipe for bacterial growth in the lungs(RI) and everywhere else. Warm mist humidifiers are not recommended, ultrasonic cool mist is the way to go if you must. But as I've mentioned in other threads(idk what the obsession is lately with foggers...) it's not necessary to use one for most people and is more hassle than necessary along with running the risk of illness due to improper use. Humidity swings are fine and ideal.
Click to expand...
Oh sorry I didn't say that I do not have this on all the time. I turn the humidifier on about twice a week, tops, and its only on for 15 minutes.
 
I just got a new panther chameleon and I do have a humidifier turned on throughout the day to keep humidity up, and I have a misting system that goes off every 3 hours for one minute. is this incorrect and if so why ?
 
well I mist every 3 hours for 1 minute throughout the day, i run the humidifier about all day and the highest the humidity will go up is 60% . I have a screen tank with 50% of it covered up with plastic . so there is air flow going . do you think i should change anything ? I do turn the humidifier off at times when the enclosure is pretty moist and damped down.
 
Basking spots is maybe 87 , not really sure would have to check , middle of the cage stays around 65-75 maybe, but top parts of the tank stay around 79-85,
 
It all depends on where you are monitoring your humidity. You will and should have lower humidity ranges near the basking area while the mid and lower portions of the cage are higher. I know many regions have low humidity due to HV/AC drying out the air. Your best bet with that might be to bring the rooms general humidity up and rely on misting and live plants to create pockets of humidity especially in your chameleons sleeping spot.
 
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