New panther cham owners! Question and concerns

Nl337

New Member
Hello everyone, my boyfriend and I just got a new edition to our family.His name is Leo short for Leonardo and he is a Panther Chameleon, the place we got him from didn’t know what kind for panther chameleon he was but from what I can tell we think he’s a Ambilobe or ambanja, about a year old? I’ll put a picture below.please let use know what type you think he is!! We did a lot of research before we got him but everything online says one thing and then I talked to others that were knowledgeable about chameleons (reptile center employees, that breed chams) say another
-first question
Humidity-I know juvenile panthers are 50-70%, so we were trying to keep the humidity up, putting shower curtains on the side and misting but then they told me to not go by humidity that it would be impossible to MAINTAIN that, which it was and to take off the shower curtain because he needs a good air flow and could develop a respiratory infection if we left them on, so I’ve been so stressed about this and trying to make the best possible decision we took them off and are just going by temp, this was hard because I know that humidity is a important thing so we upped his listings to 4 times a day for about 1 min
-Second question
He changes colors a lot and it hard to know why I know when he’s dark he is upset or not happy but is that because he is new to his new home and just adapting or because we need to fix something? -(sidenote) he also will curl his tail about 30min-1hr before going to bed, most people say that’s a sing of getting ready for bed, relaxing but others say it could be a sign of aggression I’m hoping that not the case
-third question
Because he’s new to his cage he has been exploring it which is good and we did put some horn worms(only 2, because they are considered a treat) in his cage just to offer them ( I know they don’t eat well the first couple days of adapting), but he ate them right up and we noticed he likes to hunt them, because we also put some doobie roaches in a cup in his cage and he had no interest, we were thinking about getting some crickets because he is used to those?? Should we be concerned?
Other comments
-we aren’t handling him until after two weeks of him being with us because I know we have to build trust with him
-are these guys sensitive to sound?
-when feeding him crickets do I put them in the cup? Wont the just bounce out is that what I want
 

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Hello everyone, my boyfriend and I just got a new edition to our family.His name is Leo short for Leonardo and he is a Panther Chameleon, the place we got him from didn’t know what kind for panther chameleon he was but from what I can tell we think he’s a Ambilobe or ambanja, about a year old? I’ll put a picture below.please let use know what type you think he is!! We did a lot of research before we got him but everything online says one thing and then I talked to others that were knowledgeable about chameleons (reptile center employees, that breed chams) say another
-first question
Humidity-I know juvenile panthers are 50-70%, so we were trying to keep the humidity up, putting shower curtains on the side and misting but then they told me to not go by humidity that it would be impossible to MAINTAIN that, which it was and to take off the shower curtain because he needs a good air flow and could develop a respiratory infection if we left them on, so I’ve been so stressed about this and trying to make the best possible decision we took them off and are just going by temp, this was hard because I know that humidity is a important thing so we upped his listings to 4 times a day for about 1 min
-Second question
He changes colors a lot and it hard to know why I know when he’s dark he is upset or not happy but is that because he is new to his new home and just adapting or because we need to fix something? -(sidenote) he also will curl his tail about 30min-1hr before going to bed, most people say that’s a sing of getting ready for bed, relaxing but others say it could be a sign of aggression I’m hoping that not the case
-third question
Because he’s new to his cage he has been exploring it which is good and we did put some horn worms(only 2, because they are considered a treat) in his cage just to offer them ( I know they don’t eat well the first couple days of adapting), but he ate them right up and we noticed he likes to hunt them, because we also put some doobie roaches in a cup in his cage and he had no interest, we were thinking about getting some crickets because he is used to those?? Should we be concerned?
Other comments
-we aren’t handling him until after two weeks of him being with us because I know we have to build trust with him
-are these guys sensitive to sound?
-when feeding him crickets do I put them in the cup? Wont the just bounce out is that what I want
Welcome! Sadly, most reptile store employees don’t know anything about chameleons! Could you fill out this form to make sure everything is in tip-top shape, please? Be sure to include as much detail as possible, along with clear pics of his full cage and his lights. I’m going to link helpful and accurate information below!

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?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.

Here’s the links:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/external-resources/
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/
https://www.madcham.de/en/
http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/
 

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Congrats and welcome to the forum. Filling out the help form that was posted for you is a good way to make sure you got all the right info.

Ambilobe or ambanja, about a year old? looks a bit small for a 1 year old. No real way to know the local unless a breeder tells you. He could be a cross local too.

-first question
Humidity-I know juvenile panthers are 50-70%, so we were trying to keep the humidity up, putting shower curtains on the side and misting but then they told me to not go by humidity that it would be impossible to MAINTAIN that, which it was and to take off the shower curtain because he needs a good air flow and could develop a respiratory infection if we left them on, so I’ve been so stressed about this and trying to make the best possible decision we took them off and are just going by temp, this was hard because I know that humidity is a important thing so we upped his listings to 4 times a day for about 1 min
Misting too much. Morning and night only when temps are cooler. Nothing wrong with putting material on the sides to help hold humidity. daytime range your looking for is 50-60%. Misting constantly during the day making the environment so that it does not dry out is what can lead to an RI developing. The constantly wet environment grows bacteria that they then breathe in then in turn an RI can develop.
-Second question
He changes colors a lot and it hard to know why I know when he’s dark he is upset or not happy but is that because he is new to his new home and just adapting or because we need to fix something? -(sidenote) he also will curl his tail about 30min-1hr before going to bed, most people say that’s a sing of getting ready for bed, relaxing but others say it could be a sign of aggression I’m hoping that not the case
They tend to go darker when basking to absorb the heat. You will not know until you learn his behaviors. Bright colors, curled tail, and a karate hand while gaping tends to mean you need to back off. Bedding down an hour or so early is normal.

-third question
Because he’s new to his cage he has been exploring it which is good and we did put some horn worms(only 2, because they are considered a treat) in his cage just to offer them ( I know they don’t eat well the first couple days of adapting), but he ate them right up and we noticed he likes to hunt them, because we also put some doobie roaches in a cup in his cage and he had no interest, we were thinking about getting some crickets because he is used to those?? Should we be concerned?
Hand feed hornworms only. They have a power grip and will attach themselves to cups, plants etc. So when the cham goes to strike the hornworm does not let go. This is turn can cause damage to the tongue. Mixing in new feeders with feeders they know tends to get them to try the new ones.

Other comments
-we aren’t handling him until after two weeks of him being with us because I know we have to build trust with him
-are these guys sensitive to sound? Sensitive to vibration not sound.
-when feeding him crickets do I put them in the cup? Wont the just bounce out is that what I want
Get a feeder run... www.fullthrottlefeeders.com 3 inch size or www.tkchameleons.com shooting gallery in the large size.

Resources. https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
 
Please make sure your not posting the same stuff in multiple threads. It is better to keep everything in one place and follow up with those that are trying to assist you rather then starting one all over again.
 
Question 1: Airflow is important, but you actually don't need as much airflow as once thought. If you close off three sides of the cage, your cage is still getting plenty of airflow. I have a screen cage with all four sides closed off (with only the maintenance door at the bottom of the front door and the top screen not closed off). This is due to the chimney effect where warm air rises (heated from your basking lights up top) and when warm air rises out the top of the cage, new colder air enters the bottom. With proper ventilation, any cage can work when properly maintaining temps and humidity. People are told not to use glass cages, but many experienced keepers have kept many generations of chameleons in glass enclosures without respiratory problems. If you have proper ventilation and proper humidity levels, then you shouldn't worry about respiratory infections.

From what is seems, you were on the right track with covering the sides of the cage with the shower curtain. This will still give you plenty of airflow for a chameleon--while making it easier to maintain proper humidity levels.

Question 2: Chameleons turn different colors for many reasons, as you stated above. They will get dark trying to absorb heat from the basking light. ooooo... @Beman is on top of the game. Her answers are great! I'll leave the answers I already provided just to help you understand a little more about humidity and airflow.
 
Welcome! Sadly, most reptile store employees don’t know anything about chameleons! Could you fill out this form to make sure everything is in tip-top shape, please? Be sure to include as much detail as possible, along with clear pics of his full cage and his lights. I’m going to link helpful and accurate information below!

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?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.

Here’s the links:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/external-resources/
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/
https://www.madcham.de/en/
http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/

Okay so Cham info
-He is a panther chameleon (type of panther Cham:unknow we’re thinking ambanja or ambiobe we also don’t know how old we’re thinking 8mon-year? Sex is male (pretty sure) Possibly younger we have had him for four days. The place we got him from didn’t know much at all about him so from my research this is what we are thinking
-we aren’t handling him yet because he is so new but want to introduce handle around two week of having him
-we are feeding him hornworms(as a treat) and small crickets we are going to keep trying small doobie roaches about 6-8 of them and only 1or two hornworms.
(Side note: the hornworms we bought have grown big, do I have to worry about feeding him those because they are big?could they hurt him)
-supplements, we’re giving him he rep cal brand of calcium without vit d most the week except for one day where we alternate each week between rep cal multivitamin and repashy vit a plus.
-watering was have a mist king that is scheduled to mist 4 times(1-2min) half hour after his lights and throughout the day along with one an hour before his lights go off,I have seen him drink off the leaves before, and we also have a dripper
-fecal description, his poops are large with a nice creamy thing I don’t know it’s called, a little bit of a hue of orange so hence hydrating him with hornworms but he poops have been consistent and mid morning, he has not been tested for parasites yet being that we just got him
-he changes colors a lot when he sleeps he is pastel light colors and can be blue at times and when he’s upset very navy blue/ brown

cage info
-screen cage 18x36, clear shower curtains on one side and on back of cage
-lighting we use a 6% Arcadia and 100w reptile basking light.schedule is 8am lights on 8pm lights off 12hr on 12 he off
-temp is normally high70-80f from basking light, we use a temperature reader lowest at night 70 at lowest!
-humidity we have been trying to optimize the humidity,hence the shower curtains on the side of cage but normally it sits around 30 and mist multiple times a day to get it up more we have a humidity reader also
-we use live plants to help humidity and because it’s just better for him but we have a pathos and zamioculcas and spider plant
-placement, it’s in our office which is a clam room mostly he is on top of a wooden shelving decor but he is high off the ground 8ft from floor to top of cage there is one vent across from his cage on the ceiling.
-geography we are located in Medina,Ohio

current question/concerns- what kind of panth Cham is he I need the right answer! humidity! and the fact that his fav place is toward the low half of his cage in the plants we have plants above but he has his fav spots!
 

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Please make sure your not posting the same stuff in multiple threads. It is better to keep everything in one place and follow up with those that are trying to assist you rather then starting one all over again.
I am new to this Forum and I have tried to post in the thread like recommended on the first thread I made and it is a bit confusing so please bare with me me I just have to figure everything out I’m here,thanks so for the mess up will try do to it right!
 
I am new to this Forum and I have tried to post in the thread like recommended on the first thread I made and it is a bit confusing so please bare with me me I just have to figure everything out I’m here,thanks so for the mess up will try do to it right!
I understand that. Your gonna have a bit of info everywhere though. I think logging in on a computer or ipad is the easiest over a mobile device too.
 
I understand that. Your gonna have a bit of info everywhere though. I think logging in on a computer or ipad is the easiest over a mobile device too.
Okay sorry I didn’t know that would be a problem I will try and take down the others thread I posted!
 
Okay sorry I didn’t know that would be a problem I will try and take down the others thread I posted!
You can't remove it... So just remember if you get a notification and you go to the thread there could be other feedback in there as well. Sometimes the alerts are not shown for every response so scroll up and down. :)
 
My feedback and any questions will be in red. Please refer to the links and images I posted before for extra info.

Okay so Cham info
-He is a panther chameleon (type of panther Cham:unknow we’re thinking ambanja or ambiobe we also don’t know how old we’re thinking 8mon-year? Sex is male (pretty sure) Possibly younger we have had him for four days. The place we got him from didn’t know much at all about him so from my research this is what we are thinking
-we aren’t handling him yet because he is so new but want to introduce handle around two week of having him Good, only handle him if he comes to you and wants it (sometimes chameleons like to get out of their cages because they’re uncomfortable in them). Make sure to handle him correctly if you do.
-we are feeding him hornworms(as a treat) and small crickets we are going to keep trying small doobie roaches about 6-8 of them and only 1or two hornworms.
(Side note: the hornworms we bought have grown big, do I have to worry about feeding him those because they are big?could they hurt him) Don‘t feed him too large of feeders. More variety would be great, too! What do you gutload with? Make sure to handfeed the hornworms, their legs are really strong so they can really stick onto things. What time of day do you feed him and how often? I wouldn’t recommend using hornworms with every feeding once he gets rehydrated.
-supplements, we’re giving him he rep cal brand of calcium without vit d most the week except for one day where we alternate each week between rep cal multivitamin and repashy vit a plus. You need a phosphorus-free calcium with D3 to use once every two weeks. Stop using the Repashy Vitamin A Plus that often, it is way too powerful! A safer and easier option is to either get and use a multivitamin with preformed Vitamin A or get and use Vitamin A 10,000 IU liquid gel capsules (put a drop on the back of a feeder once or twice as month, or as needed). I wouldn’t use any type of preformed Vitamin A for a while to try to clear his system of the Repashy!
-watering was have a mist king that is scheduled to mist 4 times(1-2min) half hour after his lights and throughout the day along with one an hour before his lights go off,I have seen him drink off the leaves before, and we also have a dripper The misting sessions should all be a minimum of 2-5+ minutes each time. Try to only mist in the morning and late afternoon/night when the cage is cooler, if your humidity allows it. Does his dripper drop onto leaves or go straight down to the bottom of his cage?
-fecal description, his poops are large with a nice creamy thing I don’t know it’s called, a little bit of a hue of orange so hence hydrating him with hornworms but he poops have been consistent and mid morning, he has not been tested for parasites yet being that we just got him Get a fecal float done by and appointment for him from an experienced chameleon vet. I would do bloodwork and x-rays, too. Make sure to do the bloodwork to check his Vitamin A levels! Make sure to drop off at least 2-3+ fecal samples after going, as well.
-he changes colors a lot when he sleeps he is pastel light colors and can be blue at times and when he’s upset very navy blue/ brown

cage info
-screen cage 18x36, clear shower curtains on one side and on back of cage He needs a bigger cage.
Minimum of 2’ x 2’ x 4’ tall, but preferably 4’ x 2’ x 4’ tall or bigger. Bigger is always better!

-lighting we use a 6% Arcadia and 100w reptile basking light.schedule is 8am lights on 8pm lights off 12hr on 12 he off How old is his UVB bulb? How far away are his UVB and heat bulbs from his basking branch?
-temp is normally high70-80f from basking light, we use a temperature reader lowest at night 70 at lowest! What is the exact temp of his basking spot (where his casque/top of his back is when he’s on it)? What type of temperature reader do you use? You can get it lower at night, chameleons prefer a temp drop.
-humidity we have been trying to optimize the humidity,hence the shower curtains on the side of cage but normally it sits around 30 and mist multiple times a day to get it up more we have a humidity reader also It needs to be between 50-60/70% during the day and up to 100% at night. I would get a fogger/cool mist or ultrasonic humidifier to help with nighttime humidity levels. It will also help his hydration! Just make sure to properly clean it and all of its tubes and any other accessories you use thoroughly and often! What type of humidity reader do you use?
-we use live plants to help humidity and because it’s just better for him but we have a pathos and zamioculcas and spider plant Adding more plants helps raise and stabilize his humidity, along with providing more foliage, which always helps! How did you clean off the plants before putting them in his enclosure? Did you add rocks too big for him to eat over all of the plant pots‘ soil?
-placement, it’s in our office which is a clam room mostly he is on top of a wooden shelving decor but he is high off the ground 8ft from floor to top of cage there is one vent across from his cage on the ceiling. Is the vent aimed towards his cage?
-geography we are located in Medina,Ohio

current question/concerns- what kind of panth Cham is he I need the right answer! humidity! and the fact that his fav place is toward the low half of his cage in the plants we have plants above but he has his fav spots! The locale/mix of locales of panther chameleon he is doesn’t matter, they all have the same husbandry requirements. You’ll probably just have to wait until he’s fully grown to make a proper guess if the breeder doesn’t tell you.
 
Get rid of the packing tape, and replace all of his Exo Terra vines ASAP! They can both cause health issues! Could you post a pic of his full cage, please? Also refer to post #13 on your other thread for needed info on how you measure your temps and humidity levels!
 
Get rid of the packing tape, and replace all of his Exo Terra vines ASAP! They can both cause health issues! Could you post a pic of his full cage, please? Also refer to post #13 on your other thread for needed info on how you measure your temps and humidity levels!
Packing tape? We have shower curtains on the side no tape on his cage at all
 
Do you mean the stuff around the edges on the bottom of his cage? My bad then, it looked exactly like packing tape with the service door bulging it out!
Yeah it is the drainage system we build just for another precaution to not get water everywhere we lined the bottom and poked holes to let it drain.
 
Okay so Cham info
-He is a panther chameleon (type of panther Cham:unknow we’re thinking ambanja or ambiobe we also don’t know how old we’re thinking 8mon-year? Sex is male (pretty sure) Possibly younger we have had him for four days. The place we got him from didn’t know much at all about him so from my research this is what we are thinking
-we aren’t handling him yet because he is so new but want to introduce handle around two week of having him
-we are feeding him hornworms(as a treat) and small crickets we are going to keep trying small doobie roaches about 6-8 of them and only 1or two hornworms.
(Side note: the hornworms we bought have grown big, do I have to worry about feeding him those because they are big?could they hurt him)
-supplements, we’re giving him he rep cal brand of calcium without vit d most the week except for one day where we alternate each week between rep cal multivitamin and repashy vit a plus.
-watering was have a mist king that is scheduled to mist 4 times(1-2min) half hour after his lights and throughout the day along with one an hour before his lights go off,I have seen him drink off the leaves before, and we also have a dripper
-fecal description, his poops are large with a nice creamy thing I don’t know it’s called, a little bit of a hue of orange so hence hydrating him with hornworms but he poops have been consistent and mid morning, he has not been tested for parasites yet being that we just got him
-he changes colors a lot when he sleeps he is pastel light colors and can be blue at times and when he’s upset very navy blue/ brown

cage info
-screen cage 18x36, clear shower curtains on one side and on back of cage
-lighting we use a 6% Arcadia and 100w reptile basking light.schedule is 8am lights on 8pm lights off 12hr on 12 he off
-temp is normally high70-80f from basking light, we use a temperature reader lowest at night 70 at lowest!
-humidity we have been trying to optimize the humidity,hence the shower curtains on the side of cage but normally it sits around 30 and mist multiple times a day to get it up more we have a humidity reader also
-we use live plants to help humidity and because it’s just better for him but we have a pathos and zamioculcas and spider plant
-placement, it’s in our office which is a clam room mostly he is on top of a wooden shelving decor but he is high off the ground 8ft from floor to top of cage there is one vent across from his cage on the ceiling.
-geography we are located in Medina,Ohio

current question/concerns- what kind of panth Cham is he I need the right answer! humidity! and the fact that his fav place is toward the low half of his cage in the plants we have plants above but he has his fav spots!
I would say he’s under 6 months old at the very least mine is six months and brightly coulered already I think they had that wrong :)
 
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