new to chameleon care

[letarra]

Hi all,
I am new to chameleon care. My husband who use to have 2 veiled chameleons about 8 years ago. Now I am the sole care giver to our new chameleon. Her name is lilly and I don't ever remember seeing anywhere that chameleons make sounds, like low barking sounds (almost like a pom far away). What I am wondering is this normal and is this because o broke my routine with her? She is very social, loves to be held and I think I am doing something right and she is always in her neutral color, calm and since we brought her home 2 months ago she has shed twice and is acting like she will again.
She is a panther chameleon and is almost 6 months old. We got her when she was 3. Months...

I would like to hear stories as well as advice on anything if needed... Also how much should she eat in a day? And how can you tell the size of crickets. The pet store here doesn't know much information... I know they can't eat super worms unless u chop their heads off, but the pet store here told me she could eat anything including the worm beetles except super worms... And I don't know if they know what they are saying...
please could you answer any questions. It would be greatly appreciated!

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome back to the world of chameleons!
There's lots of good information on this forum about keeping chameleons. Look at some of the blogs to get you started.

Here's some information I hope will help you with supplementing, etc.....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it.

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Please note that various supplements have various amounts of D3 and vitamin A and so some can be given more often than others. The idea still is not to overdo the fat soluble vitamins like D3 and prEformed vitamin A.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.

 

[letarra]

Thank you so much for your reply! I definitely have lots of researching to do as I was told all she needs is crickets with calcium and mealworms and nothing else... She has the UVB light, not the bar as she still in a smaller cage (38" exo terra). And she gets both daytime and nighttime light.

One thing I didn't find, was if they make low barking sounds? It was unusual for her, and I don't know why she did it. If it was cause I broke routine with her or is she is just talking.

Thank you again

 

[MamaD]

Kinyonga said it very well! I would not suggest keeping a light on her at night though. I think there is a light that is acceptable for night time use. Not sure what it is. Any help from other members on that? I did have a cham that was making a barking sound almost like a cough. Turned out she had a respiratory infection. Need to see a vet about that issue. Not sure if that's what is going on with yours. I've never had any of my other chams try talking or making sounds before. To avoid a respiratory infection, make sure you are giving her cage time to dry out completely in between mistings and before lights out. Hope all is well!

 

[KylieT]

The night blub is a ceramic heater they dont emit light and heat the cage up but only use one if its below 50 degrees at night

 

[letarra]

Ohh its a night time light... And she only barks after she drinks from the bottle of water I use to give her to give her a drink... I hope its not anything serious as we have no vets that work on chameleons here! We were told its vital to have a night time bulb on her to keep her warm or we could force her into hibernation...
Thank you all for helping

 

[letarra]

Oh and I live in the north where it could get pretty cold... So extra heat is always good to have ( I think) if I'm wrong correct me please

 

[camimom]

no night light!!!!
just no.
they need darkness to sleep.
if night temps in the cage drop below 55, get a ceramic heat emitter.
otherwise.. no!

 

[carol5208]

what are you using for a basking light? What temps are you keeping your cham at? Can you post some pics of your cham and your set up? No such thing as a barking cham, so not sure what you are hearing. Does your cham hold its mouth open at all? are you spraying the water in her mouth?

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

Welcome!

Welcome to the forums! I'm Dan. You've certainly come to the correct place and will find lots of knowledge on here, i know i certainly have!

I am fairly new to the chameleon scene myself, however i spend most of my time learning about our amazing family members!
Feel free to contact me if need be, same goes for my girlfriend Lauren (andallthatjazz) we'd be happy to help if you'd like!

Good luck and Have fun with them!

 

[andallthatjazz]

Welcome!

Dan and I recently got our first chameleon, and we have had a lot of our questions answered by people on here!

Like he said, feel free to message me if you have any questions (or just to say hello)

 

[DekuScrub]

i idnt read any of the responses, sry guys. im lazy right now. cutting heads off of super worms is not only unnecessary but insane and ocd. dont do it. thats just a myth perpetuated by "overprotective parents"

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

i idnt read any of the responses, sry guys. im lazy right now. cutting heads off of super worms is not only unnecessary but insane and ocd. dont do it. thats just a myth perpetuated by "overprotective parents"

I was going to say, I have never heard anything like that. Its a bug, They eat bugs and therefore are given the needed equipment to deal with them.

 

[letarra]

Right now we are in the middle of packing to move to a house, so my things for pictures are packed up. But she is in a 38" exoterra with plants hanging. In the back, a fern in the front with 2 vines running through and a water dish...

She is 5 months old and is a panther chameleon, i and I don't know how panther and veiled differ. When we got her from the pet store they gave me a desert basking light, which I found out later she needed a rain forest. It is 100W. It keeps her temperature up at 90 to 95 which according to the panflit and pet store reptile care giver told me to keep her at (plus he is happier at that temp)

I was told the red night light 50W is to keep her temp around 60 to 70 which is best for her at night. That is why I use it, if I do not use the red night light temp drops down to 45-50 by the next morning... It gets cold in my place at night... She sleeps fine with the red light, and is happy (I think) and curiosity if chameleons need dark to sleep, why does she always sleep under wear the lamp is?

She drinks from a water bottle and I mist the leaves 2-3 times a day, and she has a dish with water, incase I'm out all day. If I break routine with her she actually gets pissy with me, but once I hold her and let her out she is fine... She has also shed twice in 2 months and looks like it again.

A lot I was told was again from the reptile worker at the pet store and it was in apnflit, just trying to get as much information as I can.

So I know you are saying no night time light, but if it gets so cold, could I still use it? But could you explain what I could do to keep her warm?

Thank you so much everyone

 

[Solid Snake]

Hello...Right now we are in the middle of packing to move to a house, so my things for pictures are packed up. But she is in a 38" exoterra with plants hanging. In the back, a fern in the front with 2 vines running through and a water dish...
What are you using the water dish for?
She is 5 months old and is a panther chameleon, i and I don't know how panther and veiled differ. When we got her from the pet store they gave me a desert basking light, which I found out later she needed a rain forest. It is 100W. It keeps her temperature up at 90 to 95 which according to the panflit and pet store reptile care giver told me to keep her at (plus he is happier at that temp)

I was told the red night light 50W is to keep her temp around 60 to 70 which is best for her at night. That is why I use it, if I do not use the red night light temp drops down to 45-50 by the next morning... It gets cold in my place at night... She sleeps fine with the red light, and is happy (I think) and curiosity if chameleons need dark to sleep, why does she always sleep under wear the lamp is?
If the "nite light" is a ceramic heat emitter, this is fine. If it emits any kind of visibal light, I would not use it.
Nite time temperatures can drop to 50F. An ambient temp drop of at least 10F is considered healthy for the chameleon, and will promote good appetite/digestion/health.
She drinks from a water bottle and I mist the leaves 2-3 times a day, and she has a dish with water, incase I'm out all day. If I break routine with her she actually gets pissy with me, but once I hold her and let her out she is fine... She has also shed twice in 2 months and looks like it again.

A lot I was told was again from the reptile worker at the pet store and it was in apnflit, just trying to get as much information as I can.

So I know you are saying no night time light, but if it gets so cold, could I still use it? But could you explain what I could do to keep her warm?

Thank you so much everyone

Hey, I typed some info/questions in red
You may find this useful as well \/\/\/\/\/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/397-visual-caresheet-comparing-male-panther-veileds.html

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

As solid snake said, there is no need for a water dish as chameleons will not drink from one. they get their water from droplets on leaves, misting, and through veggies in some cases. Primarily they will be seen licking water off surfaces in order to keep hydrated, not drinking out of bowls

 

[sdheli420]

wwaaaaay too hot in that cage as well lower those temps, thats death temps..i would use a 40-60 watt bulb for basking.. and if its not getting below 55 at night no extra heat..they need a cool down at night..

ditch the red light..thats used for snakes, get a ceramic heat emitter if its gowing below 50 by the morning..they need darkness

and also get a dripper, chams dont normally drink from standing water, they also usually "aim" for water bowls when they poop too..

 

[letarra]

Thank you all for your comments...

The water dish is used cause since we brought her come, she drank from the water dish, she always have. Plus she only poops in one area of the cage and that is away from the water dish. I will check out the websites.

And to clarify its 80 to 90 during the day and 60 to 70 during the night with the red light. 40 to 50 without. These temps are taken from the top thermometer, she keeps ripping off the lower one.

And the 100W rain forest so its like sun is coming through the leaves. I had a 75W desert and it didn't keep it warm enough, I couldn't keep it above 70 during the day. I also have the day time light on a dimmer, so I can turn up n down the intensity

Thank you all and I will check out the web sites

 

[letarra]

What is a normal amount to eat? And how many times do they shed in a year?