New To Chams Want To Make Sure I'm On The Right Track

[frillielover17]

Ok, sounds good... again good luck with your guy and post future pics as he grows up! We all love our Chams and we all enjoys pics!

Thanks! I will definitely post pictures as he progresses. I love posting pictures and I know how us fanatics love to see other people's pictures too. I would take more but I don't wanna stress the poor guy out too much.

 

[Texas Ranger]

My choice of substrate wasn't for looks honestly. I need it for a bit of help with humidity. Having a screen enclosure and no real plants makes it a bit difficult when you have a dry home. I'm well aware of risks involved with particle substrates which is why I've gone and feed only in a cup or by tongs and sifted the dirt as well.

They can still shot there tounge at it even if you cup feed. You dont need that stuff to keep the humidity up. There is tons of other ways to do that with out the conservetial substrate. 1. Humidifer 2. Habba Mist 3. Repti-fogger 4. Live plants 5. Hand misting. The possiblitys are endless. Also, you dont want to much moisture in the air. It can cause URI or bacteria problems. Dumping the ground cover is the best choice. There is no reason for it at all. My cage bottom consist of paper towels. Its so easy to clean. Takes me like 30 sec. to clean his cage.

Hope this helps

 

[Shawn89]

3 things I would suggest so far-lower your temps IMMEDIATELY before you cook your cham. For that age don't go above 85, increasing as he gets older. Get rid of the waterfall, and get a calcium with no d3 that you will use 5-6x weekly. Use one with D3 a few times a month and the multivite a few times a month.

Well said, other than the water fall the set up looks great,

 

[Paco]

i would put some life plants in there (I recommend shefflera), also i dont think you would NEED substrate for humidity especially since your enclosure is %50 glass. other than that good luck! =)

 

[Cainschams]

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I asked the questions I asked and made the statements I made because sometimes all you get on forums is repeated information and when a person asks why this is the norm or the preferred practice, the person can only say that this is what they've been told and have no real idea why things are done that way.

You will find that a lot. That is why it is good to ask questions and not take the first answer you get

For the temps. It is just safer for a youngster so they will not get too hot. As smart as some are, some will just sit in the basking site instead of get away when too hot. Being smaller they can dehydrate much quicker than adults.

You want to use calcium without D3 most of the time, with D3 once or twice a month and same with vitamins. For a veiled chameleon. Do not coat the insects in the dust. Very lightly. Vit D3 helps aid calcium absorption. We get natural D3 from the sun. Our UVB bulbs are not as good as the sun so this is why we supplement with D3 when indoors but not when outdoors. Although, chams can overdose on D3. 2 times a month with it while indoors seems to be a low but safe and adequate dosing for them in most cases.

Most US keepers do not use substrate. Some do and alot over sees use it also. Sounds like you got a good substrate for chameleons under check As you know you dont want large particles or bark because of impaction. Also overly wet conditions is not good either.

The reasons for waterfall have been mentioned. Although even if able to clean it frequently that is quite the stream coming out. I would be more worried about the cham getting under it and aspirating causing respiratory infection or drowning.

You did not mention your gutloading regimen? This is a very important key to successfully raising chameleons.

 

[Cainschams]

Also keeping all lights outside of the cage is a good idea. That way you dont run the risk of spraying them and causing an electrical problem. They can also get burnt if too close to the lights. Just make sure the cham can get close enough to the light when outside of the cage.

 

[Fool]

Theirs no need to explain yourself everyone to their own, but like I said you have things under control just be careful with the dirt and if it does happen one day be prepared. Oh and just another thing you come off defensive so why people think your stubburn its like you question them and are like why so so and some people miss interpret that dont worry im the same way im rather blunt and some people see it as me being rude.Just forgot about it everyone here is to help the chameleons not their egos! lol

 

[kinyonga]

IMHO the reason for being cautious not to use the D3 too often is that it can build up in the system and cause health issues. I dust at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for the poor ratio of calcium to phos. found in many of the feeder insects. I dust only twice a month with the phos.-free calcium/D3 powder to ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it and leaving it to produce the rest of the D3 it needs from its exposure to the UVB. I live in Ontario and my chameleons are not outside very often at all.

Background information...I have been keeping chameleons for over 20 years and my veiled females usually live to be over 6 years old and the males even older. I have had many other reptiles (turtles, tortoises, water dragons, a variety of geckos, cordylus lizards, etc.) as well and most of them live long healthy lives and many of them have reproduced too. Many of the reptiles I've kept have been WC's.

BTW...I have kept beardies with the same supplement schedule and they live to be over 11 years as a rule. The same things can happen to beardies that can happen with chameleons if you overdo the D3 from supplements, BTW.

I just lost one of my leopard geckos...she was with me for over 17 years.

Hope this helps!

 

[don22283]

Frilllover I just got a cham also. It's a Blue bar ambilobe panther chameleon, and I to had humidity problems. I use some green carpet for the bottom, and I ran a hose from an humidifier into my cage. It brings the humidity to 75-80. Just have to keep the green carpet clean. I think it's safer then the substrate.

 

[Julirs]

Frilllover I just got a cham also. It's a Blue bar ambilobe panther chameleon, and I to had humidity problems. I use some green carpet for the bottom, and I ran a hose from an humidifier into my cage. It brings the humidity to 75-80. Just have to keep the green carpet clean. I think it's safer then the substrate.

Green carpet will mold with the amount of water used-unless you clean it almost daily. Be very careful with keeping the humidifier clean also. You really do .not need humidity that high all of the time or you will risk respiratory infection