New to Forum and Chameleons

[TELBeast]

I just got a new chameleon (Jean-Luc)(3 month old panther cham), yesterday at the reptile show in NY. I will post pics soon, I had bought the habba auto mister, and I am ready to throw it out cause it does nothing but drip and vomit a little water out every now and again. I will be going to the store after work today and I was wondering if I could get the Zoo-med frog fogger and then just mist him by hand twice a day or is there a better option without going crazy just yet.
-Thank you all

 

[sandrachameleon]

welcome to the forum! I hope you find it as interesting and useful as I have.

You might find that the combination of a misting by hand (twice daily, for several minutes each time) along with a dripper will be all you need. Foggers are not necessary, and sometimes are actually not a great idea.

Here are some links to info you might find helpful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ryan-jarosek/119-new-arrival-bringing-home.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/syn/226-frequently-asked-questions.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/frequently-asked-questions-71620/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs...hameleons.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/92-hydration-importance.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/573-chameleon-physiology-supplements.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/
http://www.chameleonsonline.com/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/olimpia/522-average-cost-owning-chameleon.html
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

 

[Hoj]

welcome to the forum, i really like my mistking, works great and has made life alot easier lol

 

[TELBeast]

Thank you so much. I will get a dripper, and hold off on the fogger, if I cannot mist him twice a day every day due to work hours, is there a relatively inexpensive automated misting system that I can purchase online? Just wanna make sure that he gets everything that he needs. :-D

 

[camimom]

the basis mistking set up is 99 bucks.
its the best price for the best quality.

 

[creddjobs]

From a newbie to newbie!. Welcome to this site! It is awesome and I have learned so much and dont even have my Cham yet!!!!!!

 

[TELBeast]

I will be checking out a Mistking asap thanks for the heads up

 

[Solid Snake]

Outstanding cham name!

 

[TELBeast]

Thanks I just ordered my mistking system I'm really excited about it haha also what do you guys place around your screencage so that the countertop doesn't get damaged from the misting system. Also thanks about the name, it took me a while but I am quite happy with Jean-Luc

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums and congrats on your panther. I keep panthers, veileds and have a parsonii and they are very rewarding pets. I have a blog for new keeps that I'm attaching for you below. I hope you will find it helpful. Jann

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[TELBeast]

Thanks Jannb I will be reading up on your blog, you can count on that haha

 

[Solid Snake]

Counter top is not really "ideal" unless you dont mind drilling through the counter. I use metal shelving made of thin metal bars($20) and a plastic bin underneath. The water falls into the bin, and I just empty it every few days. Thats the cheap easy way. You can get quite elaborate with it, some people plumb it into there house plumbing With the amount of water youll need to put through the cage, youll need some type of drainage system. And seriously, Jean-Luc is awsome...

 

[camimom]

Thanks I just ordered my mistking system I'm really excited about it haha also what do you guys place around your screencage so that the countertop doesn't get damaged from the misting system. Also thanks about the name, it took me a while but I am quite happy with Jean-Luc

plastic shower curtain.

 

[BeBoSON]

Welcome to the forum

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum and to the world of chameleons!
You mention having the cage on a counter top...is it in your kitchen?

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.

 

[carol5208]

Welcome to the wonderful and wacky world of chameleon owndership!!!

 

[TELBeast]

Hi, I have him on an dresser right now, I will be making a water collection piece with a screen ontop to place underneath the cage, I also saw him drinking water and eating crickets this morning so I am very happy about that, he did shed his whole body and just has a little patch left on top of his head right now. The humidity is at about 70 and the temp is about 85. I have been dusting my crickets, although today was the first batch, I have a little dripper, a hybrid lamp top; with a 24' reptisun UVB bulb, one basking bulb, one daytime light, and a little black light for night because it can get down to about 68 degrees in my apt. I have ordered a pm-50 from mistking and it should be arriving soon. I've also got a live ficus and a few false plants within the cage and 3 to 4 branches at varying heights through-out the cage. He currently seems to only like crickets but he is also very young and I am sure his taste will expand soon enough

 

[Solid Snake]

68F is just fine. Since its winter I bring my temps down to 55-60 at nite. The red bulb can keep the animal awake as well. They enjoy a 10* temp drop at nite time. What are you dusting with?

 

[JonRich]

Congrats on the new Cham. Did you get him from Climbing Chameleons?

Also as stated drainage is a must with the Mistking.

I have the same issues living in an apartment. With the overspray. I went to IKEA and bought a largeee towel and ziptied it to 2 of the 4 walls of the cage. This way i angle the nozzle in the middle ,towards that side.

I lowered my misting times to 2 minutes. The towel remains damp holding in humidity as the water evaporates. I also have a "little dripper" to supply him water between mistings.

Hope this helps and Welcome !!

Post pix!!

 

[JonRich]

He currently seems to only like crickets but he is also very young and I am sure his taste will expand soon enough

The Phoenix worms i got from the show was a hit with my baby Chams. And they were cheap. Got a 100 count for $3 from Komodo Reptiles booth.

They tend to be constently on the move once placed exposed in a cup. I think it's a great "cup feeding" tool for baby Chams and they can't escape a shallow cup like crickets would.

They are also high in Calcium and don't need to be dusted.