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SnakeTrail

New Member
Not new to reptiles, have lots of Ball Pythons......But new to Chameleons.
Wanted a Panther but thought it best to start out with a Veiled.
Got my daughter a male Veiled Sunburst/Turquoise cross for Easter, he's about 4 1/2 months old now.
We've had him a couple weeks now & he seems to be adjusting nicely & eating well.
Looks like he'll have some really cool colors to him.

Ready for some "Dumb Newbie Questions"?:):confused::rolleyes:
 
Nothing wrong with a veiled :D

Always good to fill this out if you are new.

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?

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.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

Pictures are helpful
 
lanceman said:
Nothing wrong with a veiled :D

Always good to fill this out if you are new.

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?

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.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

Pictures are helpful
Click to expand...

Living in Illinois, so house humidity is normaly 40% or higher....my screen cage is the 100 gallon package from LLLReptile(Plus some extra vines)....basking spot 92-95 measure with a heat gun. Top of cage about 6 1/2 feet in the air. By window that don't open but gets afternoon sun(2-3 hours)....In living room but not near foot traffic. No fans or vents.
eats around 12-15 1/2 inch crickets a day gut loaded on sweet potatoes,carrots,melon & Flukers cricket food.....dusted twice a week with Cal with D3(Rep-Cal),Cal without D3,Herpative multi(I rotate)....sometimes a mealworm, have silk worms & phoenix worms ordered & on their way.Mist 4 times a day, plus a dripper,,,,yep see him drink all the time.....no live plants yet....poop is dark brown & slightly moist, urates white.

All things seem to be going well......I'll get pictures one of these days.

I've read all sorts of care sheets but stuff I've missed.....
Just some dumb newbie questions.

Horn worms, any difference between tomato & tobacco worms?

I've read where they start getting their stress colors at 6-7 months, at what age do they pretty much have them all? Is there a peak?

I've tried to get him to eat his fruit & veggies, but he's not wanting to...I asked the breeder I got him from how & what they fed....They said they just put it on cage floor on a paper plate....I tried that but have never seen him go to the floor....I've tried everything they used plus stuff I've saw in care sheets (I've not tried mustard & collared greens yet--can't find them but still looking)...... should I worry?

Thanks,
Scott
 
SnakeTrail said:
Thanks!
I've read that & it has some great stuff!
Click to expand...

Thank You.

Don't worry about your little guy not eating vegetative matter. It's not essential, and some never do.
Provide him with safe live plants (hibiscus, pothos, schefflera) he may choose to munch on those.
I use collard greens that I either clip or wire to a branch.

-Brad
 
SnakeTrail said:
Not new to reptiles, have lots of Ball Pythons......But new to Chameleons.
Wanted a Panther but thought it best to start out with a Veiled.
Got my daughter a male Veiled Sunburst/Turquoise cross for Easter, he's about 4 1/2 months old now.
We've had him a couple weeks now & he seems to be adjusting nicely & eating well.
Looks like he'll have some really cool colors to him.

Ready for some "Dumb Newbie Questions"?:):confused::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I'm sure you have legitimate questions. I am new to chams too. I have a 9 month female veiled and this site gives you useful hints. You'll find that the people here are supportive.
 
Brad Ramsey said:
Thank You.

Don't worry about your little guy not eating vegetative matter. It's not essential, and some never do.
Provide him with safe live plants (hibiscus, pothos, schefflera) he may choose to munch on those.
I use collard greens that I either clip or wire to a branch.

-Brad
Click to expand...

Thanks Brad!

A couple weeks ago I stopped by a good plant place & they said around Easter they'd have some indoor hibiscus,,,,not been back there yet (bout a 35 mile drive)

Now about the stress color/age question....daughter wants to know when he's really going to get pretty....
 
SnakeTrail said:
Thanks Brad!
Now about the stress color/age question....daughter wants to know when he's really going to get pretty....
Click to expand...

Well lets put it this way, every time he sheds you will notice new colors, most chameleons reach their "full potential", both size and color between 12-18 months. My guy was a late bloomer and took closer to 18 months and im not sure if hes done yet lol.
 
Dunnigan said:
Well lets put it this way, every time he sheds you will notice new colors, most chameleons reach their "full potential", both size and color between 12-18 months. My guy was a late bloomer and took closer to 18 months and im not sure if hes done yet lol.
Click to expand...

I do yes!, I cant wait to see him at 1 yr, he looks fantastic now, especially outdoors! Thinking of setting up an outdoor avairy/cham enclosure next spring! Mine is close to 5 months. Beginning to shed again today, flakes off his casque
 
Dunnigan said:
Well lets put it this way, every time he sheds you will notice new colors, most chameleons reach their "full potential", both size and color between 12-18 months. My guy was a late bloomer and took closer to 18 months and im not sure if hes done yet lol.
Click to expand...

Very helpful!!!:)

Thanks!!
 
OK, last question (probably not really :rolleyes: )

Horn worms, any difference between tomato & tobacco worms?

If I can use the tomato variety I grow a garden & the tomato worms tear my plants up.....in the past I've either dusted them or found them & stomped them to death...... but if I can get my revenge by watching them get ate >insert evil laugh<
Not sure how many has saw this but wasps will lay their eggs on it's back & when they hatch eat it alive, I'm assuming I should remove them before feeding?

& no I would dust if I can do this, never liked doing that to stuff I was going to eat anyway.

Tomato worm (horn worm) with wasp eggs on it's back....
TomatoWormEggsRxBC-245.jpg
 
Horn worms are great for larger chameleons, HOWEVER, you must not feed the ones from your garden (sorry) plants in the nightshade family (tomatoes) are toxic to chameleons.
Horn worms used in the hobby need to be commercially raised.
Leave the garden pest problem to the wasps;)

-Brad
 
Brad Ramsey said:
Horn worms are great for larger chameleons, HOWEVER, you must not feed the ones from your garden (sorry) plants in the nightshade family (tomatoes) are toxic to chameleons.
Horn worms used in the hobby need to be commercially raised.
Leave the garden pest problem to the wasps;)

-Brad
Click to expand...

Darn, I was afraid you'd say that:mad::)
Guess I'll be dusting & stomping...the wasps don't work fast enough:(
 
Brad Ramsey said:
Horn worms are great for larger chameleons, HOWEVER, you must not feed the ones from your garden (sorry) plants in the nightshade family (tomatoes) are toxic to chameleons.
Horn worms used in the hobby need to be commercially raised.
Leave the garden pest problem to the wasps;)

-Brad
Click to expand...

Thanks Brad, in all my time I did not know that and I plan to raise tomatoes this year and was hoping for tomato worms to feed the kids. Boy am I glad you posted this.

Snake trail, this is what the forum is all about, just reading the different post you learn new things. All I planned from this post was to say hello and welcome you to the forum! So welcome to the forum!!!:D
 
laurie said:
Thanks Brad, in all my time I did not know that and I plan to raise tomatoes this year and was hoping for tomato worms to feed the kids. Boy am I glad you posted this.

Snake trail, this is what the forum is all about, just reading the different post you learn new things. All I planned from this post was to say hello and welcome you to the forum! So welcome to the forum!!!:D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome!
Yes I noticed that about this forum, I read it for several days before joining & then a couple more after joining before my first post......I noticed even the newbies are treated well here(no hazing or bing talked down to)

I'll try to be active with more dumb questions so we all can learn.:D

Scott
 
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