New to the world of chameleons!

[twindc23]

Hi all,
Great site and people you guys have here!! I just picked up my first cham from the Pamona Reptile show. He is a little Ambanja panther chameleon. The guy said he is about 3 months old. He sure is tiny. can he be younger?
here are the pics.
I'll def be around here alot asking questions!!
Thanks for having me!
=)

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!

He could very well be younger than that judging from the size.

Ask all the questions you want....we may even have some answers! (evil grin)

 

[jessica]

Hi and Welcome to the Forum!!!

Cute lil guy you have there!!
Take lots of pictures!(and post them ) They grow up so fast!

 

[PardalisGirl]

Welcome

Welcome

As someone who has hatched out some Panthers I will say that he could be three months. In any given clutch you will have some that are bigger and grow faster than the other siblings. You will also have some that are smaller and grow slower than the other siblings. Then there will be a group that are in between. They don't grow at the same rate. This does not mean that your baby can't reach the same potential. He will probably do better now that he is away from the larger siblings. Just make sure he is eating and drinking every day. Have you posted a thread with all the info on your lighting and heating? And supplimentation schedule? It's a good idea to let others know what you total set up is like right off the bat. We can help you avoid potential problems before they cause an actual issue. Once again, welcome!

 

[twindc23]

Ok, heres my setup. Pleeeeeease tell me if im doing something wrong. Thanks!

Cage Info:

* Cage Type - screen cage. see pics below. What are the dimensions? - 30x16x16

* Lighting - We're currently using a 15w Reptisun 5.0 UVB, and his basking light is a 75w incandescent night black heat spot bulb in a reflector dome. His lights come on around 6 AM and off around 11 PM.

* Temperature - Cage floor temperature is about 72 degrees, up closer to the basking light would be around 80.

* Humidity - Reading is at 35%. I mist the cage once in the morning and once at night. Is that enough, or is it too much?

* Plants - Some indoor plant I bought from Home Depot.

* Location - The cage is in the living room. Traffic is norm for any living room.

Chameleon Info:

* Chameleon - Ambanja panther, about three months old, and male. i've had him for 3 days now.

* Handling - He get handled at least 3 times a day. anywhere from 10 minutes or so.

* Feeding - He's had crickets the last 2 days anywhere from 3 to 4. and today i gave him 2 wax worms and a cricket, not sure if he ate some left over crickets while i was at work.

* Supplements - I dust the crix and worms with repti cal calcium every feeding.

* Watering - He's misted with a mist spray two times a day.

* Fecal Description - Havent really checked

* History - i have no idea!

* Current Problem - NONE in my opinion.

my questions:
how much should he be eating at his age?

 

[PardalisGirl]

Comments.........

Hi there.....I just read your initial posts again. I would not handle him at all until he gets adjusted to his new cage. Handling him now is fun for you but not good for him. 10 minutes three times a day is WAY too much. It may be the cause of his not eating very much. He should be pounding down 10 to 15 1/2" crickets a day at his size. Before you start handling him you should get to the point where he comes to the door to see what treats you have for him. You need to earn his trust before handling him a lot. It's extremely important that he spend his time eating and drinking now. He needs to incur some rapid growth in the next month so that he will begin to thrive. Let him be for the next month. Patience will pay off. You want your boy to become a monster

 

[twindc23]

I see. I'll def keep my paws off him for awhile.
Thanks for the reply and suggestions. Much appreciated!

 

[serenitystarlite]

* Lighting - We're currently using a 15w Reptisun 5.0 UVB, and his basking light is a 75w incandescent night black heat spot bulb in a reflector dome. His lights come on around 6 AM and off around 11 PM.

The sun isn't usually out for that long. Most people have their lights on for 12 hours and then 12 hours of darkness, usually sunrise to sunset. You're only giving him 7 hours to sleep.

 

[twindc23]

Thanks for the tip and reply. I'll def change that too.
=)

 

[Texas Panther Man]

You might also want to try using a dripper also. Play with it a bit it doesn't have to drip all day just for 1-2 hrs. The 1 drip per second method works as far as he rate you want it to drip. It helps them stay hydrated and keeps the humidity levels a little higher. Or just spend a few bucks and get a misting system. Thats the easiest way to insure your baby stays hydrated all day.

 

[twindc23]

Thanks for the info, I'll def look for a mister!
=)

 

[twindc23]

Im def looking into buying the Zoo Med Habba Mist. Anyone have feedbacks on this mister?

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Im def looking into buying the Zoo Med Habba Mist. Anyone have feedbacks on this mister?

Save you money , its a POS

mistking.com is the way to go

 

[twindc23]

updated pics folks. Happy Friday!

 

[jeanjacket812]

Awesome! my guy is like a month old and I can't wait till he gets that size so I can see his bars. I see your guy has a spot of green on his cheek.