Jujucathulu
New Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Varaccosous
Some of you may read how long I have had my new cham baby and laugh, which totally might be appropriate hhahaha. I guess I'm just a nervous new mom and I can sense a 'stressed disposition'. Perhaps this behavior is normal for first few weeks, but I want to check with a well seasoned community before I assume. I want to give a huge thank you for everyone who takes the time to read and respond to my thread, and Cthulu appreciates it as well!
~June.
How long has it been in your care? 3 days
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I've handled him twice. Once to shower him after he warmed under basking spot as suggested when first brought home and another to put him in cage.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Large crickets, mealworms.
What amount? 10/day so far with two mealworms (they're big.)
How are you gut-loading your feeders? Placing vegetables in their container
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I dust them with reptile calcium every other feeding and is the intended schedule.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist?
I use a reptile waterbottle. I mist 2-3 times for minutes at a time. I wohld like to add here that i feel this might be stressful and have purchased an automatic mister. Will arive wednesday.
Do you see your chameleon drinking?
While I have not yet witnessed him drink, he is not eager to move into the misting stream and when I initially gave him a shower he tried to move from the water that fell from the shower wall. (I angled it so there was no direct stream.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? - I have seen one poop, and it is large and brown with no visible undigested insect parts, in other words it looks like he was able to process the insects well. I would like to add here that I did find another 'fecee' and it was between a creamy white and a light yellow. I understand this is their 'urine', though the subtle yellow was questionable.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Nothing that I can think of.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screened cage, 18x18x37
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I use basking bulb and uv. I turn it on at 8am and it goes off at 7pm, both lights. I would like to add I have gone the extra mile and covered Cthulu's cage with a sheet at night.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?--
Highest basking spot temp is 87-90. Lowest at the very bottom is 78 but I'm not sure how to raise the temp at the very bottom. I use a temp gun. In all honesty I haven't gotten an overnight temp, but I can to ight for added info.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? 50-60 percent. Frequent misting.
What do you use to measure humidity? Little humidity Guage that sits in the cage.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I am using one real plant and the rest is fake cover foliage. I cannot remember the name of the plant... I do know it was on my list of safe plans tho! (I'm a bad chameleon mom )
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? In the corner of my bedroom where i usually keep the door closed and quiet.
At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? -3 feet. It's on a small table.
Location - Where are you geographically located? Chicagoland.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Cham is extremely dark and always making himself look thinned out like a little tree branch
. I feel he is struggling to adjust to environment and remains tucked in the corner of his cage. He generally looks unhappy and am worried for him, as I feel that being crunched up in the corner of the cage and away from foliage is not normal for a chameleon who might want to spend his day hiding. From my research, the verrecousus chameleon is an extremely secretive species.
Your Chameleon - Varaccosous
Some of you may read how long I have had my new cham baby and laugh, which totally might be appropriate hhahaha. I guess I'm just a nervous new mom and I can sense a 'stressed disposition'. Perhaps this behavior is normal for first few weeks, but I want to check with a well seasoned community before I assume. I want to give a huge thank you for everyone who takes the time to read and respond to my thread, and Cthulu appreciates it as well!
~June.
How long has it been in your care? 3 days
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I've handled him twice. Once to shower him after he warmed under basking spot as suggested when first brought home and another to put him in cage.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Large crickets, mealworms.
What amount? 10/day so far with two mealworms (they're big.)
How are you gut-loading your feeders? Placing vegetables in their container
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I dust them with reptile calcium every other feeding and is the intended schedule.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist?
I use a reptile waterbottle. I mist 2-3 times for minutes at a time. I wohld like to add here that i feel this might be stressful and have purchased an automatic mister. Will arive wednesday.
Do you see your chameleon drinking?
While I have not yet witnessed him drink, he is not eager to move into the misting stream and when I initially gave him a shower he tried to move from the water that fell from the shower wall. (I angled it so there was no direct stream.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? - I have seen one poop, and it is large and brown with no visible undigested insect parts, in other words it looks like he was able to process the insects well. I would like to add here that I did find another 'fecee' and it was between a creamy white and a light yellow. I understand this is their 'urine', though the subtle yellow was questionable.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Nothing that I can think of.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screened cage, 18x18x37
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I use basking bulb and uv. I turn it on at 8am and it goes off at 7pm, both lights. I would like to add I have gone the extra mile and covered Cthulu's cage with a sheet at night.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?--
Highest basking spot temp is 87-90. Lowest at the very bottom is 78 but I'm not sure how to raise the temp at the very bottom. I use a temp gun. In all honesty I haven't gotten an overnight temp, but I can to ight for added info.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? 50-60 percent. Frequent misting.
What do you use to measure humidity? Little humidity Guage that sits in the cage.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I am using one real plant and the rest is fake cover foliage. I cannot remember the name of the plant... I do know it was on my list of safe plans tho! (I'm a bad chameleon mom )
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? In the corner of my bedroom where i usually keep the door closed and quiet.
At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? -3 feet. It's on a small table.
Location - Where are you geographically located? Chicagoland.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Cham is extremely dark and always making himself look thinned out like a little tree branch
. I feel he is struggling to adjust to environment and remains tucked in the corner of his cage. He generally looks unhappy and am worried for him, as I feel that being crunched up in the corner of the cage and away from foliage is not normal for a chameleon who might want to spend his day hiding. From my research, the verrecousus chameleon is an extremely secretive species.
