Panther Chameleon is Pale

HappyPlant

New Member
Hello,

I have a young panther cham (about 10 months) and lately he has been seeming a bit pale. Im hoping some good advice could be given here. No sense in taking to vet if its something simple or nothing at all. He seems fine other than color being a bit washed out. He eats well, but I have been trying to switch him to dubias. Not eating them as easily, so he's been getting less food than normal. Could that have something to do with it?

Shouldn't be too hot. Small heat bulb with plenty of shade in a pretty large enclosure. Temp is around 70 in middle and 90-100 in basking spot. He still hangs out in the basking spot regularly.

I wouldn't think it is a shed. He shed in December and just shed early March late Feb, so wouldn't think he's due yet.

Any ideas?

Here is info:

10 months
Male
handled regularly
Slightly larger than 2ftx2ftx4ft bioactive enclosure filled with living plants
Mist king running about every 2 hours from 7am to 7pm
Crickets, dubias, and wax worms are main diet. Loaded and dusted. Calcium every day with multivitamin and d3 about twice a month.
5.0 arcadia tube bought december and 50watt incandescent heat about 8inches from basking
last shed about a month ago.
 

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Welcome to the forum!

He eats well, but I have been trying to switch him to dubias. Not eating them as easily, so he's been getting less food than normal. Could that have something to do with it?
Don't know yet.

First off, to get this organized the way folks here are used to seeing it, copy/paste the following into a post in this thread, with your answers highlighted or colored or somehow differentiated for clarity.

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.

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?

The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
Include pics of your enclosure from top (lights) to bottom (substrate/drainage)

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

Shouldn't be too hot. Small heat bulb with plenty of shade in a pretty large enclosure. Temp is around 70 in middle and 90-100 in basking spot. He still hangs out in the basking spot regularly.
That's WAY too hot a basking temp. Should be low 80s.

Here is info:

10 months
Male
You're absolutely sure about sex? Gotta ask.

handled regularly
Slightly larger than 2ftx2ftx4ft bioactive enclosure filled with living plants
Mist king running about every 2 hours from 7am to 7pm
That seems like a lot during the day. Many don't mist at all between lights on & off. I mist once—halfway between.

How about at night? Humidity level? Misting or fogging?
 
Welcome to the forum!


Don't know yet.

First off, to get this organized the way folks here are used to seeing it, copy/paste the following into a post in this thread, with your answers highlighted or colored or somehow differentiated for clarity.

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.

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?

The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
Include pics of your enclosure from top (lights) to bottom (substrate/drainage)

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


That's WAY too hot a basking temp. Should be low 80s.


You're absolutely sure about sex? Gotta ask.


That seems like a lot during the day. Many don't mist at all between lights on & off. I mist once—halfway between.

How about at night? Humidity level? Misting or fogging?
Damn and I tried so hard to be thorough! 😉

The consensus I came to with everything I have read is that a basking of 90-95 is ideal, especially if the cage is large. I will try to lower that and see if that helps. Thanks!

Sure he's male


It's set to only.mist about a minute or two at a time with a good 4 minute misting at 9am and 2pm. I mist throughout the day to keep humidity up. I'm in a dry climate. I've got about 5-6 mists a day, which I thought was about how most people set their mist kings up. I'll dial it back but I live where humidity is normally about 20-30% and don't want it to drop that low for him.

Misting stops at 5pm and a 1 minute misting at 9pm for humidity. Not sure of the humidity but temps are room temp at that time, as heat lamp turns off at 7.

I have a fogger but it is currently not attached to his tank. I'll probably do that tonight and cut down on the misting schedule.
 
@Klyde O'Scope That’s definitely a male :)

He looks good to me. Keep in mind their colors change with mood, temp, maturity, etc. I don’t see any reason to take him to the vet.
Ya, I didn't think anything was seriously wrong but he just seems pale. After the other reply I am thinking it may be too hot and that would make sense with his colors. He's also young so won't be as saturated. Just being a nervous parent I suppose! :) Thanks for the reply.
 
It's set to only.mist about a minute or two at a time with a good 4 minute misting at 9am and 2pm. I mist throughout the day to keep humidity up. I'm in a dry climate. I've got about 5-6 mists a day, which I thought was about how most people set their mist kings up. I'll dial it back but I live where humidity is normally about 20-30% and don't want it to drop that low for him.
That's the kind of thing that would have come out in answering the questions above. Good reason to mist more often during the day.
Misting stops at 5pm and a 1 minute misting at 9pm for humidity. Not sure of the humidity but temps are room temp at that time, as heat lamp turns off at 7.

I have a fogger but it is currently not attached to his tank. I'll probably do that tonight and cut down on the misting schedule.
That should help some, especially living in a low humidity climate. They need higher humidity at night—above 70%.
 
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