Panther color question

M

mfilla

New Member
Hi I have a male blue bar ambilobe panther that is about 10 months old. For the past few weeks he has been really pale. His blue is almost white and his red is a very light pink. He hasn't colored up, even during a photoshoot where he was being handled quite a bit. He is eating/dringking well, humidity in the 60's ambient temps in the 70's with a basking spot, UVB, etc.

Is this normal or should I worry?

Thanks, Matt
 
mfilla said:
Hi I have a male blue bar ambilobe panther that is about 10 months old. For the past few weeks he has been really pale. His blue is almost white and his red is a very light pink. He hasn't colored up, even during a photoshoot where he was being handled quite a bit. He is eating/dringking well, humidity in the 60's ambient temps in the 70's with a basking spot, UVB, etc.

Is this normal or should I worry?

Thanks, Matt
Click to expand...

Are you getting him any natural sunlight??? Some sun time may brighten him up.

Also to better help you

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.



Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and type 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?
  • Location - 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?
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
 
yeah.. thats what i thought at first but then he did mention its been going on for weeks so that kindda throws it off...mine lighten up a day or so before shedding and then shed within a day or two...

have yiou had him for 10 months or did you just acquire him?
 
Cage Info:
Cage Type - 24x24x48 screen
Lighting - there are 3 reptisun 5.0 bulbs on a 12 hour schedule with a 100w powersun basking bulb
Temperature - low of 77 daytime, basking spot of 92, ambient 82, night low of 75 measured with an infrared thermomiter
Humidity - ambient room humidity of 60-65% with a room humidifier, automated misting system goes 4x/day with intervals of 1-3 min/time using distilled water.
Plants - ficus tree and biovine
Location - in herproom with tree boas and daygeckos, cage is on carpeted floor.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - 10 month old blue bar ambilobe, have had him for approx 4 months
Handling - almost never, just for cage cleaning.
Feeding - usuallu 3 dubia roaches every other day, occasionally crickets and superworms. roaches feed on ground high quality cat food, criket gel and veggies 1-2x/wk
Supplements - I rotate a light dusting of repcal w/ vitD3, herptivite and minerall every feeding of roaches or crickets
Watering - misting, see humidity, he drinks almost every time I see it go off.
Fecal Description - looks good has been tested and is parasite free
History - A few months back my misting system broke and I didn't know it untill he was almost dead, the vet and I were able to nurse him back to health. It took a few days of force feeding, salene injections, and precautionary antibiotics to jumpstart him but now he is an eating/drinking/pooping machine.
Current Problem - lack of color. he's very faded out and doesn't change, even with stress.
 
Reptisun UVB is only 4 months or so old, I thought maybe he wasn't under those as much so I bouthe the other one last week
 
mfilla said:
Cage Info:
Cage Type - 24x24x48 screen
Lighting - there are 3 reptisun 5.0 bulbs on a 12 hour schedule with a 100w powersun basking bulb
Temperature - low of 77 daytime, basking spot of 92, ambient 82, night low of 75 measured with an infrared thermomiter


are thes linier tubes or compact? if they are compact you need to swap them out asap with a tube ,, also i would think 3 5.0's is overkill..
Click to expand...
 
Mineral O or I? I only use a supplement with D3 in it twice a month.

Also...explain about the 3 UVB tubes please? I only have one one mine and one regular florescent and I use a regular incandescent household light bulb in a hood for the basking area.
 
the coil bulbs have been known to cause serious eye problems... and yes 3 is overkill youll only need one reptisun5.0 linier tube...
 
the hood I was just using for overall light so I figured I'd put in reptisun for all 3 bulbs. I use a regular ceramic dome for the basking spot. I never really gave it much thought.
 
Try taking him outside when the weather permit.
Let him enjoy the sunlight.
His color should perk up.

My concern is the fact that he's in the same room with your boa.
Does your chameleon able to see the presence of the snake daily?
That could be the reason he goes pale.

I imagine that it is mighty stressful for him to see a predator so nearby.
Also 3 uvb lights for him seems a bit excessive. That could be another reason why he pale up his skin. Try turning off 2 of them. and see if his color change.
 
also like kinyonga said d3 should only be given 1-2 times per month if that..under a good lighting set up(natrual sun light) they do produce thier own d3 as well..
 
dodolah said:
Try taking him outside when the weather permit.
Let him enjoy the sunlight.
His color should perk up.

My concern is the fact that he's in the same room with your boa.
Does your chameleon able to see the presence of the snake daily?
That could be the reason he goes pale.

I imagine that it is mighty stressful for him to see a predator so nearby.
Also 3 uvb lights for him seems a bit excessive. That could be another reason why he pale up his skin. Try turning off 2 of them. and see if his color change.
Click to expand...





good point about the snake...if he is in plan view of your chameleon that would surely stress him out..
 
OK so the plan will be:

switch to 1 tube UV
make sure he can't see the snakes
calcium without D3 except for 1-2x/month
get him natural sunlight when the weather permits

Did you guys see any other points of concern in my husbandry, or have any other suggestions for someone relatively new to chameleons?

Thanks for all the help, and I'll keep you guys posted on what happens, Matt
 
the only other thing i would do a lil different is gut load the dubias with a gutload rather then catfood.. catfood would be alright to sustain the colony but when you feed off to your cham i would load em up with actual "gutload",fruits, and veggies
 
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