please advise

lou e

New Member
Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled – 4-5 months. He has spurs, but his casque is (comparatively) small. I’ve had him since March 6

• Handling – I handle him once a week on cleaning day.

• Feeding – He eats between 10-20 crickets a day, plus up to 5 superworms and a couple waxworms a week. I gut load the crickets with bell pepper, butternut squash, carrots, kiwi, mango, kale, strawberries and Flukers. I free range them - ~8 crix in the morning and the same in the evening

• ****Supplements**** – here’s where there might be an issue. I was a stupid newb and dusted the crickets every day with rep-cal herptivite multivitamins. I did this for exactly three weeks (March 6-27) then I realized my mistake and stopped dusting the crickets until I got straight calcium from lllreptiles. Now that I know…I won’t give him multivitamins for a while, and I’ve been dusting all the crickets with calcium since March 30. Also D3 on the first and third Friday of every month

• Watering – I hand-spray around 7 am every day with warm water, put on a humidifier that runs for about 4 hours before running out of water. I mist and refill the humidifier when I get home around 6, and mist again at least once before going turning the light off. The cage is definitely dry from about noon until 6 pm. I see him drinking about every day.

• Fecal Description - he takes big ol brown poops with mostly white urate, sometimes has a little yellow to it. Not tested for parasites.

• History – I got him from a guy who says he ordered the cham from flchams.com…claims he is of Newton’s bloodline. I got him when he was around 3.5 months old.

Cage Info:
• Cage Type – Screen Reptibreeze, 16x16x20

• Lighting – I use a ReptisunWh 5.0 UVB tropical. I turn it on around 7 am and off between 7:30 and 9 pm. He also gets sunlight (through the window) from ~9-10:30

• Temperature – I got a stupid analog deal that doesn’t work. I let the AC get up to 80 degrees during the day, so I assume that at the bottom of the cage its around 80 and under the light between 80 and 90. At night I turn the AC down to 74, although sometimes the temp in the room might drop to (lowest) 68.

• Humidity – again, stupid analog p.o.s. doesn’t work. {see Watering above}

• Plants – I have a croton, shefflera and dracenea. Also fake vines winding around above the plants.

• Placement – the cage is about 3 feet off the ground in the corner of my room. He is completely undisturbed all day. I keep the ceiling fan running all the time.

• Location – Dallas, TX

Current Problem – He hasn’t shed since I’ve had him. Is that unusual at this age? Any tips, advice, recommendations, lecturing..on my overall husbandry would be much appreciate.
 
his enclosure:
 

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With my veil, he didn't seem to grow very much in the first few months that I've had him. Now that he is about 6-7 months old, he hit a tremendous growth spurt and is gaining weight like crazy. Just last week he gained 10 grams and I'm assuming it will be about equal when I weigh him tomorrow. He shed twice in three weeks which is equal to what he shed in 4 months.

The way I see your situation is that he is eating healthy so everything is "normal". From what I have read, many experience what I have and the growth spurt will hit. The only thing that might be a concern is that most suggest is to avoid feeding late in the day. People recommend that you feed at least 4 hours before lights out because basking aids in digestion. Getting some digital meters is important as well, but it seems that your cham is well hydrated in the way you describe his urate. So I guess it all boils down to being patient. He will grow in due time.!
 
Unless the window is open, he's not getting the light he needs. Glass filters out UVB. Leave the bulb on.

Are you sure he didn't shed one day and you missed it? When they're young they can do it very quickly and sometimes they eat the shed, so unless you're watching 24/7, you could miss it.
 
you should elevate your plants (put them on an upside down bucket or something) so theres more foliage at the top
 
Unless the window is open, he's not getting the light he needs. Glass filters out UVB. Leave the bulb on.

Are you sure he didn't shed one day and you missed it? When they're young they can do it very quickly and sometimes they eat the shed, so unless you're watching 24/7, you could miss it.

I leave the bulb on all day. I would leave the window open, but im just gone from the house for too long every day. i have him in the sun on the weekends when i can monitor him. Its pretty windy in dallas - do you think the change from still air to the strong wind stresses him out?

I guess there is a chance that he shed and i missed it. its really possible for him to have totally shed and then ate it all in one day?

dont you have a basking light in there for him or just a UVB?

I only have the UVB, no basking light. But i do let my room get up to 80 during the day and its probably about 5 degrees hotter under the UVB light...
i do have a basking bulb/lamp, what do you think? is 80+ not hot enough?

you should elevate your plants (put them on an upside down bucket or something) so theres more foliage at the top

I put the dracenea on top of a bowl and now hes all over it! thanks!



Also - he seems to have some white chalky-looking residue in his arm/leg pits.. do i need to bath him or anything? i make sure he gets pretty covered when i mist with warm water...
 
The lizard will shed accordig to its growth among a few other factors, no big deal.
You can mist it few tmes extra over the next week if you like to ensue suitable humidity.
Be more concerned with its overall growth and weight gain.
it's a good idea to weigh them on occasion and makes notes to ensure steady weight gain.
:)
 
The lizard will shed accordig to its growth among a few other factors, no big deal.
You can mist it few tmes extra over the next week if you like to ensue suitable humidity.
Be more concerned with its overall growth and weight gain.
it's a good idea to weigh them on occasion and makes notes to ensure steady weight gain.
:)


I agree with Mr. Jackson here... :)

I had my first 2 Ambilobe panthers for over a month before either of them shed. They are growing wonderfully, and I have no concerns. I wouldn't worry, it will happen.
 
Sorry, I misread. I thought it read like you turned the bulb on basically until the sun came out. I get it now.

And, yes, when they are young and growing fast, they can shed in about an hour. Between hiding shed in the plant and eating, it's very possible you missed it entirely.
 
got to love them growthspurts.
i have watched my guy do a full shed in under an hour and he shed 2 times this week.
and sometimes it can be a long time inbetween sheds.

outside it was in the low 20's for a month, he didnt shed then it jumped to mid 50's. he shed then it went back to the 30's and yesterday it was 68 and he shed again. today it was back in the 40's :*(
stupid weather.

but my guy eats and drinks the same and the basking temp has stayed the same but the rest of his condo temps went down with the to cold weather. i wish i had the $$ to spare to upgrade my windows
 
Sorry, I misread. I thought it read like you turned the bulb on basically until the sun came out. I get it now.

And, yes, when they are young and growing fast, they can shed in about an hour. Between hiding shed in the plant and eating, it's very possible you missed it entirely.

You were exactly right! I cleaned his cage just a moment ago and I found, tucked down into the base of the croton plant, a small piece of shed. he must have eaten the rest! this little creature continues to fascinate and surprise me!

also, he flared up into some very cool colors i havent seen on him before. pretty cool stuff! I guess i haven't realized it, but he really has grown since i got him a month ago (except for his puny casque). Im looking forward to watching him really develop here in the next few months!
 

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Are you sure its a male?
If its not and you fail to provide a place for it to lay eggs it will likely end up eggbound.
 
Are you sure its a male?
If its not and you fail to provide a place for it to lay eggs it will likely end up eggbound.

These are spurs on his heels, right? if you cant make it out from the picture, there are definitely bumps on the back of the guy's feet. the flchams receipt says its a male... i hope hes not a she..
 

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well now im a little nervous. a seemingly-female pattern, plus a very small casque, plus spurs... i dont know what to think? could it be a hermaphodite? how do i make sure of the sex?
 
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