Preparing for my first chameleon, tips appreciated

[Traildrifterphalanx]

So this is kind of random but I think worth noting.
I'm dismantling the enclosure to clean, and the hibiscus and pothos are doing wonderfully, but the draceana of all things is dying. It's not fully dead, but the main branch crumpled and collapsed like a wet piece of paper towel. That couldn't have affected Mamool at all, could it?

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

So this is kind of random but I think worth noting.
I'm dismantling the enclosure to clean, and the hibiscus and pothos are doing wonderfully, but the draceana of all things is dying. It's not fully dead, but the main branch crumpled and collapsed like a wet piece of paper towel. That couldn't have affected Mamool at all, could it?

I don't think so . Unless she actually fell in her condition . Her grip last night was still good you thought . My personal opinion was dehydration and med combo shut the kidney function is down . I'm not a vet or an expert . That's just my opinion .

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

Ok, I just thought it was worth bringing up. I'm getting rid of it anyway. It's still alive but it's very floppy. I'm going to see if I can find a ficus perhaps.

Everything from the enclosure is in the tub, satiated in f10, and the enclosure itself is moved into the other room and saturated in f10. I sprayed both inside and outside to make sure everything was covered.
It's also now about 5'8" at the top, maybe about a half a foot taller than it was in the other room, but I haven't set it up on a drainage system yet which will boost the height a bit more

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Ok, I just thought it was worth bringing up. I'm getting rid of it anyway. It's still alive but it's very floppy. I'm going to see if I can find a ficus perhaps.

Everything from the enclosure is in the tub, satiated in f10, and the enclosure itself is moved into the other room and saturated in f10. I sprayed both inside and outside to make sure everything was covered.
It's also now about 5'8" at the top, maybe about a half a foot taller than it was in the other room, but I haven't set it up on a drainage system yet which will boost the height a bit more

definitely worth bringing up . It's good you added it . Maybe someone fallowing the thread will have another answer . She has already been dehydrated coming home with you . With young ones it's very hard to catch them back up . So many chameleons are lost to URI their very hard receiving from and she had an eye issue on top of that . Very experienced keepers could have not done much more then you had .
Awesome sounds like you cover everything . Check out dragon strand . They have drainage Bins that what I have . You could check it out get an idea and probably make one .

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

Ok cool, that sounds a little bit like what I've been doing, but would probably be more leak proof.

My idea was to get like a wire shelf and put a tote under it, but I wanted to look around in person to see if that idea was feasible

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Ok cool, that sounds a little bit like what I've been doing, but would probably be more leak proof.

My idea was to get like a wire shelf and put a tote under it, but I wanted to look around in person to see if that idea was feasible

That works great lots of keepers use totes And it's much easer to just dump . I have that try and if it over if it get to hi it will drip . I was using a fish tank pump to siphon water out . Now I jut use a Shop vac bit it would be so much easer if I could just dump it out . Frances gets extra mistings because she has respiratory issues . Septiceye I never have an issue with .

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

I like that idea. I was using my gravel vacuum for mine, but the tray wasn't sized properly to stop leaks. I may have to get that one if my idea doesn't work

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I like that idea. I was using my gravel vacuum for mine, but the tray wasn't sized properly to stop leaks. I may have to get that one if my idea doesn't work

Your idea will probably work just fine .

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded today.
I was a total wreck, but having the support of this forum really helped. I'm going to miss her greatly, and I was really pulling for her to make it through, but perhaps her passing was just for the best. I would have cared for her forever, but she was clearly struggling those last few days, as much as I wanted to see improvement

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

This is my favorite picture of her
She was such a little sweetheart

 

[Andee]

Sadly everyone in this community has had a loss one time or another that we weren't ready for and didn't go as planned. It's hard loving such fragile creatures (compared to others in our life) and wanting the best and knowing that improvement is possible but sometimes it's just not in the cards.

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

I'm hoping by the time I try again that my setup is basically fail proof. An automatic mister went from a concern to very exciting since the location of the enclosure has changed.
I'd love to be able to just look over at them, but my convenience is not preferable to them, but an automatic mister benefits us both.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded today.
I was a total wreck, but having the support of this forum really helped. I'm going to miss her greatly, and I was really pulling for her to make it through, but perhaps her passing was just for the best. I would have cared for her forever, but she was clearly struggling those last few days, as much as I wanted to see improvement

We all support each other . That's what we are here for . With this thread you will help so many . We all know how much you loved both little girls . They are so fragile and very hard to rehab so many are lost . She was very lucky to have had you even if it was only 10 days .

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I'm hoping by the time I try again that my setup is basically fail proof. An automatic mister went from a concern to very exciting since the location of the enclosure has changed.
I'd love to be able to just look over at them, but my convenience is not preferable to them, but an automatic mister benefits us both.

Yes and starting off with a healthy chameleon will be a first for you . I don't mean that in any harsh way . You have not had luck of the draw with them . I just think theirs much bad breeding with these little ones moms not taken care of correctly how is she going to have healthy babies . It's so very sad .

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

I'm looking forward to a healthy one. I really am. I'd love to see the difference in how they're supposed to act compared to what I've experienced first hand.

I have to remind myself my first Pacman frog was a disaster, it died over one weekend, but I had no idea how it was supposed to act, and it was very obvious after getting my current Pacman that the first one was very very ill. Just like my experience with beardies I know exactly what is not normal behavior.

I'm sure a healthy one will be eye opening

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I'm looking forward to a healthy one. I really am. I'd love to see the difference in how they're supposed to act compared to what I've experienced first hand.

I have to remind myself my first Pacman frog was a disaster, it died over one weekend, but I had no idea how it was supposed to act, and it was very obvious after getting my current Pacman that the first one was very very ill. Just like my experience with beardies I know exactly what is not normal behavior.

I'm sure a healthy one will be eye opening

And same with chameleons you absolutely know what's not normal . First think you will notice is the eyes . How plump they are in a healthy chameleon. When you get your healthy baby you will be like I think theirs something wrong with his/her eyes . They won't be closed through the day that another bad sign . Won't be all the gaping . Not that you won't ever see it . Hey regulate temperature by gaping , and activity will be ACTIVE!!.

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

I'm very excited, but going to force myself to wait until the end of next week.

I just took everything out of the tub tonight so I can shower before work without being knee deep in plants, and I just honestly cannot wait to try again. I'm not a quitter, I'm a "what can I do to fix this" type. I've put so much effort into this that I can't let them die in vain.

In the meantime I'm on the hunt for an umbrella plant or ficus. Would a fake silk ficus be OK in the enclosure? I truly prefer a real one but it seems ever only ones I can find are fake

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I'm very excited, but going to force myself to wait until the end of next week.

I just took everything out of the tub tonight so I can shower before work without being knee deep in plants, and I just honestly cannot wait to try again. I'm not a quitter, I'm a "what can I do to fix this" type. I've put so much effort into this that I can't let them die in vain.

In the meantime I'm on the hunt for an umbrella plant or ficus. Would a fake silk ficus be OK in the enclosure? I truly prefer a real one but it seems ever only ones I can find are fake

If you are definitely going with a veiled I would take no chances with fake . Not so much as babies bit older they love to munch on plants . You would hate to be dealing with impaction issues .

 

[Traildrifterphalanx]

Got it, then I will continue the hunt for a real ficus or umbrella plant