Questions from a newbie with a new male Veiled

[jajeanpierre]

Yesterday I bought a male Veiled from a pet shop. He looked so magnificent in the cage, I didn't think he deserved his likely fate of poor care and a slow death that awaits most reptiles sold out of a big store like Petsmart.

I have no idea of his age. He weighs 65 grams and is in good flesh and condition. The pet shop said he had been in the store about a month. Assuming he isn't stunted--and nothing about him suggests he has lacked nutrition--how old is he likely to be?

I'm new to chameleons, owning a much younger female Veiled for almost three weeks.

I would send pictures, but I can't figure out how to upload them. I think they are too large and that is why I get the "upload failed" message. (I've asked for help on the photography forum.)

Last night he came out of the box hissing, gaping and all puffed up ready to eat me. This morning he only started a half-hearted gape when I took him out to weigh him. I stopped moving, he closed his mouth and I was able to get him out of the cage and weighed.

I was thrilled to see him snatch up a few crickets this morning even before the lights were turned on and he was still very cold (mid 60s in the room).

I will assume he wasn't fed all that well in the pet store so will be dusting his food with calcium with D3. He has a Reptisun 5.0 plus a basking light. I'll be getting him outside in natural sun on warm days. How many feedings should I add the calcium with D3? I also have some plain calcium. His legs look straight and he seems in really good heath other than being a bit dehydrated. His casque has a bit of a bend on the front edge. Someone suggested it might be from MBD, but I don't think he has that problem.

Just now saw him get his tongue stuck on the edge of a plastic plant pot. I mean really stuck, right out of a cartoon. Can they hurt their tongue? He's snatched up a cricket since he got his tongue stuck is still hunting.

He just had a huge bowel movement. He seemed to strain to get it out. Is that normal? I've never seen my little female veiled have a bowel movement, but this boy seems quite confident and hangs out in the open. I would say the stool seems dry and the urates look as though he is slightly dehydrated. I'll work on getting fluids into him today. I bought him a dripper that I'll set up as well as regularly misting him and the plants.

Thanks for your patience.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

Yes, they can injure their tongues by firing at hard surfaces, which is why I don't like glass enclosures.... chameleons can see the reflection of feeder insects in the glass occasionally and fire at the reflection instead of the food. They can also catch sight of themselves and think that it is another chameleon, which stresses them no end.

I tend to only cup feed worms and free range everything else.

You want to be dusting your feeders with plain phosphorous free calcium WITHOUT D3 at every feeding, with D3 once every 2 weeks and once the other two weeks with a broad spectrum multi-vitamin.

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thanks ZiggyStardust. His new screen cage (Reptibreeze 24" x 24" x 48") arrives Friday. He'll be a lot happier in that.

Did you look at the bend in his casque? Does it look normal to you?

 

[ZiggyStardust]

Thanks ZiggyStardust. His new screen cage (Reptibreeze 24" x 24" x 48") arrives Friday. He'll be a lot happier in that.

Did you look at the bend in his casque? Does it look normal to you?

The first thing that I looked after the slight bend in his casque was his joints and to be honest, they didn't look too bad to me, as far as the MBD question was concerned... However I did see a thickening on one of his forearms, which might have meant that he did have MBD at one point (the damage never really goes away) which may also explain the slight bend in his casque.

Here is a mantra to live by, for chameleons.

A very very good UVB light, preferably strip and my own personal preference is the Arcadia T5.

Supplement with a good quality non-phosphorous calcium powder at every feeding, then D3 every 2 weeks and broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement every other two weeks.

Its what I have been sticking to for the past 9 months with my pair and I haven't had any problems.

Good luck.