You’ve got a boy, congrats! As far as husbandry, there are some incorrect things going on, so I’m going to attach your filled out husbandry form on this thread and give you my feedback here!
My feedback and any questions will be in red; I’ll also post helpful images and links at the end:
Your Chameleon -Veiled Chameleon, unknown, and age of your chameleon. Since the 29th of January
Handling - I usually try to take out my cham for a couple of minutes a day just for it to get used to me, and I only take it out if it's not trying to get away, I never try to chase it down.
The best way to get him used to you is to try to handfeed him
Feeding - I feed my cham crickets and mealworms daily. I put in around 6 crickets a little after my cham wakes up with cal without d3 powder and 3 mealworms a couple of hours before lights off with cal without d3 and whatever it doesn't eat I throw away. I haven't started gut loading yet but I am starting it tomorrow and getting a cricket keeper.
Mealworms are a big no-no as a staple (and as a treat, too, to most people, including me). At his age, feed him his as much as he’ll eat! Gutloading is crucial, so you need to start it ASAP! Variety is key for feeder variety and especially for gutloading! I’ve attached both gutloading and feeder charts. Give multiple fresh gutload ingredients (in the correct ratios) and/or a quality commercial gutload either 24/7 to all feeders and colonies or pick out the feeder insects you’ll feed off and put them in a separate container with the good gutload overnight to a few hours before feeding them off (still feed the other bugs and colonies, though). I would recommend something bigger for crickets, like a big bin with enough ventilation.
Supplements - I have repticalcium without d3 for ever meal and repticalcium with d3 for every other week and a vitamin A supplement on the way.
What Vitamin A supplement? If it’s the Repashy Vitamin A, supplement, that is too strong! If you got Zoo Med’s Chameleon Kit (which I believe you did), the supplements that came with the kit are Zoo Med ReptiCalcium without D3 and Zoo Med Reptivite with D3. So you’ll use the calcium without D3 on every feeding and the Reptivite with D3 once every two weeks as your multivitamin with preformed Vitamin A and D3.
Watering - I have a dripper, I mist 2 times a day until my cham starts going down to drink and realizes there is water, I always see my cham drinking when I mist.
How long do you mist for each time? And what times of day do you mist? Does the dripper drip onto leaves or go straight to the bottom?
Fecal Description - decent sized dark and a little white one. has not been tested for parasites to my knowledge.
I would recommend getting a fecal done from an experienced chameleon vet, especially since he‘s from a pet store. Make sure to bring a fresh fecal sample with you to the appointment, as well as getting x-rays and/or anything else done that is recommended from the vet if needed. Make sure to drop of at least two fresh fecal samples afterwards to make sure no parasites were missed.
History - Nothing noteworthy
Cage Info:
Cage Type - 16x16x30
Once he’s a little older, if not now, he’ll need a minimum cage size of at least 2’ x 2’ x 4’ tall, but preferably 4’ x 2’ x 4’ tall or bigger. Bigger is always better! As @Beman said, the substrate needs to be removed ASAP!
Lighting - Zoo med Reptisun 10.0 UVB mini compact fluorescent(I have a Zoo Med Reptisun T5-Ho Terrarium Hood - 14 on the way), I don't know what kind of heat lamp I have, About 12 hours on 12 hours off
Both @Beman and I have gone over your lighting on both threads. If you got the kit, it’ll be a blue heat bulb, which you’ll need to replace with a white light incandescent bulb (regular house incandescent bulbs from the hardware store work great and are cheap). You’ll have to play around with the wattages until you get the correct temp, just make sure the bulb is at least 7” away from his casque/top of his back when he’s on his basking branch, but preferably 8-9” or more. Angling the dome with his heat bulb in it is preferred to supply a better heat gradient.
Temperature - The coldest area is around 60-70 and hottest around 80-85, about 60-70, I have 2 thermometers
His basking temp (measured with a digital thermometer with a probe placed where his casque/top of his back is when he’s on his basking branch) shouldn’t go past 80*F as the absolute max for now! 60*F is great for at night!
Humidity -the lowest level it gets is 40 and the highest is around 80-70, I spray twice a day until my cham realizes there is water, I use "BALDR Digital Hygrometer & Indoor Thermometer - Accurate Humidity Gauge Indicator, Room Temperature, and Humidity Monitor - Mini Hygrometer" on amazon
That is too high for during the day. It should be between 30-50% during the day and up to 100% at night.
Plants - I have a dwarf umbrella tree, a weeping fig, and I also have a golden pathos that I am growing to put in later
You need live veiled-tested chameleon-safe plants only in his cage, as @Beman and I have both said. Make sure to clean off all plants properly before putting them in the cage, as well as putting rocks too big for him to eat (or use screen) over the soil in all of the pots.
Placement - The Cage is in my room which is low traffic, on top of a shelf about 20 inches off the ground(i am buying a taller shelf soon)
Location - Central Washington
Current Problem - Just making sure I am being a good cham owner and that I have everything I need
Here are some great links (besides the one @Beman already put) and helpful images (make sure you read through all modules and the veiled species profile, as well as listen to as many podcasts as possible, from The Chameleon Academy, they have the most accurate and up-to-date info!):
https://www.chameleons.info/en/
(link no longer valid)
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/external-resources/
https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/
https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/
(link no longer valid)
