Shedding?

[chase31157]

Cage Info:

* Cage Type - glass on front, back and bottom; screen doors on sides and top, approximate dimensions: 30x29x12 inches
* Lighting - 75 watt zoo med UVA heat lamp, 15 watt UVB strip light (brand unknown)
* Temperature - day 80-85, night 70-75 F
* Humidity - usually around 50%, I use an automatic mister, a drip line, and I also spray down the leaves in the cage a couple times a day
* Plants - fake plants for now, I plan on getting real ones soon
* Placement - the cage is on top of my dresser. The top of the cage is about 6 feet off the floor
* Location - Colorado


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - veiled female, about 6 months old, I have had her for one week
* Handling - I have not handled her yet. I am letting her get used to her new environment first.
* Feeding - I am feeding her small crickets and meal worms. I feed her twice a day, usually 4 or five crickets and two meal worms throughout the entire day, split up between the two feedings. I gutload the crickets with carrots, brocolli, red leaf lettuce, and apple.
* Supplements - I use Rep-Cal phosphorous-free calcium with Vit D3 and Rep-Cal Herptivite multivitamins with beta carotene. I am still in the process of developing a schedule, but I am thinking about dusting the calcium on 3 feedings per week and the multivitamin on 1 feeding per week. Does this sound ok? Any suggestions? I have read a lot of different things and would like to know what a good supplementation schedule would be.
* Watering - I use a spray bottle on the leaves once or twice a day. I also have an automatic mister. Right now I have it set to spray every 6 hours for 15 seconds. Lastly, I have a drip system that drips into a water bowl. I have seen my chameleon drinking.
* Fecal Description - I have seen both white and dark fecal matter. I do not know what is normal.

* Current Problem - I think my chameleon is shedding, but do not know for sure, as she is my first chameleon and I have never seen one shed before. Yesterday, I was changing out the moss on the bottom of her cage and she started to get really stressed out. Her coloration showed up darker than I have ever seen it before. She stayed that way for about an hour, at which point it was time to turn her lights off and she went to sleep. When I left for work today, she seemed ok. She no longer had the patterns on her skin that show up when she gets nervous, but her overall color was a little darker than usual. When I got home, her head, legs, and the top of her back were all white and flaky. I am pretty sure she is just shedding, but as I said before, this is my first chameleon, and I just want to make sure that's all it is. I have included pictures of both her dark coloring from yesterday and the white flaking today. They are not the best pics, but hopefully they will give you an idea. Thank you!

 

[cushcameleon]

Yes, she is shedding. That's probably the reason for her moodiness as well.

 

[chase31157]

That's what I thought. I just wanted confirmation from someone more experineced. Thanks for the quick reply!

 

[Dunnigan]

Yes your chameleon is shedding, also a few other things...

* Your Chameleon - veiled female, about 6 months old, I have had her for one week

I dont know if you know, but you will need a laying bin for her to lay eggs eventually. Even if you do not mate her she will lay eggs.

* Feeding - I am feeding her small crickets and meal worms. I feed her twice a day, usually 4 or five crickets and two meal worms throughout the entire day, split up between the two feedings. I gutload the crickets with carrots, brocolli, red leaf lettuce, and apple.

I would not feed meal worms, they arent very nutritous and have a tough shell that can be difficult for the chameleon to digest

Stop using broccoli, it is not reccomended as a veggie to gutload with becuase (I am 90% sure) it blocks calcium absorption

* Supplements - I use Rep-Cal phosphorous-free calcium with Vit D3 and Rep-Cal Herptivite multivitamins with beta carotene. I am still in the process of developing a schedule, but I am thinking about dusting the calcium on 3 feedings per week and the multivitamin on 1 feeding per week. Does this sound ok? Any suggestions? I have read a lot of different things and would like to know what a good supplementation schedule would be.

You need three supplements,

Cal with d3 -4-5 times a week
Cal without d3 -2x monthly
and multivitamin-2x monthly

* Watering - I use a spray bottle on the leaves once or twice a day. I also have an automatic mister. Right now I have it set to spray every 6 hours for 15 seconds. Lastly, I have a drip system that drips into a water bowl. I have seen my chameleon drinking.

If you can make the auto mister spray for longer more frequently

* Fecal Description - I have seen both white and dark fecal matter. I do not know what is normal.

Yes that is normal, the dark is fecal matter, and the white is urates, it is important that they are white with no yellow or orange, that is a sign of dehydration

I was changing out the moss on the bottom of her cage and she started to get really stressed out.

A lot of people on here do not reccomened any substrate on the bottom of the cage is becasue if you chameleon eats some it can cause impactation, a clean bottom would be best (its also easier to clean)

 

[cushcameleon]

Cal with d3 -4-5 times a week
Cal without d3 -2x monthly

I am pretty sure Dunnigan meant to say Calcium without D3- 4 to 5 times a week and Calcium with D3 2x monthly. D3 can build up in your chameleons body, so it only needs to be feed a few times a month if your cham lives indoors.

 

[chase31157]

Where can I get calcium without D3? I looked at the local pet store where I bought her and also Petco, and could only find calcium with D3. Is there somewhere I can order it online? Thanks for all the great tips!

 

[cushcameleon]

Here ya go http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...d-cage-cleaners/-/rep-cal-calcium-without-d3/. A lot of members on the site use the stuff because it has no phosphorus.