Jupiter
Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
He is a male amblilobe panther, about four to four and a half months. I have had him for twelve days.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Once a day, to feed. I never pick him up or force him, just coax with food.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
So far he has been eating mostly crickets and phoenix worms, but he had some of my original batch of super worms before they got too big. I just got some smaller replacements, as well as some dubia roaches that he had this morning and some silkworms he had yesterday. So right now I have all of the above, and will be switching it up daily.
His appetite is one of the things that is worrying me. It started out slow but good, he ate the first day and worked his way up steadily till he peaked five days ago when he went absolutely nuts and ate like 25-30 crickets in about ten minutes. Since then his appetite has been way down, he only eats three or four phoenix worms at a time then grazes if I leave the cup in there, where before his feast he would eat around ten. I’m worried that maybe he became impacted somehow, but I’ve been seeing feces regularly so maybe he’s just full?
I’ve been feeding him around two hours after lights on, and then sometimes a little later in the early afternoon.
I’m making my own gutload based off the info found in sandrachameleons blogs. I made a blended mix of apples, carrots, squash, romaine hearts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds that I give to the roaches and the crickets, and I just put chunks of the first four ingredients in the with the supers. I made the mix about two weeks ago when I first got him and have been keeping it sealed in the fridge. Do you think its still good? I also put orange slices in with the crix and roaches.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I’m currently using all Sticky Tongue Farms products: Miner-All Outdoor (without D3), Miner-All Indoor (with) and Vit-All, a vitamin gutload. I also have an unopened container of Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3 and Zoo Med Reptivite with D3, but was recommended that I use the STF stuff instead by Bruce from Chameleon Paradise, whom I purchased him from, in addition to saying that it is better to keep the vitamins and the D3 separate. He also gave me a baggy of Repashy Supervite vitamin A supplement, to be given once a month. Like I said I haven’t actually had him long enough to have gone through a full supplement cycle yet, but the plan
I’ve been going by so far is MA Outdoor every day, MA Indoor every other week, and Vit-All every other week opposite the MA Indoor, as well as the Repashy stuff once a month. I dusted with Indoor Friday before last, and forgot to gutload with Vit-All yesterday so I went with the Repashy instead. I remembered the Vit-All for today, but I’m not sure how much the roaches actually ate. I also gave a light dusting with the Repashy again because he only ate about three or four of the silks that had been dusted with it yesterday. I’m not sure I really like the Vit-All, as I can’t control the amount they eat.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I have a MistKing that goes off for 15 min when the lights come on, then 10 min every two hours until lights off, when it goes for 15 again. The cage does dry completely between mistings; I live in a very dry area. I do see him drink.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
It has been medium brown with a white urate and an even consistency. It was looking more dehydrated when I first got him but that has cleared up. He has not been tested yet, but I plan to take him in for a full physical in the upcoming weeks.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I don’t really know what to say other then I got him CB from Chameleon Paradise and I’m pretty sure he had just finished up a shed when I got him.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
I have one of the standard 2’x2’x4’ screen cages you can find variants of all over the web, but then I built a two foot platform out of redwood to turn it into a 2’x2’x2’ until he is older. Then I drilled some holes in the floor and put a bucket in the space underneath. When he gets big enough I’ll take the platform out and swap the table he is on for a shelving unit, for drainage purposes.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I have an 18” Zilla Slimline tropical for UVB and your standard dome lamp with a white 60 watt incandescent for heat. 7 AM to 8 PM
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
The average gradient seems to be about 72 F – 80 F, but the very hottest point is in the 90s, which is too high. I live in an area where the concept of seasons is basically a big joke, especially this time of the year, and I’ve been struggling to compensate for the fluctuating ambient temps as well as keeping that hotspot down while still keeping the ambient temp up enough. He does have quite the jungle gym underneath his light, so its not like he only has access to that one hottest spot, but I would rather he not have access to it at all.
The lowest overnight temp is about 65 F
I have a digital ExoTerra combo thermo/hygro with the probe in the middle of the cage, and a standard digital ExoTerra thermo near the basking spot, although there are a few places that are hotter then that. I also have a SainSonic infrared thermometer that I use to check individual spots.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
The humidity fluctuates from the mid 90s during a misting, down to about 50 at night. It’s typically in the 70s.
Like I said I have a MistKing, as well as two of the walls of the cage covered in plastic. I also have a Crane humidifier next to the cage running pretty much all the time. At night I cover his cage with a sheet, as he is in my room and I stay up later then him, and lately I have been putting a wet towel under that on top of the cage.
I measure the levels with the above mentioned ExoTerra combo meter.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Yup. I’ve got a Pothos, a Schefflera and a Parlor Palm. I’ve also got some apple and crab apple branches in there, as well as a small antler.
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
It’s in my room, so pretty low traffic. No fans or vents. It has a view out a window, but is not next to it. The top of the cage is about six and a half feet off the ground.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Colorado, in the Denver-Boulder area
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
He is a male amblilobe panther, about four to four and a half months. I have had him for twelve days.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Once a day, to feed. I never pick him up or force him, just coax with food.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
So far he has been eating mostly crickets and phoenix worms, but he had some of my original batch of super worms before they got too big. I just got some smaller replacements, as well as some dubia roaches that he had this morning and some silkworms he had yesterday. So right now I have all of the above, and will be switching it up daily.
His appetite is one of the things that is worrying me. It started out slow but good, he ate the first day and worked his way up steadily till he peaked five days ago when he went absolutely nuts and ate like 25-30 crickets in about ten minutes. Since then his appetite has been way down, he only eats three or four phoenix worms at a time then grazes if I leave the cup in there, where before his feast he would eat around ten. I’m worried that maybe he became impacted somehow, but I’ve been seeing feces regularly so maybe he’s just full?
I’ve been feeding him around two hours after lights on, and then sometimes a little later in the early afternoon.
I’m making my own gutload based off the info found in sandrachameleons blogs. I made a blended mix of apples, carrots, squash, romaine hearts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds that I give to the roaches and the crickets, and I just put chunks of the first four ingredients in the with the supers. I made the mix about two weeks ago when I first got him and have been keeping it sealed in the fridge. Do you think its still good? I also put orange slices in with the crix and roaches.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I’m currently using all Sticky Tongue Farms products: Miner-All Outdoor (without D3), Miner-All Indoor (with) and Vit-All, a vitamin gutload. I also have an unopened container of Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3 and Zoo Med Reptivite with D3, but was recommended that I use the STF stuff instead by Bruce from Chameleon Paradise, whom I purchased him from, in addition to saying that it is better to keep the vitamins and the D3 separate. He also gave me a baggy of Repashy Supervite vitamin A supplement, to be given once a month. Like I said I haven’t actually had him long enough to have gone through a full supplement cycle yet, but the plan
I’ve been going by so far is MA Outdoor every day, MA Indoor every other week, and Vit-All every other week opposite the MA Indoor, as well as the Repashy stuff once a month. I dusted with Indoor Friday before last, and forgot to gutload with Vit-All yesterday so I went with the Repashy instead. I remembered the Vit-All for today, but I’m not sure how much the roaches actually ate. I also gave a light dusting with the Repashy again because he only ate about three or four of the silks that had been dusted with it yesterday. I’m not sure I really like the Vit-All, as I can’t control the amount they eat.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I have a MistKing that goes off for 15 min when the lights come on, then 10 min every two hours until lights off, when it goes for 15 again. The cage does dry completely between mistings; I live in a very dry area. I do see him drink.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
It has been medium brown with a white urate and an even consistency. It was looking more dehydrated when I first got him but that has cleared up. He has not been tested yet, but I plan to take him in for a full physical in the upcoming weeks.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I don’t really know what to say other then I got him CB from Chameleon Paradise and I’m pretty sure he had just finished up a shed when I got him.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
I have one of the standard 2’x2’x4’ screen cages you can find variants of all over the web, but then I built a two foot platform out of redwood to turn it into a 2’x2’x2’ until he is older. Then I drilled some holes in the floor and put a bucket in the space underneath. When he gets big enough I’ll take the platform out and swap the table he is on for a shelving unit, for drainage purposes.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I have an 18” Zilla Slimline tropical for UVB and your standard dome lamp with a white 60 watt incandescent for heat. 7 AM to 8 PM
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
The average gradient seems to be about 72 F – 80 F, but the very hottest point is in the 90s, which is too high. I live in an area where the concept of seasons is basically a big joke, especially this time of the year, and I’ve been struggling to compensate for the fluctuating ambient temps as well as keeping that hotspot down while still keeping the ambient temp up enough. He does have quite the jungle gym underneath his light, so its not like he only has access to that one hottest spot, but I would rather he not have access to it at all.
The lowest overnight temp is about 65 F
I have a digital ExoTerra combo thermo/hygro with the probe in the middle of the cage, and a standard digital ExoTerra thermo near the basking spot, although there are a few places that are hotter then that. I also have a SainSonic infrared thermometer that I use to check individual spots.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
The humidity fluctuates from the mid 90s during a misting, down to about 50 at night. It’s typically in the 70s.
Like I said I have a MistKing, as well as two of the walls of the cage covered in plastic. I also have a Crane humidifier next to the cage running pretty much all the time. At night I cover his cage with a sheet, as he is in my room and I stay up later then him, and lately I have been putting a wet towel under that on top of the cage.
I measure the levels with the above mentioned ExoTerra combo meter.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Yup. I’ve got a Pothos, a Schefflera and a Parlor Palm. I’ve also got some apple and crab apple branches in there, as well as a small antler.
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
It’s in my room, so pretty low traffic. No fans or vents. It has a view out a window, but is not next to it. The top of the cage is about six and a half feet off the ground.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Colorado, in the Denver-Boulder area
