should i be worried?

[olivia]

* Your Chameleon - Ambanja Panther Chameleon, Male, 4.5 months old, been in my care for 9 days.
* Handling - i have handled him ONCE since he came here, but am not going to try anymore for another two weeks.
* Feeding - i turn my chams lights on at 7am and feed him anywhere from 8-13 crickets around 7:15. I gutload his crickets with Roman lettuce, yellow squash, zucinni, banana peel, broccoli (discontinued using broccoli), apple peel, and Fukers dry gutload mix. orange slices as well. I give him a "shake" of fruit flies around 12pm and then again around 4:30ish.
* Supplements - i use fukers calcium with D3 twice monthly and Reptical herp twice monthly and Min-er-ol calcium the rest of the time.
* Watering -i use a water dripper that i set for about 20 mins. when he is done eating and i also mist his cage down about 3 times a day with a spray bottle.
* Fecal Description - looks healthly except for the orange but i know that means he needs more misting, putting that into effect today after i found it.



Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Reptarium. 22 gal.
* Lighting - Zoomed 60 watt basking bulb and a Repti 5.0 UVB bulb? i have him on a 12 hour cycle so 7am to 7pm with lights on and 7pm to 7am with lights off. i also keep the blinds in my room open during the day for him.
* Temperature -i have a battery powered temp. thing for the bottom which stays from 69-73 degrees, and another 1.00$ stick on thing at the top by the basking bulb that reads 95 always. (except at night)
* Humidity - i have a Reptifogger humidifier that i use to keep his emclosure around 60-70 % humidity during the day
* Plants - Two live plants. a small hibiscus and a ficus which i have Mirical Grow Organic potting soil, and also i have swished them in antibacterial soap before putting them in the cage.
* Placement -When he first got here his cage was about a foot off the ground, and the cage is about 2ft. tall... BUT yesterday i moved it to the corner of my room about 3ft off the ground plus the extra 2ft. he has in his cage...
* Location - i'm located in Houston Texas..... and we take him outside every other day for about 20 mins.









today i found him sleeping about an hour before i usually turn off his lights..

my boyfriend told me he found him sleeping the other day during the day as well but when i looked concerned then he said it was only for about 15 mins. but idk maybe he was for longer...



should i be worried?

 

[Ace]

its normal for chams to get ready for bed an hour or 30 minutes before the lights go out, its the repitition the cham figures the pattern, for example my cham gets on his "sleeping branch" about 1 hour before i turn off the lights.

BUT IF THE CHAM SLEEPS DURING THE DAY IN ANY AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IS NOT A GOOD SIGHN, THAT MEANS HE MIGHT BE SICK , AND MAY NEED A VET VISIT,

ALSO THE TEMP IS TOO HIGH! BABY CHAMS UNTIL 6-9 MONTHS NEED TO HAVE A BASKING HEAT TEMP BETWEEN 80-85 MAX, 70-75 EVERWHERE ELSE AND AT NIGHT 65-70.

ALSO YOU DONT REALLY NEED A HUMIDIFIER CUZ THAT CAN PRODUCE BACTERIA AND MAKE YOUR CHAM SICK, AND MOVING HIM BACK AND FORTH OUTSIDE CAN STRESS YOUR CHAM, MIGHT NEED TIME TO AJUST TO ONE PLACE FORA COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN INTRODUCE NEW AREAS.

 

[olivia]

if his humidifier isn't on it gets down to like 45% ...


They come from the tropical rain forest doesn't he need it?


also he hasn't shown any signs of the basking light being too hot

he basks after he eats and i havn't noticed him gaping his mouth or acting as if it is too hot... i guess i'll raise the light more though...



should i test his poop for bacteria?


i haven't been able to find a Reptile vet in houston yet...

 

[Julirs]

A 60 watt bulb will heat up the top of a 22 gallon Reptarium really fast. Get a digital thermometer with a probe and put in in the basking spot about 5" under the bulb and measure the temp. You want it to be no higher than 90, and it would be best slightly lower.

 

[Olimpia]

Well, I have to correct some of the points made by Ace. Young panthers can bask at 85-90*F perfectly, and I've found that mine have grown faster since raising their max temp from 80-84 to 90, where before they were just lagging in growth. However 95 is a little too high, so I would just lift the light up off the cage a little to achieve a slightly lower temp. I would also invest in a better thermometer for the basking area, since those cheap ones can be up to 10* off in acuracy!

Secondly, humidifiers are fine. Lots of people use them to keep the humidity up in their cages. They're especially good aparently if they are warm water humidifiers. If yours produces a thicker mist, it's good if you put it somewhere so that the cham can walk in and out of the mist as he chooses. As with temps, make sure you invest in soemthing to monitor the levels acurately Too much humidity and they could have problems.

And if you chameleon seems to enjoy the outtings outside, then don't stop taking him outside. Being in the sun a little while has such fantastic benefits for reptiles, benefits that can't be matched artificially. If he's not showing stress at all then it's a great way for him to be mentally, physically well, and for you two to bond. I take mine outside constantly.

It doesn't sound like anything serious, but you should keep an eye on him just in case. Going to bed early is normal, but keep an eye on his napping. Unless he has a good reason to nap (he was kept up all night or something) it could be a sign of sickness, as already mentioned. If there is more napping during the day take him to a good chameleon vet as soon as possible. It's so much better to nip that in the butt as soon as possible.

 

[Ace]

if his humidifier isn't on it gets down to like 45% ...


They come from the tropical rain forest doesn't he need it?


also he hasn't shown any signs of the basking light being too hot

he basks after he eats and i havn't noticed him gaping his mouth or acting as if it is too hot... i guess i'll raise the light more though...



should i test his poop for bacteria?


i haven't been able to find a Reptile vet in houston yet...

your right that they need humidity levels at certain range but usually live plants, a dripper ,and misting a few times a day should cover that, but if you think you need it then use it , but its suggested not to use.

and once you find a vet that is "cham experienced" not just any exotic or reptile vet, then get a fecal done, by getting a fresh poop, and see if there might be paraites.

 

[olivia]

Thank you so much! i spent alot of money on his humidifier so i was sad if i would have to stop using it

and i will be at the pet store TOMORROW to buy new thermometer and hygrometers.


He always seems to show what i think are his "happy" colors when i take him outside.. i take him in his cage outside so i'm not changing his environment, just exposing him some real sun..


his happy colors = bright blue with dark brown bars...

he seems kind of little though for being 4.5 months old... here is a picture.


http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=5535366&fbid=437272922040&id=630032040

 

[Ace]

Well, I have to correct some of the points made by Ace. Young panthers can bask at 85-90*F perfectly, and I've found that mine have grown faster since raising their max temp from 80-84 to 90, where before they were just lagging in growth. However 95 is a little too high, so I would just lift the light up off the cage a little to achieve a slightly lower temp. I would also invest in a better thermometer for the basking area, since those cheap ones can be up to 10* off in acuracy!

Secondly, humidifiers are fine. Lots of people use them to keep the humidity up in their cages. They're especially good aparently if they are warm water humidifiers. If yours produces a thicker mist, it's good if you put it somewhere so that the cham can walk in and out of the mist as he chooses. As with temps, make sure you invest in soemthing to monitor the levels acurately Too much humidity and they could have problems.

And if you chameleon seems to enjoy the outtings outside, then don't stop taking him outside. Being in the sun a little while has such fantastic benefits for reptiles, benefits that can't be matched artificially. If he's not showing stress at all then it's a great way for him to be mentally, physically well, and for you two to bond. I take mine outside constantly.

It doesn't sound like anything serious, but you should keep an eye on him just in case. Going to bed early is normal, but keep an eye on his napping. Unless he has a good reason to nap (he was kept up all night or something) it could be a sign of sickness, as already mentioned. If there is more napping during the day take him to a good chameleon vet as soon as possible. It's so much better to nip that in the butt as soon as possible.

Good point, i fully agree and respect your input,

 

[ghettomike]

My cham usually goes to her sleeping spot about an hour or a bit more before lights out and will often start lightly dozing off before lights out but she does not sleep at all through the day, she has always done this and is completely healthy so yours may be similar in behavior. Just keep an eye on him to make sure he is not sleeping through the day.