Small Adult Chameleons

[SJRG95]

Have any of you guys ever had full grown chams that are just smaller than what they are supposed to be?

I always knew my female veiled was small but i took her to the vet for her annual check up and we did xrays and all that fun stuff and shes perfectly healthy shes just small.

 

[Lathis]

My male Jacksons is pretty small. At 2-1/2, he's been holding steady at about 65 grams for a long time. Based on reports from other members, he seems small for a Jax (but based on his fat pads, he's not underfed, ha!).

 

[SJRG95]

My vet says she's perfect weight hasnt lost any over the year and her bone density is perfect! Our chams are just perfect baby size!

 

[johnnyev]

I have a male Triceros hoehnelli that was the last to be born & the runt of the litter. He was half the size of the others that were born. He has a really bad appetite & i guess he'll always be a lot smaller than the maximum size he could achieve.

 

[SJRG95]

My girl eats like a pic. She can eat 30 2 week crickets no problem. She's really active and want even the runt. It's odd!

 

[camimom]

How old is she supposed to be?

Because if she was an adult, shed have her sexually mature colors, which she doesn't.

 

[SJRG95]

She is at least 13 months old. I got her in October 2013 and they said she was 3 months old. But she's at least 13 months since I've had her that long. My vet said she probably wont ever breed and hopefully never habe eggs because she is so small they could kill her.

 

[camimom]

Do you have a photo of her from when you got her?

 

[SJRG95]

Th first picture is of her a few days after i got her, and the second is her right now, (she was mad because i found her secret hiding spot and took her out of it). When i took her to the vet 4 months ago she weighed 20 grams, and then 2 months after she weighed 22 grams. She eats and drinks wonderfully and she gets a nivce variety of snacks. Even eats her fruits.

 

[SJRG95]

And the second

 

[camimom]

Well only the first pic showed through, but she does look around 3 months old in it. ( just wanted to make sure whoever you bought her from didn't lie or anything like that)

What do you feed, how much, how often?

and do you supplement and if so, with what?

 

[SJRG95]

Yeah i always just tell the vet that she is at least 13 months old, because i have had her that long, They told me 3-4 months when i got her (she wasnt even the runt), but i didnt believe that after a few months passsed by. They also told me she was a he, but after a few daqys i figured that one out on my own. I feed her a stable diet of crickets every day, they are about 2 weeks old, they get feed veggies, the yellow fluekers calcium stuff and occasionally cricket chow. She can eat forever, no stopping her, so i feed her about 20 crickets. And around 6p if she wants more i give her 5. I have a free climbing range wall set up in my room i leave her cage open and she runs over to it, she knows what here food bowl looks like and will sit by it waiting for me to feed her every morning.
Right now she is in a small cage but she really only sleeps there or if i left my male cham out does she go back in.
I take her outside at least 2x a week (florida weather permitting).
I dust with calcium powder with D3 (1x a week), it used to be 2x a week for 2 months by vet order.
I also feed crickets food high in calcium and antioxidants to pass on the yummy ness.
For snacks- she gets strawberry and watermelon (she tried to eat my nails once bc it was red).
Hornworms she gets 2 a day when i have them
Mealworms/Supeworms maybe 2 a month- shes so small and they are so big.
Calciworms- a few every month (if my pet stores have any)
Waxworms- a few a month

She has a 75watt heat bulb, and 10 UVB (with UVA).

 

[camimom]

Alright, so most everything is fine, but the gutloading of the bugs and the supplements.

SHe needs a calcium with no d3 for every feeding, a calcium with d3 twice a month (not a week, too much d3 can be bad) and a multivitamin twice a month.

Or you can use repashy all in one calcium plus on every feeding, nothing else required.

About gutloading, the flukers is a four letter word I cant say here.
SO, read some blogs by sandrachameleon about gutloading, fresh fruits and veggies are what the bugs needs.

 

[SJRG95]

I give most of my crickets a nice variety of fruits and veggies (carrots, watermelon, strawberry, squash, cucumber, sometimes apples and berries) so i am not too worried about that.

I only used the calci powder with D3 bc the vet suggested it, i used to use D3 only 1x a month and regular calci 3x a week, but i will dust her food more with regular powder.

What kind of multivitamin should i use?

 

[camimom]

I give most of my crickets a nice variety of fruits and veggies (carrots, watermelon, strawberry, squash, cucumber, sometimes apples and berries) so i am not too worried about that.

I only used the calci powder with D3 bc the vet suggested it, i used to use D3 only 1x a month and regular calci 3x a week, but i will dust her food more with regular powder.

What kind of multivitamin should i use?

I think zoomed has one, its nothing special, just says multivitamin on it.

 

[SJRG95]

Awesome! Alright I will go buy some today! thank you for the input!