Thoughts on my setup?

Charlie is my veiled chameleon about 3-4 months old, I got him from petsmart (I know I know) when I first got Charlie about a month and a half ago, he was VERY nervous and stressed. I am very new to the chameleon family. However with research and help from this forum, I think I have improved his quality of life. He is still young and growing, so he is currently in his starter enclosure, a reptibreeze screen enclosure. At first I was using the dual dome lighting with the heat lamp/UVB combined. I have now upgraded to a T5 HO 24 inch hood, and 22 inch UVB bulb 10.0. As soon as I set up the new UVB, Charlie has been more active and eating a lot more. I can definitely see a difference in this lighting. So for new Cham owners like myself. Please invest in the T5 HO linear fixtures!! Now my husbandry consists of a small potted bonsai tree, Safe soil, with larger rocks for draining, and for my Cham to drink off of. A small SAFE plant just to add some greenery to his life, and vines that I washed a placed inside for him to roam around on. He also has climbing sticks (washed) that he basks on and perches on when eating. I have also added a fake taller, very sturdy plant with thicker branches that he like to hide in and often sleep in. I created my own drip system, with a container I popped pinholes in. It drips about 1-2 drops every second, I've often seen him drinking from this, and licking of the leaves of his enclosure. This drains into a tall vase that I empty frequently, to keep his substrate from flooding. On the outside I have a humidifier to work with my dripper to keep the humidity around 50%-60%. I still mist his enclosure just to ensure he stays hydrated. I recently switched to feeding him Dubai roaches which he loves, also dusted with Calcium powder (without D3) and about every 3 weeks I dust with a multivitamin. I gut load my dubia roaches and keep them happy as well. He is on a 12 hour on, 12 hour off schedule, this is very precise and always accurate. Sorry for such a long post! Please give me any feedback and suggestions of anything I can do to improve my methods or if I am doing anything wrong! I will attach pictures to give you a visual of his everyday life! Also I do not handle Charlie at all, I try to just watch him from afar, I have only taken him out to clean his cage, and only plan to handle him only when necessary! Thank you in advance for any advice y'all can offer! Also I am located in Northeast Ohio, so keeping humidity levels precise here is very important to me for my Cham!
 

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Hi there looking good. So your gonna wanna pull that T5 fixture more toward the middle of the cage for better dispersal of the light. What bulbs are you running in the double dome? What temps are you getting basking and ambient? I would add a horizontal vine to the top going back and forth about 7 inches down from the top to create multiple basking spots. attach it with tiny zip ties.

Are you doing any supplementation with D3? check the multivitamin as sometime they have it. If you are having any issues stabilizing your humidity you can wrap the back and sides of the cage with a vinyl shower curtain as well. use magnets to attach it to the frame. This will also protect your walls from overspray.
If you want a more complete look at your husbandry fill out this form.
Chameleon Info:

  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • 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?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
 
i would also like to add that the bulbs should be raised above the cage so your cham doesnt burn himself.
 
Hi there looking good. So your gonna wanna pull that T5 fixture more toward the middle of the cage for better dispersal of the light. What bulbs are you running in the double dome? What temps are you getting basking and ambient? I would add a horizontal vine to the top going back and forth about 7 inches down from the top to create multiple basking spots. attach it with tiny zip ties.

Are you doing any supplementation with D3? check the multivitamin as sometime they have it. If you are having any issues stabilizing your humidity you can wrap the back and sides of the cage with a vinyl shower curtain as well. use magnets to attach it to the frame. This will also protect your walls from overspray.
If you want a more complete look at your husbandry fill out this form.
Chameleon Info:

  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • 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?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

in the done fixture i’m just using 1 bulb for heat it is a 75 watt. basking temp is around 90-95 degrees, and ambient temperatures vary from 80-70 degrees. at night his temperature drops to around 70 degrees no lower. i do have supplements with D3 in them i give them about every three weeks as well.
 
in the done fixture i’m just using 1 bulb for heat it is a 75 watt. basking temp is around 90-95 degrees, and ambient temperatures vary from 80-70 degrees. at night his temperature drops to around 70 degrees no lower. i do have supplements with D3 in them i give them about every three weeks as well.
Ok so basking is way to hot for Charlie since he is so young. Drop your wattage of bulb down to a 50 watt and see if your at 85. Or you can get a fukers dimable dome light fixture and then adjust the current bulb.
Temperature:
Baby/juvenile (<9 months): ambient 72-80F (22-26C), basking 85F (29C)
Adult males: ambient 75-80F (23-26C), basking 90-95F (32-35C)

As far as your supplementation Calcium with D3 you want to give every other week and then your multivitamin on the opposite every other week. Just pick a day of the week to do these and it is easier to keep up with. Then cal without D3 is at nearly every feeding.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
 
Haha good eye! Actually after having that cage as a starter cage I wish I would have reversed the front door panel it was awe full trying to clean with the bottom flip door with plants in the bottom.
Yes I absolutely agree! That bottom door panel is supposed to be for ease of cleaning but I feel it makes it much more difficult especially with potted plants. I always just take that bottom flap off whenever I clean. So maybe having it upside down isn’t a bad option.
 
Yes I absolutely agree! That bottom door panel is supposed to be for ease of cleaning but I feel it makes it much more difficult especially with potted plants. I always just take that bottom flap off whenever I clean. So maybe having it upside down isn’t a bad option.

it actually works out in my favor because taking the bottom out is sooooo simple
 
Ok so basking is way to hot for Charlie since he is so young. Drop your wattage of bulb down to a 50 watt and see if your at 85. Or you can get a fukers dimable dome light fixture and then adjust the current bulb.
Temperature:
Baby/juvenile (<9 months): ambient 72-80F (22-26C), basking 85F (29C)
Adult males: ambient 75-80F (23-26C), basking 90-95F (32-35C)

As far as your supplementation Calcium with D3 you want to give every other week and then your multivitamin on the opposite every other week. Just pick a day of the week to do these and it is easier to keep up with. Then cal without D3 is at nearly every feeding.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
thank you for all your help! you are always very helpful!!
 
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