Too skinny.?
- Thread starter mychamtini112012
- Start date
mychamtini112012
New Member
Eight nickle sized crickets every other day. I'm ordering butterworms, phoenix worms, dubias, and silk worms. She has a constant appetite, but I didn't know if I should feed her even more because people said if you feed them to much they could have huge amount of eggs...I've only had her three weeks though. I know the owner who I bought her from didn't know what she was doing. No uvb bulb or supplements or anything.
ataraxia
Avid Member
what is her age?
she looks to me around 6 months. I can tell you many of the folks around here that give the advice of limiting the females intake have much more experience than i but i will also tell you my experience. Females will have very large clutches if fed more than whats recommended. My girls are still fairly young to tell if it shorten life expectancy yet but I do however feed the piggies up till 1 year as much as they want. I personally think that one main component in doing this is making sure your uvb and calcium intake is up to par. If either is insufficient combined with feeding more than whats recommended. This will more than likely cause binding or mbd...after a year of age, i will feed every other day as much as they want.
At her age she should be fed everyday, supplemented with plain phos free calcium along with reptivite twice a month. make sure your have the correct style uvb and the age of the bulb is sufficient.
Packing weight. i would feed her staple feeders first. lets say she can eat normally 12 crickets in a feeding. feed her 8 crickets along with as many silks as she will eat. once a week rotate mealworms into the mix with maybe 4-6. it will take a little time for her to pack it on but with you being faithful. She will gain weight.
NOTE: You do want to watch for obesity. Basically get her looking fit and then cut back and watch her. If she loses to much from your cut back add a few to the mix and watch again till you hit that sweet spot with her.
she looks to me around 6 months. I can tell you many of the folks around here that give the advice of limiting the females intake have much more experience than i but i will also tell you my experience. Females will have very large clutches if fed more than whats recommended. My girls are still fairly young to tell if it shorten life expectancy yet but I do however feed the piggies up till 1 year as much as they want. I personally think that one main component in doing this is making sure your uvb and calcium intake is up to par. If either is insufficient combined with feeding more than whats recommended. This will more than likely cause binding or mbd...after a year of age, i will feed every other day as much as they want.
At her age she should be fed everyday, supplemented with plain phos free calcium along with reptivite twice a month. make sure your have the correct style uvb and the age of the bulb is sufficient.
Packing weight. i would feed her staple feeders first. lets say she can eat normally 12 crickets in a feeding. feed her 8 crickets along with as many silks as she will eat. once a week rotate mealworms into the mix with maybe 4-6. it will take a little time for her to pack it on but with you being faithful. She will gain weight.
NOTE: You do want to watch for obesity. Basically get her looking fit and then cut back and watch her. If she loses to much from your cut back add a few to the mix and watch again till you hit that sweet spot with her.
Last edited:
mychamtini112012
New Member
Six to eight months.
ataraxia
Avid Member
if you dont mind answering these questions.
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?
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?
mychamtini112012
New Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 6-8 month old female veiled. She's been in my care for two and a half weeks.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I don't handle her. She gets mad. I've only got her out twice in my care. Once to take pictures of her feet to determine sex and the other time was to move her from her old 10 gallon tank to her new enclosure.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed her nickle sized crickets. Eight every other day. I gut loaded them with apples and carrots. I'm buying butterworms, dubia roaches, phoenix worms, and silkworms though.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Reptivite calcium with NO d3 everytime. Fluckers WITH d3 second and forth saturday. Switching over to the Repcal PLUS.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I hand mist her cage for about one minute three to four times a day.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? They're brown and have white pieces in them. I don't think she ever has been.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. I don't know how the owner took care of her before. She said she had her for a few months. She didn't use a UVB bulb or give any type of supplements.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen 2x2x4.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I have an All Living Things 75watt bulb. My UVB bulb is a zilla tropical bulb.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking spot-80. Middle-75. Bottom-70-65. Lowest overnight temp-60. I measure them with a temp gun. Turns on at seven thirty a.m. off by nine p.m.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? 50-60. Maintained with her live ficus plant and hand misting.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I have a live ficus in her enclosure.
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? In the corner. Not near a fan or vent. The only time there is any traffic is when I'm getting ready in the morning or at night. Its about two feet off the ground. Top is about four feet from my ceiling.
Location - Where are you geographically located? By Springfield, Illinois.
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? 6-8 month old female veiled. She's been in my care for two and a half weeks.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I don't handle her. She gets mad. I've only got her out twice in my care. Once to take pictures of her feet to determine sex and the other time was to move her from her old 10 gallon tank to her new enclosure.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed her nickle sized crickets. Eight every other day. I gut loaded them with apples and carrots. I'm buying butterworms, dubia roaches, phoenix worms, and silkworms though.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Reptivite calcium with NO d3 everytime. Fluckers WITH d3 second and forth saturday. Switching over to the Repcal PLUS.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I hand mist her cage for about one minute three to four times a day.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? They're brown and have white pieces in them. I don't think she ever has been.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. I don't know how the owner took care of her before. She said she had her for a few months. She didn't use a UVB bulb or give any type of supplements.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen 2x2x4.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I have an All Living Things 75watt bulb. My UVB bulb is a zilla tropical bulb.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking spot-80. Middle-75. Bottom-70-65. Lowest overnight temp-60. I measure them with a temp gun. Turns on at seven thirty a.m. off by nine p.m.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? 50-60. Maintained with her live ficus plant and hand misting.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I have a live ficus in her enclosure.
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? In the corner. Not near a fan or vent. The only time there is any traffic is when I'm getting ready in the morning or at night. Its about two feet off the ground. Top is about four feet from my ceiling.
Location - Where are you geographically located? By Springfield, Illinois.
mychamtini112012
New Member
The long tube tropical one.
It's not on a timer...but I can try my hardest to do twelve hours until I get one.
The bulb is about six inches from the basking spot and my room is usually 65-70.
It's not on a timer...but I can try my hardest to do twelve hours until I get one.
The bulb is about six inches from the basking spot and my room is usually 65-70.
ataraxia
Avid Member
good deal..
i would suspect your basking site is a little warmer than expected. temp guns read off of a surface. depending on the surface material being tested on can really fluctuate. i would recommend you buying a digital thermometer with a probe. This should get you more precise with temps.
i would suspect your basking site is a little warmer than expected. temp guns read off of a surface. depending on the surface material being tested on can really fluctuate. i would recommend you buying a digital thermometer with a probe. This should get you more precise with temps.
mychamtini112012
New Member
So with time she should gain a little weight then until she's at a healthy cham weight.?
