Veiled Cham advice

[Corbeau]

Hello I just joined here because I thought it would be a good way to get some information or help if I ever need it. I have been keeping reptiles and amphibians for just about 10 years now, and I am finally going to be getting a Chameleon. I think this is long overdue as Chameleons are my favorite lizards (Favorite reptile as well, besides snakes). As I have never had a Chameleon before I have been hitting the books, or in modern times web pages. I’m planning on getting a Veiled because as I have read they are the best “Starter” Chameleons. Seems like a great place to start.

I have a question about the water drip system though, would it be alright just to mist the cage a few times a day? I think that it would just be more convenient that way I would say. So if anyone has some advice on that, I would much appreciate it. Besides from the drip system, if anyone knows any good breeders here in the US that would help. I have been looking at some online stores and a lot of places are sold out or just have adults (I want to get a young one around 2-3 months if possible).

Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[carol5208]

Welcome! Have you checked out our site sponsors as far as Veilds? Also our classifieds? If you are not going to be home, it is of great benefit to get an automated misting system. If you are home, then misting the cage is fine. Three times a day for 3-5 minutes a day should be sufficient. As long as your chameleon's urate is white, then you know he is getting hydrated enough as you may never see him drink!. I personally use a dripper as my chameleon does not really drink much from the misitings. You just have to see what works best for you. The drippers to tend to flood out the cages unless you have a great drainage system set up.

 

[niko0828]

Misting is always good,but if you work during the day you can buy a fogger....and here is a website of a near by reptile store called Ben Siegel Reptiles-- www.albinonile.com.,i just saw two days ago a bunch of baby vield chameleons for $50. by the way they located in florida and they ship out

 

[groki21]

welcome, I have a veiled. Got him when he was a baby, around 15grams. He's now 80 grams. You dont need an expensive drip system, I have one I got for like 4 bucks that does the job. I honestly never really see him drink from it, but I mist about 4 times a day and always see him drinking when I mist.
As far as breeders I would say check some of the sponsors on the site. I got mine from FL chams. Also reptile shows usually have some nice chams. Last week at the whiteplains show my brother pick up an oscelot(definately spelled it wrong lol), and I also saw tons of baby veiled, even some translucent ones.

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!

Here's some information I hope will help you with things like supplements, gutloading, etc.....since you've had other reptiles before, you may know some/most/all of it...
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it. At that size you only need to feed it every two or three days. Feed it enough that it doesn't get fat (and, of course, doesn't get thin either).

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium). Not sure how to tell you to dust WC insects if that is what you will be doing.

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.