Veiled charm hiding

Aussie lockie

New Member
Hey all,

We have a female veiled charm who is 6-7 months old. We have had her for about 1 week. She is basking when we’re out of the house but when we are at home she hides. I have only handled her once as I want to let her settle in.

Any thoughts on if I need to do anything different? Should I try and handle her?

She is normally hiding when I feed her so I can’t get her to hand feed. She is eating out of a cup though.

I am not interested in having her been handled (unless she wants to come out) but want her to be happy.
 
Hey all,

We have a female veiled charm who is 6-7 months old. We have had her for about 1 week. She is basking when we’re out of the house but when we are at home she hides. I have only handled her once as I want to let her settle in.

Any thoughts on if I need to do anything different? Should I try and handle her?

She is normally hiding when I feed her so I can’t get her to hand feed. She is eating out of a cup though.

I am not interested in having her been handled (unless she wants to come out) but want her to be happy.
Could you 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?
 
Thanks. Was trying to find it!!

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled, female, 6-7 months, about 1 week
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Only once so far
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Crickets, 6-7 every 2 day, oranges, carrots, sweet patatas
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Calcium without d3 every feeding, with d2 every 2nd week, vitamins with Vitamin a every other week
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Have a mister set up that runs for 3 mins before she wakes up, once at midday depending on humidity, and 3 mins at night 1 hour before sleep time. On her first day at home yes. After that no.
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Solid brown black with white urate
  • 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? Repti-breeze large
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Arcadia 6% t5. Have a uvb meter to check it. 11 off 13 on.
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Lowest over night temp 20, basking spot 26-28, measure temps with a temp gauge. Have a digital one coming
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? 40-70%. Sometimes a touch more if it’s humid.
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Pathos and dracena
  • 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 living room on a table. It’s only me and my wife so there is not high traffic. We cover her cage at night after sleep time for her.
  • Location - Where are you geographically located: Spain
 
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled, female, 6-7 months, about 1 week
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Only once so far
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Crickets, 6-7 every 2 day, oranges, carrots, sweet patatas. Try to add more high calcium greens such as collard greens, kale, dandelion greens. These should be about 70% of your gutload.
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Calcium without d3 every feeding, with d2 every 2nd week, vitamins with Vitamin a every other week This is a tried and tested supplement regime: good job.
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Have a mister set up that runs for 3 mins before she wakes up, once at midday depending on humidity, and 3 mins at night 1 hour before sleep time. On her first day at home yes. After that no. You could swap the midday mist for a dripper, and add that third misting to the middle of the night, but that’s my preference, and not a deal breaker.
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Solid brown black with white urate Good, continue to monitor.
  • 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? Repti-breeze largeIn order to maintain nightime humidity levels that approach 100%, some people find it useful to use shower curtains on three sides...try Velcro, so the sides can be removed if needed.
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Arcadia 6% t5. Have a uvb meter to check it. 11 off 13 on. I’m glad to hear you have a solar meter, what uvi’s are you getting at the top area?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Lowest over night temp 20, basking spot 26-28, measure temps with a temp gauge. Have a digital one coming. You could easily drop that nightime temp to 15. 20 is warm.
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? 40-70%. Sometimes a touch more if it’s humid. 40 during the day is fine, 90-100 at night is important.
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Pathos and dracena
  • 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 living room on a table. It’s only me and my wife so there is not high traffic. We cover her cage at night after sleep time for her.
  • Location - Where are you geographically located: Spain Consider outdoor time. Your veiled will love the sun, and depending on where you are, you could keep her outside almost year-round.
 
Sorry, I realized you wanted to know about her hiding, and I didn’t answer that. Chameleons tend to behave more confidently, if they have an area of dense foliage close, so they can hide quickly if they feel threatened. By “close”, I mean close enough that they can move a few inches and be hidden. If they have this, they tend to become more likely to be out in the open.
 
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled, female, 6-7 months, about 1 week
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Only once so far
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Crickets, 6-7 every 2 day, oranges, carrots, sweet patatas. Try to add more high calcium greens such as collard greens, kale, dandelion greens. These should be about 70% of your gutload. ok. Will do.
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Calcium without d3 every feeding, with d2 every 2nd week, vitamins with Vitamin a every other week This is a tried and tested supplement regime: good job.
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Have a mister set up that runs for 3 mins before she wakes up, once at midday depending on humidity, and 3 mins at night 1 hour before sleep time. On her first day at home yes. After that no. You could swap the midday mist for a dripper, and add that third misting to the middle of the night, but that’s my preference, and not a deal breaker. forgot to say I have a dripper. I like the idea of a midnight mist. Will help get the humidity up.
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Solid brown black with white urate Good, continue to monitor.
  • 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? Repti-breeze largeIn order to maintain nightime humidity levels that approach 100%, some people find it useful to use shower curtains on three sides...try Velcro, so the sides can be removed if needed. will give this a go
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Arcadia 6% t5. Have a uvb meter to check it. 11 off 13 on. I’m glad to hear you have a solar meter, what uvi’s are you getting at the top area? around 6. Will check again tomorrow.
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Lowest over night temp 20, basking spot 26-28, measure temps with a temp gauge. Have a digital one coming. You could easily drop that nightime temp to 15. 20 is warm. again like the idea of a midnight mist to help this.
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? 40-70%. Sometimes a touch more if it’s humid. 40 during the day is fine, 90-100 at night is important.
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Pathos and dracena
  • 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 living room on a table. It’s only me and my wife so there is not high traffic. We cover her cage at night after sleep time for her.
  • Location - Where are you geographically located: Spain Consider outdoor time. Your veiled will love the sun, and depending on where you are, you could keep her outside almost year-round. I may look into this. The whole original question was about handling her to get her outside.
 
One more thing I think is worth mentioning....once she gets her big girl colors, it's import not to overfeed her or he I'll likely prude. Large clutch if eggs and can develop MBD, follicular stasis and dystocia.
Veiled females can lay eggs several times a year without being mated.
 
I second this! Once she hits the 7 month mark, feeding three times/week with 2-3 small items (1cm) is lots of food.
 
Ok sweet. Great feed back. Any thoughts on handling? She has plenty of foliage to hide in. Tends to go towards the bottom for some reason.
 
This is her enclosure.
 

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Ok sweet. Great feed back. Any thoughts on handling? She has plenty of foliage to hide in. Tends to go towards the bottom for some reason.
I’m probably the worst person to ask about handling: I try not to handle any of mine. All I can say is positive reinforcement. There’s nothing like feeding (especially for veileds) to get them to go outside their comfort zone.
 
This is her enclosure.
Her enclosure could benefit from several more horizontal branches of different diameters and different heights. Try three or four in the top third of the enclosure. Here’s what I always try to create:
 

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Her enclosure could benefit from several more horizontal branches of different diameters and different heights. Try three or four in the top third of the enclosure. Here’s what I always try to create:
Ok awesome. Will add some more stuff higher up for her. Will need to go stick hunting.

love the name Thomas Gordon!!

i only want to handle her to grab her out into the sun.
 
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