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With the recent heat wave and the animals on display... yeah a cool water rain shower is going to be required!
The Meller's chameleons top out around 85ºF and start to really stress at 90ºF. so when it his over 100ºF you need to take serious measures to keep them all cool
If you haven’t already, don’t buy it. Order a mesh cage from amazon like this one The mesh is important. It allows air to properly circulate, they like to climb on it, you can use it to attach plants and/or misting systems, you can attach artificial vines to it for them to climb in.
It might seem like nitpicking to someone who has never raised a chameleon before, but I assure you it is not. Chameleons can be difficult to keep in captivity, especially if you don’t take your husbandry seriously. There is a ton of great info in the community info. Check that out and make it your chameleon bible. Get the right heat and uvb setups. Make sure to get a calcium only supplement, not a calcium + vitamin d. Not sure why people make/sell that stuff. Too much vitamin d is bad for them.
Also, I know getting a new cham is exciting, but be sure to have your setup ready BEFORE you get the chameleon. Talked to a guy in here about a week ago who just got the cham and planned to keep it in a plastic tub, no lights, no vines, just a plastic storage container and a desk lamp. Not sure how that turned out, but you should definitely avoid taking that route.
That stuff has phosphorus in it, ditch it. Don't use that or Reptivite multivitamins.
Get either Herptivite or Repashy calcium plus LoD.
He's probably trying to escape, that husbandry is horrible. Zero airflow, it's probably too hot in there, they DO NOT belong in glass tanks, they need screen enclosures for air flow, they're tree dwellers. I can see you're spraying, and in glass, with substrate (that also need to go, bacteria breeding ground, if eaten, can impact and kill your animal), you've got a bacteria breeding ground there.
He's wants to get out, and I don't blame him. As for him being a "cunt", Veileds are pretty aggressive, I handle my chams, it really helps to chill them out. If you care to read, this write up gives you info on how to do it properly.
Right now? There's nothing wrong with your cham, but you keep that husbandry like it is, he's going to get sick. Get him out of the glass, open the door, if you have him in a bedroom where no other animals can get to him, I'd let him free roam, all of my chams get to take turns hanging out and and I've got perches in here for them to climb on.
I'm going to check somethings out but let me ask...
What is the average temp inside the house for both summer and winter?
The yearly / monthly averages in temp for that city really only indicate that a screen cage is going to be suitable for about 4 month out of the year. The rest of the time the veiled is going to have to be protected from the cold.
That's why I'm asking about how warm/cold it will get inside your home...
Glass isn't recommended for most environments as it prevents fresh airflow. But when you need to shield the animal from cold drafts in the home, you're really left with little choice. That's when people have to get a bit more creative.
So lets get a dialog started and we'll do our best to figure this out.
What I can say is that the substrate at the bottom should be removed. It's just a problem - a clean flooring for a sub adult that age is what is going to work out as best.
We'll have to adjust the perches and your lighting system as well so that there's a better spread and gradient of light for it to live with.
get back to us when you can :D
Wow.... alright I was hoping that he wasn't going to have a surgery since they usually pass these on their own.
But since that's done, I'm sure that he's feeling like hell. They'll tilt their heads up when they've drank a large amount of water and they need to keep it down so they can absorb it the sphincter muscle to their stomach isn't all that water tight and they'll "spill" if turned upside down after drinking.
Seems like a whole lot of saliva and mucus is in there. That's not surprising given what's been done. Blood is also to be expected.
As is the swelling.
But this is something that the vet recommended and I assume that they got some good x-ray images to prove their point. I haven't seen those and don't know if it was a easily passed single pebble or a large collection of large stones that we're unlikely to pass and had be removed.
So I can't comment other than to say - call the vet that did this if you have confidence in them.
I hope that he recovers and that there's no secondary infection happening. (peritonitis) did he give you or he any antibiotics to prevent any infection?
This is the enclosure that you’re going to want. If you’re looking to save money, you can DIY this pretty easily. The correct light will also probably cost you $50-$80 (USD). Plus any medications that you’ll need since the cham most likely has mbd. I’ll leave it to the mod to give you more specifics since they’ll have better info than me.
Good luck, I hope he can pull through
Ah, no, inches, grabbing you a link...
Where are you located? I'm going with you not being in the US.
I agree with everything the mod said, also, the most common ways to feed are cup feeding, free-range, and hand feeding. Cup feeding is the best for your situation. Just put the bugs in a container that you think they cannot escape from and leave them there. With the crickets, you probably will have to experiment a bit to find a container that they can not escape from. Give the cham some privacy it should eat when it's ready. Depending on the size of your enclosure, you may need to mount it onto the side somehow. You can also hand feed, but this takes practice and is not something you will want to try for at least a few weeks as it will add more stress to your cham. You can probably search this sub for ways to began hand feeding.
When you said you are feeding your cham worms, do you mean mealworms or super worms? Mealworms are not good for your cham as their exoskeleton are very thick and can build up in your cham's stomach. Superworms as fatty and should be fed as a treat, and not a staple. When you say a baby, how old exactly? If it's actually a baby, I would think superworms would be too big. I will always recommend black soldier fly larvae as a staple for your chams diet. They are cheap (Around 20 USD for 1000 of any size if you order from joshs frogs), they are kept in a small container with coco fiber in it, they are very nutritious, they don't smell (unless you feed them, which you don't need to and is another plus), and turn into flys after a couple of weeks. Chams love to hunt down the flys lol, I just got done feeding my cham some flies. In my experience, if I order small larvae I'll have the container for a couple of months and they won't turn into flys, but if I order medium or large, they turn into flys within a couple of weeks
From what I've heard, temp guns aren't the best way to measure the temp in the enclosure since they measure the surface temp. I just use a digital thermometer that sits out of the enclosure with the temp probe running into the tank. Something like this:
iapsales Easy to Read Reptile Tank/Egg Incubator Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer Measure Your Temperature and Humidity, Push of a Button View Pets Room Temp and Humidity Level https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1LBH7F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_XK39M81E1WMSQM9P5QV5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
They're cheaper than temp guns anyways
That's too large of a habitat and frankly it's not conducive to their captive care to have something that large.
I suggest that you check out
Jan's book Mountain Dragons for some accurate info on their habitats and different localities.The ones that people are getting are most likely farmed in Kenya and from a locality that is known for it's coffee growing. The species can reside in several different environments as "localities" and it helps to recognize which locality you might have and the conditions for that.
They're basically a cool weather species that likes being higher up on the elevation where conditions are far more constant than at lower levels.
It's pretty infuriating when I was performing a google search "jacksons Chameleons wild habitat" I got this as the top link.They do NOT live in a rainforest, it's not native and frankly those conditions will kill them.
More misinformation.Who the hell can I talk too at google to fix this?
Oh, and as far as having pretty things like your bromeliads, orchids, ferns, air plants,
I would not suggest it.
The locality that is being farmed and used for export seems to like Coffee treeless.
That would make for an attractive plant... find yourself a dwarf variety.
I use crystal tumblers. Crystal catches and refracts light much better than glass, plus it has lots of facets to catch the light and make the water sparkle. Plus I think it just looks really nice in the cage, I use a second for food items and keep both on the floor of the cage with something so your cham can climb over the glasses/hang down above them. In other words you don't want to make your cham have to climb onto the glass to get whatever is in it. Mine took to it instantly, I had a stick in the water glass when he was small so if he fell in he wouldn't drown and could climb out which is kinda important. I also starting out placed them at the bottom of the cage where the light from the cage lights would reach unobstructed down to the glass to make the water sparkle. These ones were 7-15 USD depending on time of purchase for a set of four. Amazon and walmart online have both sold them.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y7VZ2G5/ref=ewc\_pr\_img\_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
I made something like this out of window screen, silicone glue, and a plastic soda bottle, and just hang it in the enclosure with some fishing line off one of the perches.
zoomed also makes and sells reptivite™ whichif you read the sidebar write up, contains a large amount of phosphorus which chameleons are very good at sequestering and building up toxic levels of. So it should never be used.
This also counts for all the commercial gut loading products that people try to sell others. Do not use "gel cubs" or whatever else, it's all garbage. Give your crickets a fruit slice and let them eat that overnight, they'll be nice and freshened up so your cham will like eating them. Many pet stores do not keep their crickets well at all and most are on their way to dying inside due to a bacterial infection they pass around to one another (they eat their dead) so when you get a bag full of crickets they're either starved or rotting inside. That's one of the reasons why people's chams go on "hunger strikes".. the other is "toxicity" due to over supplementation.
yes, the Miner-All supplement is the best as it's both specifically designed for chameleons (the owner wrote one of the first cham care books published 1997)
Their supplement is also one of the first on the market and I believe it's the first for chameleons. So it's been in development for over 2 decades.
_______
Also for a cham in it's rapidly growing phase, lightly dust 3x a week with calcium.
Give it sun exposure (read the top pinned post we have this week on that) and you'll be fine. I don't give my adult males any calcium supplementation and they've all been doing well for years. The females that lay eggs on the other hand... they need it for ovulation.
Don't rush, do this properly. He's not going to die overnight, turning off the lights will make him tons happier. A couple extra days without UVB won't kill him overnight. We want to set up a long term home, so let's take a moment and do it right.
What you need is a thermometer. I use a point-and-shoot IR thermometer, you can find them at hardware stores. Once you get the bulb that I linked you, you're going to use it to measure the temperature in the basking spot. You're aiming for around 80-85F. What your dad can do is put a dimmer on the lamp, so you can dim the light if it gets too hot.
The basking spot is going to be a spot about 8" below the lamp. You can go out tonight and get him some lovely plants for his cage. Pothos vines, mini palm trees, shefflera, all good. You can look at this list for some more cham friendly plants. All you need to do is toss the potted plants into the enclosure. Have the vines run all the way up to the top. You can use this from Petco or something (NOT THE MOSSY ONE) to make some horizontal perches for him.
Okay, you'll/we'll get it figured out. It is a nasty wound, so definitely treat that. You want to use a multivitamin with D3 and then use calcium with NO D3.
For the multi, I use Repashy Calcium plus LOD. As well, with all of my chams, they all get their supps about 4-5 days a week, and then I feed them with no supps to give them a break.
Superworms have nasty bites too, so if for any reason he had one in his mouth and didn't eat it right away, those suckers hurt too. I've felt them bite me when I dig through their feeder tank, so there's that as well.
No problem!! Here’s a link to the cage:) Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KNB8RFF4822HKP5CJ3XW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
alright just get this then.
I have this same cage and the same lights. The problem I found was that the small bulbs only put out uvb about 3-4 inches from the bulb (this keeping the screen blocking as part of the equation). What I did was buy a linear high output uvb light with a reflective hood. They need 24w lights it’s labeled as “t5” I’ll link my Amazon purchase below. These bulbs should get changed every 6 months or so but the uvb penetrates much further into the cage so that your Cham is absorbing the proper amount of uvb
Jump Start JSFC2T T5 Fixture with Lamp, Reflector and Timer, 2', 2 Foot, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079PYBB7S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5SWE0332S319449N3KWG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Here's one from Amazon, the one above is another LED, they DO NOT put out enough heat.
You can't have the plastic covering the bulb, that's the only thing wrong with it. You should be using this, not too expensive, but better choice.
I second the fogger, it's a great way to ensure proper humidity range. Nighttime humidity should be higher. This is a really good one, it has timers
This is my cham, Buddy, first thing he does every morning is go for a drink, I could literally take a pic of him doing it every morning, but that is his routine. Put a clear, short glass, somewhere in there where your cham sees it. It's all I've used, all of my chams have used water glasses.
Cali is dry, so good on you for using the humidifier, I truly think this is what has saved you.
He should be getting a multi-vitamin with D3, we all need D3 and we get it from being out in the sun (**what are your temps during the day there? I'm thinking getting him outside and see if that helps, I'm thinking it will).
I like Repashy Calcium LoD. I have back up calcium which I also use Repashy's brand, but I use that VERY sparingly.
I can't see the animal clearly but I suspect it's not healthy. I would be leery.
Edit: Oh and those lights aren't the best for the cham's health. The tube bulbs are honestly the way to go. The cage looks to be a proper size for a veiled, they only really use the top 1/3 of the cage.
As to the value of the offer. Reptibreeze cage 24" x 24" x 48" is only $95 USD on Amazon. Proper lighting is about $30-40 from a hardware store and the T8 5.0 UVB bulbs are about $20.
Just an FYI, Vick's makes a humidifier, meant for humans, yes, HOWEVER, if you check out the ones by Zoo Med, and so on, it's basically the same thing but getting the Vick's might be a bit cheaper. I'm going to share a link with you, HTH's. :)
Vick's humidifier, just for reference, here is a link to some I found on Amazon, it does look like some prices have changed since I last looked, but just trying to help you out here so you don't bust your budget, chameleon husbandry can be pricey. ;)
also for lighting, i notice you have two deep domed lamps. i’m not sure what’s in them, but i’ll tell you the correct things that you’re going to need to get for your cham
for heating, the best thing to use is just a 60w frosted incandescent bulb. anything marketed as a “heating” light can leave nasty burns on your cham- believe me, i made this mistake and it’s a long way to recovery after that.
for UVB, you’re going to want to get a t8 5.0 reptisun linear light. Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB (18 inch) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255OS6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
a couple more things, veiled chameleons need ventilation. a full glass enclosure does not give them this. the best thing to get is going to be a screen enclosure, when she is an adult it’s gonna have to be pretty large. 2x2x4 is the recommended size.
substrate is never a good idea in chameleon enclosures. gives bugs a place to hide and bacteria will grow. also just really messy, you don’t need it at all. I just use paper towels. picks up the excess moisture or some drops from my dripper that fell and easy to clean up! :)
also, not trying to attack you or anything, i’m just trying to help. chameleons are difficult pets and there’s a lot of different info on husbandry out there, but this is what i have learned from my experience and what all of most experienced chameleon owners recommend as well.
You're gonna need to set up the basking lamp so he's got at least 4 inches of headspace if he's perched on the top vine. Heat bulbs from the pet store aren't really better than regular incandescent bulbs - the key is giving him a basking spot with the right temperature range 85-95F, and room to move around in.
Make sure the he's got a basking spot with a 45-degree angle so he can find a comfortable position to warm up without burning his back.
Right now he's probably cold, and needs external heat if he's going to digest food.
Be very careful when setting up his basking spot, check out more guides on that - burns on the back and top of the head are common and can lead to infection in extreme cases. Once it's setup, make sure he's not pressing up against the top of the cage while basking. You'll need to adjust the height of his top-vine as he hits his growth spurts. You can monitor the temp of the basking spot with thermometer like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EWNzFbSWRRE90
Also, beware of that kind of loose substrate. You may want to get a green mat instead, as loose substrate can stick to their tongues and cause choking or impaction.
For the worms, it's probably good that he has ready food options while he's adjusting to the new tank, but you may not want to leave it in there full-time. Let him get used to hunting crickets and staying active. People have different feelings about cup-feeding, but I find that offering a cup of worms to the cham 1-2 times a week builds trust. You shouldn't try to handle him too much, but occasional cup feeding will make him more comfortable around you.
Finally, some crickets will definitely drown themselves in the water dish. They're dumb, they jump into bodies of water they can't get out of, and then it gets all gross.
No. I wouldn’t try this. You need a white light anyways and not a weak one. Unless you can buy a solarmeter for $240... it’s really not worth it. Just spend the $60 and get one that is made for this, otherwise you risk not having correct uvb and your Cham getting metabolic bone disease.
Atable light slide dimmer will allow for best control over the heat source so you can best set seasonal temps for basking and digestion self regulation. :)
You need to bette secure the windowscreen inside the groove of the aluminum frame.
This is a very useful tool for securing that... if the rubber is too loose you might need to get a better fitting line to put in there from the hardware store to best secure it.
Your panther...
and secondly this is a deep UV burn on the eyes.
The danger is that such burns can be permanent and cause blindness.
As their primary sense organ they NEED THEIR EYES for everything and that peopel often burn them by following bad advice in terms of their UVb and heat sources - some of these products should NEVER be used.
Don't know how this happened (yet) but it's entirely preventable.
I suggest you turn OFF all your heat and UV sources until we can get this worked out.
IF you use a ceramic heater you can leave that on.
get back to us with a detailed description of what products you're using for UV and heat and we'll get back to you.
these were the bad ones that had .1 uvb on the solarmeter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HCL4J8D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 they were called repti zoo.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PHABI8?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
or, an alt seller (but they take a while to ship tbh)
https://www.reptilesupplyco.com/wholesale-reptile-screen-cages/403-reptibreeze-xl-zoo-med.html
I've seen some mention using this with some success on some forums.
​
Thanks!
I have 3 different pothos, 2 different wanders, 2 different umbrella plants, a croton, a zz plant, a rubber plant, and 2 different philodendrons right now. Probably a lot more than is necessary to fill a 2x2x4, but I would like to have options as well as possible rotation if he/she starts to snack. I also have a 4 foot tall 3 foot wide ficus benjamina that I plan to utilize as a free roam type setup.
I've read a lot hear as well as other internet sources about lighting and the do's and dont's for heat, UVB, and artificial. Specifically questioning artificial lighting for plants here. While I understand the concerns regarding little buddies eyes, those lights are not brighter than the sun. My setup may end up in a place that does not have optimal lighting for my plants, and I'm looking at this as a sum of the whole. I don't necessarily want to sacrifice one part for another which includes plant health. While looking at a few forums with recents posts, there are users that mention utilizing something like thisfor additional plant lighting: https://www.amazon.com/SANSI-Daylight-Lights-Indoor-Plants/dp/B07TKKG8Q3/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=sansi+grow+light&qid=1665061028&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjM3IiwicXNhIjoiMy45MiIsInFzcCI6IjMuNTAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=sansi%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-7
What are the thoughts on something like this if an enclosure were setup in a basement, or another room with limited access to outdoor lighting?
Additionally has anyone had any success with Hibiscus indoors with or without artificial lighting?
There are a lot of "Bendable vines/Branches". I know most aren't actual vines or natural material, but Fluker's Bend-A-Branch for Reptiles says to be made of wood but also has "New improved color does not bleed." which makes me think they aren't really wood and are some manufactured plastic with what is essentially sawdust coating or some shit.
I'd use a Q-tip to clean the outisde of the eye just to remove the "gunk" and to be careful about causing damage.
It's likely something she got in there and has caused an infection.
It should clear itself up.
IF you have any Terramycin orNeo-Poly-Bac
that can be used to help with the infection.
i bought this tree fake tree https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007UUM06U?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details and some 4ft tall bamboo stems from amazon and some bowcutters. i put the tree in the center and tie the bamboo stems with zip ties to it and even cut some of the bamboo stems in half with the bow cutters
Bendable "jungle vine" (large) work well for perches
You can use the tension between the screen (18x18 inch) to hold them in place and not damaging anything.
You can use the tension between the screen (18x18 inch) to hold them in place and not damaging anything.
I also prefer to use Manzanita branches for both decorative and scaffolding.
More likely irritation and "itchy eyes" from the artificial lighting.
Very often people have their UV lights too strong, or too close for safe use and the sensitive eyes get damaged.
There's also "hidden" UV sources that people buy and use.. .as heat sources.
Products like theblue daylight bulbs should NEVER be used by chameleon owners.
thisis the cage I am keeping him I’m currently, with a hanging pothos and schefflera for his live plants and about half a dozen faux branches and twigs for climbing. Whenever I feed him he immediately goes for the flies that land near him, and so far it doesn’t seem he’s had much issue with hunting them down, but I could be wrong of course, this is just my observation. I’ve tried feeding him extra small baby crickets, and he’s seen them and has been made aware of their presence when I have tried (he’s stared them down on the same leaf as him a couple of times), but he doesn’t make any effort to try and eat them yet. Im wondering if he’s still just too small?
I was told to keep him in this cage , but if that is problematic for his wellbeing and growth then I will definitely set up a neonate habitat for him. And yes, I have just ordered him hydrei flies!
- A bit complicated answer. I've been researching off and on for about a decade. He's my second chameleon. My first was a jacksons but it died when my little brother punched a hole in his cage allowing him to escape and freeze himself. I put the cage in storage and then recently renovated it into a bioactive habitat. So I've read books, watched youtube videos, talked to the chameleon's breeder, etc.
- I'm in OK, usa. Humidity is fairly constant between 50 and 60% and I keep the temperature between 75 and 82 during the day and at 68 at night.
- yes. 3 sides of the cage are screen.
- I have an auto misting system for watering that sprays every 4 hours. The branches and sticks have time to dry out between mistings and his main basking branch never gets wet.
- Unfortunately, I don't have the tools to check the exact temperature differences between the warm side and the cool side, but the cage is 3'x4'x2' so I'm pretty confident that the cool side is far enough away from the heat lamp to be significant.
- I'm using this bulb for heat and uvb and a uva growth light led for ambient light.
I’m going to be that guy and pile on with the other comments, here is one source that confirms this since you asked, https://www.beardeddragoncare101.com/feeding-bearded-dragons-wild-caught-insects/. It’s specifically related to bearded dragons but the point is the same.
You mentioned calcium which is great, but if you are concerned about the pet store feeder crickets not having enough vitamins, you can buy cricket food designed for lizards. It’s not really expensive, one jar has lasted me a long time, here is a calcium one, https://www.chewy.com/flukers-cricket-quencher-calcium/dp/126042?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=15783018860&utm_content=Fluker%27s&utm_term=&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1EpPo-Kh7Q_ZQrRzmuCKDn9&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8uO..., but there are also others.
Yeah misting systems or handheld misters are totally different from a humidifier or fogger, because they actually make water drop off the leaves which is how the Cham drinks them. I used the mister lizard bottle for many months before getting my mistking, and my Cham loves / drinks from both . Something like this works perfect if you’re down to spray 3 min evening and morning https://www.amazon.com/Large-Pressurized-Plant-Mister-Sprayer/dp/B07BL5PPYN/ref=mp_s_a_1_17?crid=2PQYXROF6ZP00&keywords=mister+lizard&qid=1658156236&sprefix=mistrr+lizard%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-17
I also had a hard time finding large thick branches for the structure and they're ridiculously expensive to buy. Ended up using these that I found on Amazon. Still not cheap but it was the cheapest option I found:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q9T4P1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
​
I haven't got a tutorial but I do have the dragon ledges on my cage and they're fairly simple. It's just two lengths of wood about 1/2 inch thick with some spacers between them then screwed into the frame. That's all. I feel like you'd be able to replicate them pretty well by just looking at some closeup pictures of them installed. I can take some of mine from different angles if you think that would help you out.
My setup is the dragon ledges with the branches I linked from Amazon as support as the base. I have several plants in it and the thing is super sturdy. There are pics if you check my post history (plants are a lot bigger now and it's still sturdy as a rock)
I am definitely not an expert but this setup has worked well for me. I have a male cham and he explores all over every part of it.
The UVB light is incorrect, try using T5 HO Terrarium hood Correct me if I’m wrong.
I'm sure i'll find one that works when I head out that way. I'm in the process of putting together their adult cages at the moment. Thanks again for all the advice. Looking forward to hopefully getting this right.
Is there any issue with using a ferret cage? I plan on screening it in but I had access to 2 of them for $60 each from a yard sale. They are these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MZTWMY1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
I found a light I had that emmits only heat and no light.
It's a 30 or 60W version of this. I paired it with the "white" bulb --
https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Deluxe-Infrared-Amphibian-Incubating/dp/B07KLZCDQH/
The blue one I'll use only during the day.
But if I knew at night 65 is enough, I dont think I'd need to worry about lamps to much. I think I'll just buy your links and keep my current setup until it ships.
Well shit, looks like a dead link on Amazon went to the wrong product.
Should be this. Sorry about that, it's a copy-paste write up that apparently us mods should re-check now.
MRREPTILE Mercury Vapor Bulb, Reptile UVA UVB Light Bulb, Basking Light for Reptiles Incl. Bearded Dragon/Turtle/Lizard, 100W E26 110V https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XDXHFVN/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_B4Z3CKRZ7J31KTTGETQ0 so this is another bulb(I'm a worry wort) so I forgot I also ordered this bulb sometime yesterday thought?
If you skip the morning mist & stick to the dripper + water glass you might see it go down on its own. 30-50% is ideal. I misspoke earlier (40-60% is the daytime range for panthers)
I have both room dehumidifiers & humidifiers I rotate around as needed lol. It’s definitely the most effective route but you can go for something like this and hang it in the cage during the day if it’s too humid
Noted!
So is it true then, highest humidity you can manage at night?
I bought a combo hood deal on Amazon.. can’t seem to find the percentage anywhere on it.. it was this one.
They are not fruit flies, they are actually called fungus gnats and are a common house plant pest that looks very similar to fruit flies. They prefer moist/damp soil in which to lay their larvae.
One of the solutions I see a lot in the bioactive communities is nematodes. Harmless to your chameleon but will kill off any and all fungus gnat larvae.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00I0ZUGLK/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_EYGBY1BFTEWMM6WM0Q2M
That's why as an owner, you research the product to determine what it outputs. Yes, you can find plant lights that also contain UV, which is why you check to see what wavelengths it outputs. Visible light is from 380 to 750, so you check the reported output for the plant bulb. Which is what I did before purchasing mine. Have had it running along side my UVB bulb for the past 3 years. My plants are growing and thriving and not a single issue with my chameleon. 100% happy and healthy because the husbandry is right.
VIVOSUN T5 Grow Light Bulbs 2 ft, 24W 6500K HO Fluorescent Tubes Light Bulbs, Cool White T5 Bulb for 22-Inch T5 Light Fixtures, T5 Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, Pack of 5 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01731MOGQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_6QXJPPG95VWPB87DRX6Y?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
They will basically prevent them from spawning (I forget the science of it). I had a problem with fungus gnats and put crushed bits of a Mosquito Dunk in the water whenever I would water the plants and they quickly went away, it takes one life cycle though. It is completely safe for chameleons too. Good luck!
Should be this one here T8 bar light, if u need any follow up let me know!
Here’s the links to download and try it out! I would love some feedback!
Some of the features:
- Dark & light mode
- Image saving w/ captions
- Custom QR codes for each herptile
- Length & weight tracking
- Super advanced calendar logging
- Food supply tracker
- Push notifications/reminders
- 270+ species to pick from on beta launch
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lizardbox
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lizardbox-herptile-manager/id1603903840
Here’s the links to download and try it out! I would love some feedback!
Some of the features:
- Dark & light mode
- Image saving w/ captions
- Custom QR codes for each herptile
- Length & weight tracking
- Super advanced calendar logging
- Food supply tracker
- Push notifications/reminders
- 270+ species to pick from on beta launch
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lizardbox
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lizardbox-herptile-manager/id1603903840
Pet stores are a business and they don't want to tell and educate people on what they should do... (must do) as it defeats sales.
So they sell them a cham, knowing it'll die and with a sigh, take the cash and go and repeat the process. The entire industry is like that... it's their fundamental business model.
We have the largest reptile store here in my home city stop selling chameleons all together due to the problems and even after trying to educate people on their care... only to have dead returns after a month.
But there's plenty of others willing to breed and sell exotics to people that they KNOW will die... it's driving many species towards extinction.
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Started this sub to try to help prevent that ... but there's simply millions of voices out there chanting the same bad info.
force feed it calcium, here buy this dripper until you can buy a spray system and a extra large cage with these handle bars on it for $800 bucks because as a podcaster I know more than anyone!.
What is the nighttime temps inside the home?
I'd remove all the stuff at the bottom of the habitat.
Get some bendible vines in there (large) and remove the hardwood as it'll be difficult to grip
What are you using for a heat and UVb source (important)
One thing that I'd also recommend is a well fitting drip tray for the potted plants to keep crickets and other feeder insects out of the bottoms of the pots.
The ficus isn't going to do well for you.. I'd recommend a "swiss cheese plant" or even a corn plant (Dracaena fragrans) as a suitable replacement.
What kind of insects? Dubias are easy, crickets are hard. Crickets can be contained in a special feeder like this: https://www.amazon.com/Full-Throttle-Feeders-Magnetic-Chameleon/dp/B081ZVN27L
Ok - I just tried out a cheap pump that was similar in specs to the pump in the MistKing and it didn't work out, prolly cuz it's cheaply made. I am going to try out the MistKing v5.0 Starter Misting System and see how it goes. Thank you for your input, I work in ems and I can be gone 12+ hours several days a week so all my systems are automated (besides feeding in the morning). I don't really need a timer because I use wifi plugs but the MistKing products seem to be highly recommended and last.
Also is this bulb a good option for the 60 watt .. https://www.chewy.com/exo-terra-daytime-heat-reptile-lamp/dp/123918?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12713121116&utm_content=Exo%20Terra&utm_term=&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V37Mk0k5_qFcBbx3sQ6ql1ay&gclid=Cj0KCQi...
Heat: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exo-Terra-PT2136-Intense-Basking/dp/B0002AR3OY
UVB: http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb100.php
In terms of vitamins, I’ve recieved a small cup which contains multiple vitamins. Usually I just pour a small amount over the roaches and shake them so they spread the vitamins around.
The reason I have the blankets above is to trap abit more heat, not for the humidity.
Instead of misting what should I do to help him drink some water?
neither.
DO NOT USE ROPES, this has always been a bad idea.. the decorative "mossy" vines are sold because people will buy them. They are not helpful for the animal at all.
Don't think in terms of their needing to climb... they are like birds and want to perch.
Use the large jungle vines for perch construction
manzanita branches make good safe climbing and scaffolding for securing the jungle vines.
They also look great.
But you can use something local to you.
Everything looks amazing, I’m so proud of you for taking in this baby! The only thing that I would suggest: if you haven’t had a chameleon before, (I got mine in November) I would encourage you to buy a water fountain! I found this one off of Amazon for $35 and it has a little leaves of the top two, so they always have running water and you can guarantee that he’s drinking! I will also second getting a couple pothos plants
This is the one I got!
Ninuo Reptile Water Dispenser - Snake, Gecko, Chameleon, Tortoise, Bearded Dragon Drinking Water Dripper Bowl for Your Pet Reptiles - Large Nontoxic Fountain Water Dish – Terrarium & Tank Accessories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0853299ZB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_RB56HQRM8QRBD2VG0MXE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I got it many many years ago so I don't remember exactly where I got it, but this looks like it:
Magnaturals 37109 Gecko Earth Ledge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00481DECS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_J33D8XTQDSWY5B8K5F8R
It works great. You can set to go off at intervals and how long to spray. Comes with two nozzles and I 3D printed some brackets for.
REPTI ZOO Reptile T5 HO UVB Lighting Combo Kit, Light Fixture Reptile Terrarium Hood, with Detachable Curved Reflector and 1pc Desert 10.0 UVB T5 Lamp, ETL certificated https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HCL4J8D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_AF0A23509Y0ANSDCDT6K
Not incredibly expensive. I bought this starter kit: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B009UKZV0A/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_DNJMXAYF55FX7FMK4BJ2
The starter kit gave me most parts except the temp/humidity sensor and long enough wires to run the sensor to the enclosure. Sensor was about $10 and the wires were pennies.
The starter kit has like 10 or so projects that teach you different things. I had some coding experience using python from before, so learning c++ (which the arduino uses) wasn't too hard to get a handle on. I'm not sure what it would be like for someone just learning to program though.
This one wasn't too hard to setup. The hardest part was running all the wires to the LCD screen. Writing the code for the screen is outlined in the starter kit, and the code to pull values from the sensor can easily be found online and just copy and pasted.
Dimming the lights will be a bit more difficult and you have to be careful with it because you'd be exposing 120v wires from the heat lamp. You'd have to make sure to make a cover for the lamps wires and unplug everything before tinkering or pulling anything apart.
Let me know if you got any questions! If you like to tinker with things, I definitely recommend the arduino starter kit. I made an automatic fish feeder with it for when I was away during Christmas, and I also made a humidity controller for my tarantulas cage(it would just measure humidity levels and then if they got too high it would turn on a pc fan I had sitting on the screen top). When I progress further with this plan, I'll be sure to post more pictures on here.
Chameleons will usually not drink standing water and like you said prefer drinking running water like what's dripping off your plants and the spritz bottle. they make special water fountains for chameleons like this that I would strongly recommend looking into.
With stuck shed I'd recommend giving them a couple spritzes with a water bottle to help hydrate their skin and make it easier to shed. If you don't already have a mister for their enclosure I would look into that as well. Hope this helps :)
If you're having a hard time feeding her you should try using long tongs, like these
Thank you so much. Should I leave his uvb light turned off for the next day or two until I get a T8? And will the lamp I already have be fine with a T8 tube? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_172W254FBSF6V2SWGF0Y?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I was also told to give him calcium without d3, to start giving him reptisafe twice a month, and small amounts of reptivite
My chameleon was having issues where he was closing his one eye. Not saying it was the same issue but this was my solution. COOSPIDER Reptile Fogger Terrariums Humidifier Fog Machine Mister 3L Large Size Ideal for Paludarium/Vivarium/Reptiles/Amphibians/Herps https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVNP7F3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Z9D2F0X02DR77Q7N5D1Y?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 helped a lot with hydration issues and I leave it on both at night and day
Portable Cool Mini Humidifier, 500ml Personal Desktop Humidifier,2000mAh Battery With Digital Display, Night-Light Cool Mist Humidifier for Bedroom,Office，Travel(Mute, 2 Mist Modes) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F3DWFD4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_6EPAMZQJX827R619VFNY
I put a small shelf above the left side of my cage that holds my spare lights and extra dragon strand ledges. I have my lights clamped to the shelf with a small wooden shim under the clamp to prevent them from “drooping” - I hope that makes sense >> here’s a pic
this shelf is similar to what I have
side note my cage is in the corner of the room so I’m not sure if this would work as well otherwise but I hope this helps! :))
Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Large, 18 x 18 x 36-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027J0VZ6/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_EJF9Y6XR5FHR0DFPGNTF
This is also a proper set up until he gets bigger
As someone who has also raised multiple chameleons as well As fostered ones for our local pet store owner and nursed multiple back to health, and multiple types of geckos I will tell you absolutely 100% they should not be in a glass enclosure. It is 100% bad husbandry and I don’t mean that to be rude. Knowledge is power. REPTI ZOO 3 in 1 Reptile Tall Terrarium, 16"x16"x30" Rainforest Habitat Double Hinge Door with Screen Ventilation Reptile Terrarium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D992LTK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QAV7Q98HZ9XP77Y3M95E
There’s a link to a proper one you can also get a general idea from that and then find the best price one for you. If you want him to acclimate and be happy he needs to be in the correct set up.
Yeah the deep dome s produce a very narrow cone of light that isn't good a nice smooth gentile gradient is much better vs a "on/off" light source that these produce.
They're also inflexible and adjustments are problematic.
>4 watt reptile basking spot lamp bulb.
Those things such and so turn that off now.
They're not for chameleons... and to be of any use they have to be far away from the cage and not set directly on top. They are both a major cause of heat burns but also UV burns as well.
>I keep a bowl with water
No bowels.
Use a drinking glass.
They're not dogs and bowels don't work unless the cham is already aware and used to drinking from such a source.
IT's not that it "likes" or doesn't.
They can't see the water, it's invisible to them... unless PERHAPS you have the dripper falling into it.
people have to stop translating what is written and passing it around like this.
Thanks, there is NOTHING wrong about being concerned about a cham that isn't shooting it's tongue at prey.
What are you keeping this panther in? It looks like a glass tank of some sort, that's goign to cause problems and there's no reason for it if you are maintaining your home above 65ºF in the winter. Also the flooring looks like sand.
You're going to have to remove it, impaction and intestional blockage will kill the animal
I'm thinking that we'll have to go over the entire setup here... it seems there's multiple things that need to be improved upon.
Can you please post a few images of the entire cage/habitat that includes the lighting - top to bottom.
That's usually the best place to start and for us to get the info we need to trouble shoot this.
UVB Reptile Light, UVB 5.0 UVB 10.0 Led UVB Reptile Light, Led Reptile Light UVA UVB Lamp for Turtle Bearded Dragon (UVB 5.0) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0836LTT1K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_fabc_P15PMN2XTRKSB4AZFJSG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
A 50 watt what?
You can have a 50 watt halogen and that generates A LOT OF HEAT.
People like to use wattage as a descriptor and it's F-in useless.
We need to get them to give us an actual product description and if they can't do that, insist on a picture right from the start.
u/cynthalana >She eats everyday 9-10am 7-10 large crickets that are gut loaded on calcium cubes and are dusted too.
That's way too much as Aussie has said. You're overdoing it and those cubes are crap.
I agree with the review by aussie and where he's going here.
For a common species like a veiled or a panther it's generally at the 4 month mark that they start morphing into the sub adult stride.
but you'll really see the early start at the 3 month mark and away from "baby" that's when they can handle drier lower humidity as drink from a glass.
> I have nekton-msa mineral support + vitamin D3.
No, do not use a bird product. This product has 19% phosphorus.
Birds can handle and require higher levels of phosphorus in their supplements and diets. Chameleons are very sensitive to phosphorus and that their supplementation should have ZERO phosphorus.
Re Bee Pollen
Petr Necas did as study a few years ago where he looked at while Yemen veileds and discovered that most of their diets were made of wild and domestic bee and wasps.
The deductions that were made from those fecal studies concluded that Bee pollen figured into the animals health and nutrition prominently.
The reasoning is that bee pollen contains a lot of carotenoids that then along with the B Vitamins to form Vitamin A that is needed for good eye development (among other things). carotenoids are also ](https://science.jrank.org/pages/5303/Plant-Pigment-Carotenoids.html) So this makes sense as a supplement when your animals are fed insects that are raised on a grain based diet (crickets)
So all of this stands to reason and might help explain the eating of leaves directly by veiled chameleons. :)
IF you can try to keep the temp at the high end to 27ºC (80.6ºF)
That will have him more comfortable.
There's a lot of mucus in there and I'm wondering if the feeders are being given something like "water crystals" to keep them hydrated. These are both nutritional garbage but also will produce these unhealthy GI tract / fecal issues when the insects are eaten by your cham.
It would explain both the abnormal appearance, it's lack of food intake and even the kidney issue as these will swell and steal water from the animal (orange kidney function urinate)
So I would check with your feeder source to see how they're caring for the feeder insects water needs.
Needless to say you should never use this garbage as part of your feeder raising and care. Feed your crickets and B. Dubia fresh fruits and you'll be much better off.
Do you have any flexible vines that you could kinda twist round it? something a bit like this?
I actually recently switched tohttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XLJ6G2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_PBH2GMMTJ84JWRM7ZNKB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 for my vitamin dos all the the others that I can grab are calcium cover
My chemo doesn't drink water from plastic cup but I can't find solution for long time, until I found a perfect solution from neptonion, a chameleon water feeder's brand. hope it helps.
Okay I see the images.
These aren't good for diagnosing anything.
I can tell you that you have to get rid of the "hammock" and all the potting soil in the bottom of the habitat. (Yes, remove all of that)
Remove the plastic fake plants.
Remove the fake stump in there as well.
None of those things help the animal.
Get a bendable vine (no moss)
Let's also check your lighting as well as I suspect that there's some issues with that and your heat source. :D