Am I doing this right?

[pi_and_peg]

Hey! I'm new to the chameleon world and community. I've done lots of research and I just want to double check I'm doing everything right with my chameleons.
About a month ago I got two chameleons. I wasn't entirely sure how old they are. I got one at a reptile expo and was told she, I named her Pascale, was 3 months old and another at the pet store and was told she, I named her Paige, was 5 months old. Now, I see them toghther and am pretty sure Paige cannot be 5 months old when compared to Pascale. They're nearly the same size and eat the same. They're both vieled chams.
I have many concerns about things. To start off, I knew that since they were young I wanted to house them toghther until they got a bit bigger, just to keep it closer to what they had in the pet store and with the breeder since they were rather small. I have them both currently in a 16x16x30 cage. I am ordering another one since they are getting a bit bigger and I know they're solitary animals. I was just wondering when I should take them apart since they are very content with eachother. Thier colors are never dark in the cage unless they're basking and they don't show any signs of aggression. How do I know when they're too old to be toghther?
My next concern is the cage temperature. The bottom of the cage usually ranges from 73-77 and the top 85-90. Is this okay for them? I mist them quite often as well, usually 3-4 times a day. Is that too much? I also have a dripper in there for them.
I feed them about 7 crickets each, all dusted with some calcium/reptivitamin. Is this a healthy amount for them? They haven't shed yet while I've had them from what I know.
Now, my biggest concern is with Paige. When I saw her at the pet store, she was being housed with two sub-adults and they were kind bullying her. She was near the bottom of the cage, (oddly, she's usually basking on her hammock for me) her colors were dark, but when I held her, her dark pattern went to such a beautiful green. I noticed her foot. One of the older chams in the cage had bitten it. It was rather swollen and it looked pretty bad. I figured I'd do my research and wait a week or two and see how it was when she was distressed. The swelling is almost none and it seems she feels much better about using it. It looks better, besides that it's a brownish color. I read that I could put some neosporin on it to help and I figured that's the least I could for her and it seems to be okay. I am worried in general about how she will be. Will she be okay?
I will attach pictures of both of them. If you think they're maybe a boy actually or perhaps older or younger, please do tell. They really do love to climb on faces too.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

What’s wrong with his leg?

 

[pi_and_peg]

Her leg was bitten in the cage at the store I got her. A different chameleon bit her so I really wanted to help her and get her out of the pet store.

 

[pi_and_peg]

@Brodybreaux25

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Welcome to the forums! It’s never too early to separate them, do it now.

Please fill out the “how to ask for help” form and post your answers back here. Quality pictures will help us help you.

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.

--------------

Please Note:
1 The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2 Photos can be very helpful.

 

[pi_and_peg]

@Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Info:
◦ Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Female veiled chameleons. They're both about 3-4 months from what I know. They've been in my care about 3-4 weeks.
◦ Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
I handle them once or twice a week. Paige is much more open to handling than Pascale, so I usually hold her a bit more.
◦ Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I feed them 7-10 crickets daily. I've tried to give them kale, berries, other veggies and they don't really care. They're very curious but I think a little scared to take a bite. I gut load them with apples, dog food, carrots.. A variety of things.
◦ Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I use calcium powder and reptivitamin, altering everyday. I dust the crickets with them every feeding.
◦ Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I mist 3-4 times a day. Usually for about 30-45 seconds of heavy misting. When I get up in the morning, come home from school, about half an hour before I feed them, and before I go to bed. I've seen them drink. I also have a dripper.
◦ Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
I've never had any testings. Both Pascale and Paige defecate a very normal fecal and urate compared to other chams. Nothing alarms me.
◦ History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Paige was bought at a pet store where she was housed with two sub-adults.
Cage Info:
◦ Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
The cage is a screen cage. It's 16x16x30.
◦ Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I am using reptibreeze tropical lighting kit. I have the UVB light on for 12-14 hours per day and I usually keep my basking light on as they love it so much and the bottom of thier cage has shade areas.
◦ Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
The floor is usually 75-80 degrees. The overnight temperature stays the same.
◦ Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
I mist the cage about 3-4 times a day. I also have them next to my heater to help keep the temperature high, as well as thier basking light.
◦ Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
I have all sorts of plastic plants, but none live. I have been looking into some pothos though.
◦ 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?
The cage is near a window and my heater. I figured the heater would help keep the temp good in there and the sun from the window would also be beneficial. The top of Paige's cage is at about the middle height of my room. Maybe a bit more.
◦ Location - Where are you geographically located?
I am located in southwestern Pennsylvania.

As I mentioned, Paige was bought at a pet store where she was housed with two sub-adults. One of the chameleons in her cage there bit her foot. It was swollen but has gone down significantly. I've been putting neosporin on it and she uses her foot more frequently. The coloration is darker than the rest of her though, which worries me. Is she okay, or in any physical damage, in your opinions? I'm attaching pictures of her. The last one is not her stressed, she was basking.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

We can go over all this once you’ve replied to the form.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Thanks, give us some time to go through it!

 

[#Chams4life]

Could we see some pictures of the back of the feet please? I'm pretty sure the one that is sitting the glasses is a male

 

[pi_and_peg]

@#Chams4life
I have attached pictures of my two chams. The first picture is Pascale, with the lighter colors. The second is Paige, with the dark spots.

 

[JoXie411]

They look dehydrated. It sounds like your keeping them to warm. They need a temp drop at night to help digest there food. What is your time cycle because it sounds like your not not giving 12 hours with no light. Like also mention above you need to separate them like now not later now

 

[pi_and_peg]

Should I mist them more than 4 times a day? Is one large water dripper enough? I try my best for them to EST plenty of water. I turn the UVB off at night but not the basking. They really like it and below the hammock in thier cage they have lots of shade. I will order a new cage this weekend. Do you personally think Pascal, the one in the previous post, is a male?

 

[JoXie411]

Ok you need to turn off the basking light at night they need to sleep. If the light is on how will they sleep? So you like to sleep with light in your face?

How long are you misting them for? It needs to be at least 2 mins.

Stress can kill them you might not be able to tell that they are stress being around each other so like I said sooner not later.

It might be a male but it’s small so wait and see. Female chameleons will lay eggs mates or not and retain sperm for months. So again separate them

 

[pi_and_peg]

I usually mist them for about a minute, pretty heavily. I try not to directly spray them. I make sure to spray their hammock very good because if there's a little puddle of water on there, they like to drink it.
I'm sorry I kept them together. They were both so young and small and all my research said until they started to reach sexual maturity that it was okay to keep them together.
I was wondering if it was about time for them to shed since I've had them for about 2-3 weeks?
I've research more than ever before about chameleons laying eggs, and I was wondering if you think it's best to keep a laying bin in at all time for them or not? Some places have said to, some not- I am just worried about not seeing the signs and them becoming egg bound. Or at least Paige, seeing as Pascal is possibly a male. I'll keep you updated with pictures of his/her feet incase tasal spurs become more pronounced or he/she starts showing any other signs.

 

[JoXie411]

I keep my laying bin in 100% of the time. My female is currently laying eggs now. They get huge when they have eggs inside. Most of the member would also advise the laying bin being in the cage all the time. Read this about egg laying

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/

And this caresheet about veileds

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Yes they should be shedding soon if they haven’t yet. They will look dual in color when they are ready to shed

I took me a week to notice if my male or a female because his spares were so small when I brought him home but that leg looks like it might need a vet to look at it. Doesn’t look so good.

 

[#Chams4life]

@#Chams4life
I have attached pictures of my two chams. The first picture is Pascale, with the lighter colors. The second is Paige, with the dark spots.

We need good pictures of the back of the feet please. Where the spurs would be are being covered by the branch. They definitely are big enough that we will be able to see them.

 

[pi_and_peg]

@JoXie411
Okay. Thank you so much. Is there anything else I'm doing wrong?

 

[pi_and_peg]

@#Chams4life
These are some of the best pictures I could get without disturbing her/him too much. I pulled some older pictures too to see if anything could be spotted.

 

[JoXie411]

@JoXie411
Okay. Thank you so much. Is there anything else I'm doing wrong?

I almost forgot stop with the dog food that’s a no no. I’m attached more stuff for you. These are like cheat sheets of dummies as I say lol I loved them when I first started. Do you have a gauge that tracks the humidity levels and heat? If not buy those as well. Your going to be spending at least if not more $500 on a good enough set up. I’ve spent $1000 plus on both my chameleons already

I like this multivitamin as well you can use every feeding

https://www.rainbowmealworms.net/repashy-calcium-plus-lod/

I’m noticing eye problems on your cham as well I think the one you think is male

 

[pi_and_peg]

@JoXie411 Thank you for all the information the cheats are great. I have something to measure temperature but not humidity.
What seems to be going on with Pascale's, the one who is iffy boy/girl, eye? I have noticed if she's even slightly dehydrated she usually has swollen eyes.