Any suggestions?

dominitri

New Member
Hello! I'm new to this platform and dealing with chameleons overall, been trying to decide what kind to get, because from most people I've heard to get a veiled, but I've also heard they are a bit more aggressive then other kinds, I'm getting a chameleon in two weeks, (I'm doing a lot of traveling in the next two weeks and don't want to leave the cham the moment I get it), and would like to have a decision by then, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
Hi and welcome. :) The very first thing I suggest is heading over to https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ and learn all about husbandry and the needs of specific species.
Then set up your enclosure. If you haven’t yet purchased anything, I highly recommend one of Neptune the Chameleon’s kits. https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...tarter-chameleon-kit-by-neptune-the-chameleon It’s not only the easiest way to buy everything needed, but is at a great price.
If you are brand new to having a chameleon, I definitely advise to get a male and avoid the egg laying anxiety that comes with our sweet females. I have to say that the majority of veileds just want us to feed them and leave them alone. It is the rare veiled that willingly comes out to us, unless it hates its enclosure. While panthers can have just as much attitude and sass, they are more likely to adjust and as they learn to trust us, be more accepting of being handled. Buying from a reputable breeder will also make a difference. There are several breeders who are reputable that are forum sponsors. https://www.chameleonforums.com/sponsors/?tag=chameleons
One is currently having a sale. Several members have had wonderful experiences with this breeder. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/happy-fall-y’all.193651/
There is also a member who several of us have gotten some beautiful panthers from. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/3-mo-old-ambanjas-only-got-a-few.193482/ I don’t know if she still has any.
Do feel free to ask as many questions as you need. :)
 
Hi and welcome. :) The very first thing I suggest is heading over to https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ and learn all about husbandry and the needs of specific species.
Then set up your enclosure. If you haven’t yet purchased anything, I highly recommend one of Neptune the Chameleon’s kits. https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...tarter-chameleon-kit-by-neptune-the-chameleon It’s not only the easiest way to buy everything needed, but is at a great price.
If you are brand new to having a chameleon, I definitely advise to get a male and avoid the egg laying anxiety that comes with our sweet females. I have to say that the majority of veileds just want us to feed them and leave them alone. It is the rare veiled that willingly comes out to us, unless it hates its enclosure. While panthers can have just as much attitude and sass, they are more likely to adjust and as they learn to trust us, be more accepting of being handled. Buying from a reputable breeder will also make a difference. There are several breeders who are reputable that are forum sponsors. https://www.chameleonforums.com/sponsors/?tag=chameleons
One is currently having a sale. Several members have had wonderful experiences with this breeder. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/happy-fall-y’all.193651/
There is also a member who several of us have gotten some beautiful panthers from. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/3-mo-old-ambanjas-only-got-a-few.193482/ I don’t know if she still has any.
Do feel free to ask as many questions as you need. :)
Thank you so much for the wonderful advice! Is panther and veiled the two recommended for beginner chameleon owners? I have a terrarium build for a young chameleon currently, and will probably buy a larger one as it grows up as It is a bit small right now
 
Hi and welcome. Make sure the breeder has full info on the Champion like date of birth, parents, get pic of the parents and never buy a Cham younger than four months. if the breeder doesn't go over your husbandry with you, run! They don't care. Get your cage together and have a husbandry review here before getting your cham so you can make sure you have things right from the beginning and it will save you a lot of money and stress in the long run. Just know that chameleons are a very difficult expensive pet to maintain. They require daily care so know this too before hand. Some people start off with bearded dragons as they are easier to care for and have very good temperments. best of luck to you don't hesitate to ask questions here. We all love our chams and have made it through the serious learning requirement and love to help. 🤗
 
Veiled chameleon isn’t aggressive. It is personable? Not really either. I went with them for their striking appearance with the casque. They don’t need high humidity and seem hardier.
By next year I want to get a Panther chameleon.
 
Thank you so much for the wonderful advice! Is panther and veiled the two recommended for beginner chameleon owners? I have a terrarium build for a young chameleon currently, and will probably buy a larger one as it grows up as It is a bit small right now
Yes. Of the various species, these are the most beginner -friendly. All chameleons can be a challenge and be expensive to set up and care for, but taking the time to learn and do things correctly will help ensure you have success.
 
So did you get a chameleon? Please let us know how hour adventure is going.
Yeah! I got a veiled! I got a girl, I know I know, but there was no males being sold around me and I was too scared to order one online lol! Her name is Jalapeno and she's currently close to seven months old, and doing well!
 

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Welcome on here, and congratulations! It looks like you actually got a boy (and that he’s younger than 7 months)! I love his name by the way, so cute! There are a couple areas of concern I can see in your cage, so if you want to do a husbandry review, please let us know!
 
Welcome on here, and congratulations! It looks like you actually got a boy (and that he’s younger than 7 months)! I love his name by the way, so cute! There are a couple areas of concern I can see in your cage, so if you want to do a husbandry review, please let us know!
oh dang lol. The dude I got him from told me it was a girl and I kinda just ran with it, I didn't check because I didn't think it was a huge deal, kinda the same thing for the age. What problems do you see with the cage? I'd love your advice, I was planning on revamping and getting a bigger one soon anyway.
 
Your little cutie is indeed a boy and a younger one of I’d guess 2-3 months, if that. Because he’s so very young, it’s absolutely essential to have everything correct and as perfect as possible. Young chams have zero resources to fall back on and can decline and fail very quickly. One of the things I see in your pics is a lot of moss, which is a risk. Whether he eats it intentionally or accidentally, it can cause a bowel obstruction. It also may create and hold too much humidity for a glass tank, creating a respiratory infection risk. While I can only see a small part, it does look rather terrestrial and not arboreal enough. The analog gauge that you have is notoriously inaccurate after a very short time of use. Your cutie also looks quite close to that light which is a big risk for burns. Little ones like to walk upside down along the screen top, so lights need to be raised above by a few inches to prevent burns. I’d like to see what kind of uvb you have and ask a million questions. But it would be much easier for both of us if you post more pics of the whole enclosure top to bottom and answer the help questions. Then we can make sure your cutie has everything he needs to grow and thrive. :)
Just copy & paste with your answers and we can get started.

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.
 
Thank you for answering! Congratulations on your boy. At least you don’t have to go thru a name change like I did with my second child. Up until 8 months I was told my baby was a girl so I named her Julia after the father’s grandmother. Surprise it’s a boy so Julia morph into Julius. lol. But jalapeño will work for both and you don’t have to mess with Lay bins and you get to see all the color changes with each full molt. Do the husbandry questionnaire and have the pros here advise. Remember if you are going to get a bigger cage, buy all lights and things for the larger cage. For example a 24” uvb light is good as overhang is ok to the light and the Cham. Reptisun are the ones I get. The right bulb comes with the hood. Now you can get in on all the pre Xmas sales too! Good luck with your little cutie. I got my male when he was four months. You will be going thru a lot of little crickets for a while. lol. It’s this age when they become good hunters and strengthen their amazing tongues!
 
Your little cutie is indeed a boy and a younger one of I’d guess 2-3 months, if that. Because he’s so very young, it’s absolutely essential to have everything correct and as perfect as possible. Young chams have zero resources to fall back on and can decline and fail very quickly. One of the things I see in your pics is a lot of moss, which is a risk. Whether he eats it intentionally or accidentally, it can cause a bowel obstruction. It also may create and hold too much humidity for a glass tank, creating a respiratory infection risk. While I can only see a small part, it does look rather terrestrial and not arboreal enough. The analog gauge that you have is notoriously inaccurate after a very short time of use. Your cutie also looks quite close to that light which is a big risk for burns. Little ones like to walk upside down along the screen top, so lights need to be raised above by a few inches to prevent burns. I’d like to see what kind of uvb you have and ask a million questions. But it would be much easier for both of us if you post more pics of the whole enclosure top to bottom and answer the help questions. Then we can make sure your cutie has everything he needs to grow and thrive. :)
Just copy & paste with your answers and we can get started.
WOAH. I didn't know about the moss thing but thank you so much for that😭😭 the tank I had came with some materials for an animal, including moss, so I put some at the bottom but I'll take that out now that I know! It has become clearer and clearer to me the breeder I got him from knew absolutely nothing about him, so I will be more careful. The light kinda close to the top which I have just used a little cardboard piece to raise up so he didn't burn himself, but I will get some light extender things when I get a bigger tank.
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
My chameleon is a veiled, male, breeder said about 4-5 months which I found out isn't true, so maybe two or three months. I've only had him about a month and a half
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
I don't handle him very often, if I do it's because I have to do something in his tank, like I had to replant a small plant at the back of his tank, but that's about it.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I feed him loads of crickets because he's a hungry little dude, they get dusted in vitamin powder made specifically for chameleons, and the crickets themselves get a gelatin like yellow goop to eat thats only purpose is to keep them alive, and then he gets meal worms every now and then. He gets fed in the morning if he's hungry, because sometimes he won't eat any in the morning, but sometimes he eats a lot in the morning, and then he eats a lot at night.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I give him a supplement made by Reptive, it has calcium and D3 in it, and I put it in one to two crickets while feeding him. Since crickets breathe through there legs and would suffocate if they had it in there small little cage they would die if it was in there with them.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I had an automatic water sprayer which I wasn't a huge fan of, because the tube the water sprayed out of was soft enough for him to chew on, I still use it but I'm in the room when I put it in the tank and take it out afterwards. The spray is usually 30 seconds, and if the humidity is looking low I have a spray bottle I use, but I haven't had to much. After the plants have been sprayed I will see him drinking it, but I've also checked his feces and made sure he's hydrated, and I'm not worried.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
When I first got him he was incredibly dehydrated, and what is supposed to be the white part of her droppings was bright yellow, but it is now a more light white color or very light yellow. The breeder told me he had no parasites, but with the fact I found out the breeder has lied about other things, I am planning to go get him checked soon.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Nothing that I'm aware of I guess, breeder was sketchyish
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
All of it it glass except for the top which is metal mesh and a piece of cardboard to keep it up so jalapeno won't burn himself. I'm ashamed to admit I'm on my second tank right now which is 20 gallons right now I believe, my friend was joking around with me and managed to shatter the corner of my og tank, which was bigger, so I'm saving up for a new, bigger tank. The tank that was shattered was bought before I got Jalapeno btw, so he wasn't around any broken glass!
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
The brand I'm using is Zoo med, I don't know what model it is sadly, I could go digging around in my receipts and look. (It says item LF-19 if that means anything 😭) I wake up at 5:30 daily, get ready for my day and then wake my chameleon up before I leave, at 7:30, so usually he's awake because his bedtime is at 6:30, and the light from the outside is usually peeking in through the curtains, but because of winter I don't think it will be waking him up anymore. He has a UV lamp and a brighter light for basking, the UV is on a timer, but if he wanted to get away from it before it turns off there are a lot of places for him to hide from it.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
The very top place he can get to is on the top of a Erythrina lysistemon, (a lucky bean plant) that when the light is on stays at 85-95. The bottom is usually at 75ish, so the entire range of temperature is 75-95. The lowest overnight temp is 60, because that's what my entire house is set too at night, including jalapenos tank. I have a hydro-thermo temperature gauge, but I also have tons and tons of thermometers and stuff I use because I'm paranoid.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
His tank stays consistently from 30-50 during the day, but usually spikes pretty high after watering, but goes back down pretty quickly. At night sometimes it goes pretty high, which I'm trying to find a solution too, but the levels have been to flimsy to actually record, but I'm trying my best to make them more consistent. I have an infrared tool because my dad's a giant nerd which measures humidity somehow?? I don't know what it's called but whatever. And then a hydro thermo measurer which I will replace soon.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Absolutely every plant is real in Jalapenos tank is real, but I have some fake plants for a few reasons, 1, if I need to take him to the vet I have a large carrier for him which I will put a fake plant in for him, 2, when I need to take him out his tank he will hang out on a fake plant while I do whatever to his tank. I have an nematanthus, radiator plant, Castanospermum australe (try saying that five times fast, and a alocasia macrorrhiza, which is called a stingray plant but doesn't sting, it is also called elephant ear plants, and then a Erythrina lysistemon . Both the alocasia macrorrhiza and the Erythrina lysistemon are very fast growing and larger plants so he can climb, and I have a piece of dried wood for him to climb.
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?
Is next to a mini fridge that I keep the mealworms in if that counts? But No, no vents are fans near by. Jalapenos tank and all of his stuff has its own desk in my study. The only thing taller than his cage in my room is the bookshelf, which reaches the ceiling.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Bainbridge Island, Washington! Seattle, basically.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Just looking for tips and advice, everyone has been very helpful ❤️!
 
I’ll put my feedback in bold and split this into at least 2 sections.
WOAH. I didn't know about the moss thing but thank you so much for that😭😭 the tank I had came with some materials for an animal, including moss, so I put some at the bottom but I'll take that out now that I know! It has become clearer and clearer to me the breeder I got him from knew absolutely nothing about him, so I will be more careful. There’s a ton of bad info out there and it’s hard to know what is right. The best and correct sources are https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ and Neptune the Chameleon on YouTube. The light kinda close to the top which I have just used a little cardboard piece to raise up so he didn't burn himself, but I will get some light extender things when I get a bigger tank. I use small wire baskets from the dollar store to elevate my lights when needed.
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
My chameleon is a veiled, male, breeder said about 4-5 months which I found out isn't true, so maybe two or three months. I've only had him about a month and a half Wow! How tiny was he when you got him? Or are your pics from before? For the sake of everything, I’m going to assume an age of 3 months.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
I don't handle him very often, if I do it's because I have to do something in his tank, like I had to replant a small plant at the back of his tank, but that's about it. It’s always a good idea to work on and reinforce trust with your chameleon. Veileds may not be as willing to come out to us or not hiss at us, but we still want some trust.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I feed him loads of crickets because he's a hungry little dude, they get dusted in vitamin powder made specifically for chameleons, and the crickets themselves get a gelatin like yellow goop to eat thats only purpose is to keep them alive, and then he gets meal worms every now and then. He gets fed in the morning if he's hungry, because sometimes he won't eat any in the morning, but sometimes he eats a lot in the morning, and then he eats a lot at night. This is good that you’re letting him eat a lot and twice a day because he’s so young. I’m going to say give him another couple of weeks and then reduce him to one morning feeding of 20+ feeders. I’m attaching some graphics for feeder choices and gutloading. Like us, chams like and need variety of food. Then you need to take very good care of your buggies and feed them healthy fresh food so that they are nutritious. Sadly, the gel pots, cubes and other forms will keep the bugs hydrated and alive, but are poor nutrition for them. Mealworms aren’t the best choice for a staple feeder. Instead, try some bsfl (aka calci worms, Phoenix worms, etc) which are usually available at pet stores. For better variety, you’ll likely need to order some feeders on line. Some vendors offer variety packs for different species, which are awesome. Check out the forum sponsors for some reputable vendors of great quality bugs. https://www.chameleonforums.com/sponsors/?tag=food
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I give him a supplement made by Reptive, it has calcium and D3 in it, and I put it in one to two crickets while feeding him. Since crickets breathe through there legs and would suffocate if they had it in there small little cage they would die if it was in there with them. This is the type of thing that is why I suggested a husbandry review. While it is correct to use ReptiVite with D3, you only want to use it for one feeding every other week (or twice a month if you prefer). Both vitamins D3 and the form of A (preformed) in ReptiVite are fat soluble, which means they don’t get metabolized and eliminated quickly. They can easily build up to toxic levels. Stop using this immediately and for at least the next 3-4 weeks…let your little cutie eliminate some of the excess. Afraid that only time will do this. The supplement you need to get and use at every feeding is a phosphorus free calcium without D3. Repashy Supercal (pic below) is a really good one. Dust lightly. You don’t want your feeders to look like powdered donuts.
Are you using some sort of feeding station? If not, I suggest you do. There’s a few different types/styles or you can make your own. I like the shooting gallery https://tkchameleons.com/products/shooting-gallery?variant=30018608595032 (also available thru Rainbow Mealworms). Some prefer the full throttle style https://www.fullthrottlefeeders.com/ and there’s variations of both out there. The goal is to have your feeders contained in one area and that your chameleon knows where to find its food.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I had an automatic water sprayer which I wasn't a huge fan of, because the tube the water sprayed out of was soft enough for him to chew on, I still use it but I'm in the room when I put it in the tank and take it out afterwards. The spray is usually 30 seconds, and if the humidity is looking low I have a spray bottle I use, but I haven't had to much. After the plants have been sprayed I will see him drinking it, but I've also checked his feces and made sure he's hydrated, and I'm not worried. However you do it, with a misting system or by hand, you want to mist the leaves of the plants for at least 2 minutes right before lights go on and off. If his urates are looking orange or dark yellow, he needs more hydration and you can either add a 1 minute misting or use a dripper for about 15 minutes a day.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
When I first got him he was incredibly dehydrated, and what is supposed to be the white part of her droppings was bright yellow, but it is now a more light white color or very light yellow. The breeder told me he had no parasites, but with the fact I found out the breeder has lied about other things, I am planning to go get him checked soon. Yes, do have a fecal done. They can get parasites in different ways, so it’s always good to check.
*not knowing your breeder or what they said, I can’t say that they lied or not. It’s very possible they just didn’t know better. I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. 🤷‍♀️

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Nothing that I'm aware of I guess, breeder was sketchyish

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Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
All of it it glass except for the top which is metal mesh and a piece of cardboard to keep it up so jalapeno won't burn himself. That doesn’t sound too safe. The lights can get really hot and I’d be afraid the cardboard could catch fire. I'm ashamed to admit I'm on my second tank right now which is 20 gallons right now I believe, my friend was joking around with me and managed to shatter the corner of my og tank, which was bigger, so I'm saving up for a new, bigger tank. The tank that was shattered was bought before I got Jalapeno btw, so he wasn't around any broken glass! I’m afraid the tank that you are describing is not at all appropriate for a chameleon, primarily because of lack of adequate ventilation. Size is also another issue. Since you live in what I assume has to be a humid area, I suggest either an all screen enclosure or a hybrid. It’s that time of year for really good sales and you can likely buy an XL ReptiBreeze at a great price. Here’s just one that’s already on sale. https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/ha...GKu2YjEQkXLCGNhrqS-2vFuA0ZqqI57xoC_80QAvD_BwE If you are able to buy it tonight in the next few hours, use the code SAVE20 and the total cost is like $65. You can’t beat that for savings! Another option is to buy Neptune The Chameleon’s kit which is a really good price for all that it contains. https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...tarter-chameleon-kit-by-neptune-the-chameleon
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
The brand I'm using is Zoo med, I don't know what model it is sadly, I could go digging around in my receipts and look. (It says item LF-19 if that means anything 😭) I wake up at 5:30 daily, get ready for my day and then wake my chameleon up before I leave, at 7:30, so usually he's awake because his bedtime is at 6:30, and the light from the outside is usually peeking in through the curtains, but because of winter I don't think it will be waking him up anymore. A 12 hour light schedule is best. Timers are wonderful! He has a UV lamp and a brighter light for basking, the UV is on a timer, but if he wanted to get away from it before it turns off there are a lot of places for him to hide from it. I’m guessing that your uvb is a screw in light and not a linear/long fixture. Unfortunately the screw in lights aren’t able to provide the uvb levels needed by your cutie. The standard is a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb. The only brands that I would trust are ReptiSun or Arcadia. I tested one of the better brands of the cheaper options and was very disappointed. The uvb levels were lower than those of an Arcadia bulb at over a year old. I did look for sales and not able to find any at any better price than this. https://www.lightyourreptiles.com/arcadia-pro-t5-fixture-6-bulb-22-5-sale-now-only-69-99/ The gentleman who owns this company is very helpful if needed too. Correct uvb is something that can’t wait.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
The very top place he can get to is on the top of a Erythrina lysistemon, (a lucky bean plant) that when the light is on stays at 85-95. The bottom is usually at 75ish, so the entire range of temperature is 75-95. This is much too hot for a young chameleon. You don’t want your temp any higher than 80 for him now. When he is fully grown, he can go up to 85 max. The lowest overnight temp is 60, because that's what my entire house is set too at night, including jalapenos tank. Your night temps are fantastic and you could/should run a cool mist humidifier for a few hours at night to boost humidity as high as you can get. That simulates the hydration chams get in the wild from fog. Never raise humidity unless your temps are below at least 68. I have a hydro-thermo temperature gauge, but I also have tons and tons of thermometers and stuff I use because I'm paranoid. Ok, good! The analog gauges are so unreliable. You at least want one digital thermometer/hygrometer with a wired probe end.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
His tank stays consistently from 30-50 during the day, but usually spikes pretty high after watering, but goes back down pretty quickly. Ok, good. 30-50% is the ideal range for daytime. At night sometimes it goes pretty high, which I'm trying to find a solution too, No no no! Cool and humid is perfect at night and helps hydration. but the levels have been to flimsy to actually record, but I'm trying my best to make them more consistent. I have an infrared tool because my dad's a giant nerd which measures humidity somehow?? I don't know what it's called but whatever. And then a hydro thermo measurer which I will replace soon.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Absolutely every plant is real in Jalapenos tank is real, but I have some fake plants for a few reasons, 1, if I need to take him to the vet I have a large carrier for him which I will put a fake plant in for him, 2, when I need to take him out his tank he will hang out on a fake plant while I do whatever to his tank. I have an nematanthus, radiator plant, Castanospermum australe (try saying that five times fast, and a alocasia macrorrhiza, which is called a stingray plant but doesn't sting, it is also called elephant ear plants, and then a Erythrina lysistemon . Both the alocasia macrorrhiza and the Erythrina lysistemon are very fast growing and larger plants so he can climb, and I have a piece of dried wood for him to climb. I only looked up the toxicity for the lucky bean plant (it’s quite toxic - needs to be removed), but the others aren’t on the safe plant list for veileds or any chameleons. Our veileds like to nibble their plants for reasons we don’t it yet understand. Because of that, it’s essential that they be clean and safe. Here’s info and lists for veiled tested plants. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ and graphics of some below. Pothos is perhaps the most versatile and best for chameleons. I like to place a taller plant like a schefflera in the center of the enclosure and then pothos, tradescantia zebrina, calathea or prayer plant, etc around it. If you place a pothos on the floor of the enclosure and train it to grow upwards, the leaves grow larger. ;) I’ll add a separate post about setting up the 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?
Is next to a mini fridge that I keep the mealworms in if that counts? But No, no vents are fans near by. Jalapenos tank and all of his stuff has its own desk in my study. The only thing taller than his cage in my room is the bookshelf, which reaches the ceiling. Perfect! Height is safety for chameleons.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Bainbridge Island, Washington! Seattle, basically.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Just looking for tips and advice, everyone has been very helpful ❤️! Do check out the resources links I provided and keep asking questions and sharing with us here. It’s the best way to learn.

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Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
All of it it glass except for the top which is metal mesh and a piece of cardboard to keep it up so jalapeno won't burn himself. That doesn’t sound too safe. The lights can get really hot and I’d be afraid the cardboard could catch fire. I'm ashamed to admit I'm on my second tank right now which is 20 gallons right now I believe, my friend was joking around with me and managed to shatter the corner of my og tank, which was bigger, so I'm saving up for a new, bigger tank. The tank that was shattered was bought before I got Jalapeno btw, so he wasn't around any broken glass! I’m afraid the tank that you are describing is not at all appropriate for a chameleon, primarily because of lack of adequate ventilation. Size is also another issue. Since you live in what I assume has to be a humid area, I suggest either an all screen enclosure or a hybrid. It’s that time of year for really good sales and you can likely buy an XL ReptiBreeze at a great price. Here’s just one that’s already on sale. https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/ha...GKu2YjEQkXLCGNhrqS-2vFuA0ZqqI57xoC_80QAvD_BwE If you are able to buy it tonight in the next few hours, use the code SAVE20 and the total cost is like $65. You can’t beat that for savings! Another option is to buy Neptune The Chameleon’s kit which is a really good price for all that it contains. https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...tarter-chameleon-kit-by-neptune-the-chameleon
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
The brand I'm using is Zoo med, I don't know what model it is sadly, I could go digging around in my receipts and look. (It says item LF-19 if that means anything 😭) I wake up at 5:30 daily, get ready for my day and then wake my chameleon up before I leave, at 7:30, so usually he's awake because his bedtime is at 6:30, and the light from the outside is usually peeking in through the curtains, but because of winter I don't think it will be waking him up anymore. A 12 hour light schedule is best. Timers are wonderful! He has a UV lamp and a brighter light for basking, the UV is on a timer, but if he wanted to get away from it before it turns off there are a lot of places for him to hide from it. I’m guessing that your uvb is a screw in light and not a linear/long fixture. Unfortunately the screw in lights aren’t able to provide the uvb levels needed by your cutie. The standard is a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb. The only brands that I would trust are ReptiSun or Arcadia. I tested one of the better brands of the cheaper options and was very disappointed. The uvb levels were lower than those of an Arcadia bulb at over a year old. I did look for sales and not able to find any at any better price than this. https://www.lightyourreptiles.com/arcadia-pro-t5-fixture-6-bulb-22-5-sale-now-only-69-99/ The gentleman who owns this company is very helpful if needed too. Correct uvb is something that can’t wait.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
The very top place he can get to is on the top of a Erythrina lysistemon, (a lucky bean plant) that when the light is on stays at 85-95. The bottom is usually at 75ish, so the entire range of temperature is 75-95. This is much too hot for a young chameleon. You don’t want your temp any higher than 80 for him now. When he is fully grown, he can go up to 85 max. The lowest overnight temp is 60, because that's what my entire house is set too at night, including jalapenos tank. Your night temps are fantastic and you could/should run a cool mist humidifier for a few hours at night to boost humidity as high as you can get. That simulates the hydration chams get in the wild from fog. Never raise humidity unless your temps are below at least 68. I have a hydro-thermo temperature gauge, but I also have tons and tons of thermometers and stuff I use because I'm paranoid. Ok, good! The analog gauges are so unreliable. You at least want one digital thermometer/hygrometer with a wired probe end.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
His tank stays consistently from 30-50 during the day, but usually spikes pretty high after watering, but goes back down pretty quickly. Ok, good. 30-50% is the ideal range for daytime. At night sometimes it goes pretty high, which I'm trying to find a solution too, No no no! Cool and humid is perfect at night and helps hydration. but the levels have been to flimsy to actually record, but I'm trying my best to make them more consistent. I have an infrared tool because my dad's a giant nerd which measures humidity somehow?? I don't know what it's called but whatever. And then a hydro thermo measurer which I will replace soon.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Absolutely every plant is real in Jalapenos tank is real, but I have some fake plants for a few reasons, 1, if I need to take him to the vet I have a large carrier for him which I will put a fake plant in for him, 2, when I need to take him out his tank he will hang out on a fake plant while I do whatever to his tank. I have an nematanthus, radiator plant, Castanospermum australe (try saying that five times fast, and a alocasia macrorrhiza, which is called a stingray plant but doesn't sting, it is also called elephant ear plants, and then a Erythrina lysistemon . Both the alocasia macrorrhiza and the Erythrina lysistemon are very fast growing and larger plants so he can climb, and I have a piece of dried wood for him to climb. I only looked up the toxicity for the lucky bean plant (it’s quite toxic - needs to be removed), but the others aren’t on the safe plant list for veileds or any chameleons. Our veileds like to nibble their plants for reasons we don’t it yet understand. Because of that, it’s essential that they be clean and safe. Here’s info and lists for veiled tested plants. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ and graphics of some below. Pothos is perhaps the most versatile and best for chameleons. I like to place a taller plant like a schefflera in the center of the enclosure and then pothos, tradescantia zebrina, calathea or prayer plant, etc around it. If you place a pothos on the floor of the enclosure and train it to grow upwards, the leaves grow larger. ;) I’ll add a separate post about setting up the 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?
Is next to a mini fridge that I keep the mealworms in if that counts? But No, no vents are fans near by. Jalapenos tank and all of his stuff has its own desk in my study. The only thing taller than his cage in my room is the bookshelf, which reaches the ceiling. Perfect! Height is safety for chameleons.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Bainbridge Island, Washington! Seattle, basically.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Just looking for tips and advice, everyone has been very helpful ❤️! Do check out the resources links I provided and keep asking questions and sharing with us here. It’s the best way to learn.

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Thank you so much for all your amazing help! I'll take everything into account, I already removed the moss because of your recommendation, and I'll make sure to remove the lucky bean plant! Thank you so much! If you think of any more tips I'm all ears<3
 
You want to create a forest edge in your enclosure. You want lots of branches and vines to provide lots of little chameleon roads to travel on, patrol his enclosure (an adult male thing) and exercise. I like real branches. Avoid ones from trees with heavy odors or saps, like pines, eucalyptus. Oak is great. Wash with some soapy water, rinse extremely well and air or sun dry. No need to bake, bleach or otherwise sterilize. I even leave lichen on mine. Then your plants should be dense enough to provide areas to hide in, take shade from the heat/uvb, collect water droplets for drinking and just exploring.
It can be a challenge to hang things, especially with screen. One awesome solution is Dragon Ledges. https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ Some have crafted their own, but I don’t recall how. When I needed to set up an enclosure and there was no time to wait for Dragon Ledges, I used some scrap garden trellis. I secured it with thin wire to the frame of the enclosure. I did add a couple of screws on each support so they wouldn’t slide down. It’s much sturdier than I thought and looks better than I expected, so it’s what I’ve been doing with additional set ups. I can attach lots of branches and even some potted plants.
My enclosures are bioactive (nothing you need to think about now), but for now you want to keep your floor bare. No moss, no soil, no nothing except maybe a substrate (drainage) tray and potted plants. I also have been able to give my chams double sized enclosures, which I encourage anyone who has the space. But here’s some of my set ups to give you ideas of what you are looking to create. :) *just realized these were all for panthers, so my plant choices were a bit more liberal.

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You want to create a forest edge in your enclosure. You want lots of branches and vines to provide lots of little chameleon roads to travel on, patrol his enclosure (an adult male thing) and exercise. I like real branches. Avoid ones from trees with heavy odors or saps, like pines, eucalyptus. Oak is great. Wash with some soapy water, rinse extremely well and air or sun dry. No need to bake, bleach or otherwise sterilize. I even leave lichen on mine. Then your plants should be dense enough to provide areas to hide in, take shade from the heat/uvb, collect water droplets for drinking and just exploring.
It can be a challenge to hang things, especially with screen. One awesome solution is Dragon Ledges. https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ Some have crafted their own, but I don’t recall how. When I needed to set up an enclosure and there was no time to wait for Dragon Ledges, I used some scrap garden trellis. I secured it with thin wire to the frame of the enclosure. I did add a couple of screws on each support so they wouldn’t slide down. It’s much sturdier than I thought and looks better than I expected, so it’s what I’ve been doing with additional set ups. I can attach lots of branches and even some potted plants.
My enclosures are bioactive (nothing you need to think about now), but for now you want to keep your floor bare. No moss, no soil, no nothing except maybe a substrate (drainage) tray and potted plants. I also have been able to give my chams double sized enclosures, which I encourage anyone who has the space. But here’s some of my set ups to give you ideas of what you are looking to create. :) *just realized these were all for panthers, so my plant choices were a bit more liberal.

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Your tank is so pretty 😍🤩. my tank has soil already because I planted the plants inside the dirt so make them easier to grow, so there's clay balls which soak up some of the water from the soil and then refeed the soil so I don't have to water them, I'm removing the lucky bean plant like you said, but is it a huge deal that there's soil?
 
Your tank is so pretty 😍🤩. my tank has soil already because I planted the plants inside the dirt so make them easier to grow, so there's clay balls which soak up some of the water from the soil and then refeed the soil so I don't have to water them, I'm removing the lucky bean plant like you said, but is it a huge deal that there's soil?
In actually amazing with plants, so it came as a huge surprise to me when I heard the lucky bean plant was toxic😅 I'm in school currently and studying botany, so really any plants you recommend I can put in.🙃
 
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