Baby Ambilobe Husbandry Check + Tips and Advice

[Thatwizard420]

So after 3 years of just being in the weeds , I finally got another chameleon.
The breeder is local and very inexperienced at breeding, but not at keeping Chameleons.
I managed to grab a baby for $50.
He is selling them for $250 though.
and $125 Females
I traded 5 NanoBreeze Cages, a which I paid $10 for them Brand new.
Breeder does have difficulties sexing them, but Said if it turns out to be a female, I could exchange.

I have experience with Jacksons and Veileds But not panthers..
Here is a quick Husbandry Check

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? About to be 3 Months Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, Hopefully Male
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? just to put him in cage, just got him yesterday
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I fed him Fruit flies this morning, which he took right away
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? This is were I need help.. I have no Idea on His Supplementation,, Any advice welcome, and also the brand of the calcium that works the best.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I Turn on the fogger at night, I mist by hand.. I have a V5 Mistking ready to rock n roll when I finish his enclosure
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? White Urate, Poops looks orangee.. No fecal Yet.
• 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? Nano Breeze 10x10x12 screen 3 sides, acrylic on front. Will Get a 4ft cage when hes a bit older and bigger
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I'm using the nano dual dome. I'm planning on 12 hours a pop. 25W nano Basking Bulb with NANO UVB (I do have a T5 with a brand new 5.0 UVB bulb, but I'm scare that would be too much UVB.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Like top of cage is 90, 3/4 up is 81 and bottom is about 76... I measure this with Thermometer and infrared thermometer.. Also My house is always 77-81.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Hygrometer reading at 81%
• 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? My Kitchen.. It's Only my wife and I so Hardly any traffic
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Tucson, AZ

I Will be covering the side tank, so nothing is visible..

Any Constructive Criticism is welcome!

 

[Serbianchameleon]

I dont have time to review everything but I will tell you most important things and someone will do the whole review later if not I will.

That UV light is not good. you need linear T5HO Uv light with 5%. I think you already know but just ti be sure- that cage is only for babies to up 4-5 months old at max. You need to get at least 1.5meters in height and 1 meter wide and deep. Poop looks really weird.. I would get a fecal. Can you post pics of the cham maybe I can try to sex him. No need for fogger at night if its 70-80 percent already!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Nano Breeze 10x10x12 screen 3 sides, acrylic on front. Will Get a 4ft cage when hes a bit older and bigger

Waiting is not necessary. I put my 3 month old male panther in his 48 x 24 x 48 enclosure the first day, and he's been fine with it. Establishing the final cage now will also reduce relocation stress later, allow you to set up that MistKing (You won't know how you did without it), and allow you to get more live plants in there.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I'm using the nano dual dome. I'm planning on 12 hours a pop. 25W nano Basking Bulb with NANO UVB (I do have a T5 with a brand new 5.0 UVB bulb, but I'm scare that would be too much UVB.

It won't be if put at the right distance between bulb & basking perch. I'd switch to the linear T5, 8-12" above with screen between. Be prepared that he may ceiling climb right under the UVB. This should not be an issue for short periods/traverses.

I'm not a fan of spot lights at all. They create hot spots (sudden transition from room temp to much hotter) rather than gradients. Flood lights or household incandescents are better for basking lights.

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Like top of cage is 90, 3/4 up is 81 and bottom is about 76... I measure this with Thermometer and infrared thermometer.. Also My house is always 77-81.

That's a warm house. Since his basking spot should be in the mid-high 80s, and that should be the hottest spot in the enclosure, you might back things off a bit. He'd also be more comfortable in nighttime temperatures in to 60s to low 70s.

https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Hygrometer reading at 81%

That's really good for nighttime. You can back it off to 50-60% during the day. Good airflow/air changes are more important than just numbers.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

Live plants & vines only, please. They'll help you control humidity both ways (and temperatures to a lesser extent ).

• 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? My Kitchen.. It's Only my wife and I so Hardly any traffic

That's OK, but kitchens are notoriously the warmest, noisiest, and most trafficked room in the house. If you can't get those temps down a bit, a smaller room where you can better control the microenvironment might be a better choice.

• Location - Where are you geographically located? Tucson, AZ

That explains the high household temps!

 

[Thatwizard420]

He refuses to get down the screen on top
im scared because temps up there are 88-90
I will Try to mount the T5 UVB so it a feet on top..
Cage will come later, I need to buy it, and make it bioactive. I'm thinking Exo terra 36x18x36

What do I do for supplementation?

 

[Beman]

Baby will more then likely stay on that top... I would not be adding heat at all with your ambient temp in the house. I agree the double dome is a no go. With the T5 and the 5.0 bulb. You do not want it a foot above.... You want to raise it 4 inches off the top and then have 5 inches to the branches below the screen. This way they are not over exposed on the screen top because you have it raised the 4 inches. With the T5ho and the 5.0 bulb you want to always have 8-9 measured inches between the bottom of the fixture and the basking branch to get an approximate 3 uvi. Now with raising it the 4 inches if baby is on the screen it should expose it to a 6 UVI which is the upper limits and still within safe exposure.

You will supplement normally. Calcium without D3 at all feedings... What are you doing for your multi and D3? Because those would be normal rotation as well.


I would not keep baby in a small cage for too long. And I would add a real pothos instead of fake plants.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

He refuses to get down the screen on top

Yeah, they do that. He'll come down when he's ready, probably at or near light-out, but if he stays all night, I wouldn't worry about that either. He's tiny, he's scared (who wouldn't be) and he feels safe(r) up there.

im scared because temps up there are 88-90

Any time temps in the enclosure are at or higher than basking temperature, you can turn any basking or heat lamps off until temps up there drop below basking temp during the day.

I will Try to mount the T5 UVB so it a feet on top..
Cage will come later, I need to buy it, and make it bioactive. I'm thinking Exo terra 36x18x36

Have you considered a hybrid enclosure? They're much easier to control temp & humidity.
These are incredibly strong, designed & built to support lights, and well-insulated as they have 1/4" thk PVC walls & back.
https://www.zenhabitats.com/collect...osures/products/2x2x4-pvc-reptile-enclosure-1
https://www.zenhabitats.com/collect...losures/products/4x2x4-pvc-reptile-enclosures

What do I do for supplementation?

 

[ERKleRose]

For supplements, get a phosphorus-free calcium without D3 to use every feeding. Then you also need a phosphorus-free calcium with D3 and a multivitamin without D3 but with preformed Vitamin A, using each only once every two weeks. So you'll pick one day each week to rotate weekly through the calcium with D3 and multivitamin without D3. How long do you mist for? How often are you planning to clean his fogger, and does his fogger have crinkly tubing? The T5 UVB needs to go on him ASAP, otherwise he develop MBD, eye issues, and more. Use the measurements @Beman gave you for now. Get a Solarmeter 6.5 to more accurately measure his UVI levels in the future. He can also have his cage upgraded now, too. His basking temp, which needs to be measured with a digital thermometer with probe, with the probe placed where the top of his back is when he's on his basking branch, should be 80*F. Infrared temp guns are useless, they measure surface temps, while the temps you need to measure are air temps. Make sure to keep your house at max 76*F or lower. His nighttime temps need to be at least 70*F, 67*F being better, but 65*F or lower is preferred. Do not use his fogger unless the temps are at least 67*F (but preferably 65&F or lower). How many thermometers do you have? His humidity levels during the day should be 50-65%. Is your hygrometer digital or analog, and how many do you have? Here's helpful images. Please read through every module and piece of info on this site: https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[ERKleRose]

He needs branches, as well. Here's more helpful links, including 2 cage set-up links and a plant list link:

• https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2012/04/how-to-set-up-proper-chameleon.html
• https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/external-resources/
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/
• https://www.madcham.de/en/