Baby Panther gnawing on decor

[Jeyrah]

hello, I JUST received my baby panther today. I have these decorative, bendable vines and he keeps gnawing on ends of the vines... should I be concerned? he's eating his small crickets and bsfl like a champ.. Is it because he's thirsty? Im doing my best to keep the humidity above 65.. and I have a golden pothos in his cage. We're getting him in a bigger cage saturday that will have lots of live plants and better humidity control... just super worried about him. Although I did months of research, this is my first chameleon and I feel all jittery lol. Im more used to Tarantulas.

 

[Ares05]

I would toss the bendable vines. The paint can sometimes scratch off and get into their eyes. You also dont want him ingesting any of the fake vines.

Just use real branches. Go outside and collect some nice sturdy ones, wash them with a bit of soap. You can bake them if you want but I just pour hot water, and then cold water over them a few times. Set them out in the sun to dry.

Your humidity is good.. panther require 50-70%. You are in that range.

As long as his Urates are at least 50% cream/white colored and his eye look good and full, he is fine. He eats because he is hungry.

Have you had you husbandry reviewed yet, prior to get getting your chameleon? Could you post a picture of your setup?

 

[Jeyrah]

Have you had you husbandry reviewed yet, prior to get getting your chameleon? Could you post a picture of your setup?

First of all, thank you for your reply!

Unfortunately no.. kind of a crazy situation. We messed up and depended on shipping times. My husband got excited and went ahead and bought the reptibreeze chameleon kit last week (which is horrible...) but I thought I could fix it up and just buy all the stuff I needed separately. It came late, was missing items, and had no bottom.. I had already bought my panther to arrive 2 days after the cage arrived so we had to work with what we got and fast ship the better cage from flchams that we can actually drill holes into the bottom for drainage... I also ordered a mister thats late, should be here tomorrow..... So to keep the humidity functioning and warm, we placed a plastic table cover material to the back and side wall of the cage and also for the bottom and heavily misted the cage. I went and took photos, and noticed his first poop.. which the urates is orangey.. I also attached the supplements I'm using and schedule. The kit came with a blue 60 watt bulb but it didn't seem to get the cage warm enough so I added another 60 watt next to it. The linear light is a Reptisun HO T5 UVB.

 

[Jeyrah]

I just turned his lights off.. house is at 72... hope he will be okay tonight.

 

[Ares05]

Chameleons need a temp drop at night. around 65 degrees is a good nighttime temperature. It's only if it gets under 55 degrees should it be a concern.

Fill this out.. you gave me some of the info I need but it makes it much easier to have it all in one format, so I can look over it and correct things as needed.

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.

-Also don't use that water conditioner. Its best to use distilled or RO (reverse osmosis) water. Both can be bought by the gallon in stores but it will save you money in the long run to get an RO system.
Unless your water is really nasty, is shouldn't hurt your chameleon necessarily, at least not for a short period of time. But it will eventually ruin misting and fogging systems.

Up close pictures of your chameleon as well.

 

[Jeyrah]

okay thank you!


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Ambilobe Panther, male, 3 months, 1 day.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • I only handled him when getting him out of the shipping box
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • 1/4 crickets (he ate maybe 4) - I gave the crickets organic sweet potato and kale. And he ate some BSFL, about 4. I tried these little green cups but he was getting confused the the see through plastic and only kept hitting the bottom of the cup. So I placed all the bugs in a opaque measuring cup and held it out to him, which then he started eating.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • I posted a picture of my supplements and schedule
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • I'm using a misting spray bottle a about 5 times today I heavily misted down the cage till everything was dripping with water.. I saw him drink a little bit, he freezes in place when I'm by the cage.. still adjusting to everything.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • his first poop had a soft brown feces and orangey urate.. no.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
  • Only that I received him from FLchams, Grier's bloodline

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • 16 x 16 x 30, screen. He is getting a 18 x 18 x 36 saturday
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • 8:45 am - 8:45 pm, listed types in previous post
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • The top ranges between 24-30 celcius, below is 21 - 23
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • I have a gauge that I move around.. getting a better one tomorrow. humidity is between 50-67, listed how in previous post
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • yes, a golden pothos. I have two more but I can't get them to fit.
• 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?
  • its in my dining room, kinda high traffic? it's where we let the dogs out to the backyard. the cage is high up.
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
  Pittsburgh, pa

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
He is biting at the decorative vines.

 

[Jeyrah]

also, I will post photos of him bright and early tomorrow. I already turned off his lights and I really wanna give him a break, it's been a stressful first day for him.

 

[Prince of Duval]

also, I will post photos of him bright and early tomorrow. I already turned off his lights and I really wanna give him a break, it's been a stressful first day for him.

As noted above, I would scrap the vines. Nothing too concerning noted, but I didn’t see anything about the UVB you are using. Please advise. He should be eating more so make sure you are offering. Consider moving him to a less trafficked area where he won’t see the dogs. Also, you’ll need a bigger cage within a few months.

 

[Jeyrah]

Here's pictures of Sheogorath. Still wants to hide. He looks bright and awake today though... I will try to offer him more today, my local pet store got a new shipment of feeders so I was gonna get him some wax worms as a treat. He uses a reptisun ho t5.0 UVB linear light. We also just received the bigger cage that were setting up stairs... he will be neighbors with the salmon pink birdeater haha. Thank you for the help, I will get to it!

 

[Ares05]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Ambilobe Panther, male, 3 months, 1 day.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • I only handled him when getting him out of the shipping box

Leave him be for a a couple weeks. From what you have said it sounds like he already settling in, since he ate from a cup in your hand. I will post a blog by the lovely @Beman for you to read through.. great blog on trust building.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • 1/4 crickets (he ate maybe 4) - I gave the crickets organic sweet potato and kale. And he ate some BSFL, about 4. I tried these little green cups but he was getting confused the the see through plastic and only kept hitting the bottom of the cup. So I placed all the bugs in a opaque measuring cup and held it out to him, which then he started eating.

Gutload should consist of a variety of leafy greens, veggies, and a bit of fruit. Its also recommended to include some sort of commercial gutload, such as cricket crack or bug burger.

When offering food, set 10-15 small feeders into your cup/bowl of choice (whatever works), and secure it to a branch slightly below the basking branch. This is so the chameleon can look down into the bowl and eat easily.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • I posted a picture of my supplements and schedule

It looks like you are giving too much d3 and multivitamin. Calcium with D3 should be given twice a month and your multivitamin without d3 twice a month. Basically give plain calcium (No d3) every day ,then one day of the week each week rotate between d3 and your multivitamin.

Depending on your lights, and distances from lights you may or may not have to use D3.

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • I'm using a misting spray bottle a about 5 times today I heavily misted down the cage till everything was dripping with water.. I saw him drink a little bit, he freezes in place when I'm by the cage.. still adjusting to everything.

I would water 2-3 times per day, and mist for about 2-4 minutes, once in the morning, and once in the evening. And then you can do a midday mist for up to a minute or two.

When misting, your basking light (not your uvb) must be off for 15-30 minutes before and after misting. This can be controlled with a timer.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • his first poop had a soft brown feces and orangey urate.. no.

I would test him for parasites asap. Take a fresh fecal same (within 24 hours) to a reptile vet.. doesn't necessarily have to be experienced with chameleon to do a fecal. Though it is essential that you do eventually find a chameleon savvy vet, as a vet is normally needed at some point in a chameleons life.. they are very finicky and delicate animals when it comes to their health.

I wouldn't worry about the orange urate as he was in shipping.. his urates should turn at least half a cream white color if properly hydrated.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
  • Only that I received him from FLchams, Grier's bloodline

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • 16 x 16 x 30, screen. He is getting a 18 x 18 x 36 saturday

I would go ahead and get his adult cage.. this can consist of the 2x2x4 reptibreeze, or a glass LARGE tall/extra tall exoterra.. dragon stand small-large atriums, etc.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • 8:45 am - 8:45 pm, listed types in previous post

You said you are using the 5.0 T5ho.. how far away is your highest branch/climbable plant?

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • The top ranges between 24-30 celcius, below is 21 - 23

So the basking spot should be about 28 degrees.. ambient temperatures about 21-24.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • I have a gauge that I move around.. getting a better one tomorrow. humidity is between 50-67, listed how in previous post

Daytime humidity should be 50-70, nighttime should be 90-100. Nighttime humidity can be achieved using a fogger, and wrapping 2-3 sides of the cage.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• yes, a golden pothos. I have two more but I can't get them to fit.

You mean you have two more plant or two more pothos plants?

What do you mean don't fit.. do they fill up too much space or can you literally not get them In the cage?

I would just go to a home depot or lowes..( I believe they do home delivery now though). Grab some mature pothos. Not super expensive and impossible to kill. I wouldn't get his adult setup until you get him tested for parasites, and I wouldn't get any more expensive/nice plants until you do either. Ya know.

• 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?
  • its in my dining room, kinda high traffic? it's where we let the dogs out to the backyard. the cage is high up.
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
  Pittsburgh, pa

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
He is biting at the decorative vines.

As I said before you will want to remove those.. get some sticks from outside. Be sure the sticks aren't from a tree with sap.

 

[Ares05]

Here are some good examples of chameleon cages..

**these cages are not mine.. just examples**

Your chameleon looks healthy.

 

[Beman]

Here is the blog I did on building trust.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/

 

[Ares05]

Oh crap I forgot to put the link ?

Thanks lol

 

[Prince of Duval]

Here's pictures of Sheogorath. Still wants to hide. He looks bright and awake today though... I will try to offer him more today, my local pet store got a new shipment of feeders so I was gonna get him some wax worms as a treat. He uses a reptisun ho t5.0 UVB linear light. We also just received the bigger cage that were setting up stairs... he will be neighbors with the salmon pink birdeater haha. Thank you for the help, I will get to it!

As noted by the others, the bigger cage you got will not be big enough in a few months time.