Boberry

[Boberry]

He has black lil stripes om his sides and i hate to see that i dunno why but i think its somethin to do with the temp im fairly new to this and need some help. His stripes go from white to dark black.
Am using a 100 watt bulb because the house gets really cold and ive been having trouble with humidity. His humidity is like at 30 when i get home so i got a humidifier anyone know what might be causing it if its just a cold problem or maybe stress. There has been gnats that got inside too and im not sure if that is also bugging him but i was assuming not. Also the guage the big letters are the humidity and the small ones are the temp right?




View attachment 322797

 

[Beman]

Post images of the cham. What are your temps at basking?

This is a great husbandry program that will teach you all the basics of care https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[Boberry]

Post images of the cham. What are your temps at basking?

This is a great husbandry program that will teach you all the basics of care https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

He has those stripes and they go from white to black a lot. I dont know exactly but he has 3 different branches under it at different spots the first being about 6 inches away and then the others are lower he has a 100 wat bulb since the temp is always really cold in the house and he seems to flip sides when hes basking lol.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Welcome to the forum.

He has those stripes and they go from white to black a lot. I dont know exactly but he has 3 different branches under it at different spots the first being about 6 inches away and then the others are lower he has a 100 wat bulb since the temp is always really cold in the house and he seems to flip sides when hes basking lol.

How cold, and could we see more pics of the enclosure from top (showing lighting) to bottom (showing substrate & drainage).

Is the enclosure all-screen or hybrid? Hybrids are much easier to control temps & RH, but if you have all-screen there are ways to improve (insulate) it.

Can't see the attachment in your OP. I get:

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[Beman]

He has those stripes and they go from white to black a lot. I dont know exactly but he has 3 different branches under it at different spots the first being about 6 inches away and then the others are lower he has a 100 wat bulb since the temp is always really cold in the house and he seems to flip sides when hes basking lol.

So stripes and overall coloring will change color when basking. Veileds will change quite a bit depending on temperament and stimuli as well.

You need a way to determine temps. 100 watt bulb at 6 inches is going to produce much hotter temps especially in a glass enclosure. So using a temp gauge with a probe at that branch is going to tell you what your temps are at the branch. Should not be hotter then 80-85 max. Then they need a temp drop at night below 70's. 65 at night or cooler is what your aiming for.

 

[Boberry]

Well his humidity is like 30-50 by the time i get home. Ill try and post pics again when i get home. He has a glass terrarium and the top is a screen is 18 x 18 x 24 H its a bioactive terrarium he has pothos plant and some spider leafy plant i think one of the problems might be not enough hiding spots he had a few fake leafs on the vines that came with the kits but i saw him trying to eat the fake leaves once and plucked them off. He has a reptirain that sprays water for a minute every three hours and i try and spray in the morning and afternoon i feed him 6 large crickets a day i havent had him for very long maybe a week so i just got the calcium powder to put on the crickets. I also bought a humidifier but im not sure if its safe to use all day for him to keep it up i turn it on for 30 min or a lil longer if the humidity is really low. Hes about a year old. (When im home ill show more pics but just trying to give more info to see if anything else is wrong) yesterday he seemed to be pacing for a lil over the terrarium and theres a small screen on the glass door at the top he hung onto. Which i think means he might be trying to hide better or finding better/less light.

 

[Boberry]

So stripes and overall coloring will change color when basking. Veileds will change quite a bit depending on temperament and stimuli as well.

You need a way to determine temps. 100 watt bulb at 6 inches is going to produce much hotter temps especially in a glass enclosure. So using a temp gauge with a probe at that branch is going to tell you what your temps are at the branch. Should not be hotter then 80-85 max. Then they need a temp drop at night below 70's. 65 at night or cooler is what your aiming for.

Maybe should i use a digital thermo near the bask branch?

 

[Beman]

Maybe should i use a digital thermo near the bask branch?

YEs, 100 watt bulb at 6 inches is going to produce much hotter temps especially in a glass enclosure. So using a temp gauge with a probe at that branch is going to tell you what your temps are at the branch. Should not be hotter then 80-85 max.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Well his humidity is like 30-50 by the time i get home. Ill try and post pics again when i get home. He has a glass terrarium and the top is a screen is 18 x 18 x 24 H its a bioactive terrarium he has pothos plant and some spider leafy plant i think one of the problems might be not enough hiding spots he had a few fake leafs on the vines that came with the kits but i saw him trying to eat the fake leaves once and plucked them off. He has a reptirain that sprays water for a minute every three hours and i try and spray in the morning and afternoon i feed him 6 large crickets a day i havent had him for very long maybe a week so i just got the calcium powder to put on the crickets. I also bought a humidifier but im not sure if its safe to use all day for him to keep it up i turn it on for 30 min or a lil longer if the humidity is really low. Hes about a year old. (When im home ill show more pics but just trying to give more info to see if anything else is wrong) yesterday he seemed to be pacing for a lil over the terrarium and theres a small screen on the glass door at the top he hung onto. Which i think means he might be trying to hide better or finding better/less light.

40-50% RH is fine during the day.

18 x 18 x 24 (4.4 cu. ft.) is way too small for an adult—just over 1/4 of what it should be. At one year, he should be in a minimum of 24 x 24 x 48 (16 cu. ft.), and preferably larger.
https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/

By 'humidifier' do you mean a fogger? (I think I see a fogger tube in the photo) Foggers should be used only at night, when temps are low (~65F). It should not be used all the time or during the day.

The too small enclosure and not enough foliage could be sources of stress.

Maybe should i use a digital thermo near the bask branch?

Not maybe. Digital hygrometer/thermometers with probes are more accurate than analog/dial types. I use these, but there are other excellent ones as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Y6CYVT9/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It might not be a bad idea to fill out a questionnaire to identify any potential problems.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
Just copy/paste the questions into a post here, with your answers filled in.
Pics as I described above will help.

 

[Boberry]

My humidity is always at like 30 and my temp inside says 80 is it okay to leave the humidifier runnin dueing the day??

 

[Boberry]

40-50% RH is fine during the day.

18 x 18 x 24 (4.4 cu. ft.) is way too small for an adult—just over 1/4 of what it should be. At one year, he should be in a minimum of 24 x 24 x 48 (16 cu. ft.), and preferably larger.
https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/

By 'humidifier' do you mean a fogger? (I think I see a fogger tube in the photo) Foggers should be used only at night, when temps are low (~65F). It should not be used all the time or during the day.

The too small enclosure and not enough foliage could be sources of stress.


Not maybe. Digital hygrometer/thermometers with probes are more accurate than analog/dial types. I use these, but there are other excellent ones as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Y6CYVT9/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It might not be a bad idea to fill out a questionnaire to identify any potential problems.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
Just copy/paste the questions into a post here, with your answers filled in.
Pics as I described above will help.

Ah just saw your post alrighty!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Those analog/dial instruments are notoriously wonky. Same can be as much as 40%/40degrees off.
Digital instruments are more like ±2°/2% error. Having a few, they can also be checks against each other.

More later... gotta run.

 

[Boberry]

YEs, 100 watt bulb at 6 inches is going to produce much hotter temps especially in a glass enclosure. So using a temp gauge with a probe at that branch is going to tell you what your temps are at the branch. Should not be hotter then 80-85 max.

Well it was def way too hot for him thanks. I got a 60 watt bulb now. It was at 95 and going up yikes. Imma move the branch a little lower and play with it till its around 80-85

 

[Beman]

Well it was def way too hot for him thanks. I got a 60 watt bulb now. It was at 95 and going up yikes. Imma move the branch a little lower and play with it till its around 80-85

Yeah 100 watt bulbs are extremely strong. Glad you caught it now. Thermal burns suck to have to treat.

 

[Boberry]

• Your Chameleon - veiled chameleon, male about a year. About 2 weeks
• Handling - i try not too but whenever i stick my hand in he usually tries to grab onto me
• Feeding - i feed him 6 crickets a day i usually feed him right when i wake up since im gone all day i use flukkas repta calcium
• Watering - i have a mist system that goes off for a minute every 3 hours i turn it off at night and in the morning i spray for a minute i still see him drink sometimes whenever the water gets on him most the time he licks the glass its super adorable
• Fecal Description - i cant remember the urate but his poo has been kinda soggy
• History - for the most part he just seems to be black a lot of the time still which upsets me cuz i wanna see his bright colors during the day.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - (Glass with a screen at the top ) 18 x 18 x 24
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? From 7 am too 7pm
• Temperature - basking spot seems to be around 80 fixed that problem i use to use a 100 watt bulb ( Lowest overnight temp- somewhere in the 60s i havent seen much difference yetLately ive kept tbe probe inside to see the temps.
• Humidity - humidity seems yo constantly change amd dont seem consistent i have 3 plants a golden pothos some spider leaf lookint plant and fern just for more cover. I usw a dial but ill be getting some other way to test that soon
• Placement - its next to the window and on my dresser but the blinds are always closed its probably 3, 4 feet from the floor
• Location - east coast? Not in the mountains how do i answer this one.

Current Problem - he seems to be dark a lot but only the stripes seem to be black or white and i feel like its not normal! And he seems to always crawl to me or hug the screen of the cage sometikes when i move stuff around

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

• Your Chameleon - veiled chameleon, male about a year. About 2 weeks
• Handling - i try not too but whenever i stick my hand in he usually tries to grab onto me
• Feeding - i feed him 6 crickets a day i usually feed him right when i wake up since im gone all day i use flukkas repta calcium

Is that with or without D3 and Phosphorus? Anything else (multivitamin?)

• Watering - i have a mist system that goes off for a minute every 3 hours i turn it off at night and in the morning i spray for a minute i still see him drink sometimes whenever the water gets on him most the time he licks the glass its super adorable
• Fecal Description - i cant remember the urate but his poo has been kinda soggy

Urate should be white, or mostly white with a bit (or tinge) of orange. This will indicate he's adequately hydrated.

...healthy wild chameleons have up to 50% of their urates orange. Thus, observations suggest that those seeking to replicate the natural balance would strive for some orange in the urate. These urates are 50% white and 50% orange. This is a well hydrated chameleon as can be seen by the moisture in the poop.
https://chameleonacademy.com/basics-hydration-for-chameleons/

• History - for the most part he just seems to be black a lot of the time still which upsets me cuz i wanna see his bright colors during the day.
  
  Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - (Glass with a screen at the top ) 18 x 18 x 24

He should really be in at least a 24 x 24 x 48H A hybrid would be closest to what you have now, and easiest to control temps & RH.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? From 7 am too 7pm

They're looking for info on your UVB. Basking is covered. At some point, you may also need a plant light.

• Temperature - basking spot seems to be around 80 fixed that problem i use to use a 100 watt bulb ( Lowest overnight temp- somewhere in the 60s i havent seen much difference yetLately ive kept tbe probe inside to see the temps.
• Humidity - humidity seems yo constantly change amd dont seem consistent i have 3 plants a golden pothos some spider leaf lookint plant and fern just for more cover. I usw a dial but ill be getting some other way to test that soon

More/larger plants (more foliage) will help with humidity. Also, some plants are better than others at putting more (or less) humidity into the enclosure climate.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/another-factor-in-choosing-plants.186566/

• Placement - its next to the window and on my dresser but the blinds are always closed its probably 3, 4 feet from the floor
• Location - east coast? Not in the mountains how do i answer this one.

I usually answer Northeast US or Great Lakes region. You can see other members answers by hovering over their avatars.

Current Problem - he seems to be dark a lot but only the stripes seem to be black or white and i feel like its not normal! And he seems to always crawl to me or hug the screen of the cage sometikes when i move stuff around

Can you post a pic of him when he's dark? All the pics above show him lighter. Some of that behavior may be due to the enclosure size/lack of cover, but there could be other reasons.
What stuff are you moving around, and how often?

 

[Beman]

See my feedback and questions in bold.

• Your Chameleon - veiled chameleon, male about a year. About 2 weeks
• Handling - i try not too but whenever i stick my hand in he usually tries to grab onto me.. This can be due to the enclosure not being quite right for him. They end up wanting out to try to find some place better.
• Feeding - i feed him 6 crickets a day i usually feed him right when i wake up since im gone all day i use flukkas repta calcium If he is a year old he should be getting less food. So this would mean switching to an every other day or 3 days a week feeding of 3-5 feeders each feeding. Which calcium are you using? The with D3 version or the without D3 version? Supplementation is specific for these guys. Please let me know which one and I can give you detailed info.
• Watering - i have a mist system that goes off for a minute every 3 hours i turn it off at night and in the morning i spray for a minute i still see him drink sometimes whenever the water gets on him most the time he licks the glass its super adorable... The issue with this is that it is adding moisture to the cage all day long increasing humidity levels. This can be a major issue in a glass cage. Also 1 minute is not very long for them to trigger a drinking response. Most of us mist morning and evening when temps are cooler but for a longer period of time. to ensure plants are dripping.
• Fecal Description - i cant remember the urate but his poo has been kinda soggy A fecal test is always a good idea to ensure there is not a parasite issue.
• History - for the most part he just seems to be black a lot of the time still which upsets me cuz i wanna see his bright colors during the day. This I suspect is largely due to the enclosure not being right for him. It is much too small.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - (Glass with a screen at the top ) 18 x 18 x 24... Should be a 24x24x48 enclosure and no smaller. What you have him in will cause stress they need a much larger space to be able to move around and taller so they are above everything and feel safe.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? From 7 am too 7pm What UVB lighting are you using? Looks like a T5HO fixture but I need to know what the bulb strength is. This should be written on the end of the bulb on the glass.
• Temperature - basking spot seems to be around 80 fixed that problem i use to use a 100 watt bulb ( Lowest overnight temp- somewhere in the 60s i havent seen much difference yetLately ive kept tbe probe inside to see the temps. Good glad you corrected this one.
• Humidity - humidity seems yo constantly change amd dont seem consistent i have 3 plants a golden pothos some spider leaf lookint plant and fern just for more cover. I usw a dial but ill be getting some other way to test that soon. What is your humidity running? And how are you measuring it with a digital gauge or analog gauge? Veileds should be in a 40-50% daytime range. Down to 30% is fine as well. But not higher then the 50% mark. High humidity and heat in a small glass cage can create an environment where the cham develops a respiratory infection.
• Placement - its next to the window and on my dresser but the blinds are always closed its probably 3, 4 feet from the floor Make sure if this window gets direct sun that you do not open the blinds. This is going to make the cage a hot box and cause major issues for the cham.
• Location - east coast? Not in the mountains how do i answer this one.

Current Problem - he seems to be dark a lot but only the stripes seem to be black or white and i feel like its not normal! And he seems to always crawl to me or hug the screen of the cage sometikes when i move stuff around.. Normal for them to get agitated when the cage is being altered. But with the cage being much too small for him he will consistently want to get out. This can lead to worse issues of them rubbing their nose on the glass as well.



Start reading every module in this husbandry course. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
See this section on setting up a 2x2x4 cage. https://chameleonacademy.com/case-study-2-x-2-x-4-cage/

 

[Boberry]

Thats the uvb light and the calcium supplement i was changing the cage a lot the vines he was on and added or removing plants i was about to order a 24 24 48 screen cage do i need to do a substrate for this one too? Or could i just add potted plants and stuff does anyone know where to find good plants that will be tall enough to fit in the cage? I go to lowes and walmart but they mostly have just flowers.

 

[Boberry]

Those white stripes are usually black but here a pic of him darker

 

[Beman]

View attachment 323188View attachment 323189
Thats the uvb light and the calcium supplement i was changing the cage a lot the vines he was on and added or removing plants i was about to order a 24 24 48 screen cage do i need to do a substrate for this one too? Or could i just add potted plants and stuff does anyone know where to find good plants that will be tall enough to fit in the cage? I go to lowes and walmart but they mostly have just flowers.

Ok that calcium has D3 and should only be given 2 times a month... So for supplementing you want Calcium without D3 and Reptivite without D3. What you will do is rotate between the Calcium with D3 and the Reptivite without D3 every week at one feeding. So that each of these are ONLY given 2 times a month. Then at all other feedings you will use Calcium Without D3. You are overdosing him on d3. I would suggest not using any calcium with D3 for a month and let it clear his system.

Does that arcadia bulb say 12%? It looks like that is what it is. If it is you need to lift this fixture. You want a total of 11-12 inches between the bottom of the fixture and the highest basking branches below it. Otherwise he is being over exposed to much too HIGH UVB levels. You can also get a 6% or 5.0 bulb for the fixture but you still have to have 8-9 inches between the bottom of the fixture and the basking branches with this strength bulb.

So coloration issues and showing very pale colors are because his husbandry is off and he is getting far too much UVB and D3.

You can leave the new cage bare bottom. But you will need a drainage method. Some buy plastic washing machine trays and either retrofit them with a drainage pipe down into a bucket or wet vac the tray.

Try lowes or home depot in their indoor houseplant area. Typically you can find the tall centerpiece plants there. I know my home depot just got a ton of large umbrella trees and money trees in.