Brown veiled chameleon

J

Jenn Beatie

New Member
I recently purchased a month old veiled chameleon for my son. he has handled it daily for the past week.I think my set up is good and lights are keeping him at 79.6 degrees. he is misted 6 times a day. And there's a little dripper dripping onto a plant. He was bright green the first few days but the last 48 hours he's been brown. Help!!
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it looks stressed to me, they don't take handling very well. chameleons are more of a look but not touch animal, but he looks dehydrated a little bit to me. also, you need more foliage in the cage good luck :)
 
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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.
 
I agree that it's probably stressed from being handled. Especially by a youngster. (Please don't take offense! But I have a 3 year old and I know how she can be at times. I don't let her handle my cham, because of this.) I agree with more foliage. Try to get some live plants, instead of fake. Veileds like to eat plants. There is a list on the forums of what plants are safe. What kind of vitamins/supplements are you using?
 
I concur with the above. Bright colors are stress colors, Brown, olive drab green and variants of the shades are what Lucky stays most of the time unless I stress him out. Look for dull colors on a veiled to recognize calmness and a relaxed cham. My misting schedule consists of 5 min. sessions 3-4 times a day w/ Mist-king (seasonal) to provide adequate moisture. Look at the urates. If their yellow, increase mistings. If their snow white their ideal.
 
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Not all chameleons drink from the droppers and yours is set up incorrectly. It should be above the cage and and adjusted to drip onto likely foliage he will encounter, at a slow but constant rate, which can be hard to achieve with the valves they supply. I MistKing is well worth the investment.
Handling is not something chameleons appreciate. Start with hand feeding the chameleon and getting the chameleon used to people being around and perhaps try to coax it out with a favored treat, onto a hand or arm, but sooner or later, those nails will be scratching through human skin and most veileds become and stay fairly intolerant of handling. Forced handling kills chameleons.
 
I also agree with the dripper. It's down too low. Mine just sits on the top corner of the cage frame (for support), and the hose runs across the top of the screen to the front corner, where it just drips through the screen, and hits a broad leafed plant. This makes the plant move, just a little, so it's attractive to him. And often, I seem him crawling up to a branch near where the droplet hangs on the screen and drinks from there. My guy also has a strange way of drinking. When I start misting, he will move so that he is face down on a branch, and as the water runs down his body and head, I see him licking his lips to drink. Very strange, but I guess, if he's getting water that way.....
 
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