Cham falling asleep on my head

[megsieevans220]

thanks! do you have a picture of your cricket bin? it’s so hard for me to imagine how it looks when i’ve never seen one before! and i didn’t realise they had to hide from eachother! and i have noticed that when i buy 3 boxes for 6.50£ so i get them all at once, by time i get onto the last box, half of them are dead even though i have put food in there which i was always confused about but i guess that clears that up!

 

[megsieevans220]

also i forgot to mention, i use normal water but i got given gel type drops to put in the water when i bought the dripper

 

[Lindasjackson]

We were typing at the same time. Lol! For the plants, they come in pots but you’d want to get some organic potting soil with no fertilizer or vermiculite and repot your plants in that back into their pots and put them in your tank. Try to get some plants like pothos or a ficus benjamina that he can climb on. One tall central tree or plant and others around it. These are safe if he tries to munch on them.

 

[megsieevans220]

haha it’s an interesting topic, i’m learning so much! so do i water the plants myself or would the dripper and spraying do most of the work for me? and as for reporting, i’m not much of a gardener so i’m presuming i am supposed to make sure when i repot, that the root is kept intact?

 

[Lindasjackson]

Here’s my cricket bin. Yes they will kill each other if they’re kept in too small of a container. The black stuff is duct tape as an added measure around the screen windows. The bin is about 15inches long by about 9 inches wide by about 15 inches tall. I put their fresh veggies on a small paper plate and change it out every other day. I like the disposable plates so I don’t have to clean them.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Your supplement and more info on lighting I will refer to @Beman or @MissSkittles I hope I’ve helped some. I also don’t know about putting gel drops in the dripper water. Either beman or missskittles can advise you on that

 

[Beman]

Your supplement and more info on lighting I will refer to @Beman or @MissSkittles I hope I’ve helped some

It looks like @MissSkittles was already doing quite a bit of feedback with the OP. When she is on next I am sure she will go through their help form to give them detailed thorough info on their husbandry.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Oh, sorry! Should have scrolled up.

 

[megsieevans220]

Here’s my cricket bin. Yes they will kill each other if they’re kept in too small of a container. The black stuff is duct tape as an added measure around the screen windows. The bin is about 15inches long by about 9 inches wide by about 15 inches tall. I put their fresh veggies on a small paper plate and change it out every other day. I like the disposable plates so I don’t have to clean them.

wow that’s brilliant! i don’t understand how you change the plates or get the crickets out without touching them or them jumping out but i will definitely give it ago for my Ziggy

 

[Beman]

Oh, sorry!

It is fine. I just do not like jumping in on threads when there is another experienced Veiled keeper already giving feedback.

 

[megsieevans220]

It looks like @MissSkittles was already doing quite a bit of feedback with the OP. When she is on next I am sure she will go through their help form to give them detailed thorough info on their husbandry.

thankyou!

 

[Lindasjackson]

wow that’s brilliant! i don’t understand how you change the plates or get the crickets out without touching them or them jumping out but i will definitely give it ago for my Ziggy

The top of the bin comes off.

 

[megsieevans220]

Your supplement and more info on lighting I will refer to @Beman or @MissSkittles I hope I’ve helped some. I also don’t know about putting gel drops in the dripper water. Either beman or missskittles can advise you on that

you’ve been brilliant, thankyou so much!

 

[Lindasjackson]

It is fine. I just do not like jumping in on threads when there is another experienced Veiled keeper already giving feedback.

I don’t like to either but I didn’t realize she had been because I didn’t scroll up. My bad.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi again! Give me a little bit and I’ll go thru all of your husbandry.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ll be putting my feedback in red.
Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Yemen, Male, 5 months? (unsure) and i bought him in july I do see some tarsal spurs in a couple of pics, so yes, he’s a he. I’m going to go by an assumption that he’s 3 months old for lack of a better guess.
• Handling - i won’t deny i probably handled him more when i first got him as i am still learning, but now it is only necessary times (cleaning his cage etc) Handling is ok, but it’s best to build up some trust first. Great blog here by Beman. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/
• Feeding - 2nd Brown Crickets and small hoppers, I have tried to feed him worms but he won’t eat them for some reason? around 12 crickets a day, usually feed him 2 times a day one in morning one in evening, You can try to start feeding him more feeders, just once a day in the morning. Try to offer at least 20 and they need to be no bigger than the space between his eyes. Variety is best. Attaching both feeder and gutloading graphics below. and if we’re being honest, i don’t have a cricket box kind of thing, i just put veg into the cricket container that they come in as (i know this sounds ridiculous) but when i first got him, the ventilation in his cage was a big enough gap for them to escape and i was finding loads of crickets around the house and developed a huge phobia of them, so i can’t bring myself to try and move them incase they jump out… (silly i know) Crickets are nasty little things. They need lots of ventilation and regular cleaning as the fumes from their dead and poo will kill them. You’ve gotten great info on keeping them already. If roaches are available to you, those are so much nicer.
• Supplements - i use Exo Terra calcium and D3 supplements, i dust 2-3 times a week You’ll want to use the calcium without D3 at every feeding. The calcium with D3 should be used one feeding every other week, alternating with a good multivitamin that does not have D3. There are many different supplements and regimens, but this is the basic standard.
• Watering - I have a big dripper and two spray bottles kept by the tank, i mist about 2-3 times a day for around 2-3 minutes now that i have the dripper, but when i first got him my dripper didn’t come in time so i was misting very frequently for around 7 minutes, i see him drinking now i think he is comfortable with the environment but when i first got him he didn’t eat or drink much the first few days Just make sure his enclosure has time to dry out in between.
• Fecal Description - Urine is an ivory colour and poo is brown with a wet layer on top, and he has been tested for parasites Did you get him tested or the breeder?
• History - I don’t know much about his background which is not very responsible of me in reality, but i do know that they had great reviews and were a verified breeder That’s fine!

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - I initially wanted a mesh cage but the pet store where i got the majority of the things i needed told me i should get glass so i did, He also told me to get this size for now whilst he is young and then to upgrade when he gets a bit bigger, very sorry but i don’t have the box for the cage anymore so i’m unsure about dimensions but i will upload an image if that helps? While many do use glass enclosures, I much prefer screened or hybrid unless you live somewhere very arid. Hate to say it but I think the pet store hasn’t a clue about keeping chameleons and was just making a good sale. The minimum for an adult is 2x2x4’ or equivalent. You can buy, or if you or someone you know is handy, can make one. Go to the search function and look for enclosure builds for lots of inspiration.
• Lighting - for UVB i use proT5 7% uvb, Good, but I’m not sure about the strength difference. Usually we use the 6% forest dweller and the 7% is shade dweller. I think it’s fine, but let’s ask @Beman who knows more than I about uvb. Either way, Arcadia bulbs need to be changed once a year. and then the heat lamp is Exo terra dome light (i think), i also started off with a 50W bulb but on the hygrometer it was always a very high temperature and the humidity was low and i had to spray a lot more, until the bulb went and the only shop open when i went to replace it before it was time for the lights to come on - the shop only had 40W so i currently am using this one and the temp is never at the max amount anymore and humidity is alot better, i usually turn them on at 9am and off at 9pm - but i do have timers for when i’m not here to do it myself
• Temperature - im not sure about the temp range but i put the hygrometer underneath the heat lamp and the temp there says about 35 degrees celsius, Too hot! You want it to be around 26-27c at basking. When he grows up, max would be around 29c. lowest temp over night is about 20 degrees celsius, Perfect temp drop! i measure it using a hygrometer
• Humidity - humidity is 50-60, i maintain by using the spray bottles and dripper, measured with said hygrometer A bit too much. Ideal range during the day is 30-50%. At night when your temp is cool, you can use a fogger and boost humidity to 80-100% to simulate natural hydration thru fog.
• Plants - i didn’t get live plants as i was too scared to mess up and it be something bad for him, i heard devils ivy is good but i couldn’t find any so i settled for fake plants Devil’s Ivy/pothos is one of the best plants. You want all live safe plants. Attach the fake to the outside of the enclosure for added privacy. You want to create a little forest edge for him. Here’s a link for safe plants you can use. Do keep in mind though that most will need special lighting…a plant bulb. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
• Placement - Located on top of a set of drawers in my room, not near any fans/vents or high traffic areas, the cage is just below the roof so he is the highest thing in the room, but unsure about the exact measurements Perfect! The higher they are, the safer they feel.
• Location - North wales

Current Problem - i was initially worried about him falling asleep on me and wondered if it was due to stress or because it was close to bed time, but now you mentioned he looks ill i can’t help but think the worst and i don’t know if his eyes look sunken or not and i’m scared that he is going to pass away now Aww…sweetheart, we don’t mean to frighten you. When stressed, they will suck in their eyes and look dehydrated. When they get to a certain level of stress, they shut down and accept their fate that they will be eaten. Make the changes that I’ve suggested and your little guy should live a long healthy and happy life. You’ve also gotten some great feedback from others on other changes that should be made. It’s a learning process and we all have to start at the beginning.
The primary source that we go by is https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ It’s the most accurate and up to date source for all things chameleon. The podcasts are incredible! You can also check out Neptune the chameleon on YouTube if you’re a more visual learner. Of course, the forum is always here for personalized and individual help and sharing.

 

[megsieevans220]

First of all, thankyou so much for all of your help!!! answering your questions… the breeder said they had tested him but i’ve been trying to contact any exotic pet vets by me just incase since reading this forum. That’s so irritating about the cage!! i specifically asked for a mesh one and he told me glass is best for now i shouldn’t have been so naive to think he genuinely wanted to help me rather than selling me stuff… i thought he kept picking out the most expensive things that didn’t relate to what i thought was right (info that i actually found from here!) Again with the bulb! he told me that for a cage that size it needed to be 50w! and the temp was always at max until i went to a lower bulb! so what wattage bulb would you recommend other than 40w? I’m also going to go to the garden centre today to get some new plants and pimp out his cage i’ll send pictures to get opinions if it’s okay!! i have also attached some pictures of him this morning… does he look okay or is there anything i should be keeping an eye on until the vet opens tomorrow? i read online that if i take him to the vet it might cause more stress! so i don’t know whether to wait and see if the enclosure and feeding changes make a difference or to be safe and go anyway? Thankyou so much again… i’ve not long turned 20 and he is my first pet and i have honestly never loved someone this much, he’s like my baby and i talk about him like he’s a human! i don’t know what i would do if anything happened to him, especially if it was my fault. So the fact everyone on this forum has been so lovely and willing to help me has put my mind at ease so much! i wish i signed up sooner!! Thankyou all again so much

 

[megsieevans220]

also… as for the crickets, is there any recommendations for holders? where they won’t escape i have seen this online but i don’t really understand how i’m supposed to transfer the crickets into the holder or if it’s good or anything… let me know!

 

[bbyoda]

also… as for the crickets, is there any recommendations for holders? where they won’t escape i have seen this online but i don’t really understand how i’m supposed to transfer the crickets into the holder or if it’s good or anything… let me know!

With my feeders, I keep them in big tubs with lots of ventilation. Once I'm ready to feed them, I pull them out with tongs or my hand and put them in a plastic baggie that has the right supplement in it for that day. I shake them up then hand feed them or put them in a little shooting gallery I have affixed to the screen. That cricket keeper seems like a waste of money.

 

[megsieevans220]

With my feeders, I keep them in big tubs with lots of ventilation. Once I'm ready to feed them, I pull them out with tongs or my hand and put them in a plastic baggie that has the right supplement in it for that day. I shake them up then hand feed them or put them in a little shooting gallery I have affixed to the screen. That cricket keeper seems like a waste of money.

you’re probably right!! i just really don’t want to touch them i will keep having a look and am open to any option that doesn’t include them jumping on me