Cham falling asleep on my head

[megsieevans220]

I have about a 7 month old cham, he reaches out for me to hold him and is generally really good with being handled. However, prior to getting him (he’s my first cham) i did my research and apparently if a cham falls asleep on you it’s due to stress and them giving up? Last night about half an hour before his bedtime, he climbed on to me and sat on my head as usual, i had my hair in a ponytail and he went underneath the pony and was under my hair so it must’ve been dark under there, i let him sit there for a little while thinking he was just chilling, and then when i moved my hair back he had fallen asleep! i let him sleep whilst i figured out how to get him off and then i managed to get him to climb onto my hand and he went into his cage. He slept like a baby once i turned the lights off! he seems fine today, i just wanted to know if i should be worried?

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome! You say ‘he’ and 7 months old, but those two statements don’t match what I see in your pic. Either you have about a 3 month old boy or you have a girl. At 7 months old, a boy will be showing his bars and colors, especially when asleep. His casque would also be close to adult size. There’s a super easy way to check gender. Boys have tarsal spurs…little nubs that stick out from their back feet (see pic below) and girls don’t.
This is my little boy when he was about 4 months old. You can see he has his bars and his casque is just A tad bigger than an adult female’s would be.

Now, I’ll get back to gender again in a bit. Yes, it is true that when they have reached just excessive levels of stress, they shut down completely. I’m not so sure that is what happened in your cham’s case though. I’m thinking it was just bedtime and your sweetie was tired. Handling too much does stress them out and shouldn’t be done close to bedtime unless absolutely needed. Mine all start heading to their sleeping spots an hour or two before and just get themselves settled in before lights out.
There can be more serious reasons for a cham to close it’s eyes during lights on and is a sign of illness. I know you’ve done your research, but since there’s so much misinformation out there, I want you to do more. The most accurate and up to date info on all things chameleon is https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ and do make sure to read species specific info.
Back to gender. All veiled girls, whether mated or not will lay eggs. You need to have perfect husbandry to avoid any complications with the process and need to provide a lay bin at all times. There are signs as they cycle. Getting their colors and patterns bright and being restless is receptive cycle…all dressed up and looking for a boy. Anytime a few weeks after that they may start looking lumpy, color/pattern changes, change in appetite, etc which is signs they are producing eggs and getting ready to laying. Here’s a graphic on they lay bin and check out this blog on it too. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/ Also, after their first clutch, we try to reduce egg production and laying thru lower basking temps and reduced feeding as laying shortens their lives considerably. Here’s a great article about it. http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html
If you have any questions about anything, just ask.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Hi there and welcome to the forum! MissSkittles is awesome and very knowledgeable.

 

[megsieevans220]

Hi and welcome! You say ‘he’ and 7 months old, but those two statements don’t match what I see in your pic. Either you have about a 3 month old boy or you have a girl. At 7 months old, a boy will be showing his bars and colors, especially when asleep. His casque would also be close to adult size. There’s a super easy way to check gender. Boys have tarsal spurs…little nubs that stick out from their back feet (see pic below) and girls don’t.
This is my little boy when he was about 4 months old. You can see he has his bars and his casque is just A tad bigger than an adult female’s would be.
View attachment 311334
Now, I’ll get back to gender again in a bit. Yes, it is true that when they have reached just excessive levels of stress, they shut down completely. I’m not so sure that is what happened in your cham’s case though. I’m thinking it was just bedtime and your sweetie was tired. Handling too much does stress them out and shouldn’t be done close to bedtime unless absolutely needed. Mine all start heading to their sleeping spots an hour or two before and just get themselves settled in before lights out.
There can be more serious reasons for a cham to close it’s eyes during lights on and is a sign of illness. I know you’ve done your research, but since there’s so much misinformation out there, I want you to do more. The most accurate and up to date info on all things chameleon is https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ and do make sure to read species specific info.
Back to gender. All veiled girls, whether mated or not will lay eggs. You need to have perfect husbandry to avoid any complications with the process and need to provide a lay bin at all times. There are signs as they cycle. Getting their colors and patterns bright and being restless is receptive cycle…all dressed up and looking for a boy. Anytime a few weeks after that they may start looking lumpy, color/pattern changes, change in appetite, etc which is signs they are producing eggs and getting ready to laying. Here’s a graphic on they lay bin and check out this blog on it too. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/ Also, after their first clutch, we try to reduce egg production and laying thru lower basking temps and reduced feeding as laying shortens their lives considerably. Here’s a great article about it. http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html
If you have any questions about anything, just ask.
View attachment 311335

Oh no! i was just going based off what i was told i suppose i do need to do more research! thankyou so much!! this was insanely helpful

 

[megsieevans220]

So do you think he is about 3 months? they told me he was 3 months

Oh no! i was just going based off what i was told i suppose i do need to do more research! thankyou so much!! this was insanely helpful

Hi and welcome! You say ‘he’ and 7 months old, but those two statements don’t match what I see in your pic. Either you have about a 3 month old boy or you have a girl. At 7 months old, a boy will be showing his bars and colors, especially when asleep. His casque would also be close to adult size. There’s a super easy way to check gender. Boys have tarsal spurs…little nubs that stick out from their back feet (see pic below) and girls don’t.
This is my little boy when he was about 4 months old. You can see he has his bars and his casque is just A tad bigger than an adult female’s would be.
View attachment 311334
Now, I’ll get back to gender again in a bit. Yes, it is true that when they have reached just excessive levels of stress, they shut down completely. I’m not so sure that is what happened in your cham’s case though. I’m thinking it was just bedtime and your sweetie was tired. Handling too much does stress them out and shouldn’t be done close to bedtime unless absolutely needed. Mine all start heading to their sleeping spots an hour or two before and just get themselves settled in before lights out.
There can be more serious reasons for a cham to close it’s eyes during lights on and is a sign of illness. I know you’ve done your research, but since there’s so much misinformation out there, I want you to do more. The most accurate and up to date info on all things chameleon is https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ and do make sure to read species specific info.
Back to gender. All veiled girls, whether mated or not will lay eggs. You need to have perfect husbandry to avoid any complications with the process and need to provide a lay bin at all times. There are signs as they cycle. Getting their colors and patterns bright and being restless is receptive cycle…all dressed up and looking for a boy. Anytime a few weeks after that they may start looking lumpy, color/pattern changes, change in appetite, etc which is signs they are producing eggs and getting ready to laying. Here’s a graphic on they lay bin and check out this blog on it too. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/ Also, after their first clutch, we try to reduce egg production and laying thru lower basking temps and reduced feeding as laying shortens their lives considerably. Here’s a great article about it. http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html
If you have any questions about anything, just ask.
View attachment 311335

when i bought him in july! i have some pictures i will insert below i think these are the nubs you mentioned?

 

[ElliotG]

So do you think he is about 3 months? they told me he was 3 months


when i bought him in july! i have some pictures i will insert below i think these are the nubs you mentioned?

Definitely a young boy. Might be around 3-4 months now. Where did you get him from? I’m assuming a pet store just because they got the age wrong?

 

[ElliotG]

They got the age wrong** sorry about that!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I’m thinking it was just bedtime and your sweetie was tired. Handling too much does stress them out and shouldn’t be done close to bedtime unless absolutely needed. Mine all start heading to their sleeping spots an hour or two before and just get themselves settled in before lights out.

+1.

In some of those pics, I'm seeing what looks like spurs, but you know my eyes...
If s/he was 3 months in July, s/he couldn't be more than 6 months, and I'm guessing s/he's closer to 5 months—not 7. If s/he were younger than 3 months in July, s/he could be less than 5 months.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

He looks sick in the first picture of him sleeping, which could cause him to be smaller than he is supposed to be. Please fill this out with detail so we can help you.

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.

 

[megsieevans220]

Definitely a young boy. Might be around 3-4 months now. Where did you get him from? I’m assuming a pet store just because they got the age wrong?

i got him from a breeder in England and i drove to pick him up!

 

[megsieevans220]

+1.

In some of those pics, I'm seeing what looks like spurs, but you know my eyes...
If s/he was 3 months in July, s/he couldn't be more than 6 months, and I'm guessing s/he's closer to 5 months—not 7. If s/he were younger than 3 months in July, s/he could be less than 5 months.

i see! i think i just presumed he was older because in the ad, the post had already been up for a month im pretty sure! but thankyou for the information!!

 

[ElliotG]

i got him from a breeder in England and i drove to pick him up!

i see! i think i just presumed he was older because in the ad, the post had already been up for a month im pretty sure! but thankyou for the information!!

Ah okay this explains it.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

i see! i think i just presumed he was older because in the ad, the post had already been up for a month im pretty sure! but thankyou for the information!!

Some small breeders begin advertising as soon as they get a clutch; others wait until the hatchlings are 3 months, and still others may be anywhere in-between.

If it matters, you could try calling the breeder and asking for the hatch date (or range), but if he's healthy, I think that's the most important thing.

 

[megsieevans220]

He looks sick in the first picture of him sleeping, which could cause him to be smaller than he is supposed to be. Please fill this out with detail so we can help you.

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.

that is so upsetting to hear! i thought i was doing well as a first time owner. All i can do is try and get better!

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Yemen, Male, 5 months? (unsure) and i bought him in july
• 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)
• 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, 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)
• Supplements - i use Exo Terra calcium and D3 supplements, i dust 2-3 times a week
• 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
• Fecal Description - Urine is an ivory colour and poo is brown with a wet layer on top, and he has been tested for parasites
• 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

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?
• Lighting - for UVB i use proT5 7% uvb, 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, lowest temp over night is about 20 degrees celsius, i measure it using a hygrometer
• Humidity - humidity is 50-60, i maintain by using the spray bottles and dripper, measured with said hygrometer
• 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
• 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
• 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

 

[megsieevans220]

that is so upsetting to hear! i thought i was doing well as a first time owner. All i can do is try and get better!

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Yemen, Male, 5 months? (unsure) and i bought him in july
• 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)
• 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, 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)
• Supplements - i use Exo Terra calcium and D3 supplements, i dust 2-3 times a week
• 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
• Fecal Description - Urine is an ivory colour and poo is brown with a wet layer on top, and he has been tested for parasites
• 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

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?
• Lighting - for UVB i use proT5 7% uvb, 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, lowest temp over night is about 20 degrees celsius, i measure it using a hygrometer
• Humidity - humidity is 50-60, i maintain by using the spray bottles and dripper, measured with said hygrometer
• 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
• 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
• 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

he is drinking in one of the pictures below

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

that is so upsetting to hear! i thought i was doing well as a first time owner. All i can do is try and get better!

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Yemen, Male, 5 months? (unsure) and i bought him in july
• 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)
• 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, 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)
• Supplements - i use Exo Terra calcium and D3 supplements, i dust 2-3 times a week
• 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
• Fecal Description - Urine is an ivory colour and poo is brown with a wet layer on top, and he has been tested for parasites
• 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

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?
• Lighting - for UVB i use proT5 7% uvb, 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, lowest temp over night is about 20 degrees celsius, i measure it using a hygrometer
• Humidity - humidity is 50-60, i maintain by using the spray bottles and dripper, measured with said hygrometer
• 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
• 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
• 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

Its totally ok! I made a few mistakes myself and the best thing you could have done is come here. I cannot go through all of your husbandry at this moment but I will try to later today if no one else has done it. You have already made yourself a better cham owner than most by excepting your mistakes and doing your best to fix them

 

[megsieevans220]

Its totally ok! I made a few mistakes myself and the best thing you could have done is come here. I cannot go through all of your husbandry at this moment but I will try to later today if no one else has done it. You have already made yourself a better cham owner than most by excepting your mistakes and doing your best to fix them

thankyou it really means a lot! i hope i can fix this!

 

[Lindasjackson]

We all made mistakes when we started with our first chams as well. At least you are researching what is best for him and are taking advice! That’s a start. Looking at your enclosure I see some things that can be improved on. First you need to remove all the fake plants because veileds love to munch on plants in their environments and if he munches a fake plant it could cause his intestines to become blocked. Live plants are the best and there is a safe plant list but I’m not sure how to link it so I will tag someone in who can. @MissSkittles you want to fill his tank with live plants. This helps humidity and you’ll see he will really enjoy them. The fake vines need to be removed as well because they break down over time and when he rubs on them pieces will get in his eyes and cause problems. The net needs to go as well because they get their claws stuck in them and end up pulling their claws out trying to get away from it. As for your lights, you want a T5HO fixture and an Arcadia 6% uvb bulb at least as long as your cage is wide and you want to lay it across your tank over the basking branch with at least 8-9 inches distance from the light to your basking branch. Sounds like your basking lamp is ok as long as the temp doesn’t get over 84 degrees.

 

[megsieevans220]

We all made mistakes when we started with our first chams as well. At least you are researching what is best for him and are taking advice! That’s a start. Looking at your enclosure I see some things that can be improved on. First you need to remove all the fake plants because veileds love to munch on plants in their environments and if he munches a fake plant it could cause his intestines to become blocked. Live plants are the best and there is a safe plant list but I’m not sure how to link it so I will tag someone in who can. @MissSkittles you want to fill his tank with live plants. This helps humidity and you’ll see he will really enjoy them. The fake vines need to be removed as well because they break down over time and when he rubs on them pieces will get in his eyes and cause problems. The net needs to go as well because they get their claws stuck in them and end up pulling their claws out trying to get away from it. As for your lights, you want a T5HO fixture and an Arcadia 6% uvb bulb at least as long as your cage is wide and you want to lay it across your tank over the basking branch with at least 8-9 inches distance from the light to your basking branch. Sounds like your basking lamp is ok as long as the temp doesn’t get over 84 degrees.

Thankyou that makes me feel a lot better! if i had real plants though i’m not sure how i’d keep them alive? like what would i do would i have them in a plant pot or something? and now that you’ve mentioned it i’ve seen him try to nibble on one of the fake plants and i laughed it off thinking it was cute i didn’t realise the health issues it might cause! and so is the light positioning okay? it was hard because i took all of the advice given to me by the pet store and as time has gone on i’ve seen how none of that has worked! (maybe it’s just me i don’t know), am i okay to keep it without substrate? as i had many issues at the beginning with that

 

[Lindasjackson]

Your dripper looks good. Are you using distilled or RO water in it? As for your crickets, you should have a bin to keep them in. The box they come in is too small. They need room to hide from each other. I use a plastic bin, doesn’t have to be huge but big enough to give them some room. I cut holes in the lid and in the sides of my bin and hot glued screen in them for good airflow otherwise they stink and they die if they can’t get enough air. I put egg cartons in there to give them something to climb on and hide from each other. I give them fresh veggies every other day. This is called gutloading so they can be health and nutritious for the Cham to eat. There is a gutloading guide to that maybe @MissSkittles can link for you. You don’t even need to touch the crickets. Just add some toilet paper cardboard roll or a paper towel cardboard roll in the bin and when you want crickets check in the tube and lift it out and shake your crickets into your cup.