Checking in at 3 months

[racerfreak]

Wanted to make sure my little guy is doing well and see if there is anything I need to change.

-Nosy Be Panther Chameleon
-3 months old on 9/29
-5"-6" long (end of tail to nose)
-Free ranges (is being moved to a cage today because he goes missing every once in a while)
-Gets natural sunlight through window (cage gets light all day)
-Has a day light household 60w bulb 2ft away from top of free range for basking
-Humidity is 40%-70% (normally around 50-60% average) based on air from outside
-Mist by hand 3+ times a day with a leaf that catches water for him to drink from
-I feed an average of 5 crickets normally sml/med with an occasional large
-Crickets are gutloaded with apple, orange, mustard greens, red lettuce, carrots, kelp, oats, wheat
-I dust 1:1 ratio of Rep-Cal Herptivite & Calcium with Vit D3 every day

I started feeding my Nosy Be 5 crickets a day with no dusting and gutloading, because I didn't have anything. He started to sleep during the day and was super skinny, but once I started gutloading and dusting he perked back up. Looks like he has grown in length and has gone from the thickness of my pinky to the size of my index finger in 2 weeks, also his color has improved a whole lot. New cage will have misting system and 5.0 uvb bulb, by the way.

Should I keep the cage buy the window still or is it ok to move away?

 

[snipeusa14]

It's alright to move it but the sun does good very good just make sure the sun isn't cooking him through the window, check the temp 3-5 times to make sure it's now to hot

 

[racerfreak]

I was doing some more research and realized I shouldn't be supplementing with D3 every day and multivitamins every day. Glad I figured this out sooner than later, I hope there is no serious damage done

I'm going to just dust once a week with the multivitamin, twice a week with calcium with D3, and dust with calcium w/o D3 3-4 times a week Hopefully this is a better healthier plan?

Good news is that Lenard loves his new cage and all the safe climbing he can do

 

[carol5208]

You need a UVB bulb ASAP! He is not getting ANY UVB light through the window. The rays do not penetrate glass!!! Get the Reptisun 5.0. Have you been taking him outside at all for sun???? If not, he has been pretty much deprived of UVB!!! No wonder he is skinny! you are NOT feeding him near enough. I would up that to about 15-20 crickets a day.

 

[carol5208]

It's alright to move it but the sun does good very good just make sure the sun isn't cooking him through the window, check the temp 3-5 times to make sure it's now to hot

the sun does very good if he is OUTSIDE in it, not through a window!!!!

 

[Pilotman800]

You need a UVB bulb ASAP! He is not getting ANY UVB light through the window. The rays do not penetrate glass!!! Get the Reptisun 5.0. Have you been taking him outside at all for sun???? If not, he has been pretty much deprived of UVB!!!

Just beat me to it!

Yes, you need a UVB bulb ASAP!

In fact, can we see a picture of your cham?

 

[Pilotman800]

It is also VERY bad to give calcium with d3 every day! You should give calcium without d3 everyday, and calcium with d3 every two weeks or so, along with a multivitamin. Make sure you give it around once every two weeks.

 

[racerfreak]

I know about having a 5.0 UVB bulb. You guys really need to learn to read and not skim posts or you would see I have a UVB. Also My cham Lenard is not skinny, he was skinny. If anything he is obese now, also hence me writing that I'm going to stop feeding him the d3 and multi vitamin every day. I appreciate your concern, surprised no one caught it when I first posted yesterday I guess its a good thing I doubt myself

I was more concerned with the impact a week of feeding d3 w/ calcium does. I assume since I just started using the UVB bulb his body hasn't really produced any d3 to process the calcium that it couldn't have done too much damage. I'm assuming this based on me searching around this late morning when I saw no one commented on the thread. I'm assuming he is getting fat from feeding him a multi every day, that I just learned has a decent amount of fat in it.

I really want to know what the best next step would be? should i just not dust for a week or two? or just dust calcium for a week or two?

 

[Justin Ward]

you havent been doing it long enough to have any major effects...just switch to calcium w/o d3 almost every feeding and the multivitamin and calcium w/ d3 each twice a month...you said your 60w bulb is 2 feet away, i would just be concerned that your temps would be a little low

 

[Justin Ward]

also you said that he was skinny and now he is "obese" only eating 5 crickets a day at 3 months?...how big are your crickets? you shouldnt be feeding him anything that is bigger than the distance between his eyes...my 3 month old is eating about 20 or so 1/4" crickets a day...i would feed more smaller feeders so you dont run the risk of your little guy choking

 

[tdotcham]

If you're going to call People out for skimming your posts...atleast be correct. It doesnt state a source of UVB anywhere except that you said you would purchase one soon.... What's the hold up..he needs it.

 

[carol5208]

If you're going to call People out for skimming your posts...atleast be correct. It doesnt state a source of UVB anywhere except that you said you would purchase one soon.... What's the hold up..he needs it.

I was just about to say that. From what I understood you have NOT had a UVB and you still don't... the "new cage" will have one, but when are you getting the new cage???? You don't state that at all. Bottom line is you must not have researched very well if you thought placing your chameleon in front of a window was providing sufficient uvb. sorry!

 

[racerfreak]

I quote myself from my first post:
"-Free ranges (is being moved to a cage today because he goes missing every once in a while)...New cage will have misting system and 5.0 uvb bulb, by the way."

... So when I call people out I have a reason, not trying to start a fight just feel if you are gonna say something make sure you fully read.

Yes I did not know about UVB not passing through a window, did a lot of research but IDk why I missed that.

And for the braking story of the day, my uvb bulb blew out. I hate florescent bulbs, the filaments break so easily. So I'm off to the pet store to go buy a another t8.

 

[carol5208]

hey, its all good, I don't want to fight with you or anyone either...alls that matters is your cham is getting a UVB light! We are all here because we share a love for our chameleons and want the best for all of them.

 

[racerfreak]

Well the store didn't have any 5.0 bulbs in the size i needed, that weren't broken. Yes I'm that guy that shakes the bulbs lightly to see if I hear a rattle I ended up with a CLF 5.0 26w, hopefully since its a 08/2011 bulb exo-terra has all the wavelengths correct so there is no burning. At least its uvb now.

 

[racerfreak]

Lenard started shedding but I've noticed his skin looks wrinkly, is that normal?

 

[Pilotman800]

Lenard started shedding but I've noticed his skin looks wrinkly, is that normal?

Yeah thats normal. Chams look like crap before they shed. After he's done he should display a lot more color.

 

[MrGonzo12]

Wow looking good at three months

 

[racerfreak]

Well Lenard has shed completely and I moved and finished his cage. I added a 2ft umbrella plant with some dowels and fake vines. Lenard went from stressed out to ass happy as I have ever seen him. He is bright blue/green with dark spots since I moved him. Hopefully he will drink more now too, he does seem to be getting slightly dehydrated even though his cage gets misted enough. I'll be posting pictures tomorrow in hos picture thread