Color changes

[lucimirka]

Hello, I am the new owner of a female Veiled chameleon. She is 2.5 months old. From the beginning, she is very contactable and easily climbs out of the terrarium into my hands, I never take her by force or force her. I would like to ask about color changes. Most of the time she has a green color all over her body. Sometimes when she climbs from my hands or shoulders onto the bed sheets, she changes color to light green with dark green spots. I wonder if this is ok. Thank you in advance

 

[elizaann2]

Hello and warmest welcomes!! What a little darling you have!!

I believe what you are seeing are stressed/irrigation colors. Some chameleons if they are unhappy with their enclosures will seem more 'friendly' and want to come out of their enclosure. Are you open to a husbandry review to ensure you have everything correct for her?

 

[elizaann2]

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 do 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 -

 

[Ghostbirb]

I agree with @elizaann2
Those are usually stressed colors
I would strongly urge to fill out the husbandry review posting above

Welcome to the forum

 

[lucimirka]

Hello and warmest welcomes!! What a little darling you have!!

I believe what you are seeing are stressed/irrigation colors. Some chameleons if they are unhappy with their enclosures will seem more 'friendly' and want to come out of their enclosure. Are you open to a husbandry review to ensure you have everything correct for her?

Thank you for your early reply. I tried to arrange the terrarium according to the advice of chameleon breeders. Her terrarium (for her size) is now 45x45x45. The temperature in the terrarium is 26-28 degrees Celsius. Under the heat lamp and UVB lamp it is 35 degrees celsius (warmest place). I have questions about humidity. Someone says 70% and more and someone 55-65% So what is correct? I would not like to harm my chameleon in any way.

 

[Ghostbirb]

Thank you for your early reply. I tried to arrange the terrarium according to the advice of chameleon breeders. Her terrarium (for her size) is now 45x45x45. The temperature in the terrarium is 26-28 degrees Celsius. Under the heat lamp and UVB lamp it is 35 degrees celsius (warmest place). I have questions about humidity. Someone says 70% and more and someone 55-65% So what is correct? I would not like to harm my chameleon in any way.

So humidity during the day should be 30%-50% for veiled chameleons, and at night it should go up to about 80%-100%.

Your temps are too high for your chameleon. For a girl the temp should not go over 26 degrees C, about 80 degrees F, at the basking area max.

Are you 100% sure you have a girl . Does she have tarsal spurs?

You are in great hands with @elizaann2

 

[elizaann2]

You are welcome . Do you mind sharing a photo of her enclosure including the lights on the top?

26-28 degrees is quite warm for your girl, you'll want to get her ambient temps closer to 22-25 degrees. Veiled chameleons tend to supercharge their bodies when exposed to high temps and lots of food and will create more eggs than normal. So this is something I would recommend keeping a close eye on.

Her basking temp you do not want any hotter than 26 degrees. Especially when she is so young, high temps can dehydrate them quickly.

Around these parts we recommend 40-50% humidity during the day for veiled chameleons with an 80-100% humidity at night for hydration. The most important thing is airflow, stagnant air and ensuring that our enclosures dry out during the day to avoid mold and bacteria growth.

Adjust those temps and then I would be curious to know if that helps at all.

Do you have a lay bin for your girl?

Attaching some resources for you

Chameleon Academy website & YouTube
Neptune the Chameleon website & YouTube
Veiled Chameleon Care sheet

 

[lucimirka]

So humidity during the day should be 30%-50% for veiled chameleons, and at night it should go up to about 80%-100%.

Your temps are too high for your chameleon. For a girl the temp should not go over 26 degrees C, about 80 degrees F, at the basking area max.

Are you 100% sure you have a girl . Does she have tarsal spurs?
View attachment 352812


You are in great hands with @elizaann2

Oh, I don’t see anything like a tarsal spurs

 

[Beman]

Hi there welcome to the forum. You have already received wonderful feedback. I agree with the temps 100%. Can you post a pic of the entire enclosure including the lighting?

 

[lucimirka]

Oh, I don’t see anything like a tarsal spurs

I am not sure if that is a tarsal spurs ? Maybe ?

 

[Beman]

I am not sure if that is a tarsal spurs ? Maybe ?

Nope that is a baby girl.

 

[lucimirka]

Nope that is a baby girl.

Okay thank you

 

[elizaann2]

Okay thank you

Female veiled chameleons are amazing. Congrats!

 

[lucimirka]

these are the lights I have (photo) and vitamin. I am weekly feeding her multivitamin. Should I get her some more vitamins? Calcium?
Also she is eating 3x per day two crickets ( so six a day)

 

[elizaann2]

Is the heat light a red one? You'll want a white light as the red lights hurt their eyes.

The UVB light unfortunatly you'll need to replace immediately. Those screw in UVB bulbs are either far too strong or they are too weak. We recommend the TH50 linear hood with a 6% Arcadia UVB light OR a 5.0 ReptiSun. - let me know if you need more information on this, it was super confusing to me for about a year

Can you share a picture of the ingredients of your supplements?

 

[lucimirka]

Is the heat light a red one? You'll want a white light as the red lights hurt their eyes.

The UVB light unfortunatly you'll need to replace immediately. Those screw in UVB bulbs are either far too strong or they are too weak. We recommend the TH50 linear hood with a 6% Arcadia UVB light OR a 5.0 ReptiSun. - let me know if you need more information on this, it was super confusing to me for about a year

Can you share a picture of the ingredients of your supplements?

The heat light is white one
About the UVB, the light I use is too strong or too weak?

Ingredients of multivitamin supplement: calcium carbonate, vitamin D3, folic, biotin, choline chloride, minerals: Fe, Co, Mn, Cu, Zn, I, Se. Vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B6, B12

 

[elizaann2]

The heat light is white one
About the UVB, the light I use is too strong or too weak?

Ingredients of multivitamin supplement: calcium carbonate, vitamin D3, folic, biotin, choline chloride, minerals: Fe, Co, Mn, Cu, Zn, I, Se. Vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B6, B12

@Beman knows the most about UVB lights but the 15.0 one I am guessing may be too strong. You also want UVB across the whole top of your enclosure vs just in one condensed area if that makes sense.

Are you providing calcium with out D3 as well? Or is this the only supplement you use?

 

[lucimirka]

@Beman knows the most about UVB lights but the 15.0 one I am guessing may be too strong. You also want UVB across the whole top of your enclosure vs just in one condensed area if that makes sense.

Are you providing calcium with out D3 as well? Or is this the only supplement you use?

I also use just clear calcium supplement

 

[Beman]

So you do not want to use the compact florescent UVB bulb... That one specifically is going to have too high of a UVI in one specific spot directly below the bulb and then nothing so high risk of overexposure right below the bulb and then lack of uvb with risk of Metabolic bone disease developing. You want a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% bulb. That runs the width of the cage. Arcadia makes a proT5 with a 6% bulb. Set this on top of the screen top then measure 8-9 inches down and then have a branch at that distance. This will put the cham in the correct UVI level of 3.

 

[elizaann2]

I also use just clear calcium supplement

What is your supplement schedule?