Could please anyone tell is there anything I need to do for my chameleons' cage.

[PushyGrandPapa]

A week ago, I brought a sexed pair of veiled chameleons home, and they are still baby. Before getting them, I did various researches in order to create a nice environment for them. However, without hands-on experiences of feeding chameleon, I think there is still a lot of knowledge for me to learn to be a good owner. So far, I only have an 18*18*36 screen cage for both of them and a not-okay UVB light bulb (the right one is still on the way), and a heat bulb from the lighting combo. In this morning, I noticed that the male chameleon was staying on the toppest branch, laying down its body and seemed inanimated. For the other one, maybe because of the limited space for two of them, she has been hiding in the plants at the bottom of the cage. I haven't seen her eat or anything. I am so worried about them, could please someone help me?

 

[PushyGrandPapa]

 

[CBee7726]

Hi there, please fill out the husbandry form so we can get a better sense of what's going on. The more detail the better, and photos are also very helpful. My understanding is that chameleons are solitary animals, and should be housed separately.

Please include both the current setup, as well as what you have ordered/intend to change.

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

 

[Mrjamwin]

Some obvious things you'd want to give them more cover/plants in the higher elevation of his enclosure since they like being high up. Your temp/humidity gauge isn't really accurate and you may want to invest in a digital one. Overall it doesn't look too bad.

 

[caoilinnf13]

A week ago, I brought a sexed pair of veiled chameleons home, and they are still baby. Before getting them, I did various researches in order to create a nice environment for them. However, without hands-on experiences of feeding chameleon, I think there is still a lot of knowledge for me to learn to be a good owner. So far, I only have an 18*18*36 screen cage for both of them and a not-okay UVB light bulb (the right one is still on the way), and a heat bulb from the lighting combo. In this morning, I noticed that the male chameleon was staying on the toppest branch, laying down its body and seemed inanimated. For the other one, maybe because of the limited space for two of them, she has been hiding in the plants at the bottom of the cage. I haven't seen her eat or anything. I am so worried about them, could please someone help me?

You might wanna add 1-2 small plants towards the top! Everything else looks great though!

 

[PushyGrandPapa]

Hi there, please fill out the husbandry form so we can get a better sense of what's going on. The more detail the better, and photos are also very helpful. My understanding is that chameleons are solitary animals, and should be housed separately.

Please include both the current setup, as well as what you have ordered/intend to change.

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

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

Veiled Chameleon, I have one male and one female, they are about two to three months. For now, I have kept them for a week.

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

I handled the female one twice so far, and once when I wanted to take it down from the screen which under the heat bulb, she fell down and hide, then turned black. Then, I just leave her alone.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

I give them 20-30 Small-sized Crickets per day in the morning with the Calcium powder by cup-feeding and free-ranging.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?

Muti-VItamin and Calcium without D3

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

I have been utilizing an automatic misting system with three nuzzles in the cage (two on the top and one on the middle). Each misting will last for 15 seconds and it comes every 2 hours with the least pressure. I have never seen them drinking water on the leaves.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

Light Green I guess? Not yet, but I am planning to take them to be tested for parasites. Since I got them from a website called UnderGround Reptiles rather than the wild environments, so it is not really on the calendar.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I gave them about 20-30 small crickets, and remove the crickets, which are out of feeding cup, from the cage to prevent from my chameleons get bitten. Last night, I count how many crickets left, there were around 20 crickets. For rest of the crickets, some of them are missing, Idk whether they were eaten or still in the cage.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?

An 18*18*36 screen cage.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

UVB I am using one which I got from the garden accessory store for plants growing, and I bought Arcadia T8 5% 15watt bulb.
For the heat bulb, I've been using the one from the lighting combo for reptiles.
I usually turn them on from 9 in the morning and off at 9 in the night

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

For basking spot, It is about 95F, the middle part of the cage is around 82F

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

Humidity is around 50% during the day and I will spray for 10 seconds right before I close their lights.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

I have pothos plant and Fern.

• 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?

I put the cage inside the cabinet room with relatively low ventilation.

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Columbus, Ohio, Us

Thank you so much, if there is anything I need to improve, please let me know!

 

[PushyGrandPapa]

Some obvious things you'd want to give them more cover/plants in the higher elevation of his enclosure since they like being high up. Your temp/humidity gauge isn't really accurate and you may want to invest in a digital one. Overall it doesn't look too bad.

Thank you so much, I was thinking about adding more for the top part, but I afraid that the screen can hardly hold the heavy pots. Can I buy some artificial plants?

 

[PushyGrandPapa]

You might wanna add 1-2 small plants towards the top! Everything else looks great though!

Get it! thank you so much, also for these two chameleons not eating anything, what should I do? Is it normal? Do I need to do anything? Maybe change their meals into waxworms or black soldier worms?

 

[Mrjamwin]

Thank you so much, I was thinking about adding more for the top part, but I afraid that the screen can hardly hold the heavy pots. Can I buy some artificial plants?

You can but you have to be very careful that they're not trying to eat the plastic and ingest it. What I would do over time is tend to your pothos plant and as it grows, start string it up to the higher levels.

 

[PushyGrandPapa]

You can but you have to be very careful that they're not trying to eat the plastic and ingest it. What I would do over time is tend to your pothos plant and as it grows, start string it up to the higher levels.

Yeah, that sounds great! Thank you!

 

[Beman]

I am going to go through your help form in detail. There are items that need to be corrected asap.

 

[Chameleomom]

Are both your chameleons in the same cage? if they are, you need to separate them. Might be why one is hiding at the bottom. The male will pick on the female

 

[PushyGrandPapa]

I am going to go through your help form in detail. There are items that need to be corrected asap.

Thank you so much for your help!

Are both your chameleons in the same cage? if they are, you need to separate them. Might be why one is hiding at the bottom. The male will pick on the female

I’m currently working on that, really need to get this done in short time.

 

[Beman]

@PushyGrandPapa Welcome to the forum. Please see my feedback and questions in red bold.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

Veiled Chameleon, I have one male and one female, they are about two to three months. For now, I have kept them for a week. Are you housing them together? If so they should be separated into their own enclosures.

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

I handled the female one twice so far, and once when I wanted to take it down from the screen which under the heat bulb, she fell down and hide, then turned black. Then, I just leave her alone. Heat bulb needs to be raised up off the top of the cage about 4 inches.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

I give them 20-30 Small-sized Crickets per day in the morning with the Calcium powder by cup-feeding and free-ranging. Feeders need to be gutloaded see image.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?

Muti-VItamin and Calcium without D3... What multivitamin did you get and what is the schedule that you are using the supplements?

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

I have been utilizing an automatic misting system with three nuzzles in the cage (two on the top and one on the middle). Each misting will last for 15 seconds and it comes every 2 hours with the least pressure. I have never seen them drinking water on the leaves. Misting nozzles should be at the top of the cage so that they can go down into plants if they want to get away from it. 15 seconds is not very long to coat leaves and trigger a drinking response and every 2 hours is a bit much.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

Light Green I guess? Not yet, but I am planning to take them to be tested for parasites. Since I got them from a website called UnderGround Reptiles rather than the wild environments, so it is not really on the calendar. I highly advice you get fecals for both of them and get them tested. Undergound reptiles is not the best place to buy from.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

I gave them about 20-30 small crickets, and remove the crickets, which are out of feeding cup, from the cage to prevent from my chameleons get bitten. Last night, I count how many crickets left, there were around 20 crickets. For rest of the crickets, some of them are missing, Idk whether they were eaten or still in the cage. Feeder run should be raised closer to basking level so that they can see them crawling in there. Or the cham will not eat. Make sure the feeder size is correct They will need no larger then 1/4 inch 2 week old crickets at this age.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?

An 18*18*36 screen cage. this will have to be upgraded to 2x2x4 for EACH of them. Can not be housed together. They should never be bred either as they are more then likely siblings.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

UVB I am using one which I got from the garden accessory store for plants growing, and I bought Arcadia T8 5% 15watt bulb. At the distance your highest branches are these babies are not getting UVB with the T8 5.0. If you are going to stay with a T8 then you have to have a 10.0 bulb and distance to basking should be 5.-6 inches below the bulb. Or you need a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 or 6% bulb and basking would be 9 inches down from this type.
For the heat bulb, I've been using the one from the lighting combo for reptiles.
I usually turn them on from 9 in the morning and off at 9 in the night

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

For basking spot, It is about 95F, the middle part of the cage is around 82F This is wayyyyyy too hot. This temp will kill them. No hotter then 80 at basking. rest of cage should be low 70s ambient temp.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

Humidity is around 50% during the day and I will spray for 10 seconds right before I close their lights. During the day it should be 30-50% max at night when lights are off it can be up to 100%

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

I have pothos plant and Fern. You need taller plants. They should fill the enclosure basking down. I would not use a fern because Veileds eat their plants. See the Veiled tested plants to use at this link. https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf

• 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?

I put the cage inside the cabinet room with relatively low ventilation.

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Columbus, Ohio, Us

Thank you so much, if there is anything I need to improve, please let me know!

I would do this husbandry program from start to finish. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
This is the species specific care. https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/

Your female will lay infertile eggs like a chicken. You will want to read up on lay bins.

 

[Beman]

Thank you so much for your help!

I’m currently working on that, really need to get this done in short time.View attachment 275571

Have you sealed this wood with Water based polyurethane? It can not be raw or treated wood alone. They produce VOC's which is harmful for the chameleon. All wood has to be sealed with multiple layers of the water based polyurethane. You should not use twist ties. They have sharp metal pieces. Use zip ties instead. Hot glue should not be used and will separate from the moisture causing your branches to fall apart. The branches should be all different sizes from non sap producing trees.