chamcouple
New Member
This is my first chameleon, I recently moved (3 months ago) and ever since the move things have been going wrong. Here's the basic info
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male Panther Chameleon, about a year old in my care for 8 months
Handling - Before the move about once a day, after the move once a month (he wont let me)
Feeding - Feeding crickets, about 10-15 a day (although he does seem to eat at all unless I hand feed and still its hit and miss), they are gutloaded with Rapashys bug burger.
Supplements - I dust with Repashys calcium plus every feeding, which says its a vitamin and calcium supplement
Watering - I have an aquazamp mister set for 5 minutes, 3 times a day.
Fecal Description - Hasn't pooped in probably a week, this is a kammerflage chamleon so i'm assuming no parasites exist? Chameleon has never been to the vet, as there are no reptile vets around, or at least any that seem to know much.
History - Before the move he was in a closet with that I had removed the doors on. So his cage was surrounded on 3 sides with the front facing out into the room. My room door was always shut so for whatever reason my room was always way hotter than the rest of the house ( 75-80 degrees). The humidity was around 60-70% too and that was without misting. I used to work from home so I was able to come in and check on him every couple of hours and hand mist his cage (back then i didn't have the aquazamp). Now I Live in an apartment and no longer have a closet to use so I struggle to keep the temps at 75 degrees (poorly sealed windows and doors). The humidity is ridiculously low around 30%. The one big change regarding his cage was that in order to fit it into my vehicle I had to take the cage apart, so upon reassembly all the branches and vines were in new places which I think may have threw him off. Also seeing as his cage was in a closet I was able to keep a large majority of light from coming into his cage when he slept. Now he is in a larger room and I put a sheet on top of his cage, when I peak in at night he is still awake.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - All screen cage, (panther palace from kammerflage). 40” high x 18” deep x 34” wide
Lighting - I used some live plants so hanging above everything is a 4, 2' T5 lighting fixture (grow light), I have a 100 watt heat lamp above his basking spot, A 2' UVB light (not sure of brand, came with the panther palace), and I recently bought a 100 watt red heat lamp to help with cage temperatures at night. Lights are on for 12 hours off 12 hours, With the exception of the red heat lamp.
Temperature - Basking spot is about 90 degrees, overall room temperature is typically about 75 degrees, but seeing as his cage is located between two windows I fear there may be a draft of cold air. I have sealed both windows with that plastic wrap in hope to eliminate the issue. There was one occasion where the night temperature dropped to 67 degrees by accident but I keep the apartment at 75 degrees night and day. I measure the temps with a simple round thermometer.
Humidity - Current humidity levels are 30%! NEED HELP, I have no idea how to raise the humidity seeing as the cage is in a large room. I measure it by the hygrometer that once again came with the panther palace (simple round thing that Velcros to the side of the cage, looks like the thermometer)
Plants - I have some live plants that were just recently put in, the problem occurred before putting in the plants. I have 2 begonias, one umbrella plant (not in the best shape) and 1 tiny little fern, and 1 ficus or fig, not sure which one.
Placement - The cage sits caddy corner between two windows. Next to our front door. No fans, not sure about air vents though. The top of the cage is about 5-6 feet from the floor.
Location - Columbus, Ohio
Current Problem - Chameleon has developed a sunken eye and keeps that eye shut occasionally. This has been going on for about a month. He also doesn't seem to eat much anymore since we moved. So he doesn't poop often at all, once every week in a half or so it seems unless its falling in the dirt of the plants. I feel horrible and want to do whatever it takes to get him feeling better. I don't see any discharge or anything of the like. This is probably horrible but some crickets stay in his cage overnight due to them hiding in the foliage or him not eating them. I would like to avoid going to he vet just so I can hear what I already know, so any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. IS there a better way to configure the lights? the top of his cage is a jumbled mess it seems which means its hard to block the street lights outside while he sleeps (I don't know if that disturbs him). I think this is normal but he paws at the top of the cage sometimes like he wish he could go higher. At my old house I had a fake tree to I would place in front of his cage and connect it by a fake vine/branch that way he could leave his cage and hang out on the tree. He seemed to love it! Now When I tired it at my apartment his is very hesitant and wont go. The one time he did happen to make his way out he climbed to the bottom of the tree, jump off the fake tree pot (6" high) and wandered all the way to the side table sitting next to my couch. Which means he would have spent quite a bit of time on the floor and it was my understanding that if chameleons spend a lot of time on the ground there is an underlying problem?
If you need more pictures I can post more!
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male Panther Chameleon, about a year old in my care for 8 months
Handling - Before the move about once a day, after the move once a month (he wont let me)
Feeding - Feeding crickets, about 10-15 a day (although he does seem to eat at all unless I hand feed and still its hit and miss), they are gutloaded with Rapashys bug burger.
Supplements - I dust with Repashys calcium plus every feeding, which says its a vitamin and calcium supplement
Watering - I have an aquazamp mister set for 5 minutes, 3 times a day.
Fecal Description - Hasn't pooped in probably a week, this is a kammerflage chamleon so i'm assuming no parasites exist? Chameleon has never been to the vet, as there are no reptile vets around, or at least any that seem to know much.
History - Before the move he was in a closet with that I had removed the doors on. So his cage was surrounded on 3 sides with the front facing out into the room. My room door was always shut so for whatever reason my room was always way hotter than the rest of the house ( 75-80 degrees). The humidity was around 60-70% too and that was without misting. I used to work from home so I was able to come in and check on him every couple of hours and hand mist his cage (back then i didn't have the aquazamp). Now I Live in an apartment and no longer have a closet to use so I struggle to keep the temps at 75 degrees (poorly sealed windows and doors). The humidity is ridiculously low around 30%. The one big change regarding his cage was that in order to fit it into my vehicle I had to take the cage apart, so upon reassembly all the branches and vines were in new places which I think may have threw him off. Also seeing as his cage was in a closet I was able to keep a large majority of light from coming into his cage when he slept. Now he is in a larger room and I put a sheet on top of his cage, when I peak in at night he is still awake.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - All screen cage, (panther palace from kammerflage). 40” high x 18” deep x 34” wide
Lighting - I used some live plants so hanging above everything is a 4, 2' T5 lighting fixture (grow light), I have a 100 watt heat lamp above his basking spot, A 2' UVB light (not sure of brand, came with the panther palace), and I recently bought a 100 watt red heat lamp to help with cage temperatures at night. Lights are on for 12 hours off 12 hours, With the exception of the red heat lamp.
Temperature - Basking spot is about 90 degrees, overall room temperature is typically about 75 degrees, but seeing as his cage is located between two windows I fear there may be a draft of cold air. I have sealed both windows with that plastic wrap in hope to eliminate the issue. There was one occasion where the night temperature dropped to 67 degrees by accident but I keep the apartment at 75 degrees night and day. I measure the temps with a simple round thermometer.
Humidity - Current humidity levels are 30%! NEED HELP, I have no idea how to raise the humidity seeing as the cage is in a large room. I measure it by the hygrometer that once again came with the panther palace (simple round thing that Velcros to the side of the cage, looks like the thermometer)
Plants - I have some live plants that were just recently put in, the problem occurred before putting in the plants. I have 2 begonias, one umbrella plant (not in the best shape) and 1 tiny little fern, and 1 ficus or fig, not sure which one.
Placement - The cage sits caddy corner between two windows. Next to our front door. No fans, not sure about air vents though. The top of the cage is about 5-6 feet from the floor.
Location - Columbus, Ohio
Current Problem - Chameleon has developed a sunken eye and keeps that eye shut occasionally. This has been going on for about a month. He also doesn't seem to eat much anymore since we moved. So he doesn't poop often at all, once every week in a half or so it seems unless its falling in the dirt of the plants. I feel horrible and want to do whatever it takes to get him feeling better. I don't see any discharge or anything of the like. This is probably horrible but some crickets stay in his cage overnight due to them hiding in the foliage or him not eating them. I would like to avoid going to he vet just so I can hear what I already know, so any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. IS there a better way to configure the lights? the top of his cage is a jumbled mess it seems which means its hard to block the street lights outside while he sleeps (I don't know if that disturbs him). I think this is normal but he paws at the top of the cage sometimes like he wish he could go higher. At my old house I had a fake tree to I would place in front of his cage and connect it by a fake vine/branch that way he could leave his cage and hang out on the tree. He seemed to love it! Now When I tired it at my apartment his is very hesitant and wont go. The one time he did happen to make his way out he climbed to the bottom of the tree, jump off the fake tree pot (6" high) and wandered all the way to the side table sitting next to my couch. Which means he would have spent quite a bit of time on the floor and it was my understanding that if chameleons spend a lot of time on the ground there is an underlying problem?
If you need more pictures I can post more!
I am making egg bins ) - your "snack pack" of bugs will be in the mail on Tue AM 
