Ares05
Chameleon Enthusiast
Also this is an amazing resource, definitely use the crash course! https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
Does He Look Happy?
- Thread starter ChrisHibs
- Start date
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
I believe I saw that ET makes one, but you probably know that.I think you can just about make it out in the picture but I should have mentioned itIf I'm honest I'm not entirely happy with the whole drainage situation. I'm trying to find a tall cabinet to put it on that will allow me to use a bulkhead type set up and have drainage buckets in the cabinet underneath.
IDK what you're planning. I'm working on plans for a couple (different sizes) based on aluminum frame enclosures similar to those made by Zen Habitats, Tamura Designs, Muji, et al, starting with collecting material sourcing—designs are in-progress.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/aluminum-framing-fabricators.186447/
I think that depends—to some extent—on his size and the size of the feeders. For the first 6 months (9 including his age when I got him) I fed him as much as he wanted, as often as he wanted. When he reached 9 months of age, he began self-regulating. Right now he's... (hold on, I need my fingers for a sec....) 18 months, he's still self-regulating and doing great (My beardie OTOH, is a little piggie and I had to put him on a diet.Now that I've had my enclosure well and truly critiqued could anyone offer some tips on the feeding thingShould I worry that he's only eating a few instects a day? For example today he's had 1 cricket and 2 calci worms somedays he'll eat a wee bit more but not much. He doesn't look thin or anything and his poo looks pretty much perfect with the wee white bit at the end.
)Calci worms are kinda small anyway, and mine wouldn't touch them because they didn't move/wiggle enough. His preferred feeder was—and is—crickets, but once he got big enough, I was able to persuade him to eat dubias, giant mealworms, and he just ate his first hornworm (unfortunately I missed it
) I figure he ate it though, despite being the biggest thing he's ever eaten, because it's been a couple days, and huge patches of foliage haven't disappeared. Are you monitoring growth/weight? I tried, but Ol' Mr. GrumpyPants isn't a big fan of handling, so I let him be him. From all indications, he's doing really well.
Here, he's enjoying playtime on the Missus' plant table.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
At 4-5 months of age, my panther was zapping crickets from 12" away.
Most measuring cups are in the neighborhood of 3½" - 4" tall.
It stands to reason if he couldn't easily reach, he'd either be eating nothing, or sticking his head into the cup—which I've also seen.
Most measuring cups are in the neighborhood of 3½" - 4" tall.
It stands to reason if he couldn't easily reach, he'd either be eating nothing, or sticking his head into the cup—which I've also seen.
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Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Happy or lit.
ChrisHibs
Member
He's absolutely amazing!!I believe I saw that ET makes one, but you probably know that.
IDK what you're planning. I'm working on plans for a couple (different sizes) based on aluminum frame enclosures similar to those made by Zen Habitats, Tamura Designs, Muji, et al, starting with collecting material sourcing—designs are in-progress.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/aluminum-framing-fabricators.186447/
I think that depends—to some extent—on his size and the size of the feeders. For the first 6 months (9 including his age when I got him) I fed him as much as he wanted, as often as he wanted. When he reached 9 months of age, he began self-regulating. Right now he's... (hold on, I need my fingers for a sec....) 18 months, he's still self-regulating and doing great (My beardie OTOH, is a little piggie and I had to put him on a diet.
Calci worms are kinda small anyway, and mine wouldn't touch them because they didn't move/wiggle enough. His preferred feeder was—and is—crickets, but once he got big enough, I was able to persuade him to eat dubias, giant mealworms, and he just ate his first hornworm (unfortunately I missed it
Are you monitoring growth/weight? I tried, but Ol' Mr. GrumpyPants isn't a big fan of handling, so I let him be him. From all indications, he's doing really well.
Here, he's enjoying playtime on the Missus' plant table.
View attachment 321365
I've lowered the basking spot temp down to just under 26° and have increased my misting and he's been eating a lot more since I did this. 8 crickets and a superworm yesterday and about 9 crickets today. Feeling very relieved that he's eating more.
That deep jug is honestly the 6th or 7th container I've tried and it's the one I've had most success with so far, he sees it going in and he's straight over to it. I've got an ender 3 3d printer so I'm going to try and print a shooting gallery type feeder for him at the weekend!
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Thank you.
Mine watches for his feeder cup too (I imaging they all do).
I made a couple of SG type feeders from take-out containers. One improvement I read about used wire insulation to cover sharp edges. They were very difficult to get lines straight, but printing something similar sounds like a better idea. I have a Prusa, but I've never been able to get a good first level with it, so it's sitting in a closet.
(Heavy sigh)I'd be interested in seeing how yours turns out. I recently read another idea for cricket feeder that I'm wanting to try; it uses just an acrylic tube with a screened bottom—just deep enough and wide enough that the crickets can't jump out, but a chameleon can zap them.
ChrisHibs
Member
Just wanted to share this picture I got of him this morning. He's eating a lot more, he's had 10 crickets already today! I bought a smaller size of cricket and I've started putting way more than he'll eat into his feeding jug to make sure they keep moving around! Keeping a chameleon is far less stressful when they're eating properly! I'm only standing at his enclosure worrying about him for 8 hours a day now rather than 12
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
I think he'd be happier, and humidity would be easier to maintain, if those artificial plants were replaced with real ones.
Once the weather gets a bit better (it's still freezing here) some natural UVB may help brighten up his colors.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/1707904/?q=colors+fading&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance
or they may come back on their own.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/faded-colors-on-panther-chameleon.157461/
Once the weather gets a bit better (it's still freezing here) some natural UVB may help brighten up his colors.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/1707904/?q=colors+fading&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance
or they may come back on their own.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/faded-colors-on-panther-chameleon.157461/
ChrisHibs
Member
There are real plants in there too, these are just plastic vine type things that cover the side of the cage. I might swap them out eventually but he always sleeps on them and I'm not going to upset him just now by changing stuff when I've just got him eating properly
Is there something wrong with his colours? He's only about 5 or 6 months old, I thought it would take a bit longer for the colours to come in more vibrantly?
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Not wrong. Ol' Mr. GrumpyPants' colors began coming in at 3-4 months, and by 6 months began getting vibrant, depending on his mood, etc. One thing I noticed early on is that he gets "hungry colors" when he's... well... hungry and looking for food. Hard to describe, but different than basking colors or sleeping colors.
All that this difference means is that they're all different and all individuals. Since yours is getting enough UVB, I think it's more likely the cyclical thing. Does he ever get fired up?
ChrisHibs
Member
Not wrong. Ol' Mr. GrumpyPants' colors began coming in at 3-4 months, and by 6 months began getting vibrant, depending on his mood, etc. One thing I noticed early on is that he gets "hungry colors" when he's... well... hungry and looking for food. Hard to describe, but different than basking colors or sleeping colors.
All that this difference means is that they're all different and all individuals. Since yours is getting enough UVB, I think it's more likely the cyclical thing. Does he ever get fired up?
No not really, that's about as colourful as he gets!
TheChamGizmo
New Member
All I would recommend a little bit more small coverage on the top and alottt more climbing branches like I kept putting them in my cage till I couldn’t rlly get my hands into it that well bc there should be lots of climbing if you notice he climbing on the side of the enclosure a lot it could be to not enough climbing spaces and can also meen there not toView attachment 321046
There are live plants as well as the plastic ones
Happy with how there home is setup
ChrisHibs
Member
Yeah I agree with you, there definitely needs to be more cover for him up in the higher bits! Any tips on how to do it? Could I buy a big pothos plant and put it on top of the enclosure and let the leaves come through the opening on top? I'd have them come through a corner so he couldn't climb too close to the lights?
ChrisHibs
Member
Another thing I'm getting a bit confused by is the basking light? I thought this stayed on all day with the uvb but I'm seeing some people only having it on for a couple of hours twice a day? I assumed the sun is up all day and he can move in and out of shade of he wants to so why would you turn it off?
What stays for 8 hrs the fogger ?Hi everyone, we're now on day 8 of owning our first ever chameleon. Just wanted to share a couple of photos that I've taken today and ask if he looks like he's doing OK so far?
He's usually very dark and spends most of his time basking (basking spot temp is 26.5°-27°).
He doesn't eat as much as I see othe4-people's 4-5 month olds eating which is worrying me a wee bit. The past 3 days hes only had 2 or three crickets and 1 superworm each day. He seems to really like the superworms and be less interested in crickets but ive read he shouldnt have too many of the superworms? I'm gutloading with repashy superload and dusting with exo terra calcium and multivitamins alternatively.
His poos look to be pretty textbook from what I've seen after googling "healthy chameleon poo" more times than I'd care to admit
All lights and heat go off at night then I run a fogger about an hour after the lights go out once the temp has dropped and that stays on for about 8 hours through the night.
View attachment 321036
View attachment 321037
Just a little tip for feeding could use a milk jug cut it in half an you can re use it every feeding just with simple soap
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Pothos, Philodendron, and Inchplants are all fast-growing (1' / month or so) vines with foliage.
I'd put them inside the enclosure. Location is optional since they do grow so fast.
I have a couple of mass canes as centerpiece plants that provide lots of shade near the top.
They're more slow-growing, but have long broad leaves.
Actually, I run the UVB for 10 hrs., while the basking & plant lights stay on for 12.
Basking & plant lights: 6 - 6. UVB: 7 - 5.
People have different reasons for different lighting schedules. I've seen some that do it the way you describe, but I can't recall their reasoning.
ChrisHibs
Member
I'm just doing all lights on an 7.30 then off at 7.30pm but mostly because nothings automated yet, eventually I'll have it all on timers and play about with the different schedules to see what works best.
Inch plants look really cool, had to Google it and realised I'd seen it before under a different, less P.C. name! Definitely adding some of that along with the pothos!
