Dull colours?

[lysinlight87]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled male, 5 months old
Handling - Once a day, usually to take him out if the sun is shining, or move him out the way when I clean the bottom of his cage. He doesn't like to be handled.
Feeding - He is fed daily. I offer him 4 large crickets, 4 large locusts and a super worm. He often leaves a few the crickets, they're not his favourite. He is fed usually around mid-day & then I might offer him more at 4pm. I gutload with bug grub, butternut squash, carrot, apple, asparagus, courgette, rocket. I recently read that locusts can't digest food at room temperature, causing decomposition of food in the stomach. I don't know if this is true?
Supplements - Plain calcium on all or half of his feeders everyday. Multivit with D3 once every 2 weeks (I did forget once)
Watering - He has a dripper. I mist him 4 times a day on average, until a I get a cramp in my hand.
Fecal Description - Solid, brown. Urates white, sometimes watery
Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? No
History - He came from a reptile shop not far from where I live. Has been healthy.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass exo-terra (we puposely decided a against a screened for several reasons.) 90cm (tall) x 65 x 45
Lighting - Reptiglo 5.0 uvb. 9am-9pm
Temperature - Basking spot is 85F, over night tempurate is around 68F. He has 2a thermometer and thermostat. The thermostat does dim the basking bulb to keept the temperature stable. The light hits his cage in the evening and sometimes it switches off completely. It is a 60W house bulb.
Humidity - Humidity varies between 45% and 60%, I use live plants and misting to maintain the humidity.
Plants - He has a ficus and an umbrella plant.
Placement - His cage is about a foot off the ground. It's in the living room, against the same wall as the TV but a few metres away. I cover him at night so he's not disturbed. During the day he does sometimes get bothered if someone is near to his cage.
Location - UK

My guy seems to be spending more and more time a dull kinda green. Since his last shed his patterns have changed and it's been a bit harder for me to guess his mood, but I'm worried he's not happy. This is when he is in his cage. When I take him out and put him in the garden, he goes a lovely bright green. He also scouts the bottom of his cage in the evening and goes very dark in colour.
I'm just wondering if there's something I'm not quite doing right, or if anyone has any tips to make him happier? I wonder if it's because his basking bulb dims or that the temp is not high enough.

Here are some pics

 

[lysinlight87]

& another. He appears to be basking where the light shines into his cage, near the bottom.

 

[RealIzeRecognIze]

Everything seems to be fine with your husbandry but you could probably raise his temp up to the 90s. I know dull color can be due to extreme over heating and they usually darken up if they need to absorb more heat.
I would just try and up his temp, he looks healthy in the picture tho.

 

[lysinlight87]

ok, thanks . I wasn't sure when to increase the temps. I'll raise it up it to 90 & see how he goes. I also think it's because he doesn't like me looking at him lol

 

[pssh]

Though mine never went through it, I've been told that veileds can go through a dull/brown teenage period as well. I would raise the temps and see if the colors change.

 

[lysinlight87]

I've increased his temps. He's still dull & not eating today- he is due to shed so maybe that's it.

 

[lysinlight87]

I'm still a little concerned. I've got the temp to 88-89 & he's still dull. I might have to get a stronger wattage bulb. The only time he goes a nice green now is when he's on his umbrella plant. Anywhere else in the cage, he's almost brown.

I can't help worrying about him. He's between 5 and 6 months old now- is this chameleon puberty? Do they sometimes get dull before a shed? He last shed 2-3 weeks ago.

 

[pssh]

That is indeed the time of veiled chameleon puberty. Try tilting the bulb so that the light shines down at an angle. Some chameleons really prefer this lamp set up over the straight down heat. I know mine does. If he is still really brown after a few days, he could be one of the veileds who likes it really hot. Maybe try raising it even a few more degrees but make sure it is safe. See if 93 or so works.

 

[lysinlight87]

ok, thanks. I'll see how he goes & then maybe buy a 75 watt bulb. I'll have a play with the position of the lamp too

 

[lysinlight87]

ok, it really seems to me that Neelix HATES his cage. As soon as I take him out and put him outside or in the conservatory his brightens up. Has anyone experienced this? I don't what I can do for him? His cage is correct in terms of conditions but he doesn't like it.

 

[lysinlight87]

Could it be his lighting? When have 2 UVB bulbs but there's a fitting for a third one. I just don't want him to unhappy in the environment I've created for him

 

[blackened]

2 UVB bulbs in operation? Is this advised? Are you using two reptiglo 5.0 fluorescent tubes?

 

[lysinlight87]

They're both uvb 5.0 reptiglo, one on each side of the cage. There's room for ine in the middle. The room lacks natural light, so it's still fairly dim in the cage.

 

[pssh]

I don't think the lights are an issue. Maybe get him a FR plant to hang out on when you are home?

 

[Kate]

I use an Arcadia t5 with a reflector. It is very bright.

 

[lysinlight87]

He's just started shedding so hopefully that was all that was bothering him. I've put him in his screened enclosure in an open doorway and set up his heat lamp because it's pretty breezy outside today. He looks a bit happier already

 

[Kate]

He's just started shedding so hopefully that was all that was bothering him. I've put him in his screened enclosure in an open doorway and set up his heat lamp because it's pretty breezy outside today. He looks a bit happier already

That's really good to hear.

 

[lysinlight87]

poor itchy boy lol

 

[tkilgour]

Lighting isn't the only possible cause. Have you considered diet? Many people overlook diet and simply do not believe it can help your animals color. However, did you know that marine fish, birds, reptiles, invertebrates, and amphibians require certain things in their diets to maintain bright color and healthy skin. For example, spirulina algae:

Spirulina Powder

Spirulina Pacifica is a free-flowing powder comprised of blue-green algae harvested from the pristine waters of the Pacific! 99% Pure! Spray-dried Arthrospira platensis (formerly, Spirulina platensis) is a blue-green algae that is added to moist fish feeds or fed directly to invertebrates. It is also found in several reptile super foods. Cough, Cough. . It is a great source of amino acids (45% Protein), pigments (>1,500 mg/kg total carotenoids), vitamins and minerals. Spirulina is particularly rich in carotenoid and xanthophyll pigments, factors which are important in attaining bright skin colors in captive fish and many other animals. It has been studied to enhance the skin colors in reptiles, amphibians and birds. The key benefits in adding spirulina to your animals diet are: Increased growth, heightened immunity, improved skin and fin appearance, and improved coloring. For home prepared diets, the recommended inclusion levels is 1-3% (by dry weight) for most applications. It can be fed directly to artemia , larval shrimp, larval fish, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds and humans to name a few.

 

[lysinlight87]

Cool, I'll have a look if it has other health benefits too. I was more worried he was sick or somethings. Does anyone else use it & recommend it?