First chameleon and would love some tips

[Cham2041]

I know a lot of different owners do different things, but I would love some advice. The lady at the pet store was NO help and I figured it all out myself and the info she did tell me, I found out this morning was wrong. Also, I have a 3-4 month veiled female (Maria) and I have had her for just under a month.

Let’s start with the lighting: she told me to use a daytime and a nighttime light, lights 24/7 and I just learned that they should be on a timer for 12 on 12 off. My questions are:
1) should both the uvb and basking light be on the same schedule? i.e. should they both be on for the same period of time and turn off at the same time?
2) will Maria be okay adjusting to this? Is there a way to do it gradual? But at the same time, I’m sure she’d a appreciate the darkness

Next I had some questions about eating. She loves her crickets and I dust some calicum and Vitamin D on them about once a week. I try to get her to eat leafy greens but she’s only taken a bite of Swiss red chard once.
1) any leafy green suggestions?
2) Any other supplements I should be using?

Next, her poop, the first time it was a normal white pellet and brown pellet but the white has been runny, anyone know why that would be? She’s pooping regularly but the white is watery but the brown seems fine.

Lastly, her eyes are healthy, but her right eye tends to close a lot, while her left eye is open. Do you know why this may be? Also it is to my knowledge, that when they bulge their eye out and in, they’re cleaning it? She does this occasionally and itches it either against my hand or on a stick.

Any suggestions would be great!! She seems like a very healthy and happy girl so I’m not worried about her, I just want to make sure I am caring for her the best I can!!!

 

[Ares05]

I know a lot of different owners do different things, but I would love some advice. The lady at the pet store was NO help and I figured it all out myself and the info she did tell me, I found out this morning was wrong. Also, I have a 3-4 month veiled female (Maria) and I have had her for just under a month.

Petstore clerks normally know nothing an just want to get rid of the animals to make money. Every word out of their mouth is normally wrong information for these little guys.

Let’s start with the lighting: she told me to use a daytime and a nighttime light, lights 24/7 and I just learned that they should be on a timer for 12 on 12 off. My questions are:
1) should both the uvb and basking light be on the same schedule? i.e. should they both be on for the same period of time and turn off at the same time?
Personally I would set it so the uvb goes on an hour before the heating light, and then the heating light goes off and hour before the uvb. You would mist her cage in the time where the uvb is on but the heating is off.

2) will Maria be okay adjusting to this? Is there a way to do it gradual? But at the same time, I’m sure she’d a appreciate the darkness

Absolutely no light at night. It disrupts sleep, she will be happy with the darkness.

Next I had some questions about eating. She loves her crickets and I dust some calicum and Vitamin D on them about once a week. I try to get her to eat leafy greens but she’s only taken a bite of Swiss red chard once.
1) any leafy green suggestions?
You can feed them anything on the gut loading chart, but not all veiled love eating veggies. not the end of the world if she doesn't want to eat any.
2) Any other supplements I should be using?
You supplement schedule should be calcium w/o d3 every day, and then with d3 twice and month and multivitamin twice a month, alternating weeks. (ex: one week you'd do multivitamin, next one d3, ect ect) As for when she gets older, i'm not sure if the schedule changes for females around when they lay eggs. You could ask @GoodKarma19, I believe she has all females.

Next, her poop, the first time it was a normal white pellet and brown pellet but the white has been runny, anyone know why that would be? She’s pooping regularly but the white is watery but the brown seems fine.

I would get her tested for parasites. Poop can look normal but they can still have parasites.

Lastly, her eyes are healthy, but her right eye tends to close a lot, while her left eye is open. Do you know why this may be? Also it is to my knowledge, that when they bulge their eye out and in, they’re cleaning it? She does this occasionally and itches it either against my hand or on a stick.

Take picture of her right eye if you could, they shouldn't close their eyes during the day.

Any suggestions would be great!! She seems like a very healthy and happy girl so I’m not worried about her, I just want to make sure I am caring for her the best I can!!!

Take pictures of her cage and her, along with her lights.

 

[Cham2041]

Thank you! Okay I just bought a timer so I can set the lights like that. And here is a picture of her eye, she loves being with me and her left eye is open in this pic.

also where do you recommend me taking her to get checked for parasites?

thank you again!

 

[Ares05]

I need more pictures of her, closing her eye isn't a good thing, there could be something wrong with it. full body pictures.

I don't want to burst your bubble but its likely she only just tolerates you. I would refrain from holding her too much, as it can cause some stress. if you are going to hold her, hold her high and don't reach over her.

 

[Ares05]

- oh and my bad I forgot to include, to get her checked for parasites take her to a reptile vet in your area. For fecals it doesn't necessarily have to be a chameleon specific one, but for most everything else it is better to have one that has some experience with chameleons.

 

[MissSkittles]

Although you’ve already provided most of the info, to get A complete review of your husbandry and any further advisement, you may want to fill this out. At the least, could you provide more pics of your cham and enclosure?

 

[coastal_chameleon]

Thank you! Okay I just bought a timer so I can set the lights like that. And here is a picture of her eye, she loves being with me and her left eye is open in this pic.

also where do you recommend me taking her to get checked for parasites?

thank you again!

the healthy eye is alert and scanning the area at the end of a bulbous turret. When you are looking for your chameleon, the healthy chameleon will have had its eyes locked on you from the moment you stepped in the room. The only time a chameleon will not have its eyes open is when it is sleeping. If your chameleon has its eyes closed during the day this is an immediate warning sign. Chameleons do not nap. And healthy chameleons do not fall asleep on you. This is a sign of an overly stressed or sick chameleon.

 

[kinyonga]

If only one eye is closing then it's likely a problem with the eye IMHO...not as likely from stress.
What UVB light do you use...long linear tube? Spiral? Brand?
Basking light? Brand, etc?

 

[Graves923]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

I linked the forum caresheet which is a good read. Confirm the chameleons sex as well. Males will have a small bump on the heel of their back foot, females in most cases do not have this bump/spur. There are photo examples in the caresheet for reference.

Following the caresheet is a good starting point to keeping a healthy cham