Help ID Fischer's Cham

[dinomom]

Had to stop at Petco out of desperation as feeders running low and Dino bored with silks and dubias. Saw this cham and did not sleep for 2 days imagining his quick demise with a young kid and I just eventually succumbed. Also knowing this is a species I might not see again soon. So yes...I know it is unwise to buy a wild caught cham from a box store but I went into it with eyes open and he seemed amazingly well hydrated, active, good weight, straight bones etc. although one rostral projection is a little shorter than the other from past injury.

Sold as a Fischer's but I could use some help with subspecies, even when I look at the pics I can't tell them apart!

He is currently up very high hanging out in a plant while I dedicate today to building/dialing in parameters of his (at least temp) enclosure. Again, knowing this is in the wrong order. But-I have extra foggers, tanks/screen of all sizes, branches, arcadia UVB, plants etc. My gut says to use an Exoterra glass to help with the humidity. Obviously I know that he is montane so I want him cool and humid. Any advice on the enclosure very much appreciated. I am thinking basking and supplements similar to a Jackson's.

As soon as there is a good poop I will have that checked-Dino's is currently pending as it took 2 weeks to get a poop that was not on a Friday too late to send out LOL.

Two pics to help identify him and one that just shows why he was irresistible.

 

[Livingstons Lizards]

Its a male Kinyongia boehmei. They are farm raised in Kenya but should be treated as WC as you mentioned. Id search the forums, I know there a care guide somewhere in here, but similar care to a Jacksons. High humidity and lower temps

 

[NashansCamos]

Had to stop at Petco out of desperation as feeders running low and Dino bored with silks and dubias. Saw this cham and did not sleep for 2 days imagining his quick demise with a young kid and I just eventually succumbed. Also knowing this is a species I might not see again soon. So yes...I know it is unwise to buy a wild caught cham from a box store but I went into it with eyes open and he seemed amazingly well hydrated, active, good weight, straight bones etc. although one rostral projection is a little shorter than the other from past injury.

Sold as a Fischer's but I could use some help with subspecies, even when I look at the pics I can't tell them apart!

He is currently up very high hanging out in a plant while I dedicate today to building/dialing in parameters of his (at least temp) enclosure. Again, knowing this is in the wrong order. But-I have extra foggers, tanks/screen of all sizes, branches, arcadia UVB, plants etc. My gut says to use an Exoterra glass to help with the humidity. Obviously I know that he is montane so I want him cool and humid. Any advice on the enclosure very much appreciated. I am thinking basking and supplements similar to a Jackson's.

As soon as there is a good poop I will have that checked-Dino's is currently pending as it took 2 weeks to get a poop that was not on a Friday too late to send out LOL.

Two pics to help identify him and one that just shows why he was irresistible.

wow did not know petco sold these.. it looks healthy too

 

[dinomom]

wow did not know petco sold these.. it looks healthy too

The first time I saw him, I averted my eyes-i,e., tried not to look at him! so when I went back to potentially buy him I fully expected him to have sunken eyes, dehydrated, in bad shape...and told myself if there were ANY of those problems I would not get him. "Unfortunately" for me (just kidding!) he really does seem to be in good shape. Except he had only a dish of mealworms to eat so I have my work cut out for me.

Pet store guy could not get him out of the cage (afraid of this thing???) so that tells you a lot.

 

[MissSkittles]

Unbelievable that Petco would have him! So glad you spared him a short life of being a Pascal.

 

[snitz427]

I agree, this is K boehmei. Under the species and experience databases I have written up how I care for mine.

They need cooler temperatures and cool nighttime drops. I do not supply basking light for mine, the temperatures under the dual T5 fixture gets up to about 77 to 80° tops. I have watched them gape and lighten in color as if they are overheating above 80°. Their cage never gets to that temperature, but I did take one outside on an 80° day and within minutes he was clearly uncomfortably warm.

Their nighttime temperatures get to about 60°, but if I could get it a little lower I would. I fog them overnight for a few hours and provide long misting in the morning. I use the same supplement schedule for my other chameleons, I just try to dust 1/3 or 1/2 of the insects they eat.

 

[snitz427]

Here are some of the food items I feed mine. You need to stick to small and extra small feeders.

• Newly hatched praying mantis
• Newly hatched stick bug nymphs
• Hydei Fruit Flies
• Black soldier flies & small larva (Blue Bottle Flies (spikes) are too big!!)
• Extra small dubia
• Extra small silkworms
• Micro superworms
• Extra small hornworms (not worth getting if you dont have other chams as they will be too large in most cases)
• Smaller crickets
• Baby grasshoppers & small meadow katydids

 

[dinomom]

Here are some of the food items I feed mine. You need to stick to small and extra small feeders.

• Newly hatched praying mantis
• Newly hatched stick bug nymphs
• Hydei Fruit Flies
• Black soldier flies & small larva (Blue Bottle Flies (spikes) are too big!!)
• Extra small dubia
• Extra small silkworms
• Micro superworms
• Extra small hornworms (not worth getting if you dont have other chams as they will be too large in most cases)
• Smaller crickets
• Baby grasshoppers & small meadow katydids

Thanks. I breed dubia and silkworms so no problem there. What about adult green bottle flies, I assume they are good?

 

[snitz427]

Thanks. I breed dubia and silkworms so no problem there. What about adult green bottle flies, I assume they are good?

I’m not familiar with green bottle flies, but blue bottle flies are definitely too large. Black soldier fly are the largest I’d go and they are relatively small in terms of flies.

 

[snitz427]

Highly recommend buying mantis ooths on ebay and hatching them right in thr cage. One ooth can be 2+ days worth of food, and a fun hunt for the cham. I sprinkle a few fruit flies in there so if the cham doesnt eat them, the mantids will.

 

[Beman]

Your in great hands with @snitz427 . Here is a care form from the chameleon academy as well... https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-con...sheet-Böhmes-Two-horned-Chameleon-012821.pdf

He is so adorable.

 

[ERKleRose]

He is too cute! Good luck, and definitely keep us updated!

 

[dinomom]

Your in great hands with @snitz427 . Here is a care form from the chameleon academy as well... https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/care-sheet-Böhmes-Two-horned-Chameleon-012821.pdf

He is so adorable.

Thank you for this! Surprising the husbandry is not radically different from Veiled except supplementation, temp so I should be able to accomodate him pretty well.

Highly recommend buying mantis ooths on ebay and hatching them right in thr cage. One ooth can be 2+ days worth of food, and a fun hunt for the cham. I sprinkle a few fruit flies in there so if the cham doesnt eat them, the mantids will.

That sounds like a lot of fun for both of us. RE the previous, the green bottle are very small flies (not almost horseflies like the blue. about half the length of BSF) so I will try them too. Dino turns flips for them but I always say the morsel is not worth the effort.

 

[snitz427]

Thank you for this! Surprising the husbandry is not radically different from Veiled except supplementation, temp so I should be able to accomodate him pretty well.

That sounds like a lot of fun for both of us. RE the previous, the green bottle are very small flies (not almost horseflies like the blue. about half the length of BSF) so I will try them too. Dino turns flips for them but I always say the morsel is not worth the effort.

Oh they sound perfect, then. I’ll check them out myself, as Im disappointed they cant have BBF. Do you know if Green Bottle Flies hatch as quickly?

Smaller prey actually seems preferred over larger (or at least, large to them). It seems like it would take a lot of fruit flies to fill their bellies, but they really enjoy them.

 

[dinomom]

Haven't hatched blue but will try them for Dino. the green take maybe 3 or 4 days at 70 degrees.

Almost done with my temp build will post shortly.

 

[dinomom]

Ok so here is his temp habitat, done in 2.5 hours with stuff I have laying around. That's a 6%v Arcadia UVB in the back reading 3 on the green vine and just daylight bulbs in the ZooMed fixture. Fogger on just to pop up the humidity for the moment; I know somewhere around there there is a link about what kind of plastic to buy at Home Depot for the sides so I will be off to do that later. There's a lot more to do but much better than a Petco aquarium with a stick in it! He's in the coldest room in our house, one of the bathrooms, that of the icy toilet Gets around 70 in the day and 60-65 at night almost year round.

Had to throw in a couple more gratuitous face/tail pics as well. Later when I add the plastic I will bug him once more to get his weight.

All suggestions welcome, I am now trying to decide if getting a hybrid cage, building one, etc.

Oh PS he took a gorgeous poop during the night (tiny!!!!!!) Nice and formed with white urates yay.

 

[dinomom]

Update on Eliot-He weighs 8.2 grams (versus my veiled who is 120 grams).
Fecal came back negative.
So far have seen him eating small crickets, fruit flies. Does not want to eat in front of me unless I am around the corner, so not sure if he ate the BSFL/dubia/silkworms or if they are hiding.
I ended up leaving him for now in a screen cage with plastic corrugated sheeting (the one that looks like cardboard inside) on 3 sides and humidity staying around 40-45% day and 70-80 at night.
Ambient temp is about 69-74 day and night drop around 6 or 7 degrees (wish I could make it more but he is in the house-we are not running heat nor air so it depends on outside temps)

I am seriously debating making another enclosure and getting a female. this is an endlessly fascinating species that even my husband who ignores all my animals is checking on him and talking to him! His colors are interesting as well, almost a lemon yellow when sleeping, I wonder what the function of this is; it's the only time I can reliably find him as he glows in the dark. In the day I am forever looking straight at him and not seeing him. He is an exact match for the vines and his tail the same size as the tendrils.

 

[Sonny13]

Had to stop at Petco out of desperation as feeders running low and Dino bored with silks and dubias. Saw this cham and did not sleep for 2 days imagining his quick demise with a young kid and I just eventually succumbed. Also knowing this is a species I might not see again soon. So yes...I know it is unwise to buy a wild caught cham from a box store but I went into it with eyes open and he seemed amazingly well hydrated, active, good weight, straight bones etc. although one rostral projection is a little shorter than the other from past injury.

Sold as a Fischer's but I could use some help with subspecies, even when I look at the pics I can't tell them apart!

He is currently up very high hanging out in a plant while I dedicate today to building/dialing in parameters of his (at least temp) enclosure. Again, knowing this is in the wrong order. But-I have extra foggers, tanks/screen of all sizes, branches, arcadia UVB, plants etc. My gut says to use an Exoterra glass to help with the humidity. Obviously I know that he is montane so I want him cool and humid. Any advice on the enclosure very much appreciated. I am thinking basking and supplements similar to a Jackson's.

As soon as there is a good poop I will have that checked-Dino's is currently pending as it took 2 weeks to get a poop that was not on a Friday too late to send out LOL.

Two pics to help identify him and one that just shows why he was irresistible.

Almost a similar story. What an awesome little fella and I know how you felt that day

 

[Sonny13]

almost a lemon yellow when sleeping, I wonder what the function of this is; it's the only time I can reliably find him as he glows in the dark.

Definitely glow in the dark mine is more lemon pinkish

 

[dinomom]

Almost a similar story. What an awesome little fella and I know how you felt that day

Almost a panic attack of I have to help this animal BUT I don't have anything set up and can I take proper care of him and how is he suddenly in my car on the way home????