hi and questions cos im a noob (picks also)

[harry7890]

Hiya , just thought i would join the forums for advice and so I can see all of the posts :L lol , I am a member of RFUK (ginna) and thought I would ask you guys about my future chameleon

I am going to get a Yemen chameleon at the IHS show in June so I have been getting my tank ready in the meantime.

here are a few pikkys:

i havnt got the lights set up properly yet but i am going to install a spotlight wich brings it up to about 93 degrees ( did a trial ) and a uvb and uva bulb however i am unsure of what bulb to use i have seen 2 versions of reptisun that claim to give these out


A ) ReptiSun 5.0 Compact

"This ReptiSun 5.0 Compact Fluorescent Lamp 26W by Zoo Med, is a great lighting solution for all kinds of tropical and exotic species of reptiles and amphibians. The ReptiSun 5.0 provides a full spectrum of light, and creates 5 per cent UVB to 30 per Cent UVA Output."
ReptiSun 5.0 Compact


B) Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 UVB Tube

"The bulb will produce significant UVB rays at up to 12" away from your reptile. As with most UV tubes this is designed to provide a shade level of UV suitable for forest animals or as a background."
Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 UVB Tube


i want to kow , would i be alright using the compact because the boxything for the tubes are expensive , if not i will have to get one but just wanted to know cheers

opinions welcome

 

[Texas Ranger]

Go with the Tube style.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Yeah I second Tex Ranger. Go tube style. Then no worries about poss eye issues down the road. Some cfl's have caused blindness in he past.

And 93 is a little high for a basking temp. Even for a veiled. Esp if your getting a3-4 month baby. Mid to high 80's is plenty hot enuff.

 

[harry7890]

Yeah I second Tex Ranger. Go tube style. Then no worries about poss eye issues down the road. Some cfl's have caused blindness in he past.

And 93 is a little high for a basking temp. Even for a veiled. Esp if your getting a3-4 month baby. Mid to high 80's is plenty hot enuff.

ok , thats great , the bulb i had was a bit hot , i will lower the wattage of the bulb

 

[kinyonga]

How old a chameleon are you going to buy?

Here's some information I hope will help you...
Exposure to proper UVB, appropriate temperatures, supplements, a supply of well-fed/gutloaded insects, water and an appropriate cage set-up are all important for the well-being of your chameleon.

Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption. Temperatures needed can vary with the species and age. For hatchling panthers I keep the temperature in the warmest area in the low 80's. For older panthers I keep it in the mid to high 80's for the most part.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the links with the word "archive" in them you should be able to find it through the WayBackMachine.

 

[carol5208]

I am not diggin that coconut substrate at the bottom. Most of us leave the cage floor bare. As it does not look as cool, it is much more sanitary. Think of that getting dripped on and misted on for months at a time. Yuk! soggy, bacteria field!!! And not to mention that your chameleon might decide to munch on that. I don't think that would fare well on its intestines!!!

 

[harry7890]

How old a chameleon are you going to buy?

Here's some information I hope will help you...
Exposure to proper UVB, appropriate temperatures, supplements, a supply of well-fed/gutloaded insects, water and an appropriate cage set-up are all important for the well-being of your chameleon.

Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption. Temperatures needed can vary with the species and age. For hatchling panthers I keep the temperature in the warmest area in the low 80's. For older panthers I keep it in the mid to high 80's for the most part.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the links with the word "archive" in them you should be able to find it through the WayBackMachine.

cheers for that i will look at it , and i will be using our cockroaches to feed them (dad has a big colony of jiant caves that are fed on fruit and peels so it should be nutrient loaded) we also when we get crickets and locusts feed them up for a day then feed them to stuff. i will be getting a baby one as far as i know

I am not diggin that coconut substrate at the bottom. Most of us leave the cage floor bare. As it does not look as cool, it is much more sanitary. Think of that getting dripped on and misted on for months at a time. Yuk! soggy, bacteria field!!! And not to mention that your chameleon might decide to munch on that. I don't think that would fare well on its intestines!!!

its quite cheap so im not worried about replacing it i would probs replace it every month so as not to get it going mouldy and yea , never thought about it being munched on , but arnt chameleons not supposed to be on the floor (if that made sence ?) i will trial it for a bit because i am going to get a baby and if the baby decides it likes roaming round the floor i will take it up and just use newspaper

 

[carol5208]

cheers for that i will look at it , and i will be using our cockroaches to feed them (dad has a big colony of jiant caves that are fed on fruit and peels so it should be nutrient loaded) we also when we get crickets and locusts feed them up for a day then feed them to stuff. i will be getting a baby one as far as i know



its quite cheap so im not worried about replacing it i would probs replace it every month so as not to get it going mouldy and yea , never thought about it being munched on , but arnt chameleons not supposed to be on the floor (if that made sence ?) i will trial it for a bit because i am going to get a baby and if the baby decides it likes roaming round the floor i will take it up and just use newspaper

you never know and I have seen members on here writing about the weird things their chameleons are trying to eat! I have an outdoor tiki bar that my cham freeranges on and I have nautical ropes that he climbs back and forth on. In each corner I have these large fake toucans hanging and every once in awhile I will catch my chameleon hanging upside down and biting on the tail! It is very hard and he could never break it off but I still freak when I see him doing it!. I just find that to be the weirdest thing! The coconut is far better than the bark chips, but me I would just use nothing. People don't think about a cricket venturing to the bottom and the chameleon shooting its tongue and not only getting the cricket but the bark at the same time! It HAS happened!!! Things you just don't think about!!!

 

[harry7890]

you never know and I have seen members on here writing about the weird things their chameleons are trying to eat! I have an outdoor tiki bar that my cham freeranges on and I have nautical ropes that he climbs back and forth on. In each corner I have these large fake toucans hanging and every once in awhile I will catch my chameleon hanging upside down and biting on the tail! It is very hard and he could never break it off but I still freak when I see him doing it!. I just find that to be the weirdest thing! The coconut is far better than the bark chips, but me I would just use nothing. People don't think about a cricket venturing to the bottom and the chameleon shooting its tongue and not only getting the cricket but the bark at the same time! It HAS happened!!! Things you just don't think about!!!

oh saying that , what do you do with your bulbs if they are internal so they dont shoot their tongues on to the bulb ?

 

[cheera]

Don't put your lights in the enclosure. Put them on top.

 

[harry7890]

that will be difficult seeing as it is made of wood ?????

 

[carol5208]

oh saying that , what do you do with your bulbs if they are internal so they dont shoot their tongues on to the bulb ?

agreed with the other member! Outside is the safest! I have seen a few cages however, where the bulbs were inside and the person built these little enclsoures around the light with some type of like chicken wire. they were square and surrounded the light. I thought that was a pretty good idea but I still like my light on the outside. If you don't have a screen top to set them on and shine through then maybe you could make some cut outs for the light fixtures so they would not have to go inside?

 

[harry7890]

agreed with the other member! Outside is the safest! I have seen a few cages however, where the bulbs were inside and the person built these little enclsoures around the light with some type of like chicken wire. they were square and surrounded the light. I thought that was a pretty good idea but I still like my light on the outside. If you don't have a screen top to set them on and shine through then maybe you could make some cut outs for the light fixtures so they would not have to go inside?

there are tanks on top :/ i could always make a guard for the spot light or i could pot feed wich will mean he wont have reasons to shoot his tongue at the bulb?

 

[cheera]

You could cup feed, but I think I'd be really paranoid about him being able to touch the bulbs.