Twitchet
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi all, I have my two parsons, I have not kept them before and as I am nothing short of paranoid about their care I thought it was a good time to write everything i'm doing- probably have missed out something- and if you all had the time( it's a bit of a long post-sorry)
you could tell me if I'm doing o.k or if I could better anything or change something. Is there anything I can do to improve ? Have I missed something out?
Thank you ever so much and have already received lots of great advice which I hope I have acted on fully.
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Parsonii- orange eye Male sept 15 cb, female sept 12 cb , bought June 2016.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? daily, to move them from outdoor exercise area into night quarters, slowly- quietly, no pulling their legs as I've been told they dislocate their hips, male was extremely shy and scared when I got him- have only started handling in the last 3 weeks and he colours up and occ. gapes on contact but has not changed feeding habits or behaviour.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? both are regularly eating silkworms, dubia, locusts, crickets, calciworms, stick insects, pachnoda-in small amounts,
all applicable livefoods gutloaded every day with carrot, squash flowers or leaves, alfalfa, turnip greens, grape leaves, mustard greens, beetroot, dandelion, plantain, all organic and grown here.
Gutloading at 8 am, feeding between 9-11am, rest of day for digesting.
male eats for example 5-7 silkworms and a roach a day or 4 roaches and a stick, or there abouts- good appetite, always try to vary food types each day,
female eats 1-2 roaches or a few silkworms, I've reduced her food a little,
female feeds from fingers, male feeds from forceps- had not before I got him so am pleased he's taken to it so well.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? arcadia calcium no d3 or arcadia earth pro A- almost every feed for male , every feed for female,
calcium with d3 once a month as they has access to natural uv for 7 hours a day, trying to rely on good gutloading and a variety of foods, i am also using sticky tongues, nutrobal or dendrocare once a month for reformed vitamin a , dubias also fed brewers yeast for added vit.B
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Mistking- varies- as I am here to monitor them the sprayer is on until I have seen them both drinking so usually one hour session in morning after breakfast , 30 mins at lunch outdoors, 30-60 mins evening back in viv, depends on whether they have begun drinking-as they move so slowly towards drinking area i sometimes leave it on an extra half an hour so I know they've both drunk, mistking is switched on or off depending on their response, tried to situate the spray area- which is half mist and half mist spraying onto mesh to create big rain drops for drinking- so that it's not a branch they sit on for any length of time to avoid pink foot.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Regular, no problems, brilliant white urates and well formed dark faeces.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? each has 6ft long indoor house but access to 6ft outdoor glass house. plenty if ventilation- ceiling is mesh but also 6" at base of viv mesh. Will admit that when Parsnip is bigger I will need to rethink his space but he's still fairly small.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? arcadia 36" 6% t5- kept on for only a few hours a day. leds for plant growth, soft lighting supplied by overheard shed lights.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? between 20 at coolest, in reptile shed where they live holds between 22 and 26, usually 24 , they have a low wattage heat lamp that increases the basking area but only by a few degrees, they use it. night time 16 in winter-18-20 in summer.
They both have outdoor areas, 40% shading over top, and doubled up in 2 3rds of area- but the other day I did get a little thermal burn on head which Joel has helped me with- I was surprised it happened as I thought I had been careful enough but I've now doubled and trebled shading, so I learnt my lesson .
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have not measured humidity with a gauge but 2- 3 misting sessions plus in between- the vivs 'dry' out so there's good peaks and troughs of humidity and drier air.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? all live plants, hibiscus, ficus, palm, fern, pothos.
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? in purpose built reptile shed, eye level, no traffic.
Location - Where are you geographically located? U.K
Livefoods kept very clean to minimize bacteria that may cause mouth problems,
male came to me with mouth issues both sides of mouth but have painted betadine along gumline and it's cleared up very well , i get to inspect mouth as he gapes at me sometimes.
Female came to me with large chin, so have been told it is gular edema, at the moment I have gone very lightly on supps, only giving calcium, plenty of watering but she is having trouble losing her double chin.
She looks gravid- I have never kept a female before- I have two large laying bins indoor and out incase she wants to choose- both 12" deep half soil and sand, damp- starter holes dug by me. In corner- cover for glass at the ready. I am to notice gravid colours? and change in behaviour- wandering around lower part of viv?
She came to me with pink foot , try to keep my natural branches clean, dry and have a variety of branches from 8 mm up to 4" width. Pink foot is now almost gone- nice clean paler feet- very pleased at how well they have improved.
Brumation - as far as I know I dont want to reduce his feeding or heat this year because of his age and that he was a little undersized, I can reduce her temp and shall I not feed her through the winter? or if she is gravid is she best with minimal food.
First weigh in today ---
She was 450g when I got her - now - 460g
He was 80g when I got him - now - 140 g !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Female- Parsley- chunky thighs!
Male Parsnip,
you could tell me if I'm doing o.k or if I could better anything or change something. Is there anything I can do to improve ? Have I missed something out?
Thank you ever so much and have already received lots of great advice which I hope I have acted on fully.
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Parsonii- orange eye Male sept 15 cb, female sept 12 cb , bought June 2016.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? daily, to move them from outdoor exercise area into night quarters, slowly- quietly, no pulling their legs as I've been told they dislocate their hips, male was extremely shy and scared when I got him- have only started handling in the last 3 weeks and he colours up and occ. gapes on contact but has not changed feeding habits or behaviour.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? both are regularly eating silkworms, dubia, locusts, crickets, calciworms, stick insects, pachnoda-in small amounts,
all applicable livefoods gutloaded every day with carrot, squash flowers or leaves, alfalfa, turnip greens, grape leaves, mustard greens, beetroot, dandelion, plantain, all organic and grown here.
Gutloading at 8 am, feeding between 9-11am, rest of day for digesting.
male eats for example 5-7 silkworms and a roach a day or 4 roaches and a stick, or there abouts- good appetite, always try to vary food types each day,
female eats 1-2 roaches or a few silkworms, I've reduced her food a little,
female feeds from fingers, male feeds from forceps- had not before I got him so am pleased he's taken to it so well.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? arcadia calcium no d3 or arcadia earth pro A- almost every feed for male , every feed for female,
calcium with d3 once a month as they has access to natural uv for 7 hours a day, trying to rely on good gutloading and a variety of foods, i am also using sticky tongues, nutrobal or dendrocare once a month for reformed vitamin a , dubias also fed brewers yeast for added vit.B
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Mistking- varies- as I am here to monitor them the sprayer is on until I have seen them both drinking so usually one hour session in morning after breakfast , 30 mins at lunch outdoors, 30-60 mins evening back in viv, depends on whether they have begun drinking-as they move so slowly towards drinking area i sometimes leave it on an extra half an hour so I know they've both drunk, mistking is switched on or off depending on their response, tried to situate the spray area- which is half mist and half mist spraying onto mesh to create big rain drops for drinking- so that it's not a branch they sit on for any length of time to avoid pink foot.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Regular, no problems, brilliant white urates and well formed dark faeces.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? each has 6ft long indoor house but access to 6ft outdoor glass house. plenty if ventilation- ceiling is mesh but also 6" at base of viv mesh. Will admit that when Parsnip is bigger I will need to rethink his space but he's still fairly small.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? arcadia 36" 6% t5- kept on for only a few hours a day. leds for plant growth, soft lighting supplied by overheard shed lights.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? between 20 at coolest, in reptile shed where they live holds between 22 and 26, usually 24 , they have a low wattage heat lamp that increases the basking area but only by a few degrees, they use it. night time 16 in winter-18-20 in summer.
They both have outdoor areas, 40% shading over top, and doubled up in 2 3rds of area- but the other day I did get a little thermal burn on head which Joel has helped me with- I was surprised it happened as I thought I had been careful enough but I've now doubled and trebled shading, so I learnt my lesson .
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I have not measured humidity with a gauge but 2- 3 misting sessions plus in between- the vivs 'dry' out so there's good peaks and troughs of humidity and drier air.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? all live plants, hibiscus, ficus, palm, fern, pothos.
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? in purpose built reptile shed, eye level, no traffic.
Location - Where are you geographically located? U.K
Livefoods kept very clean to minimize bacteria that may cause mouth problems,
male came to me with mouth issues both sides of mouth but have painted betadine along gumline and it's cleared up very well , i get to inspect mouth as he gapes at me sometimes.
Female came to me with large chin, so have been told it is gular edema, at the moment I have gone very lightly on supps, only giving calcium, plenty of watering but she is having trouble losing her double chin.
She looks gravid- I have never kept a female before- I have two large laying bins indoor and out incase she wants to choose- both 12" deep half soil and sand, damp- starter holes dug by me. In corner- cover for glass at the ready. I am to notice gravid colours? and change in behaviour- wandering around lower part of viv?
She came to me with pink foot , try to keep my natural branches clean, dry and have a variety of branches from 8 mm up to 4" width. Pink foot is now almost gone- nice clean paler feet- very pleased at how well they have improved.
Brumation - as far as I know I dont want to reduce his feeding or heat this year because of his age and that he was a little undersized, I can reduce her temp and shall I not feed her through the winter? or if she is gravid is she best with minimal food.
First weigh in today ---
She was 450g when I got her - now - 460g
He was 80g when I got him - now - 140 g !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Female- Parsley- chunky thighs!
Male Parsnip,
