Hi everyone. Beman has been really healthy, active, with a strong grip but I would like to have a husbandry check done. My only worry has been his eating decline the last 6 weeks. I have gotten feedback that it is normal for it to curb back as they mature but it has been quite shocking to go from massive eating to only 6-7 feeders at most every other day. I think Beman will end up being on the smaller side for a Male Veiled probably due to genetics being a petco baby. He is 16 inches long from tip of nose to end of tail and 109 grams at 9 months old. I would love feedback to hear if this decline in eating is normal for others that have raised them from juveniles to adults. It is my only real worry and I do weigh him each week to make sure he is staying steady or gaining. Pictures of cage and Beman taken in the last 2 days.
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Chameleon Info:
- Your Chameleon - Male Veiled Chameleon, In my care for 5 months. Now about 9 months old at 109 grams.
- Handling - He comes out to me everyday.
- Feeding - Every other day feeding schedule. Silkworms 3-4 medium to large sized. Lost interest in Dubia but I am trying to get back on them gut loaded with Arcadia Insect Fuel (2 medium to large). 1-2 superworms gut loaded with Arcadia Insect fuel. Has lost interest in crickets and BSFL. Hornworms 2 times a week along with the occasional wax worm as a treat. His eating has curbed way back in the last 6 weeks. He is eating about 6-7 feeders ever other day. But is continuing to gain weight.
- Supplements - Arcadia Calcium Pro Mg every 3rd feed, and Arcadia Earth Pro A Vitamins nearly every feed. Calcium D-3 from light conversion and I am using a solarmeter for weekly UVI levels to ensure there are no issues. He also gets natural sun time as many days a week as the weather allows.
- Watering - Little dripper, Mistking, and fogger. Misting for 30 seconds 60 minutes prior to lights on at 6:30am, 2 minutes 30 minutes after lights on at 7am, 3 minutes at 12:15pm, 2 minutes at 5pm prior to lights off at 6:30pm, and 30 seconds at 10 pm. Using a reptile fogger which comes on for 6 minutes for the afternoon misting session of 4 minutes (heat lamp turns off for this misting/fogging session). Then on from 12am-4am while all lights are off. Following Bill Strands natural hydration approach. He likes to drink directly from his little dripper tube as well as from the leaves of his pothos. I see him do this everyday.
- Fecal Description - Looks fully digested and solid. Urate is bright white no discoloration. Tested for parasites in December and came back negative.
- History - My impulse buy from Petco... Has been very healthy since I got him. He saw a Vet for a full check up and got a clean bill of health in January.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - Dragon Strand Clearside. 24 inches deep x 30 inches wide x 48 inches tall. Sits on top of a 30 in tall cabinet.
- Lighting - quad T5 linear system from light your reptiles. 1 12% UVB, 1 plant pro bulb, and 2 daylight bulbs. Fluckers dimable dome light with a 75 watt exo terra basking bulb. Lights are 7 inches away from highest basking spot. Achieving a 3-5 UVI level at basking. 6:30am All lights on. Heat lamp off at noon for afternoon misting and fogger and is back on 15 minutes after the cycle finishes at 12:35pm. All lights off at 6:30pm. By about 5:45pm he is already settled into his sleeping spot.
- Temperature - Basking spot is 85 degrees. Middle of cage is 75 and bottom of cage is 69 degrees. Lowest overnight temp is 67 degrees. I measure with a wired in temp gauge at basking plus I have two additional unwired one middle right and the other bottom left of cage. I have a temp gun as well. I am waiting for a thermostat to arrive to hook the heat light up to to maintain constant heat level as it does not stay steady with the heat in the house turning on so I am constantly dimming the heat bulb up or down to keep it at 85.
- Humidity - 55-80%. 70% being the high over night. Stays at a pretty steady 60% and shoots up to about 75-80% right after misting. 2 humidity gauges one placed top right with high low recordings and one in bottom left of cage.
- Plants - 3 pothos plants. 1 njoy pothos, 1 golden pothos, and one marble queen. My cage has a drip easy try so I can not have weight sitting on it. The pothos seem to work the best for the planters I have that attach to the dragon ledges. Plus he loves them.
- Placement - Across from my desk. Not near any fans or air vents. The table is 30 inches that it sits on so the top of the cage is about 6 and a half feet from the floor.
- Location - Northern California on the coast.
I am hoping he will eat the 2 dubia and 2 superworms that are in there. It is always a relief being new to hear from others their experience. This is one of those reading does not make up for first hand experience keeping Chams.
