Husbandry review

[Alozz25]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Apollo the Panther Chameleon, male, 3 1/2 months old. Been in my care since Saturday 3/20
• Handling - we handled him when we first got him to just place in cage.
• Feeding - I’m feeding him small crickets. I also ordered some Dubai roaches and BSFL. He’s been eating around 5 to 7 every day. I feed in morning. gut-loading feeders with greens, mango, apple, carrots, sweet potatoes, I switch between all of these. I Gut-load the night before
• Supplements - brand zoo med Repti calcium without d3 and rep-cal calcium with d3. I’m not sure what vitamin products I should get. dusting my feeders with calcium without d3 6 days a week and on 7th I alternate between d3 and vitamin.
• Watering - I use mistking starter mister. I mist half hour before lights come on for 2 minutes and once in afternoon for 1 minute and half hour after lights turn off for 2 minutes. Yes I’ve seen him drinking multiple times. Also have a dripper throughout day.
• Fecal Description - poop was a dark color and pee was a whitish color. Looked alil slimy. hasn’t been tested yet for parasites.
• History - nothing that I can think of at the moment.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screened cage, wrapped a clear shower curtain around it. 18x18x36.
• Lighting - reptisun T5 Ho terrarium 24in and fluckers dome light with eco smart 100w daylight bulbs. Lights are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours.
• Temperature - temp range from cage floor to basking spot is 67 degrees at bottom 76 at his basking spot it’s 76 I need it alil higher. Lowest overnight temp is 64. I measure temps with a temperature gun with laser.
• Humidity - 55 to 62% humidity levels. At night it’s 72% Have mister, dripper and live plants. I use a hydrometer to measure.
• Plants - using live plants Pothos, croton and umbrella tree
• Placement - cage located is located in dining room in corner. Its in a quiet area but no windows, is that ok?? it’s 58in from floor to top of cage
• Location - Altoona, Pennsylvania

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. At night when he sleeps he turns white or very very light grey, is that normal??

How long should I leave his basking lamp on?

How to raise temp at the basking spot ??

hammock is coming down today and putting more branches

 

[Beman]

@Alozz25 Hi there welcome to the forum. At night they should lighten up quite a bit. It is their "PJ" colors. See my feedback in bold.

• Your Chameleon - Apollo the Panther Chameleon, male, 3 1/2 months old. Been in my care since Saturday 3/20
• Handling - we handled him when we first got him to just place in cage.
• Feeding - I’m feeding him small crickets. I also ordered some Dubai roaches and BSFL. He’s been eating around 5 to 7 every day. I feed in morning. gut-loading feeders with greens, mango, apple, carrots, sweet potatoes, I switch between all of these. I Gut-load the night before. At this age he should be eating quite a bit more. At least 15 feeders a day. I have posted a gutload image and feeder image below for you. You might consider a feeder run if you do not already have one.
• Supplements - brand zoo med Repti calcium without d3 and rep-cal calcium with d3. I’m not sure what vitamin products I should get. dusting my feeders with calcium without d3 6 days a week and on 7th I alternate between d3 and vitamin. You could buy Reptivite with D3 OR Repashy calcium plus LoD and use this 2 times a month only say the 1st and the 15th. Then you would stop using the calcium with D3 because these both have Calcium with D3 along with multivitamins and A. Then all other feedings you would use the calcium without D3.
• Watering - I use mistking starter mister. I mist half hour before lights come on for 2 minutes and once in afternoon for 1 minute and half hour after lights turn off for 2 minutes. Yes I’ve seen him drinking multiple times. Also have a dripper throughout day. Good.
• Fecal Description - poop was a dark color and pee was a whitish color. Looked alil slimy. hasn’t been tested yet for parasites. Depending on where you got him getting a fecal test is a good idea. If they shipped him he could have held the fecal longer causing slimy... But if slimy fecal continues then I would get a fecal done just to ensure there is not a parasite issue.
• History - nothing that I can think of at the moment.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screened cage, wrapped a clear shower curtain around it. 18x18x36. You will want to upgrade cage size to a 2x2x4 in the next few months.
• Lighting - reptisun T5 Ho terrarium 24in and fluckers dome light with eco smart 100w daylight bulbs. Lights are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours. Which bulb strength did you get for the UVB? Eco smart bulbs are going to have a lower output. You want a regular incandescent 60-75watt (if eco bulb then you need to test with a wired gauge with probe to ensure basking temp is correct) and you need to make sure the branch is about 8 inches below to ensure there is not a thermal burn risk. Also babies will screen climb the top so raising the basking fixture off the top a few inches is a good way to prevent thermal burns.
• Temperature - temp range from cage floor to basking spot is 67 degrees at bottom 76 at his basking spot it’s 76 I need it alil higher. Lowest overnight temp is 64. I measure temps with a temperature gun with laser. Get a temp gauge with probe to hook in at the basking branch below the heat. Your looking for an 80 degree temp there. Put your hand below the fixture to ensure that it is not hot for your skin. If uncomfortable for you then it poses a thermal burn risk for him. This method will help tell you if your basking is too close to the fixture.
• Humidity - 55 to 62% humidity levels. At night it’s 72% Have mister, dripper and live plants. I use a hydrometer to measure. good.
• Plants - using live plants Pothos, croton and umbrella tree good.
• Placement - cage located is located in dining room in corner. Its in a quiet area but no windows, is that ok?? it’s 58in from floor to top of cage That is fine. Windows actually are not the best idea. In winter it drops ambient temps and produces drafts. In summer it increases ambient temp which it some cases can end up being too hot. Just make sure that your not turning on lights at night when his lights have turned off. This will mess with his sleep.
• Location - Altoona, Pennsylvania

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. At night when he sleeps he turns white or very very light grey, is that normal?? Normal

How long should I leave his basking lamp on? Everyone does this differently. But I would have it on an hour after your T5 kicks on and have it turn off an hour prior to the T5 kicking off. This allows for a slower heat up and a cool down. Since he is a baby he will be basking quite a bit due to the food intake each day. But as he matures not as much. You can at that point kick the basking light off earlier so that the temps start dropping and humidity start building for night time.

How to raise temp at the basking spot ?? See info above.

hammock is coming down today and putting more branches Wonderful.

Let me know what questions you have. UVB bulb I would like to double check what strength your using and the measured distance to basking branch below it.
Also you will want to get another T5 fixture and a 6500 daylight bulb for the plants. They will need the additional lighting.

 

[Alozz25]

I posted a pic of the light that’s in there now and the 2nd pic is this what I should have in

 

[Beman]

I posted a pic of the light that’s in there now and the 2nd pic is this what I should have in

So the issue with these are that they are low wattage eco bulbs. Which means lower heat output compared to a regular incandescent bulb.
The 100 watt is actually an ECO LED bulb. And the second 75 watt is a eco incandescent. So the output is equivalent to 53 watt regular incandescent. I would try this one and test temps over using the ECO LED.

You will need to get the wired temp probe with gauge to put in at basking to see exactly what your getting for temp. Rather then using the temp gun.

 

[Alozz25]

So the issue with these are that they are low wattage eco bulbs. Which means lower heat output compared to a regular incandescent bulb.
The 100 watt is actually an ECO LED bulb. And the second 75 watt is a eco incandescent. So the output is equivalent to 53 watt regular incandescent. I would try this one and test temps over using the ECO LED.

You will need to get the wired temp probe with gauge to put in at basking to see exactly what your getting for temp. Rather then using the temp gun.

Thank you very much. Would you like to be my chameleon mentor

 

[Beman]

Thank you very much. Would you like to be my chameleon mentor

Your welcome. LOL I am happy to answer any questions you may have...

Now for the UVB lighting? Which bulb strength did you get? the 5.0 or the 10.0? And what is the measured distance to the branches below the UVB fixture?

Per the heat bulbs you got... If you do not get the temps you need of 80 at basking you could try this one below in the 60 watt. These are what I use and I really like them.

 

[Alozz25]

It’s a t5 and the distance is about 6in. I changed the basking bulb to a incandescent 60 w and basking temp is 82. I have one more question for tonight I have his cage in my dining room in the corner n there’s no windows but will my tv n lamps in my living room bother him, it doesn’t shine directly into cage but it does light up some part of the room not a lot. Could I drape a sheet around the sides or am I jus being a helicopter mom?

 

[Beman]

It’s a t5 and the distance is about 6in. I changed the basking bulb to a incandescent 60 w and basking temp is 82. I have one more question for tonight I have his cage in my dining room in the corner n there’s no windows but will my tv n lamps in my living room bother him, it doesn’t shine directly into cage but it does light up some part of the room not a lot. Could I drape a sheet around the sides or am I jus being a helicopter mom?

With the T5 fixture if you are using a 5.0 bulb you want to drop the branches below it another 2 inches so that it is a total of 8 inches away. Or raise the fixture 2 inches off the top for a total of 8 inches to basking branch from the bottom of the fixture. Otherwise the UVI level for the UVB is too high for him at 6 inches. If baby is climbing the top panel then raise the fixture 2 inches rather than dropping the branch 2 inches.The bulb will have the strength written on one of the ends on the glass part. If it is a 10.0 bulb let me know. I would recommend getting a 5.0 bulb or you can use a different distance but it would sit much higher off the cage to be within safe UVI level amounts at basking.

Per the light at night. I happen to be more cautious about lighting at night. I do use a black out curtain around my cages if lights are on near them after their lighting is off. But I cut the bottom 6 inches off and do not cover the top of the cage so that there is air flow. I remove it when I am done in the room. I get the black ones or dark grey because they seem to be much darker then the lighter black out curtain colors.

These are older pics but will give you the idea of how I do it. I sew little clips into the top of the curtain and get those stick on hooks for the top of the cage frame. That way I can easily hang it around the outside.

 

[Alozz25]

Yes I’m gonna do black out curtains, thank you for all your info n help. I really appreciate it.

 

[Beman]

Yes I’m gonna do black out curtains, thank you for all your info n help. I really appreciate it.

Your welcome. Make sure that UVB is right. Over exposure has negative effects as well. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Alozz25]

Good or bad poop

 

[Beman]

Good or bad poop

Visually it looks perfectly normal.

 

[Alozz25]

ok I have his appointment set to get tested jus to make sure ty

 

[Beman]

ok I have his appointment set to get tested jus to make sure ty

Remember you want a fresh fecal no more then 24 hours old to take in. Toss one into a plastic baggy and take it in with you.

 

[Alozz25]

Is it normal whenever he’s basking to seem kinda heat drunk idk how else to put it. Kinda sprawled out on branch. The temp is 82 n he seems like he likes it.

 

[Beman]

Is it normal whenever he’s basking to seem kinda heat drunk idk how else to put it. Kinda sprawled out on branch. The temp is 82 n he seems like he likes it.

If he is flattening out his body or like stretching out then yes. They will spend quite a bit of time under the basking as babies to digest. Spreading their body out to get all surfaces warmed up.

 

[Alozz25]

If he is flattening out his body or like stretching out then yes. They will spend quite a bit of time under the basking as babies to digest. Spreading their body out to get all surfaces warmed up.

Yup that’s what he was doing, thank you for easing my mind once again

 

[Alozz25]

Yup that’s what he was doing, thank you for easing my mind once again

Jus when I think I might have one day of no questions or worries. Here I am again so I got my plant light set up couple days ago when I turned it on Apollo went under it almost like he thought it was his basking spot so I put the plant light and heat lamp next to each other so he still receives his heat. But when ever I turn the plant light out it’s almost like he gets depressed leaves his basking spot and goes under a leaf, is this normal?? He really looks like he is pouting, right now!! I feel like this plant light messed us all up it’s so bright I feel like gods light is shining down in my dining room

 

[Beman]

Jus when I think I might have one day of no questions or worries. Here I am again so I got my plant light set up couple days ago when I turned it on Apollo went under it almost like he thought it was his basking spot so I put the plant light and heat lamp next to each other so he still receives his heat. But when ever I turn the plant light out it’s almost like he gets depressed leaves his basking spot and goes under a leaf, is this normal?? He really looks like he is pouting, right now!! I feel like this plant light messed us all up it’s so bright I feel like gods light is shining down in my dining room

I stagger my lights off I have all T5 fixtures though so it is not as intense when lights kick off... I would suggest not kicking the plant light off until an hour before all lights go off. You see since it is so bright it is basically telling him that the sun has set. So he goes to bed. lol

So UVB from lights on until all lights off.
Heat this is up to you we all do it differently. You could have it kick on an hour after lights on and off after being on 6-7 hours.
Then plant light on 30 minutes before heat light on off an hour before lights out.
Then finally last light to kick off is UVB.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Alozz25]

I stagger my lights off I have all T5 fixtures though so it is not as intense when lights kick off... I would suggest not kicking the plant light off until an hour before all lights go off. You see since it is so bright it is basically telling him that the sun has set. So he goes to bed. lol

So UVB from lights on until all lights off.
Heat this is up to you we all do it differently. You could have it kick on an hour after lights on and off after being on 6-7 hours.
Then plant light on 30 minutes before heat light on off an hour before lights out.
Then finally last light to kick off is UVB.

Hope that makes sense.

Ok so tell me if I understood this right
UVB 8am to 8pm
Heat 9am to 5pm
Plant lights 830am to 4pm