Husbandry review

[Karmachameleontrajan]

Chameleon Info:
Looking to have my husbandry reviewed before I purchase my chameleon.

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Do not have yet
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Never
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I plan to feed dubia roaches, black soldier flies as a staple, and then include some other types, different the other types of bugs. I will probably gutload with Turnip greens, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, Collard greens, carrots, and almonds. Not using all at once. I will feed 5 to 6 large insects every other day for an adult. 8 to 10 insects for a juvenile.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I will do repcal clacium with d3 once a week, repcal without d3 six times a week and a multiviantimin reptivite every other week. No d3 for sup.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Misting 30 min before lights come on 2 or 3 min, 30 min after lights go off 2 to 3 min. Dripper during day. Fogger at night to bring humidity up. Do not see chameleon drink.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? N/a
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help. Plan to get from Mark's chameleons.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen reptibreeze. 2 by 2 by 4 feet
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Arcadia 6 percent in a vivosun fixture. 3 other grow lights in same fixture. 12 hours a day. 7 am to 7 pm
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Plan to have 83 bask spot. Overnight around 68. Measure with tempeture gun and digital display.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Humidity 40 percent day. Natural humidity. At night spike to 70. Will do that with a fogger. I use a digital display.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I am using live plants. 1 pathos, 1 raindrop, one large dwarf umbrella.
• 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? Backroom of house. Barely any traffic. Raise up by table. Table 2 to 3 feet off the ground. In summer there will be a air conditioner back there in a window, fairly close to the chameleon cage.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Located in NJ, near the Beach.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. Give me a few and I’ll give you a review.

 

[MissSkittles]

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Do not have yet What species will you be getting? Some husbandry aspects are different for each.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Never
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I plan to feed dubia roaches, black soldier flies as a staple, and then include some other types, different the other types of bugs. I will probably gutload with Turnip greens, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, Collard greens, carrots, and almonds. Why almonds? I’m not sure if those are ‘safe’. Instead I’d suggest adding something like Repashy Bug Burger. Not using all at once. I will feed 5 to 6 large insects every other day for an adult. 8 to 10 insects for a juvenile. What age chameleon will you be getting?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I will do repcal clacium with d3 once a week, For veileds and panthers, the D3 should be once every other week alternating with your multivitamin repcal without d3 six times a week and a multiviantimin reptivite every other week. No d3 for sup.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Misting 30 min before lights come on 2 or 3 min, 30 min after lights go off 2 to 3 min. Dripper during day. Fogger at night to bring humidity up. Do not see chameleon drink. Sounds good
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? N/a I’d suggest a veterinary wellness check and a fecal just to make sure all is good
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help. Plan to get from Mark's chameleons.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen reptibreeze. 2 by 2 by 4 feet Great
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Arcadia 6 percent in a vivosun fixture. 3 other grow lights in same fixture. 12 hours a day. 7 am to 7 pm Does your light fixture have separate reflectors for each bulb? If not, some of the uvb can get diffused. I think you may want to use an Arcadia 12%. Perhaps @nightanole can verify.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Plan to have 83 bask spot. Overnight around 68. Measure with tempeture gun and digital display. Perfect
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Humidity 40 percent day. Great for veiled. Panther should have a bit higher somewhere between 50-70% Natural humidity. At night spike to 70. Will do that with a fogger. I use a digital display.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I am using live plants. 1 pathos, 1 raindrop, one large dwarf umbrella. Excellent
• 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? Backroom of house. Barely any traffic. Raise up by table. Table 2 to 3 feet off the ground. In summer there will be a air conditioner back there in a window, fairly close to the chameleon cage. Just make sure the AC won’t blow at the chameleon
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Located in NJ, near the Beach.

So, all looks pretty good except for the few adjustments I noted. You’re off to a fantastic start and I’ve no doubt you’ll be giving your chameleon a wonderful happy and healthy life.

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

To answer your questions, I am getting a veiled, due to your comments I will not gurload almonds, I will be getting a juvenile, I will adjust my planned supplement schedule accordingly, I will get a fecal and vet visit, there are separate reflectors for each bulb. Thank you for the critiques.

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

Here is a picture of the light fixture. No ubv bulb in yet.

 

[MissSkittles]

Here is a picture of the light fixture. No ubv bulb in yet.

Ok, perfect for a 6% then.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Welcome! We’re glad you’re here!

 

[nightanole]

You are running a 22" quad on a reptibreeze XL. The 6% should be in one of the two inner slots. But that is "alot" of light for a reptibreeze. Most only run 1 uvb and one grow bulb. But as long as the radiant heat isnt a problem (might not even need a basking bulb) and the cham hangs out within a foot of the bulb, you should be good. And your plants will be happy

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

Thanks for the info!

 

[DonKeesh]

You are running a 22" quad on a reptibreeze XL. The 6% should be in one of the two inner slots. But that is "alot" of light for a reptibreeze. Most only run 1 uvb and one grow bulb. But as long as the radiant heat isnt a problem (might not even need a basking bulb) and the cham hangs out within a foot of the bulb, you should be good. And your plants will be happy

I will respectfully disagree... I use this fixture and also this one is recommended by chameleon academy to have the 6% UVB bulb in the outer slot closest to the heat lamp. Unless you have bright ambient light you will definitely need the 3 6500k bulbs for plants. Heat does not seem to be an issue with this fixture. I will say though if you sit this fixture directly on the cage the UVB can be pretty high even with a 6%. This is no issue with a full grown chameleon but babies like to screen climb on the top and could expose themselves to high UVB. If you notice lots of screen climbing you may want to raise the fixture a few inches above cage until the screen climbing stops as he gets older.

 

[DonKeesh]

If you haven't seen this yet... This build guide is outstanding and sounds similar to what you want to achieve. Also nice because it uses your exact same fixture.

https://chameleonacademy.com/case-study-2-x-2-x-4-cage/

 

[nightanole]

I will respectfully disagree... I use this fixture and also this one is recommended by chameleon academy to have the 6% UVB bulb in the outer slot closest to the heat lamp. Unless you have bright ambient light you will definitely need the 3 6500k bulbs for plants. Heat does not seem to be an issue with this fixture. I will say though if you sit this fixture directly on the cage the UVB can be pretty high even with a 6%. This is no issue with a full grown chameleon but babies like to screen climb on the top and could expose themselves to high UVB. If you notice lots of screen climbing you may want to raise the fixture a few inches above cage until the screen climbing stops as he gets older.

5) Chameleons have been reported to bask in heat and then seek out the UVB light. So, although I generally put heat and UVB in the same place, having the lamps next to each other works. Some breeders have heat and UVB at opposite ends of the cage. So, you know,…party on, dudes.

So we are splitting hairs at this point, over 2" variance

But i did not realize that particular quad was that short. I would have never expected to be able to fit a quad(that has individual reflectors), and a 150 watt dome, and even a few inch gap for a mister nozzle, across and XL top

I was expecting the quad to pretty much be 23"x23" and the basking bulb to be at an angle on the side...

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

If you haven't seen this yet... This build guide is outstanding and sounds similar to what you want to achieve. Also nice because it uses your exact same fixture.

https://chameleonacademy.com/case-study-2-x-2-x-4-cage/

That is the build guide I am going off of.

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

Ordering soon. Here is a picture of the almost finished enclosure. 2 pothos on floor.

 

[MissSkittles]

Looks great!

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

Thanks

 

[DonKeesh]

@Karmachameleontrajan Very nice! I would definitely recommend to hang a pothos up high in the cage from one of your top dragon ledges to capture mist and provide more drinking surfaces. The pothos will likely need more light if left on the bottom and will never get utilized by the chameleon.

 

[Beman]

Ordering soon. Here is a picture of the almost finished enclosure. 2 pothos on floor.

Double check your temps... You may find you do not need the basking fixture with the quad. If your getting a baby or young one be prepared to raise the fixture 4 inches until it is done screen climbing the top. Of course then you have to adjust a basking branch as well. looking for 9 inches to the branch from the bottom of the fixture where the UVB is.

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

@Karmachameleontrajan Very nice! I would definitely recommend to hang a pothos up high in the cage from one of your top dragon ledges to capture mist and provide more drinking surfaces. The pothos will likely need more light if left on the bottom and will never get utilized by the chameleon.

Would the pothos get too much light?

 

[Karmachameleontrajan]

Double check your temps... You may find you do not need the basking fixture with the quad. If your getting a baby or young one be prepared to raise the fixture 4 inches until it is done screen climbing the top. Of course then you have to adjust a basking branch as well. looking for 9 inches to the branch from the bottom of the fixture where the UVB is.

Okay. At the moment the branch is around that distance. I am getting around 5 month old chameleon. Do I still need to raise the ubv then?