I am getting a veil in an hour help!!

[CrazyChameleon5]

Okay, the good news is you're going to start getting a really good situation set up for this new friend of yours.
Sorry about the parental lashing....that seemed to start a tidal wave
You need to know that the people here really want you to succeed.
If you could know the number of times a new person comes on with a similar...or much worse situation....you'll see, after awhile it just becomes too much and then the next one (you) ends up being the victim of my frustration.
I think you should spend some time reading threads in the enclosures forum.
Get a good plan formulated for your cham's home and then we will help you with any questions you have.

-Brad

Thank you brad i guess the one good thing about petsmart is they will take all this crap back after it has been used haha. i understand about the lashing i am on a dog forum as well and i know how it goes but i try to be as helpful as i can in these situations because i would rather see the animal thrive then scare the owner off, but i have a tough skin and i will stick around.

 

[bg77]

Water dripper can be as simple as cup w/holes in it. Digital therm. w/probes you can get at Lowes for like 12.00, or even Walmart. Basking light can be a house hold bulb, buy a few different wattages to test. my tube light fixture I bought from walmart.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

This little one is about 6-7 inches with tail included the cage they had was i think 24x18x12 mesh at petco i will try to find it tomarrow i wall also look there for the tube light, so a list of theings i need to get to do thid right.
1. mesh cage
2. water dripper
3. tube light( they did have the holders but not the bulbs for these they were $30.00 do u suggest a better place to buy them cheaper?)
4. new thermometers(probe kind)
5. basking light seperate from tube light
Could u give me a name brand that i could buy and wattage?
the reason i bought there and not local mom and pop shop was because they offered a 14 day gurantee where no one else did. The guy that helped me actually said he has Chameleons so i guess thats why i felt i trusted him.

I am using distilled water is that ok or should i use tap water? i have the green squares for cricket food and water gel and i am learning about the dusting i bought some stuff for that to. if there is anything i missed please let me know. i really fdo appreciate all of your help i just feel i was misleaded and am trying to fix it please just give me a little credit for trying, i am atleast still here trying to learn

That is the exact mesh cage I would start a young veiled in. He/She can actually live in it for several months.
Go to home depot for your hood and clamp lamp fixtures (ask where the shop lights are)
Get the Zoomed 5.0 flourescent tube to fit the hood you got at Home Depot...they have them at Petco.
Use a regular 40 watt bulb for the basking (clamp lamp) and place it a few inches from one corner of the enclosure shining on that corner. affix a branch in that corner for the cham to bask on. Make sure the basking light is not touching the cage (don't want the cham to get burned).
For this size of enclosure you can use a rubbermaid container or cup with a pinhole poked in the bottom as a dripper.
Use paper towels for the bottom of the cage.
Use water straight out of the tap.....do not use distilled water.
Let the cham have as many crickets as it wants, but be sure to remove strays at night....they may chew on your friend while he/she is sleeping!

-Brad

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Oh....you can definetely see the spur....straight out of the egg!
It looks like a little pimple on the back of his foot where a heel should be.

-Brad

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

That is the exact mesh cage I would start a young veiled in. He/She can actually live in it for several months.
Go to home depot for your hood and clamp lamp fixtures (ask where the shop lights are)
Get the Zoomed 5.0 flourescent tube to fit the hood you got at Home Depot...they have them at Petco.
Use a regular 40 watt bulb for the basking (clamp lamp) and place it a few inches from one corner of the enclosure shining on that corner. affix a branch in that corner for the cham to bask on. Make sure the basking light is not touching the cage (don't want the cham to get burned).
For this size of enclosure you can use a rubbermaid container or cup with a pinhole poked in the bottom as a dripper.
Use paper towels for the bottom of the cage.
Use water straight out of the tap.....do not use distilled water.
Let the cham have as many crickets as it wants, but be sure to remove strays at night....they may chew on your friend while he/she is sleeping!

-Brad

where do i attach the cup lol (sorry i know dumb question) and he will find it ok? i bought bio vine for the climbing feature and a fake leafy plant vine but i will look into a ficus do u have suggestions on soil to use for planting it in?

 

[dectr6]

Just set it on top of the cage so the water drips onto the plants. This will attract his attention and they will usually lick the leaves or the top of the cage where it's dripping from.

 

[CamoChameleons]

Usually iif you give them a minute to see you then slowly put your hand in the cage and see if he will reach for you, sometimes they will. But if he starts hissing and is stressed I would wait till later.

You dont want to hold him all the time, but you do need to interact with him every once in awhile. That way he will become used to human contact and wont stress out when he see's you.

 

[TRI0N]

where do i attach the cup lol (sorry i know dumb question) and he will find it ok? i bought bio vine for the climbing feature and a fake leafy plant vine but i will look into a ficus do u have suggestions on soil to use for planting it in?

Soil:

One thing is to buy from a Nursery that has had the plant for atleast a couple of weeks or even a month or longer is better but hard. A nursery that does not use pestisides on their plants.

Ask your nursery for top soil that is not fertilized.

Fake leaves are great for enclosure sides to help give your chameleon a sence of security. My cage has wall to wall fake plants while real plants inhabit the center of the enclosure. She loves all the follage and it helps allow live feed to climb on things other then the cage as well as your chameleon having things to climb on rather then the cage or mesh. Better for her feet and toes.

 

[dodolah]

Well yes Mesh can be hard to keep the humidity up but that is where live plants and misting come into play. Their fake plants and water dishes they use themselfs is no right way to do it.

But with a mesh and the proper setup with live plants and misting either by pressure mister or by a automated system will keep them Humiditiy up.

Temp in the basking spot is important while having cooler areas in the enclosure so your cham can go to if she needs to cool off. This is hard to do with glass. I recommend that you make the basking spot directed to the front corner of the door where the front vent will help with air flow for the time being. The rest of the enclosure should be high to mid 70's while the basking spot around 86. While in a mesh it would be mid 70's. The glass is going to indeed keep temp high. Humidity should be 50-65% average. Misting the inside of the enclosure you will no doubt see how it will increase humidity is just seconds after misting.

I second everything that trion said!
once i put 2 med ficus and 2 small pothos at the bottom the humidity stays at 40% without misting.. 80% with 3 to 4 mistings.
this is where live plants become a necessity.

Which is the most important? air circulation or humidity?
IMHO, it is air circulation 1st then humidity 2nd. That's why your cham will thrive in the screen cage.
Offcourse the lady at petsmart will told you that..
because exo terra glass cage is more expensive. She is trying to milk your money.

 

[dodolah]

hi crazy chameleon!
i am going to ask you to do something that is the hardest of all
For a while give your chameleon a space..
Don't keep checking up on him all the time.
Resist the urge... he views you as a giant predator that about to eat him.
Seeing you peeking in the corner at every seconds will cause tremendous stress for him. Imagine if you have to sleep in a bedroom together with a lion that keep staring at you.. I bet you'll be stressed out.

Also as a warning, when you move him to the screen cage, he will start stressing out and quite possibly stays dark/brown while hanging upside down.
That is a normal reaction. Don't be panic.. disturb him ONLY when you have to (feeding time and misting time).
Give him about a week or two to settle down.

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

well he did ok through the night woke up very hungry and scarfed down about 5 crickets i hope that is enough for him. i changed the lighting a little putting a reg bulb in to heat directly over the cage for basking and the compact bulb higer on a lamp untill i get the right bulb today he is back to a brown color but looks like he is basking (kinda puffed up to one side). i am going today to get the mesh cage and all the accesories i truely need i am also going to take all this stuff back and rip the guy a new rear end. i can't thank you guys enough for your help i was really discouraged but i am feeling better about being able to care for him he really seems to want to eat a lot the temp in the cage is at 80 right now. i have not seen him drink but he does seem interested in the water when i spray in there lol.

 

[bg77]

When I first got my guy, he was definatly not interested in drinking. So I just made sure there was a dripper going about 10 hours a day plus misted 3-4 times a day. After a month or so, he now will come up to the front of the cage when I start misting. Good Luck

 

[joefarah]

Does your cham have some branches to climb on in there?

 

[dodolah]

well he did ok through the night woke up very hungry and scarfed down about 5 crickets i hope that is enough for him. i changed the lighting a little putting a reg bulb in to heat directly over the cage for basking and the compact bulb higer on a lamp untill i get the right bulb today he is back to a brown color but looks like he is basking (kinda puffed up to one side). i am going today to get the mesh cage and all the accesories i truely need i am also going to take all this stuff back and rip the guy a new rear end. i can't thank you guys enough for your help i was really discouraged but i am feeling better about being able to care for him he really seems to want to eat a lot the temp in the cage is at 80 right now. i have not seen him drink but he does seem interested in the water when i spray in there lol.

a normal happy baby chameleon is a voracious eater.
5 small crickets is OK for now as he's under stress of new environment.
But, you should expect a rising appetite pretty soon. Especially since you are about to give him screen enclosure. I personally don't like reptarium as it is too dark to see.. and i believe the mesh cuts UVB 50%.

I would recommend you buy something like this
http://www.bluebeastreptile.com/cages.htm

be careful on the glass aquarium. It is very easy to accidentally cook your chameleon in it. better safe than sorry. Don't leave him for too long without monitoring the temp.

Some chameleon requires a longer misting session to stimulate his drinking response.
Mine took about 10 to 15 minutes.
That's why i automist him for 15 mins. But, the drainage has been hell for me.
so, i am trying to find a way to get it right.

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

ok guys need a little help i am going to get this cage at petco it is $11.00 on cleance it is the only one i can find right now. i plan to upgrade when he gets a little bigger it's 20x18x12. Is this ok for now? Yes he has lots of branches and foiledge in there.

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

yay he is drinking he is throwing his toung out to catch the water haha

 

[dodolah]

ok guys need a little help i am going to get this cage at petco it is $11.00 on cleance it is the only one i can find right now. i plan to upgrade when he gets a little bigger it's 20x18x12. Is this ok for now? Yes he has lots of branches and foiledge in there.

Is there a petstore around your place? or Petco is the only thing available in your area?
you might be surprise to find one that has everything you need for a fraction of a price than Petco.
Some other people can fill you in with this Zilla brand.
I am not familiar with it.
It seems fine for now especially in emergency situation type like yours..
but just know that with that size, you will need to upgrade his cage sooner than you think.

If you manage to find other pet stores nearby, get 24X12X24. that cage will stays for quite a while (until your chameleon is about 5.5 to 6 months old).
and it is big enough for him to roam and small enough for him to hunt.

 

[mrcackums]

I have that exact type of cage( the glass one), and it is perfectly fine. will not cook them at all. Just be sure not to keep your light pointed directly over the top, the top of that cage is melted pretty easy, the lamp has warped some of the snaps and that middle brace bar on my cage.

It also has a decent venting system near the bottom. Mine hardly ever gets over 85, and it keeps humidity pretty good.

You got a veiled so you will eventually need a much bigger cage than that

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

what size is it?

it's 20x18x12 and he is about 5 inches including tail maybe a ltiile smaller

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

Is there a petstore around your place? or Petco is the only thing available in your area?
you might be surprise to find one that has everything you need for a fraction of a price than Petco

Well the only other pet store i have around me wants $100.00 for the same cage but i plan on ordering one off the net i got some great websites last night. but i want to return this glass one because i paid $60.00 for it