I found a chameleon

[l&l&]

Hi, I live in Rome, Italy, and I apologize for my English. First of all, congratulations for your forum and your animal friends, unfortunately in Italy there are very few forums about chameleons. In November, while I was walking my dog, I found a calyptratus chameleon abandoned in the grass. I have been breeding boa constrictors for twenty years so I know how reptiles work even if I have never owned a chameleon, so I took it home and put it in an empty terrarium I had for a boa constrictor. The chameleon had its eyes closed and was cold because here in Italy it is winter. I took it to a vet who gave it an antiparasitic and an antibiotic and in the meantime I fed it by gently opening its mouth and putting crickets and also water, obviously I dusted the crickets with calcium, calcium + d3 and once also with a vitamin supplement for chameleons. After ten days he began to open his eyes and feed himself. In the meantime I bought a 50*50*100 cm mesh terrarium, a 50 watt Arcadia spot lamp and a 24 watt Arcadia UVB 6% neon, a "photos" plant and various decorations. At the bottom I temporarily placed an absorbent crosspiece while I finish building a cabinet with water drainage. The temperatures are those indicated in the chameleon breeding sheets. Do you think this arrangement is okay? If I spray distilled water in the morning and evening, will it be enough? I read that many spray during the night, should I buy an automatic sprayer for the night or is twice a day enough? I would like to add a dripper but I have no idea how to do it, do you have photos of your drippers? I feed him every other day with 4/5 adult crickets, do you think that is okay? Now the chameleon is fine but I think he has vision problems in one eye but he eats without problems, I also check the feces which are solid and moist and the urates are white. I attach some photos: the first is when I found the chameleon, the second is from the days he was in the enclosure. The other photos are from the new terrarium. I apologize for the length of the post. Thanks you.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome! Give me a few minutes and I’ll give you some feedback.

 

[IrohtheVeiled]

All things considered I think your little guy is lucky you’re the one who found him. and welcome.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi, I live in Rome, Italy, and I apologize for my English. Your English is fine First of all, congratulations for your forum and your animal friends, unfortunately in Italy there are very few forums about chameleons. All from around the world are welcome here and there are members from just about everywhere In November, while I was walking my dog, I found a calyptratus chameleon abandoned in the grass. Strange find! Someone must have either lost her or didn’t want her anymore. Bless you for taking her home! I have been breeding boa constrictors for twenty years so I know how reptiles work even if I have never owned a chameleon, so I took it home and put it in an empty terrarium I had for a boa constrictor. The chameleon had its eyes closed and was cold because here in Italy it is winter. I took it to a vet who gave it an antiparasitic and an antibiotic Did the vet test for parasites or do any labs? Many medications are very hard on the body, especially the kidneys so it isn’t recommended to randomly treat for unknown things. But I understand the rationale. and in the meantime I fed it by gently opening its mouth and putting crickets and also water, obviously I dusted the crickets with calcium, calcium + d3 and once also with a vitamin supplement for chameleons. Did you use those supplements each time you fed her? Are you still using them all at the same time? After ten days he began to open his eyes and feed himself. Excellent job! In the meantime I bought a 50*50*100 cm mesh terrarium, a 50 watt Arcadia spot lamp and a 24 watt Arcadia UVB 6% neon, a "photos" plant and various decorations. For being brand new to chameleons, you did a great job! At the bottom I temporarily placed an absorbent crosspiece while I finish building a cabinet with water drainage. The temperatures are those indicated in the chameleon breeding sheets. I’m not sure what sheets you are referring to. It looks like you have a girl, and the recommended temperature at the basking area for girls and young ones is around 26-27c and no higher than that. At night, you do want a cooling off and veiled chameleons can handle temperatures as low as around 15c. Ideally though, 18-20c is perfect if you can achieve that. Do you think this arrangement is okay? If I spray distilled water in the morning and evening, will it be enough? Yes, it will be. We recommend spraying the plants for at least 2 minutes twice a day - right before lights on and off. I read that many spray during the night, should I buy an automatic sprayer for the night or is twice a day enough? If your night time temperatures are below at least 20c, you can add a cool mist fogger, or humidifier. This simulates the hydration wild chameleons get through fog. You want your daytime humidity to be between 30-50% and at night only if your temperature gets cool enough, is when you can raise humidity all the way. High heat plus high humidity = risk for respiratory infection. I would like to add a dripper but I have no idea how to do it, do you have photos of your drippers? I rarely use a dripper. Instead I have a 1 minute misting in the afternoon. If you do choose to use a dripper, one can be easily made by using a plastic cup. Poke a pinhole in the bottom and sit it on top of your enclosure. It will drip for just the right amount of time per day. Another way is to put a few ice cubes on top of the screen top. I feed him every other day with 4/5 adult crickets, do you think that is okay? Yes and no. Right now, you have been getting her healthy, so it is okay. However, you will need to cut her feeding to every other day as soon as you can. Also, you can either give her crickets which are a bit smaller or just 3-4 of the adult ones. She will soon be reaching maturity and laying infertile eggs. By not overfeeding her and keeping her temperature a bit cooler than the boys, she won’t produce as many eggs. The more eggs she does produce, the harder it will be for her to lay them without problems. Also, laying eggs takes a lot out of them and shortens our girls lives. I feed all of my chameleons the equivalent of 3-4 feeders, 3 days a week with a small treat once a week. My veiled girl has not laid eggs in 3 years now (since her forbidden boyfriend passed away). My panther girl has never laid eggs. This will help you in the whole thing, including setting up a lay bin. https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-laying-101.2488/ Now the chameleon is fine but I think he has vision problems in one eye but he eats without problems, This is where I need to go back to the supplements. What you should be doing is lightly dusting every feeding with a phosphorus-free calcium without D3. The D3 and multivitamin are to be used only two feedings per month (or one feeding every other week). I don’t know what supplements are available to you there. Preferably, you can find Repashy Calcium Plus LoD, which is a combination multivitamin/D3. I’ll put a pic of the Repashy below. Also, there is ReptiVite with D3. Looking on Amazon for Italy, I only see ReptiVite without D3. https://www.amazon.it/ZOO-MED-LABOR...37048342&sprefix=Reptivite,aps,265&sr=8-3This is just a multivitamin. I don’t want to be confusing, but I am going to tell you the two ways of providing D3 and multivitamin.
1) Use the combination products for one feeding every other week (or twice a month if you prefer)
2) One feeding every week you will be using either a calcium without D3 or ReptiVite without D3. You want to alternate them, so for example on the 1 and 14 of the month, you use the calcium with D3 and then on the 7 and 21 of the month, you use the ReptiVite without D3.
I specify these two supplements, because they have a form of vitamin A, which we know chameleons can use. Most of the other supplements have a different type that chameleons can’t really use. Vitamin A is good for eye health, and is possibly the reason why she is having a problem with an eye.
A word of caution about this form of vitamin A and the D3. Both are fat soluble, meaning they take time for the body to process and eliminate. Because of this, we give these carefully and no more frequently than I outlines above. If you have been giving her D3 and the multivitamin at every feeding, you have been overdosing. Stop using all except the plain calcium without D3 for at least a week or two. I also check the feces which are solid and moist and the urates are white. I attach some photos: the first is when I found the chameleon, the second is from the days he was in the enclosure. The other photos are from the new terrarium. I apologize for the length of the post. Not at all long! It could have been longer to include more information. I’ve tried to fill in those blanks though. I do have a bit more advice, but let me end this here for now. Thanks you.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m attaching graphics for feeders and what to feed to them. It’s best to give a variety of feeders. Some may not be available there, like hornworms. Hopefully dubia or other farmed roaches and silkworms are. You may have to find an online vendor for those. You’ll need to keep your feeder insects well fed and healthy, so that they are more nutritious. Don’t give spinach or kale to them though. Those bind to calcium.
Your set up is quite good, as I have already said. I just want to make some suggestions for it to be even better. Most important is to have the basking area be about 20-22cm below your lights. This will provide the ideal uvb levels.
You’ve done pretty good finding a way to place branches. It is a challenge and here I just want to offer some ideas or advice. You do want to have more horizontal branches. While not available to you there, you may be able to find a way to use the idea of Dragon Ledges and make your own. https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ I have been using garden trellis lately that I attach to the frame of the enclosure with thin wires. I add a few small screws to attach the wires to so that it won’t slide down. Both of these options are strong enough to hang plenty of branches from and even some plants. Some will also create a scaffolding from branches within their enclosure. If you can attach it to the frame, that is even better. I use natural branches that I scavenge outside. Oak is always a great one to use. Avoid pine and other woods that have a heavy odor or sap. Then for plants, you do need to make sure that they are clean and safe. Our veiled chameleons do often nibble their plants and some will even strip all the leaves. Pothos is a perfect plant for them and is so easy to start more plants from clippings, so that you always have extra of needed. If you place a pothos on the floor of the enclosure and have it grow upwards, the leaves grow bigger. Tradescantia zebrina and spider plants are also good choices and none of these three require a special plant light. If you have no problem adding a plant light, adding a tall center plant, like a schefflera, ficus benjamina or Guiana chestnut (money tree) is even better.
Unless you are doing a true bioactive set up, you want the floor of the enclosure to be bare. It’s much easier to keep clean and hygienic. You will of course need to figure out a way to manage the drainage. The ways to do that vary so much that you will need to find what works best for your situation.
I love the feeding station that you have. Wherever you’ve gotten your information, you’ve done so very well. I don’t know how well your English is, but to learn even more there is https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/ Along with a husbandry program, there are podcasts, videos on YouTube and even an on line magazine. Neptune the chameleon on YouTube and other platforms is also excellent to learn more. Of course, ask whatever questions you may have here, share photos and whatever else you want. We are like a strange little family (cham-ily) here.

 

[GrannyK]

Just want to pop in and say Welcome both you and your Cham to the forum!! Your in great hands here, and so glad that you found that little lady.

 

[l&l&]

Thanks for the replies and for the welcome! I am truly grateful to you for the help you gave me to resolve my doubts. I confirm that it is a female, according to the vet, but I don't know how many months/years she could be and I think she was abandoned because she was no longer eating, she was certainly poorly housed. The vet didn't do any stool tests because he didn't do them at first because he wasn't eating anything, but at the end of the month I have to go back for a check-up and I'll definitely bring him a stool sample, I don't remember the name of the antibiotic then when I go back to I'll check it at home and tell you. I gave him the multivitamin only once while his eyes were closed, while I administered the calcium with all meals, I administered the calcium with D3 every ten days, I had read in another forum that it could also be administered twice per week. I will follow your advice on how to feed it. I had also read that multivitamins can be dangerous due to an overdose of vitamins, which is why I only gave it to him once. Is it necessary to give it twice a month or can he go without it? I don't want to make her feel bad. I've seen the Dragon Ledges ideas and they're awesome! It's a shame that here in Italy but also in Europe there aren't many retailers truly specialized in reptiles. I set up the terrarium like this temporarily, as soon as I finish the piece of furniture to be placed at the base I will make a hole in the bottom for water drainage and I will arrange the terrarium even better, unfortunately my terrarium has thin uprights and it is not possible to place the horizontal brackets to support horizontal branches like those of Dragon Ledges, @MissSkittles I really like your idea and I will do as you do. I hope the plant grows quickly so as to also cover the upper part of the terrarium, alternatively I wanted to add the “Schefflera” so as to have more vegetation. As for the temperatures at the highest point there are 28° C and I saw that at this temperature she willingly stays there, I had read that at the basking point there can be 30/34° so I tried to reduce the distance of the branches from the lamp to have more heat but she remained under there with her mouth open because it was too hot. It's winter here now and the temperatures are cold but at home it's always 18/20° at night. As soon as I get home I will post photos of the supplements I bought. How do I know when it reaches maturity? How do I know if it has eggs? At the first visit the vet did an ultrasound to see if he had any unhatched eggs but there was nothing. The chameleonaccademy website is very well done, I had already seen it to answer my thousand questions! As soon as I can I'll post photos of my supplements. However, I am happy that I managed to save her from certain death, unfortunately people buy animals for fun.

 

[MissSkittles]

You do want to use calcium without D3 at every feeding. Both D3 and multivitamin are necessary and each is to be given either every other week, or twice per month. Not using them like this can cause her to get sick. It’s hard to tell how old she is. While she appears to be fully grown, she does not yet have her adult colors. The best I can say is that she is probably at least 6 months old. Looking back at her, she does look a bit too plump. Veileds can very easily become overweight and it is very bad for them. It’s especially bad to overfeed a girl because it can cause her to produce far too many eggs. Keeping her temperature no higher than 27 is also important in limiting her egg production. In the past, it was thought that chameleons should be kept much hotter, but we’ve since learned that they do much better and it’s more natural to have lower temperatures. We are still learning about their natural lives, so as we do, husbandry standards change. We know when our girls are fully sexually mature by their colors. Slowly you’ll start to see beautiful teal and orange or mustard yellow colors forming on her along with patterns. These are her adult colors and will remain with her through her life. Usually at the same time that she is first developing her colors, she will become very active and restless. This is her receptive period when she is ready and wanting to find a mate. This period always comes before egg laying. It is very possible though that by following the reduced feeding I’ve suggested, she may never reach sexual maturity and never lay any eggs. You still need to provide her a suitable lay bin at all times though for just in case. Sweet girl is very very fortunate that you found her. I’ve no doubt that you will be giving her an amazing and wonderful life.