Is my chameleon okay???

[ChamomilleCame]

I don't think anyone has said this, but feed her less. Females, when fed too much, produce more eggs. This can be a problem because they lose a lot of calcium once they've laid the eggs. Every other day feeding will be fine. Better to have a skinny chameleon than a fat one.

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

I don't think anyone has said this, but feed her less. Females, when fed too much, produce more eggs. This can be a problem because they lose a lot of calcium once they've laid the eggs. Every other day feeding will be fine. Better to have a skinny chameleon than a fat one.

Ok thank you!!! I've fed her about 8 so far today is that okay?

 

[Shilohpsu]

I agree with this but at the same time I don't. I feel the petstores should have the proper care for them, have good breeders and give out true information you can trust, but if you do research and set your cage up right I think its fine. I got my veiled from petco and he is my whole life. I did my research and looked for a healthy cham. After I got him I took him to the vet. I have no problem with the petstores carrying chams as long as the setup is right and then people buying did research. I know ill probably get hate or bashed for this but its just my opinion.

My veiled is from petco and has always been perfectly healthy. I kind of felt bad for him in that little glass box, so I bought him and gave him a great life thus far. He's now a big happy 11 month old boy! So I'm personally not against it at all, and looked at it as adopting him and giving him a better life.

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

She also may look big because she doesn't like my bright phone case and she puffs up every time she sees my phone I'll send a pic of her with my phone case off when I get home and see if that makes a difference

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

My veiled is from petco and has always been perfectly healthy. I kind of felt bad for him in that little glass box, so I bought him and gave him a great life thus far. He's now a big happy 11 month old boy! So I'm personally not against it at all, and looked at it as adopting him and giving him a better life.View attachment 161983

That's awesome!!!

 

[KapitalJ]

My veiled is from petco and has always been perfectly healthy. I kind of felt bad for him in that little glass box, so I bought him and gave him a great life thus far. He's now a big happy 11 month old boy! So I'm personally not against it at all, and looked at it as adopting him and giving him a better life.View attachment 161983

I think part of the reason that people are against these stores is there willingness to sell to any customer without giving out proper information on how to care for them. Also the fact that they provide poor husbandry in the store, thus putting a not so healthy cham in the hands of a newbie, setting them up for failure.

Not everyone will provide great care as you do, or go out on their own and do research on how to care for them properly as I am assuming you did.

If people keep buying them, they will continue to bring them in.

But I agree with you in the fact that someone with knowledge, or who is willing to listen and learn, there should be no problem in raising a healthy cham.

 

[TheMusicalCham]

Exactly ^^^^ also is that substrate at the bottom of the enclosure? I would get rid of that. Cham's do not need substrate I think sometimes they'll accidentally eat it when shooting for crickets and it's harmful

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

Exactly ^^^^ also is that substrate at the bottom of the enclosure? I would get rid of that. Cham's do not need substrate I think sometimes they'll accidentally eat it when shooting for crickets and it's harmful

Ok I will do that we had it out before and we feed her crickets out of a little cup and the reason we put it in there is because she has a little water bowl with a bubbler in it and she could wrap around it but I will remove it thanks

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

Found that pic online is that what their supposed to look like if their gravid? Mine doesn't look like that we can't tell if mines gravid or not

 

[Peachypink]

I've never had a female so I can't comment on that but I think it would be a good idea to get a lay bin ready for her. Like others have said, she does look pretty plump.

I do have a couple of observations for you if you are open to suggestion...

First, I don't see any branches in her cage? It looks like you have one vine attached by suction cup that is just hanging and a plant. She should really have lots of horizontal sticks and branches at varying heights and thickness all throughout the cage with the plants for cover. In the one picture you can see her trying to climb the tube, she needs to be able to get higher. Look through the enclosure thread and see what others have done.

Second, The water bowl is really not a safe option. Unless you are cleaning it almost daily it can easily be a source for bacteria. They drink from misting the leaves not usually from a bowl of water.

And third, your viv seems on the small side. What are the dimensions of it? You might want to consider an upgrade in size for her.

Do some more research and have you parents do some research as well. If I'm not mistaken you said that your family was looking at getting a Panther soon? Panthers and veilds have different needs and are so worth getting things set up well for them to have long happy lives.

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

I've never had a female so I can't comment on that but I think it would be a good idea to get a lay bin ready for her. Like others have said, she does look pretty plump.

I do have a couple of observations for you if you are open to suggestion...

First, I don't see any branches in her cage? It looks like you have one vine attached by suction cup that is just hanging and a plant. She should really have lots of horizontal sticks and branches at varying heights and thickness all throughout the cage with the plants for cover. In the one picture you can see her trying to climb the tube, she needs to be able to get higher. Look through the enclosure thread and see what others have done.

Second, The water bowl is really not a safe option. Unless you are cleaning it almost daily it can easily be a source for bacteria. They drink from misting the leaves not usually from a bowl of water.

And third, your viv seems on the small side. What are the dimensions of it? You might want to consider an upgrade in size for her.

Do some more research and have you parents do some research as well. If I'm not mistaken you said that your family was looking at getting a Panther soon? Panthers and veilds have different needs and are so worth getting things set up well for them to have long happy lives.

We have a little vine typed thing along with the one with the leaves that we will put in when we clean her cage (probably tomorrow as we just cleaned it yesterday) when we bought her from the pet store and the people said that she wouldn't drink from the leaves and they had a little bowl with a bubbler in it so that's what we did. I'm pretty sure the sizes are 12x12x24 but we are going to get her a bigger one in about a month. Yes, we have a panther egg currently incubating in my closet set to hatch November 21st. We are going to get a bigger tank for the panther when it gets about 2-4 mos old and we will use the one that Lizzie is currently using now for when we clean their tanks. We know not to let them see eachother so we will put one on one side of my dresser and one on the other. Any tips for the panther that's different from veileds? Thank you so much for everything

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

She's not lethargic AT ALL she loves to run around she doesn't seem plump (to me) and I can't feel/see any eggs so should I still get a laying bin? I'm gonna get one anyway but do I have to do it ASAP or can I do it sometime this week? The last pic is what I feed the crickets

 

[TheMusicalCham]

Take a look at the care sheets and they should answer every question you have Here's what my Veiled's enclosure looked like when he was a juvenile and that's the minimum in my opinion. He's getting a much taller and bigger one when he turns a 1yr in Sept.

 

[Dumzy]

People need to really stop buying from Pet Smart/PetCo and buy from reputable breeders or reptile specialty stores.

Why not? I rescued my Veiled from a Petco, i would rather buy from them and save the animal instead of letting it die due to Petco/Petsmart not being able to care for them. I dont really understand why people say to stop buying from them.

 

[KapitalJ]

If you would like to hear my view on it, ypu can read my post above. Post #26 @Dumzy

 

[Dumzy]

I think part of the reason that people are against these stores is there willingness to sell to any customer without giving out proper information on how to care for them. Also the fact that they provide poor husbandry in the store, thus putting a not so healthy cham in the hands of a newbie, setting them up for failure.

Not everyone will provide great care as you do, or go out on their own and do research on how to care for them properly as I am assuming you did.

If people keep buying them, they will continue to bring them in.

But I agree with you in the fact that someone with knowledge, or who is willing to listen and learn, there should be no problem in raising a healthy cham.

Yea my Petco sickens me, only the beardies get a UVB, no heat or anything, dead crickets to eat, and there are atleast 10 in a 10 gallon tank at a time. Then you look at the chameleons, they have no heat, no uvb, a dripper dripping into a water bowl, 1 plant, 1 vine, and eco earth as a bedding and they only get fed mealworms. It is disgusting. And then you look at the frogs and the snakes and they are cared for perfectly!

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

Yea my Petco sickens me, only the beardies get a UVB, no heat or anything, dead crickets to eat, and there are atleast 10 in a 10 gallon tank at a time. Then you look at the chameleons, they have no heat, no uvb, a dripper dripping into a water bowl, 1 plant, 1 vine, and eco earth as a bedding and they only get fed mealworms. It is disgusting. And then you look at the frogs and the snakes and they are cared for perfectly!

Wow that's sad. I'm the same way as you about buying from Petco/PetSmart

 

[Peachypink]

We have a little vine typed thing along with the one with the leaves that we will put in when we clean her cage (probably tomorrow as we just cleaned it yesterday) when we bought her from the pet store and the people said that she wouldn't drink from the leaves and they had a little bowl with a bubbler in it so that's what we did. I'm pretty sure the sizes are 12x12x24 but we are going to get her a bigger one in about a month. Yes, we have a panther egg currently incubating in my closet set to hatch November 21st. We are going to get a bigger tank for the panther when it gets about 2-4 mos old and we will use the one that Lizzie is currently using now for when we clean their tanks. We know not to let them see eachother so we will put one on one side of my dresser and one on the other. Any tips for the panther that's different from veileds? Thank you so much for everything

That's great that you are learning now before it hatches. Defiantly take a look at the care sheets for both, I believe the temps they need are different. Look under the "resources"tab at the top of the page in the green bar. It will give you everything you need to know. Print them out and let your parents learn too.

I see the vine and plant that you have but she needs more. She needs to have several different levels to be able to regulate her heat and hide throughout the cage.

If you are misting her and keeping her humidity where it needs to be she will get enough water from the droplets on the leaves. The little bowl and bubbler will just end up breading bacteria and she will be drinking tainted water. I had a fountain dripper for a while that I was determined to keep cleaned out but even when I tried to clean it every day it would always end up getting slimy in the tube. I decided it just wasn't worth my cham's health and took it out. I highly recommend you take it out, there is just too much risk.

Keep a close eye on her and just be ready to put the lay bin in there at any time.

Here is a picture of my cage. Lots of sticks and branches so he has a lot of places to go to hide and regulate his heat. They need places to hide to feel secure.

 

[Lizzie The Chameleon]

That's great that you are learning now before it hatches. Defiantly take a look at the care sheets for both, I believe the temps they need are different. Look under the "resources"tab at the top of the page in the green bar. It will give you everything you need to know. Print them out and let your parents learn too.

I see the vine and plant that you have but she needs more. She needs to have several different levels to be able to regulate her heat and hide throughout the cage.

If you are misting her and keeping her humidity where it needs to be she will get enough water from the droplets on the leaves. The little bowl and bubbler will just end up breading bacteria and she will be drinking tainted water. I had a fountain dripper for a while that I was determined to keep cleaned out but even when I tried to clean it every day it would always end up getting slimy in the tube. I decided it just wasn't worth my cham's health and took it out. I highly recommend you take it out, there is just too much risk.

Keep a close eye on her and just be ready to put the lay bin in there at any time.

Here is a picture of my cage. Lots of sticks and branches so he has a lot of places to go to hide and regulate his heat. They need places to hide to feel secure.
View attachment 162109

Ok and also is this sand the right kind for a laying bin?

 

[Dumzy]

Ok and also is this sand the right kind for a laying bin?

Any type of washed play sand works.