Is my setup okay?

[hannahbanana13]

Hi everyone! I recently upgraded my juvenile veiled chameleon to a new enclosure! I love her a lot and I just want to make sure she has all the stuff she need to be happy and healthy.
She is in a screen enclosure 16”x16”x36” with the reptisun 5.0 uvb bulb and the 60w daylight blue.
The humidity in the cage stays around 50% and I mist once a day (it gets to around 55-60% right after I mist). I use a little bit of the Zilla tropical mist when I mist too
She has an automatic dripper so she always has water.
Basking spot is 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the rest of the cage stays around 72 and drops to 68 at night
Food and water:
Water conditioner: zoo med reptisafe
Food: Crickets and flightless fruit flies. Crickets get flukers cricket quencher and orange cubes + some vegetables.
Supplements and vitamins: zoo med repti calcium no d3, zoo med reptivite vitamins with d3, and rep-cal calcium with vit d3. (Not all used at the same time) vitamin is used once every other week (twice a month) calcium (no d3) is used twice a week and calcium with d3 is used once a week. **please let me know if this needs to be fixed!!
here are pictures of her enclosure + all the stuff I use for feeding and stuff
And I added in a picture of her sleeping too bc she just looks so cute

 

[Pearl Fields]

I can already say that some things will need to be changed...
if you fill out this form IN DETAIL you will get correct feedback on how to improve your current setup?
Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Pearl Fields]

You can just copy and paste it and then write in the info

 

[hannahbanana13]

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  female veiled chameleon, not sure exactly how old she is, she’s been with me a month and a half
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  3 times a week. She just crawls on my hand and I put her on the branches on the outside of the enclosure while I clean or on the golden pothos so she can mu
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  crickets And fruit flies on occasion. Crickets using the flukers orange cubes and cricket quenchers plus veggies. I feed her for 5 mins twice a day in the morning and early after
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  reptivite and repti calcium no d3 by zoo med and rep calcium with d3. Vitamineed twice a month. Calcium no d3 twice a week. With d3 once a week.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  automatic dripper system (it has a pump and 3 leaves) I mist once a day until it looks like it just rained. I do see my chameleon drinking
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• 
  Never tested for parasites. Feces is dark brown and is solid but not dry.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Screen 16x16x36
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Zoo med reptisun 5.0 uvb And daylight bulb 60w. 7:30-7:30
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Cage floor: 72
• Basking spot: 80
• Overnight: 66-68
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• 50% most of the day. 60% right after misting. A humidity gauge
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Golden pothos outside of enclosure that she gets to hangout on when she gets outside time
• 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?
• In my room. Nope, nope, nope. 5ft
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
  North Texas

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome. Putting my feedback in red.

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  female veiled chameleon, not sure exactly how old she is, she’s been with me a month and a half I’m not good at all at guessing age, but I’d say she looks to be around 3 months old.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  3 times a week. She just crawls on my hand and I put her on the branches on the outside of the enclosure while I clean or on the golden pothos so she can mu
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  crickets And fruit flies on occasion. I would think she’s a bit big for fruit flies, but ok. Crickets are ok. You should start adding some other feeders such as bsfl (Phoenix worms, Calci-worms), roaches, silkworms, etc. Crickets using the flukers orange cubes and cricket quenchers plus veggies. The cricket cubes and quenchers aren’t good at all for gut loading. They’ll help keep the bugs alive but add no nutrition. Attaching feeder and gutloading info for you. I feed her for 5 mins twice a day in the morning and early after
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  reptivite and repti calcium no d3 by zoo med and rep calcium with d3. Vitamineed twice a month. Calcium no d3 twice a week. With d3 once a week. Looking at your supplements in the pic, your Reptivite contains D3. What you should be doing is lightly dusting with calcium without D3 at every feeding except once every other week. That feeding you’ll use the Reptivite with D3. You don’t need the calcium with D3 since the Reptivite has D3.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  automatic dripper system (it has a pump and 3 leaves) Hate to tell you this, but you need to get rid of that dripper. It becomes a reservoir for bacteria and is not good. You can buy/use the big (or little) dripper or just poke a hole with a thumb tack in the bottom of a plastic cup, to use for 15-20 minutes mid day. I mist once a day until it looks like it just rained. Ok, but you should add an extra misting so one early in the morning and one right before lights out...each for at least 2 minutes. I do see my chameleon drinking Count yourself lucky! Many chams are secretive about drinking.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• 
  Never tested for parasites. Feces is dark brown and is solid but not dry. I’m a believer in taking all animals to the vet for a wellness check and having a fecal done.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Screen 16x16x36 This is ok for now, but in a few short moNigh’s you’ll be needing to upgrade her to a 2x2x4’ or equivalent...the minimum size for an adult.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Zoo med reptisun 5.0 uvb And daylight bulb 60w. 7:30-7:30 Unfortunately you have the coil (screw in) uvb bulb which is not able to provide adequate uvb levels. You’ll need to get a T5HO fixture with either a 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. It needs to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure. Uvb bulbs do lose effectiveness over time and the 5.0 bulb needs to be replaced every 6 months...the Arcadia 6% is good for a year. You light schedule is perfect.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Cage floor: 72
• Basking spot: 80
• Overnight: 66-68 Your temps are perfect!
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• 50% most of the day. 60% right after misting. A humidity gauge You are at the limit for humidity. During the day humidity should be between 30-50%. At night when it’s cool, humidity can go all the way to 100%.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Golden pothos outside of enclosure that she gets to hangout on when she gets outside time Outside time on plants is wonderful, but she needs live plants in her enclosure too. Veileds tend to eat their plants and have been known to eat the fake ones and get impacted. Get another pothos or two and get rid of the fake plants. Use plants to provide shaded areas and places to hide in. Here’s a safe plant list. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ I use my fake plants attached on the outside of the enclosure to provide more sense of privacy and safety.
• 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?
• In my room. Nope, nope, nope. 5ft You’ll want to raise it a bit higher. Chams feel safest when they are able to look down at us.
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
  North Texas

You have some sort of substrate on the floor. Bare floor is easiest to keep clean and safest. Things like bark, moss, dirt and whatever pose impaction risk and if moist, will grow bacteria. You will need to figure out how to manage drainage of excess water. Some use this https://dragonstrand.com/product/universal-25-drainage-tray/ I bought the stand for my Reptibreeze, drilled a few small holes in the floor and stuck a bucket beneath. While you’re looking at the drainage tray, check out the dragon ledges. Those are incredible for hanging branches, vines and plants at higher levels thru your enclosure.
Although she is still too young, your female will lay eggs whether mated or not. Around 5-6 months old she’ll start showing her pretty colors and patterns. At this time, you’ll need to prepare a lay bin and make it a permanent part of her enclosure. It’s basically just a plastic tote like this https://www.target.com/p/16-9qt-lar...sX5U0Yn4Y3Vk8w2kXARoCtLMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds filled with 6-8” of play sand and kept moist enough to hold a tunnel without collapsing.
Some great places to learn more about keeping your little sweetie healthy and happy are Neptune the Chameleon on YouTube and https://chameleonacademy.com/ Of course ask as many questions as you need here. Hope I’ve been of some help.

• 

 

[MissSkittles]

And I forgot to add...the Zilla Tropical Mist spray...you don’t need it and it could cause problems with shedding. Chameleons are dry shedders and sprays like that make their shed stick more to them.

 

[hannahbanana13]

Hi and welcome. Putting my feedback in red.

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  female veiled chameleon, not sure exactly how old she is, she’s been with me a month and a half I’m not good at all at guessing age, but I’d say she looks to be around 3 months old.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  3 times a week. She just crawls on my hand and I put her on the branches on the outside of the enclosure while I clean or on the golden pothos so she can mu
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  crickets And fruit flies on occasion. I would think she’s a bit big for fruit flies, but ok. Crickets are ok. You should start adding some other feeders such as bsfl (Phoenix worms, Calci-worms), roaches, silkworms, etc. Crickets using the flukers orange cubes and cricket quenchers plus veggies. The cricket cubes and quenchers aren’t good at all for gut loading. They’ll help keep the bugs alive but add no nutrition. Attaching feeder and gutloading info for you. I feed her for 5 mins twice a day in the morning and early after
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  reptivite and repti calcium no d3 by zoo med and rep calcium with d3. Vitamineed twice a month. Calcium no d3 twice a week. With d3 once a week. Looking at your supplements in the pic, your Reptivite contains D3. What you should be doing is lightly dusting with calcium without D3 at every feeding except once every other week. That feeding you’ll use the Reptivite with D3. You don’t need the calcium with D3 since the Reptivite has D3.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  automatic dripper system (it has a pump and 3 leaves) Hate to tell you this, but you need to get rid of that dripper. It becomes a reservoir for bacteria and is not good. You can buy/use the big (or little) dripper or just poke a hole with a thumb tack in the bottom of a plastic cup, to use for 15-20 minutes mid day. I mist once a day until it looks like it just rained. Ok, but you should add an extra misting so one early in the morning and one right before lights out...each for at least 2 minutes. I do see my chameleon drinking Count yourself lucky! Many chams are secretive about drinking.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• 
  Never tested for parasites. Feces is dark brown and is solid but not dry. I’m a believer in taking all animals to the vet for a wellness check and having a fecal done.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Screen 16x16x36 This is ok for now, but in a few short moNigh’s you’ll be needing to upgrade her to a 2x2x4’ or equivalent...the minimum size for an adult.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Zoo med reptisun 5.0 uvb And daylight bulb 60w. 7:30-7:30 Unfortunately you have the coil (screw in) uvb bulb which is not able to provide adequate uvb levels. You’ll need to get a T5HO fixture with either a 5.0 or Arcadia 6% uvb bulb. It needs to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure. Uvb bulbs do lose effectiveness over time and the 5.0 bulb needs to be replaced every 6 months...the Arcadia 6% is good for a year. You light schedule is perfect.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Cage floor: 72
• Basking spot: 80
• Overnight: 66-68 Your temps are perfect!
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• 50% most of the day. 60% right after misting. A humidity gauge You are at the limit for humidity. During the day humidity should be between 30-50%. At night when it’s cool, humidity can go all the way to 100%.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Golden pothos outside of enclosure that she gets to hangout on when she gets outside time Outside time on plants is wonderful, but she needs live plants in her enclosure too. Veileds tend to eat their plants and have been known to eat the fake ones and get impacted. Get another pothos or two and get rid of the fake plants. Use plants to provide shaded areas and places to hide in. Here’s a safe plant list. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ I use my fake plants attached on the outside of the enclosure to provide more sense of privacy and safety.
• 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?
• In my room. Nope, nope, nope. 5ft You’ll want to raise it a bit higher. Chams feel safest when they are able to look down at us.
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
  North Texas

You have some sort of substrate on the floor. Bare floor is easiest to keep clean and safest. Things like bark, moss, dirt and whatever pose impaction risk and if moist, will grow bacteria. You will need to figure out how to manage drainage of excess water. Some use this https://dragonstrand.com/product/universal-25-drainage-tray/ I bought the stand for my Reptibreeze, drilled a few small holes in the floor and stuck a bucket beneath. While you’re looking at the drainage tray, check out the dragon ledges. Those are incredible for hanging branches, vines and plants at higher levels thru your enclosure.
Although she is still too young, your female will lay eggs whether mated or not. Around 5-6 months old she’ll start showing her pretty colors and patterns. At this time, you’ll need to prepare a lay bin and make it a permanent part of her enclosure. It’s basically just a plastic tote like this https://www.target.com/p/16-9qt-large-modular-storage-bin-clear-room-essentials-8482/-/A-53885130?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Storage+Organization+Shopping_Local&adgroup=SC_Storage+Organization&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=1014988&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1247068&ds_rl=1248099&gclid=CjwKCAjw2Jb7BRBHEiwAXTR4jWgHnCeZhUqOdhQMe3ogeXqo4w-aURj-YggsX5U0Yn4Y3Vk8w2kXARoCtLMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds filled with 6-8” of play sand and kept moist enough to hold a tunnel without collapsing.
Some great places to learn more about keeping your little sweetie healthy and happy are Neptune the Chameleon on YouTube and https://chameleonacademy.com/ Of course ask as many questions as you need here. Hope I’ve been of some help.

• View attachment 277738

Thank you so much for all of your feedback! I fixed almost all of the issues with her enclosure and feeding! I will for sure have her in a full sized enclosure before she is fully grown and I’m getting her new lighting tomorrow (I just got paid or I would have done it sooner) she now has a lovely yucca plant that she LOVES to perch on (and proved very useful for scratching itchy shedding skin!) and a hibiscus plant that she munches on! I also got her a fiddle leaf fig plant that I’ve potted outside of her enclosure so when it grows she will have more coverage on the outside of her enclosure! I’ve started using the supplements as directed and have been mixing it up with spotted roaches, calci worms, super worms, and wax worms as treats (do all wax worms smell bad???) I got rid of the automatic dripper. Humidity during the day ranges from 30-45 and at night it gets to about 60 where she sleeps but 100 at the bottom of her enclosure... Does the humidity need to be higher where she actually sleeps?
Question: is it worth getting an automatic misting system like the monsoon or fogger? She really seems to hate the mister that I have and I’m not sure if she doesn’t like the way it looks or if it is the actual misting she doesn’t like.
Here are some pictures of her from today you have to zoom in kind of close for the first one to see her (sorry about that but I got her mid bite!) (she’s angry in the second one bc she hates my phone haha)

 

[MissSkittles]

Great to hear you’re making progress! That’s a gorgeous hibiscus! Don’t be surprised if she nibbles on the flowers. You will need a pretty strong plant light for it. I use one of these with each enclosure and it has been keeping my hibiscus alive. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TKKG8Q3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Anisa.corp]

Thank you so much for all of your feedback! I fixed almost all of the issues with her enclosure and feeding! I will for sure have her in a full sized enclosure before she is fully grown and I’m getting her new lighting tomorrow (I just got paid or I would have done it sooner) she now has a lovely yucca plant that she LOVES to perch on (and proved very useful for scratching itchy shedding skin!) and a hibiscus plant that she munches on! I also got her a fiddle leaf fig plant that I’ve potted outside of her enclosure so when it grows she will have more coverage on the outside of her enclosure! I’ve started using the supplements as directed and have been mixing it up with spotted roaches, calci worms, super worms, and wax worms as treats (do all wax worms smell bad???) I got rid of the automatic dripper. Humidity during the day ranges from 30-45 and at night it gets to about 60 where she sleeps but 100 at the bottom of her enclosure... Does the humidity need to be higher where she actually sleeps?
Question: is it worth getting an automatic misting system like the monsoon or fogger? She really seems to hate the mister that I have and I’m not sure if she doesn’t like the way it looks or if it is the actual misting she doesn’t like.
Here are some pictures of her from today you have to zoom in kind of close for the first one to see her (sorry about that but I got her mid bite!) (she’s angry in the second one bc she hates my phone haha)

It 100% worth it to get a mister Once you have a timed mister and timed lights you pretty much have to do nothing for these little guys besides feed them plus with an automatic mister you can set it to multiple times a day for however long you want it very convenient

 

[hannahbanana13]

It 100% worth it to get a mister Once you have a timed mister and timed lights you pretty much have to do nothing for these little guys besides feed them plus with an automatic mister you can set it to multiple times a day for however long you want it very convenient

Is there a automatic mister that you recommend?