Is this normal?

[ali9021]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male Veiled Chameleon had him 2 weeks
• Handling - No handling yet
• Feeding - crickets and superworms
• Supplements - dusting with calcium D3
• Watering -I mist 3x per day I use ice cubes for dripping I have seen him drink many times
• Fecal Description - Looks normal every day dark brown with white tip
• History -Got him from Petsmart

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Zoo Med chameleon kit
• Lighting - Zoo Med 5.0 UVB and heating light came in kit
• Temperature - I have 2 thermometers-- the basking temp is 80F ambient 68-70
• Humidity - humidity is moderate
• Plants - I have a Ficus
• Placement - Cage in corner of quiet room , no noise no traffic
• Location - Boston, MA

Current Problem - cham still brown and he's kind of lazy. but eating drinking and defecating normally

 

[Inky]

To me it looks like it's laying on a leave not strong enough to pick itself up , that is kinda scary I'm no expert but I would get that checked out

 

[Inky]

Looking at it more now I think that might be MBD .. go to a vet ASAP

 

[Chameleon Crazy Chick]

Well, for one thing your supplementing schedule isn't good. You should use plain calcium WITHOUT D3 every feeding, calcium WITH D3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month. This may help with your situation..... but I would get it checked out by a vet.

 

[ali9021]

Well, for one thing your supplementing schedule isn't good. You should use plain calcium WITHOUT D3 every feeding, calcium WITH D3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month. This may help with your situation..... but I would get it checked out by a vet.

I meant to write without D3 , it's the calcium supplement that came with the Zoo Med kit it states no D3

 

[kinyonga]

Please post a couple more recent photos if him. I don't like the waybhis vent looks and I don't like that he is laying like that. Is that a rubber plant?

 

[carol5208]

Please post more photos of him and photos of your whole set up. It does not look like you have any branches or vines for him to climb on. They need those!

Please post a couple more recent photos if him. I don't like the waybhis vent looks and I don't like that he is laying like that. Is that a rubber plant?

Yes that's a rubber tree! Is that a no no?? I forget.

 

[ali9021]

No its a ficus retusa a burgundy ficus

 

[ali9021]

Please post more photos of him and photos of your whole set up. It does not look like you have any branches or vines for him to climb on. They need those!

Yes that's a rubber tree! Is that a no no?? I forget.

Its a Burgundy Ficus I just bought it the other day

 

[ali9021]

I just took the picture now. He is ALWAYS this drab color but eating and defacating normally

 

[carol5208]

No its a ficus retusa a burgundy ficus

Which is a rubber tree! Do some research and you will see it is a Rubber tree. The reason it was asked as I do believe they are toxic and your species of chameleon is a plant eater. It could potentially prove fatal. I would remove that immediately. Also you did not provide a full picture of your set up. From what I can see though you have no where for him to climb. Climbing on a plant is not sufficient.

 

[carol5208]

Yours is a Ficus Elastica. They are toxic to animals.
Rubber Tree Types
Rubber trees belonging to the genus Peperomia are nontoxic to pets or at most cause mild stomach discomfort if ingested, as exemplified by the baby or American rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia), a small evergreen plant, only up to 1 foot tall. Toxic rubber trees include the Japanese rubber plant, or silver dollar plant, (Crassula arborescens), the widely grown rubber tree Ficus elastica and the weeping fig, or Indian rubber tree (Ficus benjamina). The rubber tree has thick, glossy, dark green leaves that can reach 1 foot in length and up to 5 inches in width. The weeping fig tree has glossy, pointed, oval leaves up to 4 inches long. All the toxic rubber trees are evergreen, provide ornamental value and require little maintenance. You do what you want, but I would not take the chance!

 

[ali9021]

Thank you I will remove it right now, I thought all Ficus was safe, I will give it to my roommate

 

[carol5208]

Thank you I will remove it right now, I thought all Ficus was safe, I will give it to my roommate

No problem! I am glad you are removing it. I just don't want your chameleon to get sick or die. Just have to be so careful with Veilds because they eat plants! Not every Veild will, but alot of them do and you don't want to chance it!. Schefflera are good, pothos, and hibiscus also. The hibiscus will grow big flowers that Veilds can eat them. They are hard to keep indoors though because they flower unless you have a grow light.

 

[ali9021]

No problem! I am glad you are removing it. I just don't want your chameleon to get sick or die. Just have to be so careful with Veilds because they eat plants! Not every Veild will, but alot of them do and you don't want to chance it!. Schefflera are good, pothos, and hibiscus also. The hibiscus will grow big flowers that Veilds can eat them. They are hard to keep indoors though because they flower unless you have a grow light.

Hibiscus was my first choice! I live in the Boston area and Home Depot, Lowes and many local nurseries did not have them. I saw this plant named Burgundy Ficus at Lowes and thought because it was a Ficus, it would be okay. I'm so glad I checked with these forums! Nobody at PetSmart knows anything about chameleons either. They tried to sell me a glass aquarium to put him in

 

[carol5208]

Hibiscus was my first choice! I live in the Boston area and Home Depot, Lowes and many local nurseries did not have them. I saw this plant named Burgundy Ficus at Lowes and thought because it was a Ficus, it would be okay. I'm so glad I checked with these forums! Nobody at PetSmart knows anything about chameleons either. They tried to sell me a glass aquarium to put him in

Yes, unfortunately they sell chameleons, but know nothing about their care when it comes down to it. Glad you found the forums! It can literally be a lifesaver for your chameleon!

 

[Calladora]

Hibiscus was my first choice! I live in the Boston area and Home Depot, Lowes and many local nurseries did not have them. I saw this plant named Burgundy Ficus at Lowes and thought because it was a Ficus, it would be okay. I'm so glad I checked with these forums! Nobody at PetSmart knows anything about chameleons either. They tried to sell me a glass aquarium to put him in

 

[Calladora]

Do not buy live plants from a store go to a nursery and ask for organic. Go up on ur both of ur temps about 10 degrees and 70 75 at night

 

[Chameleomom]

Do not buy live plants from a store go to a nursery and ask for organic. Go up on ur both of ur temps about 10 degrees and 70 75 at night

A DROP in temperature down to 60F (15C) is actually good at night. The chameleon sleeps better.

 

[ali9021]

Miracle of Miracles! Get this, I went to Petco to buy more branches vines and fake plants and AS SOON as I put the fake vine down one end of the cage he turned lime green! Are you sure they don't change color to camouflage themselves? LOL It has also been warmer here in Boston today.