Is this normal?

[BlueJay]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled, Female, About baby to mid-adult. In my care for 1 month.
Handling - 1 hour a day.
Feeding - Small Crickets. 8-10 a day. Gut-loaded using orange cubes.
Supplements - Flunckers Calcium with vitamin d3. Every 2-3 days.
Watering - Spray mist 3-4 times a day. Rarely see it drink.
Fecal Description - White urate. Brown-black feces. No tests.
History - None.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Zoo Med Glass Naturalistic Terrarium.
Lighting - ReptiSun 5.0 UVB. Zoo Med infrared heat lamp.
Temperature - 94 f. Zoo Med thermo.
Humidity - 62-89. Zoo Med Hydro.
Plants - Fake.
Placement - On side table in living room.
Location - Jensen Beach, FL.

Current Problem - It likes to sleep on me alot but in this picture...the ribs show. Even in the enclosure aswell. Is this normal?

Thanks,

Jay

 

[camaleonte82]

need to gut load with better than orange cubes, use calcium WITHOUT d3 every day, multivitamin twice a month and calcium with d3 twice a month. she looks a little thin. try feeding more
and she needs real plants. they help with humidity and they like to munch on them (sometimes)

 

[camaleonte82]

and the temps are too high for a female
when u say small crickets what does that mean? 1/4 inch?

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/662-temperature.html

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/659-green-leafy-goodness-gutloading.html

 

[camaleonte82]

can you post a better pic of the back feet? i think i see spurs. if so that means its male. but i could be wrong thats just what it looks like

 

[BlueJay]

I'll head to the store asap. As for temps, is there a way to sustain heat or should I just turn off the heat lamp every once and awhile? Crickets are around 1/4 inch.

~Jay

 

[camimom]

Just raise your basking lamp higher.

they still need the actual light to bask, but too hot stimulates higher egg production.

 

[camimom]

Also, get a screen cage.

those glass cages tend to keep temps higher than needed, or wanted.

veileds need lots of air flow to do well.

have you looked into egg laying bins?

at roughl 6 months old, they can lay eggs, even if not bred. a proper bin is needed.

find blogs from sandrachameleon about gutloading and do some reserach on that.

 

[Swayne8998]

...Yeah the ribs are fine. No orange cubes. Gutload with kale, collard greens, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, carrots, and fruits. Temps way too high, aim for low to mid 80's basking and low 70's to mid 60's ambient. Only 2-4 crickets daily. You are using WAY too much D3. I use this schedule with Rep-Cal brand:
-Calcium no D3 every feeding
-Calcium with D3 twice a month
-Herptivite (Multivitamin) twice a month
Also get her out of that glass aquarium ASAP. It will cause respitory infections, stagnant air, and stress. She needs an open-air mesh enclosure of 2'x2'x4'. Your handling seems high too... Do you force her to get out? Or do you let her come only if she wants to?

 

[camaleonte82]

Also, get a screen cage.

those glass cages tend to keep temps higher than needed, or wanted.

veileds need lots of air flow to do well.

have you looked into egg laying bins?

at roughl 6 months old, they can lay eggs, even if not bred. a proper bin is needed.

find blogs from sandrachameleon about gutloading and do some reserach on that.

the links i posted are to sandra's blog. i read her stuff like its my chameleon bible. what is your opinion on her back foot?

 

[camimom]

the links i posted are to sandra's blog. i read her stuff like its my chameleon bible. what is your opinion on her back foot?

Yopu mean cuz its so thick looking?

I think its fine, probably just the angle of the pic, and it looks so big compared to her sucking belly in.

 

[BlueJay]

If its a male then petco told me wrong haha. Is this better? My iPhones camera is not that great up close.

~Jay

 

[blackhawk]

Looks to me like you have a male. Sleeping during the day is not a good sign. I see you have an infrared heat lamp. Hope you are not using that at night. Your 5.0 repti sun (placed about 6 inches from a perch) for UVB and a regular incandecent bulb (50-60 watt) for heat is all you need - let him cool down at night. I think you should cut way back on your handling as well - they are very private creatures and this one is still pretty young. Feed well and try leaving him alone for a few weeks.

 

[camaleonte82]

Yopu mean cuz its so thick looking?

I think its fine, probably just the angle of the pic, and it looks so big compared to her sucking belly in.

it looks like a spur is there. a small one but my females back feet dont look like that

 

[camaleonte82]

yeah thats a male

 

[BlueJay]

...Yeah the ribs are fine. No orange cubes. Gutload with kale, collard greens, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, carrots, and fruits. Temps way too high, aim for low to mid 80's basking and low 70's to mid 60's ambient. Only 2-4 crickets daily. You are using WAY too much D3. I use this schedule with Rep-Cal brand:
-Calcium no D3 every feeding
-Calcium with D3 twice a month
-Herptivite (Multivitamin) twice a month
Also get her out of that glass aquarium ASAP. It will cause respitory infections, stagnant air, and stress. She needs an open-air mesh enclosure of 2'x2'x4'. Your handling seems high too... Do you force her to get out? Or do you let her come only if she wants to?

I'm in the process of building my own. I don't force her, just seems to go on my hand with no struggle and falls asleep.

 

[camimom]

PETCO done done you wrong.
haha.

you gots a boy all the way.

 

[BlueJay]

Looks to me like you have a male. Sleeping during the day is not a good sign. I see you have an infrared heat lamp. Hope you are not using that at night. Your 5.0 repti sun (placed about 6 inches from a perch) for UVB and a regular incandecent bulb (50-60 watt) for heat is all you need - let him cool down at night. I think you should cut way back on your handling as well - they are very private creatures and this one is still pretty young. Feed well and try leaving him alone for a few weeks.

I did leave the heat lamp on during night and turn off the uvb light. I'll replace the bulb asap.

 

[BlueJay]

PETCO done done you wrong.
haha.

you gots a boy all the way.

Just told my wife and shes upset haha oh well, atleast I don't have to deal with eggs.

 

[camimom]

Just told my wife and shes upset haha oh well, atleast I don't have to deal with eggs.

haha. shell be happy with him though, the colors are amazing on males.

also, you want total darkness at night.

if youve been leaving his light on all night, that could mess up his sleep schedule.

 

[Swayne8998]

Yep you got a boy I still think you should cut a little on handling.