is this poop normal?
- Thread starter PabloTheCham
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PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
I mist in the morning and around 3 and also around 6. I have seen him do the tongue thing as if he is drinking right after I misted, but I didn't see any water near his mouth, so idk what he was doing. i also have a fountain for him in case he is thirsty. Also he doesn't eat any worms, idk why. I tried giving him a hornworm and he just sat there as it started climbing onto him. I think he only eats things that move around fast.
janjan20
Chameleon Enthusiast
How long do you mist each session? What type of plants do you have in the cage? Typically they drink the droplets on leaves.
Waterfalls are highly discouraged for use in enclosures. They can be a breeding ground for bacteria if not maintained properly. Also, bugs and feces can contaminate it causing further issues in cleanliness. This can lead to illness later on if you don’t remove it.
I would use a dripper instead, it’s easier to clean and to keep clean.
Waterfalls are highly discouraged for use in enclosures. They can be a breeding ground for bacteria if not maintained properly. Also, bugs and feces can contaminate it causing further issues in cleanliness. This can lead to illness later on if you don’t remove it.
I would use a dripper instead, it’s easier to clean and to keep clean.
JuniorC
Avid Member
Around how old is he?
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have no idea, the person that sold it didn't know.
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have already watched these videos before getting the cham
The reason i posted this is because based on his eyes, he is hydrated, however his urates are orange. i just want to make sure he is healthy
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
I wanted a dripper, but my mom wouldn't let me, she said it will leave water everywhere. as for the fountain there is a filter on it, but i don't know if that is enough. The plants are all umbrella plants.
Dbash44
Avid Member
Hey there! Congrats on the new cham.
I would take the suggestions from other members about the waterfall. Even if you are on point with cleaning it, you never know what happens when you’re out at school or work or whatever. Maybe he’ll go to the bathroom in it and then drink it an hour later.
If you’re misting at 3a and 6a does that mean you’re using a misting system? Or are you waking up that early just for that.
A couple things, if you’ve got a misting system wouldn’t your mother be concerned that water would get everywhere with that? With the dripper just put a bowl in the enclosure to catch the water drops. Still, though, this leaves stagnant water as an issue.
If I were you I’d use the forum search tab and look at threads about drainage. I can send you pics of what I do if you’d like.
Ihave all four of my enclosures hooked up with pvc drains. It’s simple for ppl who aren’t a plumber (like me!). Essentially you’ll make great use of gravity for this. I attach a small drain (Oatey 1.5” drain) with hot glue through a hole in the center of corrugated plastic sheets that are cut to the footprint of the enclosure. I replace the bottom that came with the cage with this, put the cage up on bricks and then put a potted plant in the middle of the inside of the enclosure. This pulls all the water to the center of the floor and through the drain using gravity. At this point you can get creative with pvc or just put a bowl under the drain since the cage is raised on the bricks. This bowl of water can be emptied when full and eliminates stagnant water in the enclosure.
Great work on the plants! Make sure they’re getting plenty of light so they don’t die!
Also, consider getting a fogger to run for short periods in the night. This also helps keep these guys hydrated.
Lastly, don’t know how you’re feeding hornworms or how they have an opportunity to climb on your chameleon. I’m thinking it’s too close for him to see what it is if you’re hand feeding. If you’re not hand feeding, try to. I have the same issue at times with the hornworms not being squirmy enough. I hold them between my index fingers by the head and apply slight pressure. Not enough to harm it though. This makes the hornworm squirm around like our chameleons like. Make sure to hold it like 6 inches away from his head so he can shoot his tongue at it.
Dbash44
Avid Member
So here’s pictures of the drain I was talking about. It’s got a thin enough lip at the top to let the majority of water to drain through. No puddles of water in the bottom of the enclosure.
I’ve added a picture of the corrugated plastic, too. It’s essentially like plastic cardboard. You can easily cut it with a utility knife. Just be careful and don’t cut yourself like I do. I’m clumsy haha
Also, can you add pics of your chams setup, please?
I’ve added a picture of the corrugated plastic, too. It’s essentially like plastic cardboard. You can easily cut it with a utility knife. Just be careful and don’t cut yourself like I do. I’m clumsy haha
Also, can you add pics of your chams setup, please?
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PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
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here is the cage. i put a table in it to make it smaller until he grows. this is already a big improvement comparing to pet store.
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Dbash44
Avid Member
The table worries me. Unless it's very flush with the sides of the cage, it could be a risk to your cham. I've seen my chams get into some pretty tight spaces so it worries me that if your guy decides to explore or falls down the side he won't be able to get back up. If you have enough branches and plants in there, imo, you won't have to make the cage smaller. There are lots of ways to get branches securely mounted in the cage. Looks like you already might be using one method with the dowels. Are they held in place with push pins/tacks? Try using vegetable ties or floral wire through the screen. That works well. Something you might have to accept is that the cage is going to get damaged. Most screen cages are built cheaply so they're going to get damaged in one way or another. Eventually they'll start to rust, too. I get a new one every year or two depending on the extent of the beating it takes.
Yes it is a huge improvement compared to the pet store. Great work! Just be like a sponge and absorb information. There's a lot of information about chams you'll read, do your best not to get overwhelmed. If you do that's okay and that's why CF exists.
They're great! That's a good idea to flip them over. Since I have four chams I prefer to have all they're enclosures drain to one bucket which is why I use the drains right side up. Since most of them are on risers, it allows the potted plant on the enclosure floor to make the floor concave enough to pull water through the drain with no puddles. I use corrugated plastic sheets for this purpose since they're durable and easy to cut to the side I need.
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
I took the bottom of the cage off, and put it on the table. Then I taped it to the screen. I attached a picture.
here is how the sticks are secured.
Below is also my crickets enclosure. does this count as gutloading?
Also here is a pic of him, i don't know how old he is, maybe you know.
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Dbash44
Avid Member
@PabloTheCham That's a great way of hanging your branches. If i were you I'd get about a dozen more branches in there. Make some a little less steep and more flat. Make sure he has a branch for basking under his heat bulb but make sure it's not close enough to burn himself. Test the basking spot to make sure it's not too hot! Chameleons don't know when they're burning themselves kind of like we don't notice when we're getting sunburned. Make sure he has a UVB basking branch as well. The other branches will be there for him to thermoregulate with or hide with.
As far as your cricket enclosure, what's in the bottom? The orangish-brown stuff? I usually just keep mine bare. Crickets will eat anything that's in there so I'm asking to make sure it's nothing that will in turn hurt your cham. I also have my cricket container bare at the bottom so I can wipe out all their fecal matter or carcasses. This keeps it as clean as possible.
The box of soil is not necessary unless you're trying to breed your crickets. Maybe that's your intention?
It's good you're gutloading. There are a lot of fruits and veggies you can use to gutload. Everyone does this a little differently. WHen I used to use fresh produce more often, I found dendelion greens were great. I always dusted the produce I was using with Cricket Crack. However, you can also use something like Bug Burger which is what I currently use. There's a lot of good stuff on the forum about what to use to gutload. Also,
There might be a newer blog or thread, I just know this is what I read way back when that was really helpful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/feeder-nutrition-gutloading.75/
As far as your cricket enclosure, what's in the bottom? The orangish-brown stuff? I usually just keep mine bare. Crickets will eat anything that's in there so I'm asking to make sure it's nothing that will in turn hurt your cham. I also have my cricket container bare at the bottom so I can wipe out all their fecal matter or carcasses. This keeps it as clean as possible.
The box of soil is not necessary unless you're trying to breed your crickets. Maybe that's your intention?
It's good you're gutloading. There are a lot of fruits and veggies you can use to gutload. Everyone does this a little differently. WHen I used to use fresh produce more often, I found dendelion greens were great. I always dusted the produce I was using with Cricket Crack. However, you can also use something like Bug Burger which is what I currently use. There's a lot of good stuff on the forum about what to use to gutload. Also,
There might be a newer blog or thread, I just know this is what I read way back when that was really helpful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/feeder-nutrition-gutloading.75/
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
The substrate is "ground english nut shells" and yes i am trying to breed crix so my cham costs nothing. i am already breeding superworms.
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
Its hard to tell form the front, but I have a basking branch. He like to go on the umbrella tree for UVB.
there is the basking spot:
there is the basking spot:
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Molly1443
Established Member
Hi
First I would suggest you cover well the soil in your plant pots. Veiled LOVE perlite ( the white stuff in the soil ).
you can cover it with coconut fiber mat like the one in the picture. You cut it to best fit your plant pot and just make a hole for the stems or trunk if you have a little tree.
and also, are you sure you have a male?
can you post a picture of the feets?
