jackson's on floor dosen't seem sick

[smpliprfct]

Screened Cage 18x12x20"
Repti-Sun 5.0 in a Compact Top
Exo-terra Heat Glo 75 watt
Lights kept on a 12 hour on/off schedule
Max/Min humidity 55-65% - taken using Fluker's Therm/Hygro
Basking area 89 max 86 min
middle of cage 77 max 75 min taken using Fluker's Therm/Hygro and Exoterra temp probe
Plant is a weeping fig that has a dripper above it
Cage is kept 4' above ground on a shelf in a bedroom with ceiling fan
Water drains through drilled holes into a collection tray beneath and cage is cleaned almost daily

I purchased this Jackson's Chameleon on 4/13/09 at the manchester nh reptile expo, he was said to be 5 weeks old then, the picture of him below was taken that day. I dont know the sub species.

Recently he has been going down the the floor of his enclosure and sleeping, mostly at night but he did it today in the afternoon. He is eating fine i offer crickets daily dusted with flukers d3 calcium supplement or repti-calcium without d3 which i use less often - once or twice a week. Drinking fine as well, i have a drip system and spray his enclosure daily. It seems at night he would sleepily and slowly make his way from the top to the bottom. He hasn't been a dark color at all or when on the bottom just sleeping green. When i see him doing this i pick him up and place him in his plant where he will just fall back to sleep. Is this a behavior i'm not used to or is it a deeper concern?

 

[RSGriff]

probably too hot, trying to get away from the heat and you should be using the w/o d3 daily and the w/d3 twice a month. Most people recommend against the compact UVB Bulb (including myself). Try using a normal 40-60 watt white house bulb instead of the red one, or move it further from the cage

 

[Sang]

his basking temps should be like 78, really as long as it warms up during the day, you don't need a basking light for a baby jackson. * at least i am told, montane keepers please correct me if i am wrong*.
THANKS MERU~

a 40watt house bulb should probably be more then enough. if you can keep the enclosure in the 70-74 range for his ambient temps that will be far better.

 

[merumontanus]

No, jacksonii are avid "baskers", especially babies and juveniles. Mine are seen in and out of the basking area all day, with prolonged basking in the morning and evening.

The problem is not the fact that it is being provided with a basking spot, the problem is the wattage and the type of bulb. Chameleons (as many other lizards) respond to both visual as well as physiological stimuli in order to thermoregulate. The balance (and availability) of lux, temperature and UV determine how the animal will bask and how often.

The bulb you are using appears to be an infrared bulb that, at 75 watts, is not only producing excessive heat but also no lux. Considering the size of that cage, you should be using a bulb that is no higher than 50 watts (a 35-40 watt bulb will suffice), and that produces visible light, preferably one that produces a good level of lux. Many people have success using normal incandescent spot lights (though a small flood may serve well if you can still provide a good gradient), but either way, get rid of the red bulb.

The Jackson's should not be sleeping during the day, so increase your daily mistings and monitor his behavior with the new basking bulb.

Good luck,

Fabián

 

[xanthoman]

I WOULD DITCH THE IR and cfl , AND USE A ZOO MED 25W BASKING BULB (ZOOMED ITEM# sl-25) i am familiar with that specific cage and your current setup is way too much for baby jax, or better yet , i would recomend zilla halogen/fluorescent combo dome $45 (fosters&smith item#cf-35312) with the 25w black heat halogen puts out almost no light and the heat is very gentile, be sure and get the 25w black heat (and not the 50 or 75), the circular 23w fluorescent desert 5.0 puts out a very subdued light that is much better for jax than a cfl, the fluor and hal can be operated independently, i would keep it a foot above the cage ,to start out. i would also get a 2x4'acrylic light panel frome the home store cut it to size and cover the back and at least one side (about 60% of the way up ) to help raise & stabilize the humidty, simply drill 1/16" holes and mount directly to the (INSIDE ) of the frame with the appropriate size stainless screws, i would also keep the cage at least 4' off of the ground , jax arent comfortable if they are at lower than eye level , if a jax aint comfortable it will search for a way out

 

[smpliprfct]

THANK YOUUUUU!!!!! we went out and purchased the combo dome today, except it came with a 50 watt black heat bulb so now we just need to get the 25 watt one instead. any ideas where to get one for relatively cheap?

thanks thanks thanks again that response helped so much!

 

[FaunaBgirl]

I have had my Xantholophus' (Jackson subs) for two years now and the first thing Triggs does when we go outside is go to the ground. He used his horns sometimes to dig under rock, looking for insects. I think it might be part of his nature, as I have heard of wilds doing the same thing. Might be fun to put the odd worm here and there, in things and under leaves and such to see if that is what he might be up to. Especially when his horns are a little longer.

 

[xanthoman]

THANK YOUUUUU!!!!! we went out and purchased the combo dome today, except it came with a 50 watt black heat bulb so now we just need to get the 25 watt one instead. any ideas where to get one for relatively cheap?

thanks thanks thanks again that response helped so much!

also i would lower your basking temps, for a jax that young , i would be careful not to let basking temps build up to more than 82*, turn the basking light off by early evenining to let temps dissipate , xanths like a substatial drop in temp at night , if the temp in your cage stays above 68* , i would not worry about night time heat ,dont leave it on all day , you CAN'T count on jax to self regulate , they will often seek out more heat than is good for them , besides i believe they need this temp variance in order to toughen up (similar to the way a new born baby is spanked to get the blood flowing ), be sure to probe right where the black heat bulb focuses, readings can be substantially different just inches away ,and try and have the set up so it dicourages climbing to the top of the cage and hanging upside down right under the light , just because you have never seen him do that does not mean he wont , and it is a good way to come home and find the little guy cooked, (THAT IS WHY I RECOMEND HAVING THE LIGHT SETUP AT LEAST 10"ABOVE THE CAGE JUST IN CASE), after you have got temps, times, and distances figured out, you can temporarily dismantle the switch housing of the lamp, and add a second cord (drill housing)so that there each bulb has its own cord, then you can use two timers to independently control each of the bulbs (that is the biggest drawback of the stock fixture) every once in a while i let them bask with the zoo med 25w just for the psycological effect of the brighter light, plus i believe it supplements a little additional uva, and a little variety in the routine, also i would get in the habit of feeding from a cup, it is a little more sanitary than floor feeding , and i keep the cup relatively high in the cage (just below his usual basking spot and off to the side (to reduce getting pooped in) but tilted slightly towards him . fosters and smith usually offers the best prices, but that is canceled out by shipping if you are only buying one or two low ticket items, the 25w black heat halogens can be hard to find locally but they do exist (upc code # 096316671164 , zilla item #100009636)
it is the one best suited to jax and the one you need , it provides almost no light, so you can use it at night if temps get too low , but not like likely, adult xanths can tolerate temps down to 50* neonates easily handle temps down to 65* for the early morning hrs and always be sure there is water on the plants in the morning, use heated water to mist with, but thats a whole nother subject, last, get that plant substate covered