Leo loves plants!

[extrajordinary]

Leo has been munching the plants in his new enclosure like CRAZY. You'd think I don't feed him! I checked all his plants against FL Cham's safe plant list, but I wanted to ask about one plant in particular: fuchsia. I don't have fuchsia plants in his enclosure, but I have two outside. I've only done it twice, but when a flower falls off, I put it in his enclosure for him...and he snatches it right away! Fuchsia is listed as being safe, and I've seen others post about their chameleons eating hibiscus flowers...but I just wanted to be sure I'm not harming him in any way by offering some flowers here and there. He seems to love them! Is this an okay practice?

 

[Chameleomom]

Hibiscus flowers are good for them...full of Vitamin A and C

 

[extrajordinary]

Hibiscus flowers are good for them...full of Vitamin A and C

Do you know if the same goes for fuchsia flowers?

 

[Chameleomom]

I am sorry but that one I would have to read about

 

[Chameleomom]

That is on the safe plant list.

 

[JoXie411]

Do you know if the same goes for fuchsia flowers?

My little dude had a fuchsia plant and loved it. He always ate the plant

 

[Thatwizard420]

Are Majestic Palms safe for my veiled Cham? I saw him munching on it.

 

[Beman]

Are Majestic Palms safe for my veiled Cham? I saw him munching on it.

Not sure about the plant but I hope you have upgraded your lighting and cage size. Looks like a 16x16x30 cage. Much too small for a Male veiled. They need a T5HO light fixture with a 10.0 zoo med linear UVB bulb or a 12% arcadia bulb. Very important.

 

[Thatwizard420]

Not sure about the plant but I hope you have upgraded your lighting and cage size. Looks like a 16x16x30 cage. Much too small for a Male veiled. They need a T5HO light fixture with a 10.0 zoo med linear UVB bulb or a 12% arcadia bulb. Very important.

Yeah, I’m working on the lighting, I don’t have sufficient funds for a bigger cage till in 2 more weeks, but I know cage size it’s a big MUST upgrade.... where can I get lighting at a reasonable price? All the T5 hoods are like $60 plus $30 bulb

 

[Beman]

Yeah, I’m working on the lighting, I don’t have sufficient funds for a bigger cage till in 2 more weeks, but I know cage size it’s a big MUST upgrade.... where can I get lighting at a reasonable price? All the T5 hoods are like $60 plus $30 bulb

So lighting is expensive. Everything with this species is expensive. IF you want lighting that will also help plant growth then a dual fixture is a benefit. But lighting can not be something you wait on. you will want to get a 24 inch fixture so that when you upgrade the cage size it will fit the new enclosure.I order all of my lighting through lightyourreptiles.com. A lot of us use credit to purchase what we need when we need it. I have a care credit card just for my animals Vet bills. As I said everything is expensive if you want them to live a long, happy, and healthy life.

 

[Thatwizard420]

So lighting is expensive. Everything with this species is expensive. IF you want lighting that will also help plant growth then a dual fixture is a benefit. But lighting can not be something you wait on. you will want to get a 24 inch fixture so that when you upgrade the cage size it will fit the new enclosure.I order all of my lighting through lightyourreptiles.com. A lot of us use credit to purchase what we need when we need it. I have a care credit card just for my animals Vet bills. As I said everything is expensive if you want them to live a long, happy, and healthy life.

I don’t mind dropping a few buck for him, it’s just that I’m not able to buy cage and light all at once, priority should be light?

 

[Beman]

I don’t mind dropping a few buck for him, it’s just that I’m not able to buy cage and light all at once, priority should be light?

Yes, priority is light. MBD can cost you thousands to try to correct issues. This can lead to secondary issues as well with eyes, tongue, infections. Not something you want to chance. So lighting first. Cage needs to happen soon though. This is important as Males really need their space.

 

[Thatwizard420]

Yes, priority is light. MBD can cost you thousands to try to correct issues. This can lead to secondary issues as well with eyes, tongue, infections. Not something you want to chance. So lighting first. Cage needs to happen soon though. This is important as Males really need their space.

To compensate for smaller cage, he spends a lot of time outside in my Calliandra Californica bush. I only take him out when UV index is not 11 or 10.... I live in AZ so UV index is almost always Extreme. Thanks for advice, will upgrade lighting today, will post updated pics. Thanks for all advice and help.

 

[Beman]

To compensate for smaller cage, he spends a lot of time outside in my Calliandra Californica bush. I only take him out when UV index is not 11 or 10.... I live in AZ so UV index is almost always Extreme. Thanks for advice, will upgrade lighting today, will post updated pics. Thanks for all advice and help.

How are you getting your UVI levels? Your looking for levels of 3-4 for a Veiled. In the wild they retreat into the foliage to protect themselves from higher levels. In a cage this would put basking level at approx 8 inches down using a 12% arcadia or 10.0 T5 bulb. But I highly recommend going with either a dual fixture or a quad since you have a heavily planted enclosure your plants will need the additional lighting. Otherwise you will be frustrated with the plant die off and very limited light filtering through the cage and want to upgrade again lol.

 

[Thatwizard420]

How are you getting your UVI levels? Your looking for levels of 3-4 for a Veiled. In the wild they retreat into the foliage to protect themselves from higher levels. In a cage this would put basking level at approx 8 inches down using a 12% arcadia or 10.0 T5 bulb. But I highly recommend going with either a dual fixture or a quad since you have a heavily planted enclosure your plants will need the additional lighting. Otherwise you will be frustrated with the plant die off and very limited light filtering through the cage and want to upgrade again lol.

I get them from the weather app.... I don’t know anything about lights. My idea was buying the t5. Have my dual hood with double UVB bulbs and put them on the side of the cage.He loves his fairy duster bush. Hell even try to eat some chocolate flowers, which I notice and don’t let him.He seems to enjoy the time outside as his colors change to a more mellow blue/greenish/yellowish... Hell even eat some grasshoppers that are there.

 

[Beman]

I get them from the weather app.... I don’t know anything about lights. My idea was buying the t5. Have my dual hood with double UVB bulbs and put them on the side of the cage.He loves his fairy duster bush. Hell even try to eat some chocolate flowers, which I notice and don’t let him.He seems to enjoy the time outside as his colors change to a more mellow blue/greenish/yellowish... Hell even eat some grasshoppers that are there.

So you do not want to use lighting on the side of the cage and not additional UVB. Here is why. They need the temperature gradient moving down through their cage. We mimic as they have in the wild to the best of our ability. So heat/light coming from above at the hottest point and then as they move down into the foliage they are able to get into cooler ambient temps. Also you can overdose on UVB as well.

Looks like you live in southern AZ. So your going to be limited on what plants will survive. Just be sure with the intense sun you are watching him. If he starts gaping he is too hot. Also I am unsure on if those wild plants would be safe to ingest so I would air on the side of caution lol. Yes, they love their outside time.