Lily was not pooping (here’s what I did)

[VeiledLily]

My sweet Lily is turning a year old next month and I have been watching over the past few weeks that she hadn’t pooped at all and only left two huge urates. I started doing research and here’s what I found to help relieve constipation:

Pears (eaten off spoon)
Applesauce (eaten off spoon)
Warm Baths & Misting

-She always peeled fine in the past
-Never had potty issues
-Always gets her supplements at meal time

THEN I realized what was the problem.. I have been using a 5.0UVB instead of 10.0UVB




Today (2/16)
Lily is already PEELING and she left me a VERY nice size urate/poo The bulb has been changed 24 hours now and I couldn’t believe the difference it made already

My main concern from here on out is:
Did I do irreversible damage internally by using a 5.0UVB instead of 10.0UVB?

I feel when she was younger in a smaller cage that would’ve been appropriate to use a 5.0UVB until she moved into her Reptabreeze about 6 months ago but I’m not sure that’s why I’m asking so correct me if I’m wrong

 

[Beman]

My sweet Lily is turning a year old next month and I have been watching over the past few weeks that she hadn’t pooped at all and only left two huge urates. I started doing research and here’s what I found to help relieve constipation:

Pears (eaten off spoon)
Applesauce (eaten off spoon)
Warm Baths & Misting

-She always peeled fine in the past
-Never had potty issues
-Always gets her supplements at meal time

THEN I realized what was the problem.. I have been using a 5.0UVB instead of 10.0UVB


View attachment 320093

Today (2/16)
Lily is already PEELING and she left me a VERY nice size urate/poo The bulb has been changed 24 hours now and I couldn’t believe the difference it made already

My main concern from here on out is:
Did I do irreversible damage internally by using a 5.0UVB instead of 10.0UVB?

I feel when she was younger in a smaller cage that would’ve been appropriate to use a 5.0UVB until she moved into her Reptabreeze about 6 months ago but I’m not sure that’s why I’m asking so correct me if I’m wrong

Hey there. So there are actually multiple issues here. Chameleons should not be fed any fruit. Their bodies do not digest the sugars. Warm baths for a chameleon are never recommended. This is extremely stressful for them.

Proper overall husbandry ensures healthy shedding. What I can see from her fecal is that her urate is showing signs of dehydration. When they are not hydrated this can impact their bowel movements as well.

A T5HO 10.0 linear bulb is not recommended unless you have a distance of 11-12 inches to the branch with a single bulb T5HO fixture.

With a 5.0 linear bulb and a T5HO you should have a distance of 8-9 inches to the branch.

Either one of these with the distances would provide the 3 UVI level they need without over exposure risk.

 

[VeiledLily]

Hey there. So there are actually multiple issues here. Chameleons should not be fed any fruit. Their bodies do not digest the sugars. Warm baths for a chameleon are never recommended. This is extremely stressful for them.

Proper overall husbandry ensures healthy shedding. What I can see from her fecal is that her urate is showing signs of dehydration. When they are not hydrated this can impact their bowel movements as well.

A T5HO 10.0 linear bulb is not recommended unless you have a distance of 11-12 inches to the branch with a single bulb T5HO fixture.

With a 5.0 linear bulb and a T5HO you should have a distance of 8-9 inches to the branch.

Either one of these with the distances would provide the 3 UVI level they need without over exposure risk.

Oh Lily actually enjoyed her bath and didn’t puff or stress but she’s also very mellow. I read that CERTAIN fruits help actually and a good supplement, I got her the pears without sugar Also her cage definitely meets the measurements for the lighting. I appreciate you!

 

[VeiledLily]

Here is her enclosure, she killed her tree

 

[VeiledLily]

@Beman I have followed your feed/supp schedule you gave me months ago and I just wanted to verify every feeding she gets some sort of supp since it’s 3-4 times a week correct?

 

[AmandaS]

Here is her enclosure, she killed her tree

Where is her UV bulb?
Are you using a compact/coil bulb for UV?

 

[VeiledLily]

Where is her UV bulb?
Are you using a compact/coil bulb for UV?

It’s a UV Bulb and Heating Lamp?

 

[AmandaS]

It’s a UV Bulb and Heating Lamp?

This could be why her uv absorption is effecting her. She needs a T5HO 5.0 long linear tube light. The kind you are using is not adequate for chameleons.
I'll find a link that I can attach to show you what I'm talking about.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-reptisun-50-uvb-t5-ho-lamp-39-watts

 

[VeiledLily]

This could be why her uv absorption is effecting her. She needs a T5HO 5.0 long linear tube light. The kind you are using is not adequate for chameleons.
I'll find a link that I can attach to show you what I'm talking about.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-reptisun-50-uvb-t5-ho-lamp-39-watts
View attachment 320117

I’ve been using this fixture since she was born and see everybody using this way, I see more this way than the lamp fixture. What about the heat lamp? Can I keep the ballast for that? It’s not about money to me it’s just about what’s right.

 

[VeiledLily]

This could be why her uv absorption is effecting her. She needs a T5HO 5.0 long linear tube light. The kind you are using is not adequate for chameleons.
I'll find a link that I can attach to show you what I'm talking about.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-reptisun-50-uvb-t5-ho-lamp-39-watts
View attachment 320117

I currently have a 10.0 UVB in that as well the bulb

 

[SerpeRoma]

I currently have a 10.0 UVB in that as well the bulb

You need a linear T5 HO fixture and a 6% or 12% Arcadia bulb or 5.0 or 10.0 reptisun bulb.

Also definitely need more foliage and horizontal branches, get rid of the fake plants as Veileds are notorious plant-eaters and she could die if she accidentally eats a piece of plastic. Live plants also help keeping humidity up. You can find pothos everywhere and they're very hard to kill, as center piece you can get a Schefflera Arboricola (umbrella plant) or a Ficus Benjamina.

 

[SerpeRoma]

Oh, and that carpet has to go as well, water and droppings make a perfect place for bacteria to grow and spread.

 

[VeiledLily]

You need a linear T5 HO fixture and a 6% or 12% Arcadia bulb or 5.0 or 10.0 reptisun bulb.

Also definitely need more foliage and horizontal branches, get rid of the fake plants as Veileds are notorious plant-eaters and she could die if she accidentally eats a piece of plastic. Live plants also help keeping humidity up. You can find pothos everywhere and they're very hard to kill, as center piece you can get a Schefflera Arboricola (umbrella plant) or a Ficus Benjamina.

Well thanks? She killed her tree as you can tell or else it was fuller before. I haven’t replaced her tree yet she had an umbrella plant as you stated I just call it her tree. Seems a bit harsh judging how my enclosure is set up just because it doesn’t have what centerpieces you like?

 

[AmandaS]

I’ve been using this fixture since she was born and see everybody using this way, I see more this way than the lamp fixture. What about the heat lamp? Can I keep the ballast for that? It’s not about money to me it’s just about what’s right.

I'm not surprised you see many people using that kind of UV Bulb, as opposed to the T5 I linked. There is a lot of misinformation out there. And we often see people having health issues with their chameleons due to incorrect husbandry, such as their uv lighting, caused by this misinformation.
You can keep that fixture you have for the heat bulb, yes. But that UV has to be upgraded to a T5HO 5.0 or 6% bulb.

 

[VeiledLily]

I'm not surprised you see many people using that kind of UV Bulb, as opposed to the T5 I linked. There is a lot of misinformation out there. And we often see people having health issues with their chameleons due to incorrect husbandry, such as their uv lighting, caused by this misinformation.
You can keep that fixture you have for the heat bulb, yes. But that UV has to be upgraded to a T5HO 5.0 or 6% bulb.

THANK YOU!

 

[AmandaS]

Well thanks for your opinion? She killed her tree as you can tell or else it was fuller before. Stop judging how my enclosure is set up just because it doesn’t have what centerpieces you like?

It is not because they do not like the centerpiece you have. Please understand that we are all just passionate about chameleons around here.
We can tell you care, and that you have worked very hard to provide what you thought you needed.
Unfortunately, I'll tie this back to the misinformation spread all over about chameleon care, veileds are known for eating plastic foliage and becoming impacted. She would do better with live plants.
You may have to replace her plants often because she will ravage them! As suggested, you can easily find pothos plants and they grow so fast!! That's one I would recommend, although any veiled-safe plant is also fine! If I were you I would find some you like so you have many replacements for when she goes savage on her plants. Lol

 

[AmandaS]

THANK YOU!

Of course. Anytime.

 

[VeiledLily]

It is not because they do not like the centerpiece you have. Please understand that we are all just passionate about chameleons around here.
We can tell you care, and that you have worked very hard to provide what you thought you needed.
Unfortunately, I'll tie this back to the misinformation spread all over about chameleon care, veileds are known for eating plastic foliage and becoming impacted. She would do better with live plants.
You may have to replace her plants often because she will ravage them! As suggested, you can easily find pothos plants and they grow so fast!! That's one I would recommend, although any veiled-safe plant is also fine! If I were you I would find some you like so you have many replacements for when she goes savage on her plants. Lol

I’ll definitely buy her more real plants I just didn’t yet and I’ll remove the carpet well it’s not a carpet it’s the lining and it helps keep her branches from sliding but I can always stick them in the plants soil, I just need to keep enough room for her lay bin when it’s time to put it in for her. She’s honestly never bitten at any of the vines I have, they’re more clothy material but she does bite the leaves off her real plants! I also use the vines so she could get up higher and hang onto something on the side of the cage at her lights. I’ll update you with a photo when I have it done. I appreciate your help and how you talk to people. It’s very helpful!

 

[SerpeRoma]

Well thanks? She killed her tree as you can tell or else it was fuller before. I haven’t replaced her tree yet she had an umbrella plant as you stated I just call it her tree. Seems a bit harsh judging how my enclosure is set up just because it doesn’t have what centerpieces you like?

I'm sorry you took my advice the wrong way, it's probably my fault as English is not my first language I tried to give you all the information I could by seeing your cage in the most concise way possible with a couple of examples for plants, I just want you to have the right infos to keep your cham healthy!

 

[Chameleoking]

That lighting fixture is most likely why your cham has those issues. She will eventually developed other health issues if you continue to use that fixture for uvb lighting. Its perfectly fine for basking bulb. You need T5HO 5.0 or 6%. The cham is only a year old so she hasn't yet developed mbd or other health issues yet