Looking for advice for multiple questions

[AngryGremlin]

This is my first time posting, but I'm hoping that with any answers I may get it can help reduce the trial and error with the following.I have a veiled chameleon named Calcifer who has recently gotten his adult colors.This will have several question in it so I can try to keep from stressing him or myself. When I rescued him he was very underweight and had a severe calcium deficiency so for his own safety because he had a tendency to just drop off of vines he has been kept in a smaller enclosure until now. I am in the late stages of building his adult enclosure out of a Curio cabinet (54in tall x41in wide x 14in deep) so he can move over since he has greatly improved since I got him. My question is for something this size what suggestions would anyone have for lighting? He currently has a linear 5.0 UVB bulb and a 100 watt non light emitting heat bulb(held above the top of the enclosure to keep his basking ranging from 90-95 with the warm side in general being about 80-85) which have kept his enclosure good thus far. The top of this cabinet has been removed and placed with screen and i am going to remove either two or four of the windows(each is 6 ½ in x 10in) in a straight line across the bottoms of the doors to replace them with screen as well to create a chimney effect.

(And in case anyone is going to ask, I have a variety of plants i've researched to make sure are safe for him that will grow with him in there. As well as a misting system which I will be getting more tubing and mister heads to expand on in the new enclosure. And all products used to make the inside safe for him and so the wood won't rot have been researched to be reptile safe so i wont risk any possible toxicity)

With all the airflow and new large tank size im not sure what size bulbs ill need but i dont want to end up with an in between period where its either to warm or cold for him so i figured id try to get suggestions here. Also if anyone has suggestions for securing the misting tube so it can safely hold chameleon weight that'd be greatly appreciated since his favorite place to sleep is either on the mister or on the hose right next to it and after 3 sheds in the 2 months i've had him he's big enough it keeps dipping really low and annoying him. Also since his last shed hes gotten this grey around the edges of his face and grey spots on his body that at times seem black and I cant find online if this is normal or not. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. I just wanna make sure this boy is as happy as can be after the condition he was in when i got him.

 

[Beman]

Hey there welcome to the forum. Your basking temps are actually running far too hot for a veiled. You want a range of 80-85 Max. The CHI are actually not recommended for chams. They can produce extremely high temps and often can cause thermal burns. I would get a standard white incandescent bulb 75 watt instead.

For your cabinet. You are on track with what you want to do. Now you will want to totally seal the inside of this cabinet with something like flex seal. This still needs to gas off for roughly 2 weeks. There should be absolutely no odor left. Otherwise it is going to leak and mold. Cut out the entire top of the cabinet. You want to use aluminum window screen only as the UVB lighting will pass through this correctly. You will use a T5HO fixture with a 5.0 or 6% bulb on top of the screen. This needs to run the full width of the cage top. Then your very highest branches in the cage need to sit 8-9 inches below the screen and no closer. This will put him in the perfect 3 UVI level. Since your cabinet is 41 wide you would want the 36inch UVB fixture as the 48 is going to be way too long for the top unless it will fit running corner to corner.

Mist king sells tube clips that you can use to attach the line to the cage. These screw in. Make sure you order the right size for the tube you get. Also this will make it so that the tube does not rattle. Mist king would be the system I would recommend for you as well.

The coloration you are talking about is totally normal. He does seem to be on the thinner side though. Make sure you get a fecal sample tested before you move him to the new cage. If he has a parasite load then you could end up dealing with total hell trying to clean the new cage to prevent reinfection after medication for treatment.

This is a great husbandry program you can learn from https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

I have attached a plant list for you. You want to use the veiled tested plants only. I would also purchase a jungle dawn led plant light for the cage(34 inch). The plants will need it.

Let us know if you have any questions.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome to the forum. @Beman said it all already. Mist King also has wedges, which secure the mist heads so they don’t rip and fall thru the screen.

 

[AngryGremlin]

Thank you so much for all the info. Ill make sure to adjust his temps in the current enclosure and switch out his bulbs so hell be good while we wait for the new one.