Male Veiled looking a little dehydrated

[mcghee26]

Thanks for all the help in advance. I have a male veiled chameleon, about 6-8 months old. He has been doing fine eating well, drinking, and really has some nice coloring. He is housed in a 4X2X2 aluminum screened in enclosure, with a reptisun 5.o UVB light, his basking spot is about 100-110 degrees. I have an automatic mister that mists three times a day for three minutes, and have a ultrasonic humidifier that is piped into the cage with the humidity between 60-70% at all times. He has been eating 6-8 crickets a day. Drinks from the leaves just fine. The question I have is that the last couple of nights when he is sleeping his eyes have seemed a little sunken in, which tells me he is starting to get dehydrated. The last 2 nights I put another ultrasonic humidifier pointed directly at him where he sleeps, hoping this would allow him to soak in enough moisture to fix the dehydration problem, but this morning he is still looking the same. I should have taken a picture of him last night when he was sleeping, but didn't think about it and now that he is awake he hates the camera and just flares up and I really can't get a good pic of his eyes. I know about giving him a shower, but he is kinda aggressive and I don't think he would sit on a plant in the shower, and that is why I put the humidifier directly on him, to try and duplicate the shower. Is there anything I can do to stop this? I know silkworms and hornworms are a good source for hydrating a chameleon, but unfortunately I can't get any of those locally and would probably be about a week before I could have my hands on them. Any help on this would greatly be appreciated. If there is anything I did not mention that you need to know, don't hesitate to ask, I think I put down everything about the enclosure and about him.

 

[Julirs]

I may be misunderstanding you, but is he getting wet at night? That would not be good. Sounds like everything is good as far as caging, lighting, and humidity, but if you have a sense he is dehydrated and he basks alot under the 100-110 range, you may try turning down your temps just a little. A vet check with a fecal won't hurt, just so you an rule out parasites. Pictures would be great if you have any.

 

[mcghee26]

Thanks for the advice, He usually does not get wet at night, but due to the dehydration I put the humidifier on him hoping it would re-hydrate him. What should the temps be for the basking spot, I had another cham to the vets and he told me that the temps were fine, I could lut a lower watt bulb in if you think that the higher heat may be dehydrating him.

 

[Julirs]

Adult Veileds are good with the temps you mentioned, but many keepers don't even go that high for adults. I still keep my year old Veiled's in the 90-95 range. Would not hurt to try to lower it at all. Do his eyes look real sunken-or is it only at night? If he is eating and his urates look fine, then he just may be growing and not have any problems.

 

[mcghee26]

His eyes are not sunken in that bad, I can only really notice it at night when his eyes are closed but they are more sunken in than normal, I had lost a cham in the past to dehydration and just now am kinda jumpy I guess and don't want it to happen again, Right now I filled up his mister with hot water and am misting him for about 20 minutes to see if that will help.

 

[Julirs]

If he is drinking and produing a nice full white urate-I would not worry too much. I have the same worries!

 

[mcghee26]

Thanks alot for your help, the long misting just ended and I will see how he is doing, his urates seem to be ok. What wattage bulb would you recommend? I was using a 75 watt and just moved it down to 60, should I go lower or is that low enough

 

[Julirs]

I use 75's on all my cages and adjust the distance.

 

[mcghee26]

Thanks alot, I have mine about 4 inches from his basking spot, do you know about how far yours is?

 

[Julirs]

Well, here is Leon basking in his 75W blulb. There is a 60W next to it that keeps the spot between 90 and 95 degrees. It is 6-7" away from where he sits.

 

[mcghee26]

ok, thanks for all your help!!!