my baby veiled needs help

[Shona]

Hi

My 10 week old Veiled chameleon doesnt seem to be to happy.

I have only had him a week so not sure if he is just unused to me and his new surroundings.

I turn his heater up and put his lights n baskin bulb at 8-8:30 in the morning and feed him, wax worms n meal worms even though he doesnt seem to like meal worms, and then put his crickets at about 9.

hes left in piece all day, then wen i get bak at half 6 i feed him some more worms, and i turn his lights n bask off at 10 - 10:30.

hes got running water in his tank, and loadz to climb on, logs and vines and plants ect.

He seems really scared of me though, cowering away from me wen ever he sees me, and hes bin a greyish colour since i got him, turning green only rarley.

Ii hate that i know hes stressed but i dont no what to do.

Also he seems to have fully shed in just 8 hours today! is this normal? should i do anything now that he has shed.

If you need any more info to help just ask.

Thanks

shona n jambo

 

[gerhartrx]

Welcome. We all want to help but it would be easier if we understand the entire picture. Please fill this out and it will help.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

 

[gerhartrx]

To try and answer some of the immediate questions. I will give it a go...

I have only had him a week so not sure if he is just unused to me and his new surroundings. - He is not used to you and/ or his surrondings. This will take time and exploration on his part. Be patient.

I turn his heater up and put his lights n baskin bulb at 8-8:30 in the morning and feed him, wax worms n meal worms even though he doesnt seem to like meal worms, and then put his crickets at about 9. - A lot of questions from this statement. The ask for help questionaire will help. Are you feeding both meal worms and crix at the same time?

hes left in piece all day, then wen i get bak at half 6 i feed him some more worms, and i turn his lights n bask off at 10 - 10:30. - If I am gathering everything correctly you should have a 12 hour light schedule (12 on 12 off)

hes got running water in his tank, and loadz to climb on, logs and vines and plants ect.
- What do you mean running water. Dripper? Mister? Waterfall? If waterfall are you cleaning daily? bc this can be a bacteria issue in the future.

He seems really scared of me though, cowering away from me wen ever he sees me, and hes bin a greyish colour since i got him, turning green only rarley. - It will take time for him to warm up to you and the color sounds like stress. This could be due to a couple things but to speculate it could be due to the new environment.

Ii hate that i know hes stressed but i dont no what to do. - Try to leave him alone for a while. Even a new puppy will act weird for the first couple days.

Also he seems to have fully shed in just 8 hours today! is this normal? should i do anything now that he has shed. - When you see that he starts to shed increase the moister (misting) this will allow for a more succesfull shed. If he shed in 8 hours that would be normal. I have a veiled and he shed in half a day with a tiny piece left on his head. They are not big fans of being touched during this process.

Again though fill out the questionaire so we can help with the problem and add some suggestions about the overall care if needed. Thanks.

 

[Shona]

Welcome. We all want to help but it would be easier if we understand the entire picture. Please fill this out and it will help.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

Hi thanks for the help so far, you have re assured me that its normal for him to be abit stressed.

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

HE IS A VEILED MALE, 10 WEEKS OLD AND I HAVE HAD HIM FOR 7 DAYS.

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

I HAVENT HANDLED HIM SINCE I BROUGHT HIM HOME AS HES SEEMED SO STRESSED.

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

IM FEEDING HIM WAXWORMS MEALWORMS ( BUT HE DOESNT SEEM TO LIKE THEM) AND CRICKETS AND LOCUST. IM GUTLOADING THEM ON CARROT AND GREENS 12 HOURS BEFORE I FEED THEM HIM. IM DUSTING WITH NURTROBOL EVERY OTHER FEED AND CALCIUM EVERY FEED (NOT SURE THE BRAND AND IM NOT CURRENTLY AT HOME)

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

HES GOT A WATERFALL, AND I CLEAN THIS EVERYDAY, THE BREEDER I GOT HIM OFF SUGGESTED THIS AS HE SAID HE WAS USED TO DRINKIN FROM THIS. NOT SEEN HIM DRINK THOUGH BUT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LEAVE HIM ALONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

FECIES IS MAINLEY BLACK WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WHITE, HARD. NO IVE NOT HAD IT TESTED.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions

HE IS IN AN EXO TERRA GLASS CAGE WITH A MESH TOP.

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

IVE GOT AN EXO TERRA CANOPY N UV LIGHTS, AND A BASKIN BULB, BOTH ON 12 HOURS A DAY 8-10.

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?


HIS BASKING TEMP IN THE DAY RANGED FROM 85-90 AND AT NIGHT THE TEMP IS 70-78 ISH. THE BOTTOM OF HIS TANK IS ALWAYS ABOUT 5 DEGREES COOLER. I HAVE 4 THERMOMETERS IN HIS TANK SO I HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE TEMP.

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

ALWAYS AROUND 50-60% I MIST FOR 3-5 MINS A DAY, AND HE HAS A WATERFALL WHICH HELPS KEEP IT UP.


Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

NO HES JUST HAS FAKE PLANTS AND A REAL LOG IN WITH HIM.

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?

HIS CAGE IS IN MY ROOM, THERE IS NO FANS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THE ROOM IS SILENT ALL DAY AND NIGHT. I HAVENT EVEN BEEN STAYING IN THEIR WHILE HE SETTLES. HIS CAGE IS QUITE HIGH UP, ID SAY 2 THIRDS OF THE HEIGHT OF MY ROOM.

MY PROBLEM IS HIS STRESS.

HOPE THIS HELPS

THANK YOU

SHONA

 

[gerhartrx]

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

I HAVENT HANDLED HIM SINCE I BROUGHT HIM HOME AS HES SEEMED SO STRESSED. - This is good. Give him time and even if he ends up liking to be held you want to keep this to a minimum

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

IM FEEDING HIM WAXWORMS MEALWORMS ( BUT HE DOESNT SEEM TO LIKE THEM) AND CRICKETS AND LOCUST. IM GUTLOADING THEM ON CARROT AND GREENS 12 HOURS BEFORE I FEED THEM HIM. IM DUSTING WITH NURTROBOL EVERY OTHER FEED AND CALCIUM EVERY FEED (NOT SURE THE BRAND AND IM NOT CURRENTLY AT HOME) - How many? You may want to look at different gut loads and change up to vary. Sometimes helpful to prevent a hunger strike.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

HES GOT A WATERFALL, AND I CLEAN THIS EVERYDAY, THE BREEDER I GOT HIM OFF SUGGESTED THIS AS HE SAID HE WAS USED TO DRINKIN FROM THIS. NOT SEEN HIM DRINK THOUGH BUT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LEAVE HIM ALONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. - IMO, I would get rid of the waterfall and get an automatic mister. He more than likely is not going to drink from this. He gets most of his water from you misting his cage. IMO, up the mistings to 3-4 times and let the cage dry between the mistings.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

FECIES IS MAINLEY BLACK WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WHITE, HARD. NO IVE NOT HAD IT TESTED. This is good. Try to get it tested sooner than later.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions

HE IS IN AN EXO TERRA GLASS CAGE WITH A MESH TOP. - Most on the forum will tell you to get a screen mesh cage but I have seen other opinions to the contrary. IMO when he gets bigger you will want to explore a screen versus the glass. Make sure you keep his terrarium very clean. The waterfall and glass cage can be a bacteria magnet.

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

IVE GOT AN EXO TERRA CANOPY N UV LIGHTS, AND A BASKIN BULB, BOTH ON 12 HOURS A DAY 8-10. Is the UV bulb 5.0? You may want to trade the basking bulb (what is the wattage??) for a 40w house bulb. Could get too hot.

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?


HIS BASKING TEMP IN THE DAY RANGED FROM 85-90 AND AT NIGHT THE TEMP IS 70-78 ISH. THE BOTTOM OF HIS TANK IS ALWAYS ABOUT 5 DEGREES COOLER. I HAVE 4 THERMOMETERS IN HIS TANK SO I HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE TEMP. The basking range is too high. Should be about 80. Night time temp is good. Are you using something at night to keep it warm?

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

ALWAYS AROUND 50-60% I MIST FOR 3-5 MINS A DAY, AND HE HAS A WATERFALL WHICH HELPS KEEP IT UP. Up the misting to 3-4 times a day. This is his way of drinking. IMO, ditch the waterfall.


Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

NO HES JUST HAS FAKE PLANTS AND A REAL LOG IN WITH HIM. Please get a live plant. Veileds like pothos and will sometimes eat the leaves as they get older.

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?

HIS CAGE IS IN MY ROOM, THERE IS NO FANS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THE ROOM IS SILENT ALL DAY AND NIGHT. I HAVENT EVEN BEEN STAYING IN THEIR WHILE HE SETTLES. HIS CAGE IS QUITE HIGH UP, ID SAY 2 THIRDS OF THE HEIGHT OF MY ROOM. -Certainly nice of you to give him your room but I would keep a normal routine for him to get used to. IMO, His stress is comming from being in a new place.

MY PROBLEM IS HIS STRESS.He should start to settle as he gets used to you and his new environment. He may not have enough spots to hide which the live plant could help with. When you have time take a picture and provide a few more details about the supplements (dusting). Thanks.

 

[jannb]

You have him too hot. A 10 week old's basking spot should be no higher than 82. You also need to turn his light off earlier at night....around 8 pm. They need around 12 hours of dark time. I also would not feed in the evenings. They need several hours under the basking bulb to digest their food. I have a blog for new keeper that I'm attaching for you below to help you keep your little cham healthy and happy.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[Shona]

Right the waterfall is out and ive misted him three times today and i will again in an hour or so. Hes eating around 8 crickets and 8 waxworms a day, should i not be feeding him this much? i was told to feed as much as he will eat while hes young so i just put worms in his bowl n then put the crikets in. is this wrong? The calcium im dusting with is a komodo one that was recomended to me by the breeder. what do yuo suggest to gut load with?

His temperature is on a habistat, so i set the temp, and it comes on if it falls below that temp.

His baskin bulb is a night glow one, i was origionally told to keep it on at night, but now i use it for his basking bulb, its 50W but its quite high from the higherst point he can get to? should i change this for a normal bulb?

im going to get a pothos for him now, and il turn his lights off earlier tonight.

Thanks for the help.

Shona

 

[Shona]

il get pics up as soon as i can.

 

[kinyonga]

You said you were concerned with him being stressed...I assume you mean because of his behavior? (He seems really scared of me though, cowering away from me wen ever he sees me, and hes bin a greyish colour since i got him, turning green only rarley.) Its normal for a young veiled to react to you this way...some of them will get used to you and tolerate your presence and some of them won't.

Glad you posted on here though, because you have been given some good advice about other things that you needed to change.

Does the nutrobal have D3 in it??

Here's some information that will explain supplements, gutloading and a few other things....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it.

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium). Not sure how to tell you to dust WC insects if that is what you will be doing.

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.

 

[kirekameleon]

My four month male that I have had for 1 month still cowers away from me and is a reason I do not bother to handle him yet unless I am taking him out to clean his cage. Some times he cowers away, hisses, and lunges and sometimes he holds out his limbs and comes right to me. It is not as much you as it is person or something strange to them. Mine is four months so you may notice it for awhile. My 1 1/2 year old is the same way really, he swells up and lunges or comes right to me.

kire

 

[Catanncam]

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

I HAVENT HANDLED HIM SINCE I BROUGHT HIM HOME AS HES SEEMED SO STRESSED. - This is good. Give him time and even if he ends up liking to be held you want to keep this to a minimum

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

IM FEEDING HIM WAXWORMS MEALWORMS ( BUT HE DOESNT SEEM TO LIKE THEM) AND CRICKETS AND LOCUST. IM GUTLOADING THEM ON CARROT AND GREENS 12 HOURS BEFORE I FEED THEM HIM. IM DUSTING WITH NURTROBOL EVERY OTHER FEED AND CALCIUM EVERY FEED (NOT SURE THE BRAND AND IM NOT CURRENTLY AT HOME) - How many? You may want to look at different gut loads and change up to vary. Sometimes helpful to prevent a hunger strike.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

HES GOT A WATERFALL, AND I CLEAN THIS EVERYDAY, THE BREEDER I GOT HIM OFF SUGGESTED THIS AS HE SAID HE WAS USED TO DRINKIN FROM THIS. NOT SEEN HIM DRINK THOUGH BUT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LEAVE HIM ALONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. - IMO, I would get rid of the waterfall and get an automatic mister. He more than likely is not going to drink from this. He gets most of his water from you misting his cage. IMO, up the mistings to 3-4 times and let the cage dry between the mistings.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

FECIES IS MAINLEY BLACK WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WHITE, HARD. NO IVE NOT HAD IT TESTED. This is good. Try to get it tested sooner than later.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions

HE IS IN AN EXO TERRA GLASS CAGE WITH A MESH TOP. - Most on the forum will tell you to get a screen mesh cage but I have seen other opinions to the contrary. IMO when he gets bigger you will want to explore a screen versus the glass. Make sure you keep his terrarium very clean. The waterfall and glass cage can be a bacteria magnet.

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

IVE GOT AN EXO TERRA CANOPY N UV LIGHTS, AND A BASKIN BULB, BOTH ON 12 HOURS A DAY 8-10. Is the UV bulb 5.0? You may want to trade the basking bulb (what is the wattage??) for a 40w house bulb. Could get too hot.

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?


HIS BASKING TEMP IN THE DAY RANGED FROM 85-90 AND AT NIGHT THE TEMP IS 70-78 ISH. THE BOTTOM OF HIS TANK IS ALWAYS ABOUT 5 DEGREES COOLER. I HAVE 4 THERMOMETERS IN HIS TANK SO I HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE TEMP. The basking range is too high. Should be about 80. Night time temp is good. Are you using something at night to keep it warm?

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

ALWAYS AROUND 50-60% I MIST FOR 3-5 MINS A DAY, AND HE HAS A WATERFALL WHICH HELPS KEEP IT UP. Up the misting to 3-4 times a day. This is his way of drinking. IMO, ditch the waterfall.


Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

NO HES JUST HAS FAKE PLANTS AND A REAL LOG IN WITH HIM. Please get a live plant. Veileds like pothos and will sometimes eat the leaves as they get older.

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?

HIS CAGE IS IN MY ROOM, THERE IS NO FANS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THE ROOM IS SILENT ALL DAY AND NIGHT. I HAVENT EVEN BEEN STAYING IN THEIR WHILE HE SETTLES. HIS CAGE IS QUITE HIGH UP, ID SAY 2 THIRDS OF THE HEIGHT OF MY ROOM. -Certainly nice of you to give him your room but I would keep a normal routine for him to get used to. IMO, His stress is comming from being in a new place.

MY PROBLEM IS HIS STRESS.He should start to settle as he gets used to you and his new environment. He may not have enough spots to hide which the live plant could help with. When you have time take a picture and provide a few more details about the supplements (dusting). Thanks.

Do not chase him with your had at all. Leave him alone right now. In a week or so put a branch from his cage to a plant and see if he comes out. It may takes a few times DonT overload his cage. Follow a patc that is easy for him to navigate. As an afterthought.. some just stay spooked.

 

[kinyonga]

Catanncam...the thread is almost six years old....just a little late for a reply I think.