my cham is scratching his eye?
- Thread starter rangothechameleon07
- Start date
rangothechameleon07
Member
Thank you very much!
If you fill out the husbandry form please post pictures of the entire enclosure as well. Not all eye rubbing is a cause for concern. They do happen to rub their eyes. But when you add in issues like the wrong fake vines and potential for them to have something stuck in them or incorrect lighting causing the issue this is where we have to look at husbandry too.
rangothechameleon07
Member
Hi again! So i’ve rearranged my Chams enclosure this morning, taking out the exoterra vines and putting in branches from my backyard, i haven’t gotten any plants yet but i hope to do so soon. I also took out the substrate that was at the bottom.
I just wanna know if this is gonna be okay for him until the end of december?
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bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
Great on removing the fake vines and getting branches!
Can you do the full husbandry form answers too? Just easier to provide a POV when we have the full picture.
I think you'll need a linear T5 UVB light. Reptisun 5.0 High Output or Arcadia 6%. It looks like you just have a screw in UVB. (Can't totally tell without the form but that's what it looks like from the pic.) That's super important to have to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease and also important for eye health. So that'd be good to get now, you can get the 24" one that will work for your new enclosure and just have it hang off the edges of this small enclosure for now.
rangothechameleon07
Member
So sorry it's taken me so long to fill out the husbandry form but here it is:
Chameleon Info:
- My Chameleon - Male, Veiled Chameleon, about 4 or 5 months. Has been in my care for 3 months on December 3.
- Handling - I tend to handle him maybe once a week, he is very friendly.
- Feeding - I feed him mostly crickets and occasionally super worms. I feed him about 5-10 crickets once every day. I gutload my feeders with the Fluker's High Calcium Cricket Diet and Fluker's Calcium Fortified Cricket Quencher (I'm trying to get things like mustard greens and collard green instead)
- Supplements - I use the Reptitive with calcium, vitamins, and WITH D3 twice a month. And Zoo Med Reptile Calcium Without Vitamin D3 every feeding.
- Watering - I mist his cage for 3 minutes twice a day 30 min after lights on and 30 min before lights off. I’m gonna be making a DIY dripper for him soon. I have seen him drink off the leaves a couple of times.
- Fecal Description - His poo is brown, soft but firm, and has a well-formed shape. As for his urates, they are mostly a cream color and at the end a light orange. He has not been tested for parasites.
- History - No previous history
- Cage Type - He has a glass cage with a screen top (12 x 12 x 18 inches) I know this is extremely small for him and I’ve already ordered a 24 x 24 x 48-Inches
- Lighting - Zoo Med Tropical UVB & Heat Lighting Kit lights turn on at 6 am and off at 6 pm. I know this isn’t right either I’ve gotten him Exo Terra Sun-Glo Neodymium A19 Lamp, 60-Watt and Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb Fluorescent Lamp - 24 w - 22"
- Temperature - the usual temp range is 70 at the bottom to 83 at his basking spot. The lowest overnight temp is in the 60’s. There is a thermometer in his cage and I also use a digital handheld one as well.
- Humidity - During the day it’s usually in the 40s and at night it's around the 70s. (I will be getting a fogger soon) To measure the humidity I have 2 hygrometers.
- Plants - Using fake ones at the moment until I get his new enclosure together
- Placement - He is on my dresser about 2 ½ feet high
- Location - Miami, Florida
If you look at my most recent thread I listed everything that I've ordered for him yesterday. He is getting a brand new enclosure, lights, thermometers, hygrometers, supplements, misters, foggers, and plants. Hopefully he will have everything he needs where he is comfortable and happy by the end of december.
Also!
bbyoda
Chameleon Enthusiast
He's a very handsome fellow!
Some Vieled chameleons are indeed friendly and like to come out of their own accord. It's rare though. They tend to go through a personality change as they approach adulthood. I think it's also possible that he wants to come out of his cage because it's so small, and he sees you as his way out. So as you get him in his new enclosure, and as he approaches adulthood, just know there might be a transition where he really loves his new territory and doesn't want to be handled. We generally advice no handling but sometimes you need to do it for meds, etc, so it's nice to build trust and know your chameleon in advance. It's just important to do things on their terms and reduce sources of chronic stress which will lower their immune response and put them at risk for infections.
Like us, variety is key when it comes to good nutrition and enrichment. In addition to crickets try roaches, silkworms, and black soldier fly larvae. BSFL don't need to be dusted with calcium because they are already calcium rich. Superworms are good too but high in fat and can also bite the chameleon, so it's important to feed them head first. I'm attaching some graphics to give you a sense of feeder and gutload variety. Sounds like you are already making changes in the right direction. I'm able to get great produce from Walmart.
This is perfect. As you feed less as he becomes an adult, you'll still want to use Reptivite with D3 twice a month. And zoo Med calcium at every other feeding. Just keep an eye on expiration dates and replace the supplements as needed.
So watering is important for a few reasons. Hydration, humidity, and watering plants. They are shy drinkers so it's great you've actually seen him drink. This schedule seems good and you can tweak as you have your new enclosure and see what works for the plants, humidity, and your chameleon's hydration. You can take a milk jug and poke a hole in the bottom and set that above the cage as a very cheap option. Neptune the Chameleon taught me that one!
This is perfect. A little bit of orange is OK especially if he goes a few days between poos. It's always a good idea to test for parasites. Especially since you're feeding crickets which can often have pinworms. Just take a fresh sample to the vet when you make that appointment for his eye and they'll look at it under a microscope and give you any necessary meds. Lots of Petco / PetSmart babies have parasites and even mine from FLChams had coccidia. So it happens. Best to address the issue before they get sick and the parasites are an issue.
He'll be so so happy! Did you get an all screen enclosure? I've found in Florida with the humidity the way it is that all screen is best. I have a dragonstrand and it has one PVC wall and even that is making it hard for me to keep humidity in the 30-50% range during the day.
I'm not familiar with the exp terra sun GLO but if it's just an incandescent or halogen bulb it'll be fine. When you get the T5 Reptisun, put it on his current cage so he can get the UVB even before the big cage is ready. For now before it arrives just take him outside in the morning for some fresh sun rays. Don't leave him alone and keep an eye on him so he doesn't wander off or get snatched by a bird. You're in Florida so you have a natural source!!
83 for basking is perfect. It's important to be careful about that temperature because with their tall casques they can easily be burnt. He'd probably appreciate more of a gradient in the cage, I figure that'll happen with the taller cage. You'll probably want to raise the heat lamp off the top of the screen and then have the basking branch about 9 inches below the screen. That ought to work out well in giving him the most area inside the enclosure to explore and enjoy.
Some hygrometers aren't accurate so be sure to get one that is. A lot of people here myself included use Govee. 30-50% during the day is great. For fogging you want 67 degrees or less at night...higher temps make it easier for bacteria to reproduce. Honestly if your misting schedule and dripper is going and his urates look good you don't need to do a fogger. Invest the money in a mist king instead. I have a fogger but I'm going to get rid of it because it's making my humidity a nightmare to bring down during the day.
Here's a link for Vieled safe plants. It's super important to use real plants with them because they munch on their plants and you don't want them getting impacted. There are probably TONS of gardeners in your area who would give away pothos or umbrella plant cuttings. Ask on Next Door and they'll help you out. That'll save you some money.
https://chameleonacademy.com/planning-your-chameleon-cage-plants/
- Placement - He is on my dresser about 2 ½ feet high
- Location - Miami, Florida
If you look at my most recent thread I listed everything that I've ordered for him yesterday. He is getting a brand new enclosure, lights, thermometers, hygrometers, supplements, misters, foggers, and plants. Hopefully he will have everything he needs where he is comfortable and happy by the end of december.
Also!
The higher the better for them. Height = safety and a better view of all. I'll check out the other thread you have going with your shopping list and comment if I have anything to add.
rangothechameleon07
Member
Thank you!
Oh okay that makes sense thanks.
I was planning on making my dripper that way!
Yes i did get him an all screen enclosure!
Sounds good!
Thanks!83 for basking is perfect. It's important to be careful about that temperature because with their tall casques they can easily be burnt. He'd probably appreciate more of a gradient in the cage, I figure that'll happen with the taller cage. You'll probably want to raise the heat lamp off the top of the screen and then have the basking branch about 9 inches below the screen. That ought to work out well in giving him the most area inside the enclosure to explore and enjoy.
Some hygrometers aren't accurate so be sure to get one that is. A lot of people here myself included use Govee. 30-50% during the day is great. For fogging you want 67 degrees or less at night...higher temps make it easier for bacteria to reproduce. Honestly if your misting schedule and dripper is going and his urates look good you don't need to do a fogger. Invest the money in a mist king instead. I have a fogger but I'm going to get rid of it because it's making my humidity a nightmare to bring down during the day.
Here's a link for Vieled safe plants. It's super important to use real plants with them because they munch on their plants and you don't want them getting impacted. There are probably TONS of gardeners in your area who would give away pothos or umbrella plant cuttings. Ask on Next Door and they'll help you out. That'll save you some money.
https://chameleonacademy.com/planning-your-chameleon-cage-plants/
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Okay thank you!
