My first Cham

T

TrueCut

New Member
Hello everyone I just bought my first Cham today @ the Reptile Show in Dayonta Beach, FL. (Pictures to come prolly tomorrow.)

Couple Questions:

he is about 3 inch's long they said about 1-2months old about how many 1/4" crickets a day do you think he should eat?

should I expect him to eat today(his first day in his new home)?

Should I cup feed?

When misting should I mist this lil guy for a full 5min or less?

When misting how can I mist without getting water everywhere? (any suggested techniques)

They told me for a heat lamp a regular 60W (like one you can get at home depot) bulb was sufficient along with the 5.0 repti sun bulb. Is this true?

any other suggestions please help ^^

Thank you in advance.
 
Here fill this out :)

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.
 
he is about 3 inch's long they said about 1-2months old about how many 1/4" crickets a day do you think he should eat?
My 2 month old was eating anything between 12 to 20 crickets. At three inches long 1/4" kinda sound big.

should I expect him to eat today(his first day in his new home)?
It depends on every chameleon some will eat right away, some will just eat a little, some wont eat at all.

Should I cup feed
At this age Id say no, free range hes still devloping, let him use his tounge. When you cup feed they get "lazy tounge"

When misting should I mist this lil guy for a full 5min or less?
If you spray for 5mins dont spray directly at him or use a automated mister he could drowned. Hes still kinda baby and Ive read babies should be sprayed for no more than 30 seconds to a minute

When misting how can I mist without getting water everywhere? (any suggested techniques)
Water every where? as in on your table? be specific

They told me for a heat lamp a regular 60W (like one you can get at home depot) bulb was sufficient along with the 5.0 repti sun bulb. Is this true?
60W may get too hot for him hes only 3inches long, thats a baby. You prolly will want to buy a digital themometer and play around with the wattage. You dont want it too hot for a baby and yes you can buy a normal house bulb. And you want a reptisun 5.0 or a reptiglo 5.0 LINEAR TUBE BULB.

any other suggestions please help ^^

Since hes only 3inches long I would put him in a baby bin, basically buy a big rubbermaid maid bin and keep him in there a big all screen cage will make it difficult for him to find his food and buy a top for a fish tank and put it over that so you can put your fixtures on there. Please post pictures of him.
 
Feed pinheads, about 7-12 of them. Do you have supplements? What is the dusting schedule? You can cup feed him. Yes those lights are what you want to use and have the basking spot at 83-85 degrees.
 
Show was cool little overwhelmed SNAKES WERE EVERYWHERE (not a big snake fan) Saw Siamese bearded dragons adult for $17,500.00 (ARE THEY CRAZY?)

anyhow back to my cool lil guy. Again pics will come tomorrow I didn't want to stress him out with the flash from the camera.

They told me when I bought him that they were feeding him 1/4" crickets (a vendor named Timberline was giving away 500-1000 crickets for free with cricket food to anyone who wanted it. I may go back tomorrow and get more hehehe...)

After I posted he ate 2 crickets in a row SO COOL!

When I mist him it seems to get on the table where the cage is sitting like id say about 2 inch's all around the cage. I guess I can sit the cage on a towel.

I do not have a thermometer about where in the cage should I place it?

The thing im kinda mad about is that FLchams pointed at the reptisun 5.0 bulb & hood. I should of got the fluorescent one but I didn't is this a problem?

I am going to pick up some vitamins tomorrow what name brand should I get?
 
When I mist him it seems to get on the table where the cage is sitting like id say about 2 inch's all around the cage. I guess I can sit the cage on a towel.
That you get a tub for it to sit on like a big storge bin
I do not have a thermometer about where in the cage should I place it?
You need a digital on with a probe (the sticky ones SUCK and are not accurate) and tie it around the branch on his basking spot.

The thing im kinda mad about is that FLchams pointed at the reptisun 5.0 bulb & hood. I should of got the fluorescent one but I didn't is this a problem?
What year was the bulb made in? Check the box. If 2009 it SUPPOSE to be okay (only reptisun not reptiglo) but coiled bulbs have been known to cause eye problems/burns. Im more off a "take no chances person", and I only use linear bulbs.

I am going to pick up some vitamins tomorrow what name brand should I get?
There are two brands that are great, sticky tounge and reptical.
You want reptical calcium WITH d3 and reptical calcium WITH OUT d3 and also the reptical herptitive. OR you can get sticky tounge indoor formula AND sticky tounge out door formula and their multivitamin.
WithOUT d3 at almost EVERY feeding
WITH d3 every 2 weeks
multivitamin once a month.
 
Im not sure I understand what you mean by digital thermometer on a probe

and when you say his basking spot how do i know where that is? he moves around alot sits in one spot then moves not sure where his basking spot is lol.
 
You want you uvb light and your normal house hold light (basking light) to MIX together because a cham spends most their time underneath the basking light so this is a good way to make sure he get enough of both
0821001032.jpg


This is the digital thermometer notice it has a white cord stuck to it
downsized_0821001913.jpg


At the end of the cord is a probe that I have tied to the basking spot branch so I can moniter the heat of the basking spot so that the cham does not get burned
downsized_0821001913a.jpg


This is the drainage system. Ive drilled holes into the pvc bottom in the middle and placed my plant on top so that all the water goes to the middle which drains into the bin on the bottom. The stand has a hollow middle allowing the plant to "bend" the pvc to make a slope that cause the water to move to the middle.
0821001912.jpg
 
TrueCut said:
Im not sure I understand what you mean by digital thermometer on a probe

and when you say his basking spot how do i know where that is? he moves around alot sits in one spot then moves not sure where his basking spot is lol.
Click to expand...

They should have probe digis in any kitchenware isle of any retailer. Not too sure how to get a probe that also has a hygrometer (if that is even possible) If so, someone please tell me where I can pick one up too. :p

I chose my chams basking spot by selecting a nice spot in the cage about a foot from the top and angled the heat lamp to that area, which also happens to be right under my other 2 lights ( 5000k "Sunshine" plant grow light & 18" ReptiGlow 5.0) for max spectrum exposure.
 
I don't think you ever mentioned... What type of cham did you get?

and they were giving away crix!!:eek: I wish I was there!
 
Wow, they were giving away 500-1000 crickets at the show? I'll be there tomorrow. Hopefully they will be doing the same then!
 
In my opinion its sounds like you need to contact member Dave Weldon. He will have a wealth of information for you. He is the best and all the breeders send there customers to him at the shows before they purchase.
 
Just got the thermometer is 89 to hot? I read that it should be around 80-82 is this true because if it is i think the UV bulb will be enough
 
for my baby panther I try to keep it 80-85ish for her.

Here fill this out

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.
 
Silkyslim said:
They should have probe digis in any kitchenware isle of any retailer. Not too sure how to get a probe that also has a hygrometer (if that is even possible) If so, someone please tell me where I can pick one up too. :p
Click to expand...

Acurite sells a thermometer that has 2 temp readings and a humidity reading theyy can be picked up at most walmarts or homedepots. Its the one in the link, walmart near me sells it for $12. Make sure to get the one with the wire because the wireless are prone to disconnecting and not reading properly. I use these on all my snake tubs and have never had a problem with them.

http://www.prothermostats.com/product.php?product=110790
 
How long per day should I leave the UV bulb on? ( I have read one article that says 8hrs and another that says 4hrs) And also should I really look into getting a fluorescent bulb instead of a screw in UV
 
Leave lights on for 12 hours and you need a 5.0 reptisun linear uvb bulb. Not the one you screw in.
 
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