My first chameleon

[voodoochild863]

I have recently purchased a baby veiled chameleon. I have him in a small screen cage that I built for him. I have had him for about a month and I was keeping him outside until about a week ago when it started to get a little cooler around here. My problem is that he is always brown. When I bought him he was green but ever since I put him in his new enclosure he is brown. Everything else is good. He eats good, hes fat and alert. There are no green plants in his cage but I thougth the whole thing about them changing color to match their surroundings was a myth. I was wondering if I should be concerned. I have a good amount of branches so I would think that he would feel secure. Do you think he is brown bc he is stressed or what? I do not hold him he stays in his cage I only open to feed and I mist him once a day. Is his hot spot not warm enough? When I had him outside the high was in the upper 80s the room he is in now is in the mid to upper 70s with a 40w bulb.
Thanks,
Jon

 

[carol5208]

If you have no green plants in your cage, then what do you have!? You have to have some type of foilage. Preferably, live to help with humidity. He is probably just getting acclimated to his surroundings. I too live in FLA and my cham is outdoors right now sunning. When I bring him in he tends to get dark and act all depressed! It would be real helpful for you to fill out this form so we can make sure everything is good on your setup https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ You need to up the mistings as this is how you are providing water for him I assume. Get yourself a dripper for a water source and it also helps keep up the humidity.

 

[cantgetagoodsn]

Fill out the form in this link, some of it might seem a little unnecessary but it gives a full idea of your setup. Pictures are very helpful of both the Cham and the setup.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[voodoochild863]

I forgot to mention that i do use a dripper. And answers to the form are as follows:
Veiled, Male, several weeks old and in my care for about 4 weeks.
handled a total of two times very briefly.
I feed crickets dusted and gutloaded with comercial gutload. I throw in 15 to 20 a day.
I use a calcium supp with no phosphrous. Would have to check brand.
I mist once a day and include a dripper.
dropping are solid with a little bit of calium. Looks like bird crap on a park bench.

cage is all screen. 18'' tall 18'' wide and 12'' deep.
lighting is primarly sunlight and a reptisun 5.0
have to gun it to give exact temps but when his is outside its in mid 80s and inside hes got a 40w bulb in a 75f room.
humidity in the room is about 60% but the cage would have to be over 75% with the misting.
No live plants the only reason I wasnt using them is because I figured he would only be in this cage for a couple months before he out grew it.
When the cage is outside its in my backyard which is fenced and I sit the cage up on another screen cage but that cage is large and sturdy. Its empty right now. but the top of his cage when sitting on the empty cage is about 4 1/2 feet. When I take the cage inside its about 4 feet off the ground.
Im in Tampa fl.

Hope this helps. Sounds like maybe I need to get some pothos in there? Maybe hes not feeling secure? He has a lot of branches but no plants.

 

[voodoochild863]

I will try to get you some pics when I get home tonight.

 

[Gensen]

Yes!

I forgot to mention that i do use a dripper. And answers to the form are as follows:
Veiled, Male, several weeks old and in my care for about 4 weeks.
handled a total of two times very briefly.
I feed crickets dusted and gutloaded with comercial gutload. I throw in 15 to 20 a day.
I use a calcium supp with no phosphrous. Would have to check brand.
I mist once a day and include a dripper.
dropping are solid with a little bit of calium. Looks like bird crap on a park bench.

cage is all screen. 18'' tall 18'' wide and 12'' deep.
lighting is primarly sunlight and a reptisun 5.0
have to gun it to give exact temps but when his is outside its in mid 80s and inside hes got a 40w bulb in a 75f room.
humidity in the room is about 60% but the cage would have to be over 75% with the misting.
No live plants the only reason I wasnt using them is because I figured he would only be in this cage for a couple months before he out grew it.
When the cage is outside its in my backyard which is fenced and I sit the cage up on another screen cage but that cage is large and sturdy. Its empty right now. but the top of his cage when sitting on the empty cage is about 4 1/2 feet. When I take the cage inside its about 4 feet off the ground.
Im in Tampa fl.

Hope this helps. Sounds like maybe I need to get some pothos in there? Maybe hes not feeling secure? He has a lot of branches but no plants.

You definatley need to get foliage in there... this should help allot... and he likely does not feel secure without any type of cover....

 

[Big Gulp]

I'm no expert, but from what I do know, having foilage in there will definitely make them feel more secure/safe, which will improve their mood.

 

[carol5208]

He is probably so scared with no where to hide!!! Whether you get fake or live, get some cover in there! You will probably see a change in the color, your cham proabably feels threatened. Your lighting, temps and humidity sound good! You need to change up your gutload and provide fresh fruits and veggies. Also, you need three supplements for dusting your feeders, Calcium w/o d3 which is probably what you have at every feeding, calcium w/d3 twice a month and get yourself a multivitamin for twice a month also!

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the world of chameleons!

Here's some information I often post for newbies...
Exposure to proper UVB, appropriate temperatures, supplements, a supply of well-fed/gutloaded insects, water and an appropriate cage set-up are all important for the well-being of your chameleon.

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.

Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects before you feed them to the chameleon with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it.

If you 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. (Some UVB lights have been known to cause health issues, so the most often recommended one is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube 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.

Dusting twice a month 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.

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs....so its important too. 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...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200604210...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/

 

[voodoochild863]

Thanks for all the info! Those links are helpful.

 

[voodoochild863]

I think I have attached photos of my Cham. Give me a minute and I will add some photos of his cage.

 

[voodoochild863]

This should be pics of the cage

 

[Gensen]

Do you still have the subtrate in the bottom?

If so get rid of it, it can be a breeding ground for bacteria... not to mention if your Cham ingests any of it it could cause impaction and or choking.

But on the other hand gorgeous little Veild! Congrats!

 

[ataraxia]

pretty little boy you have. what are your temps?he might be a little cool and trying to warm up. he may also need some time to acclimate. i always make my young ones feel safe by putting the cage as high up in the room as i can. the floor of the cage is at the top of my head. just a suggestion, i would put more vines in your cage.

 

[voodoochild863]

Thanks for all of your help. He is starting to show some green! Here are some pics! I also included a pic of one of my banana iguanas.