My New Girl LOLA ~ Newbie Questions + Pictures

[cradle2crayons]

Hi everyone!

I have been devouring this forum for the last 5 days since I got my new girl.
She is my first chameleon and so every thing is pretty new to me. I have done
lots and lots of research, and I am already so in love with her!
My husband thinks I am nuts because I check on her all the time like she is a newborn human baby.

I am posting pictures of her that I took today, and also filling out the question air.
If anyone has any tips that would be great!
Also, if she looks healthy to you all?
Thank you in advance!
Alicia

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Blue Bar Amilobe Panther, Female, Unsure of age, In my care for about 6 days.
* Handling - Rarely
* Feeding - Small size Gut loading crickets, I drop 10 in a day, I gut load with carrots, Kale, sweet potatoes, apples.
* Supplements - Calcium without D3 everyday, with D3 twice a week,
multi- vitamin 2X a week.
* Watering - I hand mist (warm water) 2-3 times a day for about 3-5 minutes. I see Lola drinking.
* Fecal Description - Black at one end & snow white on the other.
She has not been tested for parasites.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - SCREEN CAGE - ZOO MED 16X16X20
* Lighting - POWERSUN Heat & UVB all in one. Light is on from about 7:00 am to 6:00 PM
* Temperature - Basking temp is between 85 & 95- lowest overnight temp is 70. I measure with a digital Zoo Med thermometer.
* Humidity - Not sure
* Plants - Live plant, not sure of name, but per store sold it to me as safe.
* Placement - Zero traffic area, placed up on dresser.
* Location - Southern California

Current Problem - Does everything seem good? How does she look?

 

[jojackson]

I have no experience at all with your species, Just wanted to say 'Welcome!' Looks a wonderful lizard, grats on your new pet!

 

[vegas shooby]

daaam hella sick....congrats to you.....

 

[Hoj]

welcome to the forum the only thing i see that i might change would be the suppliments, most members dust with calcium w/o d3 at every feeding as well but only use calcium w/d3 once maybe twice a month and a mutivitamin once every 3 weeks or so. just my thoughts, also the dual purpose bulb is not commonly used but i have no real knowlegde on this.you will also need to get a decent humidity meter as maintianing propore humidity is a must. you will also need a larger cage within a few months, i woulod think
she looks beautifull, enjoy her

hoj

 

[Ace]

Welcome ot the forums!!!
You have one cute colorful girl that simply is glowing red, she looks health now and she looks to me about the 2-3 month range...where dod you get her???

also there are a minor tweeks i thing you should consider on your husbandry...

i suggest to switch the light you have now and get two lights

one is a reptisun linear tube bulb 5.0 for uvb
and the other a heat source , any regualr hardware bulb is fine like a 75 watt

change the basking temp cooler like in the 80-85 range....andthe rest of the cage should be in the 70's

at night turn all loghts off, and the temps can drop in the 60's and your cham will be fine...

i suggest you cutback on the multivitamin to about 2-3x month
and the calcium with d3 about 2-3x amonth... the more times you leave your cham outside for some decent sunshine, the less calcium of d3 you use....

and here is a blog you can use for additional info

ask any questions if you are unsure of anything....hope this helps

AGAIN SHE LOOKS GREAT!!! WHERE DID YOU GET HER??? LLLreptile store, perhas since you mentioned pet store????

here is the blog https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[Synapse]

Soldier worm larvae (Phoenix worms) are amazing and will help your cham from developing MBD. My cham eats 20 everyday easily and he has been more active and healthy since I started feeding him them. Just a helpful suggestion. It helps when you don't feel like dusting all the time.

 

[cradle2crayons]

I thought the D3 twice a week was too much- The pet store actually told me every day and I was thinking that would be overload.
I am getting a humidity gauge soon, because I do live in a dry area.
I am also already looking at bigger cages and also a misting system
( not that I mind, but hand misting is a lot of work! )


Thank you for your input!

 

[Ace]

Soldier worm larvae (Phoenix worms) are amazing and will help your cham from developing MBD. My cham eats 20 everyday easily and he has been more active and healthy since I started feeding him them. Just a helpful suggestion. It helps when you don't feel like dusting all the time.

i dont know muh about pheonix worms, but isnt 20 a little excessive??? i know they are full of calcium but shoudlnt they be used just as treats???

 

[cradle2crayons]

Well, to make a long story short, I got her a pet store, but not really.... I was in line at the pet store to inquire about purchasing a new reptile.
The store was a reptile only store.
There was a mom and her son in front of me holding Lola. They were returning her after having her for 2 weeks.
The mom told me that the pet store said it would be OK to put her in the same cage as their older male, and needless to say,
it did not work out too well They were at the store to return her and get their money back.

I fell in love right away and started asking questions about her.
I ended up purchasing her from them. So she basically went from the pet store.. to a new home for
2 weeks and then into my home.

 

[Synapse]

i dont know muh about pheonix worms, but isnt 20 a little excessive??? i know they are full of calcium but shoudlnt they be used just as treats???

My cham has a big appetite and healthy poops. His poops actually started looking much healthier after I introduced phoenix worms into his diet. I used to dust crickets with calcium and he refused to eat them after a while. When I put in crickets and phoenix worms at the same time, he eats all the phoenix worms and leaves the crickets alone unless he's really hungry.

I'm not sure if they should only be used as a snack or not, but my cham seems to LOVE them and clears the feeding dish within 10 minutes of me putting them in. He refuses to eat crickets now since I started feeding him phoenix worms.
They are the length of a penny btw, 20 is really not that much. My friend's bearded dragon eats around 100 a day and has been the healthiest reptile I've known. I hope that remains true with my cham.

 

[TheVainity]

Shes a very cute girl! Treat her well

 

[Synapse]

Well, to make a long story short, I got her a pet store, but not really.... I was in line at the pet store to inquire about purchasing a new reptile.
The store was a reptile only store.
There was a mom and her son in front of me holding Lola. They were returning her after having her for 2 weeks.
The mom told me that the pet store said it would be OK to put her in the same cage as their older male, and needless to say,
it did not work out too well They were at the store to return her and get their money back.

I fell in love right away and started asking questions about her.
I ended up purchasing her from them. So she basically went from the pet store.. to a new home for
2 weeks and then into my home.

Lola is a beautiful girl. Very nice of you to take her in and give her a happy life.

 

[warpdrive]

I'm sure you got great info. I just wanted to say congrats, and that she looks like 4-6 months old to me if that is important to you.

I would give her a month, then start feeding every other day to prevent and delay her from getting gravid (prego).

Harry

 

[Ace]

My cham has a big appetite and healthy poops. His poops actually started looking much healthier after I introduced phoenix worms into his diet. I used to dust crickets with calcium and he refused to eat them after a while. When I put in crickets and phoenix worms at the same time, he eats all the phoenix worms and leaves the crickets alone unless he's really hungry.

I'm not sure if they should only be used as a snack or not, but my cham seems to LOVE them and clears the feeding dish within 10 minutes of me putting them in. He refuses to eat crickets now since I started feeding him phoenix worms.
They are the length of a penny btw, 20 is really not that much. My friend's bearded dragon eats around 100 a day and has been the healthiest reptile I've known. I hope that remains true with my cham.

well as long it works fo yur cham than thats good....but how do you get all the nutrients from gutloading into the worms? do you gutload the worms as well??? balancing necessary nutrients like vitamins and mineral is key....but as long as your cham is fine, it works for you...

 

[cradle2crayons]

I'm sure you got great info. I just wanted to say congrats, and that she looks like 4-6 months old to me if that is important to you.

I would give her a month, then start feeding every other day to prevent and delay her from getting gravid (prego).

Harry

That was another question I had.. her age, Thank you so much because I had no idea.

Prego Without a male? Unfertilized eggs right?
I will try to do everything I can to prevent that from happening as I read that
laying eggs shortens their lifespan, correct?

 

[Ace]

That was another question I had.. her age, Thank you so much because I had no idea.

Prego Without a male? Unfertilized eggs right?
I will try to do everything I can to prevent that from happening as I read that
laying eggs shortens their lifespan, correct?

no...not exactly just eggl aying---its when females lay large clutches of eggs can take a toll on the female....and with panthers you cannot stop them from laying unfertilized eggs....

i'd suggest to get a laying bin her her cage or when you get the bigger cage soon to add a laying bin at the bottom, and not worry as much.....

 

[Bessiexj9]

Welcome to the forums! This is the BEST place for cham info. Your girl is lovely!

 

[Dupontman2]

Pretty little girl ya got there. All of are local petstores only have vieleds!

 

[cradle2crayons]

Thank you soo much for all of the compliments and info, I love this forum!

 

[warpdrive]

no...not exactly just eggl aying---its when females lay large clutches of eggs can take a toll on the female....and with panthers you cannot stop them from laying unfertilized eggs....

i'd suggest to get a laying bin her her cage or when you get the bigger cage soon to add a laying bin at the bottom, and not worry as much.....

you might not be able to stop them once they start laying unfertilised eggs, but you can possably slow down the start of it happening in the first place.

reduce food, use a lower then normal basking bulb (or none at all). may or may not help, but worked for one of my females...well, so far all of them.

Harry