Need help 2 year old panther chameleon has never had color

[dertien6161]

I have a 2 year old male panther chameleon. About 2 months after I got him he got really cool vibrant colors. He would have been 6 to 8 months old at the time. I gutloaded properly used calcium without d3 every day. Vitamins every other week and calcium with d3 every other week. He was always wanting to come out on his own. He was thriving. We ended up moving and ever since he has never been the same. The day we moved to a new house and had to move his cage is the day he lost all color and his personality changed. He has been in an all glass terrarium this whole time. It does have a screen top and screen on the bottom of the glass door for the chimney affect. I will be honest I got lazy on the gutloading and keeping track of supplements. I was using the same supplement for a year and a half without getting new. A few days ago I put my head down and want to get him healthy and colorful. So I thought maybe a screen door would help for ventilation and I'm now gutloading properly and started using repashy calcium plus but I have calcium plus lod on its way. sometimes I think he will never be colorfull again. Anyone have any good advice?

 

[dertien6161]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - 2 year old panther chameleon. I have had him for about 20 months
• Handling - at first alot because he liked it. Now never because he doesn't want to be handled.
• Feeding - Dubai roaches. Superworms and crickets. I was just using carrots. Now I made a gutload with collard greens, carrots, orange, apple, sweet potato. Bee pollen and a jar of bug burger blended together.
• Supplements - I started using repashy calcium plus and will be using repashy calcium plus lod. I was using zoo med calcium no d3 and with d3 also reptivite. D3 and reptivite every other week
• Watering - I mist 5 min in the morning 1 min at noon and 4 min before the lights shut off. I have a mist king. I see him drink alot.
• Fecal Description - I never really pay attention to his poop.
• History -

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - home made. Was glass sides and front. Now I switched the front door to screen. It's 4ft tall 2ft deep and 2.5ft wide
• Lighting - I have a 100 w heat lamp with dimmer to regulate temp. Arcadia to5 ho uvb and also a jungle dawn spotlight and jungle dawn light bar
• Temperature - basking spot is 90 bottom of the cage is 69 and night temp is 69
• Humidity - humidity gets down to 45 between misting
• Plants - all love plants. Umbrella plant and pathos
• Placement - his cage is in the corner of our dinning room. We have an open concept house so he is around us all the time. There is a floor vent about 3 ft from his cage on the floor. The top of his cage is 7ft off the floor
• Location - south Dakota

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. Your husbandry looks good, but I have a question about your supplements, specifically what you will be giving and when. I’d lower the basking temp a few degrees to about 85.

 

[dertien6161]

What should I do? I've seen people are using repashy calcium plus lod every feeding and then calcium plus every other week

 

[dertien6161]

I just feel like something has to be off. I see all these pictures and videos online of beautiful colorful chameleons and mine is not

 

[bbyoda]

Is he near a vent or opening where there might be a draft? Have you tried moving his cage to a different location in your new home? It seems like he doesn't like his current spot.

 

[MissSkittles]

What should I do? I've seen people are using repashy calcium plus lod every feeding and then calcium plus every other week

Everyone has their own regimens. I would advise to give a phosphorus free calcium without D3 at every feeding except one every other week, in which you’d use either the calcium plus or the LoD. You could try taking him outside for short periods a few times a week if possible.
How long have his colors been dulled? Last year my guy had a period of several months where his colors faded and others have noticed similar happening with their panthers. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/panthers-mid-life-crisis-color-change.76455/

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

Not sure if I didn’t read it but how long has he been “lacking color”?
They do go through a winter funk…
I’d try getting him some all natural sunshine.

 

[dertien6161]

I don't think it could be a vent or draft he was in an all glass terrarium the whole time.

 

[dertien6161]

He has been lacking color for a 18 months basically ever since I got him. He had 1 month of color and then it went away and never came back

 

[dertien6161]

I have tried bringing him outside and every time i do he turns black and it stressed him out. even tried bitting me

 

[MissSkittles]

Wow…18 months. That rules out a seasonal change. A vet visit to rule out any physical causes may be a good idea. Can you post more pics of him? While I don’t see anything jumping out at me, maybe a more experienced member will.

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

Ok couple things…
Why are you having to mist mid day? Is that front door screen dropping the humidity too much? If so it’s dropping even more at night.

What are the day time temps? There should be a significant difference in temps from night and day.

His enclosure location. Mine likes his seclusion. I’ve even had to buy those car window tint/shade that sticks to glass and put it along the front doors of his enclosure where he walks so he could have more sense of security.

How long has it been since he has shed?

 

[dertien6161]

I only mist mid day because I thought more is better. I probably wouldn't have to. His basking spot is 90 and the bottom of the cage is room temp so I'm assuming at night the whole cage is room temp I keep my house at 70 degrees

 

[dertien6161]

His last she'd was roughly 10 days ago

 

[DonKeesh]

Does he fire up if you put him in front of a mirror or react to your camera/phone? My nosy be is a dark cryptic green at rest and then fires up light blue.

 

[dertien6161]

No I have tried that too. He doesn't fire up at all. He acts like there isn't even a mirror there

 

[DonKeesh]

As long as he is confirmed healthy just keep waiting, they change with age even beyond their first couple of years.

 

[kinyonga]

Once upon a time my husband bought me the most beautiful bright colored make Panther chameleon at a show. He was gorgeous! Once he was home and in his new home, within a few hours, became dull colored and stayed like that for the rest of his life. All I can think of, is that he was stressed at the show and became comfortable with his permanent home with me.

 

[ChameleonParadise]

I have tried bringing him outside and every time i do he turns black and it stressed him out. even tried bitting me

Putting a chameleon outside for an hour a day for a week in natural sunshine , can often correct many issues, and help give insight to others.
This time of year is very good for this.
Don't give up putting him outside . If DONE CORRECTLY, they should naturally be inclined to it.
Hopefully others will show ways to make a chameleon happy outdoors, one of THE BEST things one can do for a Sun loving Reptile.