Need help w/ care scheduele

[m1ndless]

I am trying to figure out the best times for my timers that would work with when I work.

I work 1-930 most nights, and I am trying to see what you guys think I should do..

Can I set my timers to come on at 10am and go off at 10pm or is that too late to wake and sleep for the cham?

What do you guys think I should do about watering and feeding? Should I let him free roam hunt in the morning, and before I leave for work cup feed x amount of crix? Would that work?

I plan to mist 1-2 times before work, and have a dripper going all day, will that be okay for the cham?

Also, I want to order him this week, if I have to work at 1pm, and he is delivered by 10am, I can watch him til I have to go work, but will he be okay unmonitored until I get home that night? I know they usually dont deliver on saturdays, and I typically work M-F so I am trying to figure out waht to do..

Any suggestions for my dilema? thanks!

 

[AFH]

Your feeding and watering schedule sounds fine. As for the lights, it should be closer to regular daylight schedule. If you set it 10-10, you'll find they'll be up before the lights come on and asleep when you get home, even if the lights are on. Somehow, they know, even if they can't see outside.

For your delivery, that will be fine. I get mine delivered at work, take them home, feed them, and head right back out. I'd rather sit around and watch them, but it doesn't pay the bills.

I used to feed mine before work, but now I leave before they get up, so I feed them when I get home. I don't think it matters to them, as long as they get food sometime in the day.

 

[m1ndless]

Alrighty, I think ill set it 7 to 7, that is about sunrise/sunset times.

I ordered some crix tonight, so I expect to get them Tuesday, and I am going to order my cham on Tuesday so I can get it on Wednesday.

I am going to order from FL chams most likley, I am still figuring that part out.

I am going to get a 2 month old cham, from what I read I need a basking spot of 80 for a cham that young, right? I sectioned off my 24" wide cage to 16" so it will be easier for him to find his food and everything, I have 1 schleffera with some fake vines and such going around.

What do I feed the crix? Should I get cricket food or just use veggies? What veggies do I use?

Thanks!

 

[m1ndless]

Alrighty, I think ill set it 7 to 7, that is about sunrise/sunset times.

I ordered some crix tonight, so I expect to get them Tuesday, and I am going to order my cham on Tuesday so I can get it on Wednesday.

I am going to order from FL chams most likley, I am still figuring that part out.

I am going to get a 2 month old cham, from what I read I need a basking spot of 80 for a cham that young, right? I sectioned off my 24" wide cage to 16" so it will be easier for him to find his food and everything, I have 1 schleffera with some fake vines and such going around.

What do I feed the crix? Should I get cricket food or just use veggies? What veggies do I use?

Thanks!

Anyone...?

I ordered my crix today from lllreptile,$25 for 500 overnighted, I would have just done regular but I want to get my cham this week.

 

[Justin Carl]

You should search the topic.
It is covered here atleast once a week.
Every time the answers are exactly the same.

 

[Julirs]

You can't go wrong ordering from FLChams-super healthy, super nice chams!

 

[m1ndless]

Thanks! I am going to order my cham one day this week.

I found a good gutloading thread, thanks guys.

Real quick, if I order 1000 crix, how long should I expect them to live? A few weeks?

 

[Vegas Chad]

They will live as long as life will let them should you have food and water in the cage/tub. It is best to buy them 1000 at a time at least and a little on the small side to allow them to grow. Start at something like a 3 week depending on your cham size. We have another member; Jim who is from your area. Shoot his a PM, he has alot of good info inside the ol head that im sure he will share for the asking.

 

[Kevin1873]

Yeah if you still have these types of questions I would probably hold on getting the Cham for a while. I've been researching on veiled Chameleon's since the first week of December, 2007 and I think I'll get my Cham in early-mid Feb. but I'm still being patient about it. I want to make sure I'm doing everything right and not just running out and buying the cham and then jump on the forum and say, okay-now what? That usually leads to problems. I know cause I've read a ton of them. Be patient, read all the posts you can on here. If you're thinking about getting one from FLChams, talk to Mike he can tell you anything and everything you need. I know he wants his Cham's going to a good home.

 

[m1ndless]

Yeah if you still have these types of questions I would probably hold on getting the Cham for a while. I've been researching on veiled Chameleon's since the first week of December, 2007 and I think I'll get my Cham in early-mid Feb. but I'm still being patient about it. I want to make sure I'm doing everything right and not just running out and buying the cham and then jump on the forum and say, okay-now what? That usually leads to problems. I know cause I've read a ton of them. Be patient, read all the posts you can on here. If you're thinking about getting one from FLChams, talk to Mike he can tell you anything and everything you need. I know he wants his Cham's going to a good home.

My roomate has raised chams for years, and I have been looking into getting once since november, I think I am more than ready kid.

 

[Kevin1873]

Not trying to be harsh, just want to make sure you do your homework. At least once a week you catch a thread from someone who goes out buy's a cham, jumps on the forums and asks, okay-now what? Not really fun for the Cham.

 

[m1ndless]

Not trying to be harsh, just want to make sure you do your homework. At least once a week you catch a thread from someone who goes out buy's a cham, jumps on the forums and asks, okay-now what? Not really fun for the Cham.

That's not me, I have been on this forum for a while, I just couldn't remember what to feed the crix and how long they live for.

I feel I am more than ready, I am making some adjustments to the cage, and i need to go to the store to get gutload for the crix.

 

[Kevin1873]

Yeah life expectancy on those things is never a certain answer. As long as they eat and drink they can grow pretty big but it all depends on the environment you give them and what their own plan is. You can usually just feed them apples, oranges, carrots, squash, collard greens, dandelion, kale. For gutload I get the pre-made stuff from http://www.cricketfood.com/ they have gutload for roaches and worms as well and has a good variety in it. All the things a good gutload needs.

 

[m1ndless]

Yeah life expectancy on those things is never a certain answer. As long as they eat and drink they can grow pretty big but it all depends on the environment you give them and what their own plan is. You can usually just feed them apples, oranges, carrots, squash, collard greens, dandelion, kale. For gutload I get the pre-made stuff from http://www.cricketfood.com/ they have gutload for roaches and worms as well and has a good variety in it. All the things a good gutload needs.

For a 2 month old cham, I should only be feeding him crix, correct?

If I buy 1000 at a time, will they get too big for my little guy to eat? I spoke to someone at flchams and he said the cham I am ordering are eating .25" crix, so I ordered 1000 of them.

 

[dodolah]

For a 2 month old cham, I should only be feeding him crix, correct?

If I buy 1000 at a time, will they get too big for my little guy to eat? I spoke to someone at flchams and he said the cham I am ordering are eating .25" crix, so I ordered 1000 of them.

no.. you can feed him other stuff such as small silkies, house flies, roaches nymphs (small one), crickets, and small phoenix worms.
I will avoid some bugs that can defend itself for now.
if you only have 1 cham. yes, those 1000 crickets will outgrow your cham.

 

[m1ndless]

no.. you can feed him other stuff such as small silkies, house flies, roaches nymphs (small one), crickets, and small phoenix worms.
I will avoid some bugs that can defend itself for now.
if you only have 1 cham. yes, those 1000 crickets will outgrow your cham.

How fast do they grow? Crap, I guess I will have alot of left over crix..

Anyways, I am going to wait til thursday to order him now.

 

[dodolah]

How fast do they grow? Crap, I guess I will have alot of left over crix..

Anyways, I am going to wait til thursday to order him now.

i say within 3-4 weeks, the crickets probably start to outgrow him.
remember the rule is not to feed your chameleon insects that are bigger than the width of his forehead
you can always sell them, trade the crix with other feeders (ask around in here), or just breed them .

baby cham is a voracious eater.. but i doubt he will be able to eat 1000 crickets in a month.

 

[Kevin1873]

Yeah you definitely want to mix up the feeders that you feed your Cham. I love certain foods to death but If I had to eat 1 every day for 3 meals a day I would probably go insane. Ever Cham is different though, your Cham may on the 883 Cricket decide he's had enough of that and might just stop eating all together. Read quite a few posts on here from people looking for other staple feeders because their Cham one day just stopped eating the Crickets, which was all they were feeding them. They tried silkworms, dubias roaches, house flies, nymphs and found their Chams started eating again so it's always best to mix up the diet. Here is a few links for all the food you need each with varying prices to your liking.

http://reptilefood.com/reptilefood/
http://coastalsilkworms.com
http://www.cricketfood.com/ for gutloading
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/feeders/
http://www.silkwormshop.com/

I'm sure other people can chime in a ton of more places but those are the most popular that I've seen on here so far. Hope this helps out a bit for ya bud.

 

[Nicodemayo]

m1ndless, when i bought my first cham at 5 weeks old, she was eating 1/4 inch crix and mini meal worms that had just molted. If you decide to use mealies, stay firm on only feeding it ones that have just molted and dont feed but one or two per feeding. I always threw in uneaten apple core with the meal worms and they owned the hell out of it. As yours begins to grow, i suggest ordering 1/4 or 3/8 inch crix and they'll grow over the course of the month if you feed them well and keep them warm . I always notice they grow considerably slower if kept in a colder room. Just a suggestion for when its older, me and my roomates have a total of 6 insectivores that all feed on full grown crickets. We order 1500 5/8inch and at the end of the month theres still some left even with 2 bearded dragons that will eat 20 crickets in one sitting and 4 chams lol. If you order 500 at a time it should be plenty. Besides, having extra crickets only gave me an excuse to buy another cham haha. Our new box comes tommorow and i still have 20 or so left in my bin and most have just molted and have fully developed adult wings. We've noticed 5/8 is the best way to go if your expecting to be on a one month ordering routene.

 

[dodolah]

not to shot anybody's advise or anything but i would avoid feeding your chameleon mealworms as staple feeder.
Especially when they are babies.
They need all the best nutrition they can get.
Mealworms is, in my opinion, the junkfood of reptiles.
Waxworm too.