Need opinion/help!

[emmayu]

I've done a lot of research on keeping chameleons but no where has the answers im looking for. After getting my first panther chameleon last week I'm not sure if he's doing okay. I'm needing some opinions.
He has been eating crickets everyday but he just looks off to me. Is it normal for them to stay a dark color? I'll add pics onto this. If anyone can help that would be great!

• Your Chameleon -
  • The species, sex, and age of your chameleon? Panther Chameleon, Male, about 4-5 months.
  • How long has it been in your care? About a week
• Handling -
  • How often do you handle your chameleon? A couple of times over the week.
• Feeding -
  • What are you feeding your cham? Crickets
  • What amount? 6-10 crickets
  • What is the schedule? I put them in a small container and leave it in his cage in the morning
  • How are you gut-loading your feeders? Flucker's orange
• Supplements -
  • What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Repashy Calcium Plus and every feeding I dust them
• Watering -
  • What kind of watering technique do you use? I use spray bottle and also have a mister going
  • How often and how long to you mist? mister is set to mist 8sec every 30mins, bottle spray if i feel it's a little too dry
  • Do you see your chameleon drinking? yes
• Fecal Description -
  • Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Packed and moist. He has not been tested for parasites
• History -
  • Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. I only had him for about a week.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type -
  • Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo)? Screen cage
  • What are the dimensions? 16 x 16 x 30 for now
• Lighting -
  • What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? Zilla Slimline tropical fixture t8 for uvb and Repti basking spot 75w heat lamp
  • What is your daily lighting schedule? On around 7:30am- 8pm
• Temperature -
  • What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Basking is about 85 degrees and cage floor is about 73
  • Lowest overnight temp? 70
  • How do you measure these temps? Zoo med reptile terrarium thermometer humidity gauge
• Humidity -
  • What are your humidity levels? 60-70
  • How are you creating and maintaining these levels? mister and spray bottle
  • What do you use to measure humidity? Zoo med reptile terrarium thermometer humidity gauge
• Plants -
  • Are you using live plants? yes, devils ivy on top corner and a different potted plant on the bottom
• 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? In my bedroom corner away from any fans, air vents or high traffic area. I say top of the cage is about 5 feet.
• Location -
  • Where are you geographically located? Missouri

 

[almightykasumi]

He seems to be hiding a lot, judging from pics. He could still be getting used to being someplace new. That usually takes a couple of months. As for color, being dark is okay. It is showing he could be scared, cold, or stressed. Good luck finding out which it is. Read up on chameleon coloration meanings and body language.

I think he may be cold though. Try making the temperature gradient go all the way to 90°F. Watch him for a bit. If he goes to bask, watch to make sure his color lightens. If you see him opening his mouth and trying to go lower in the enclosure, put the temperature down a little and try again. Keep doing this until you feel he is happy with the gradient.

 

[kinyonga]

• Crickets...while crickets are a good staple it would be good to add more variety...silkworms, locusts, roaches, hornworms, BSFL, superworms, etc
• Flucker's orange ...this is not a good gutload. You can use dandelion greens, kale, collards, endive, escarole, carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, etc and a bit of berries, melon, apple, pear, mano, papaya, etc.
• Repashy Calcium Plus and every feeding I dust them. Leaving this for other people who use this product to comment on. I use other things because I started keeping chameleons ages ago when these products were not available and never switched from what worked for me. But there is not only one option to what works.
• Watering ...you said..."mister is set to mist 8sec every 30mins"... these sessions are not long enough and ai would recommend adding a dripper that is run long enough to stimulate drinking.
• Fecal Description ...white part white?

• Lighting ...Repti basking spot 75w heat lamp...what color of light does this give off?

 

[jamest0o0]

Do what kinyonga said. Also handle less! It's the first week geez lol. You shouldn't be handling your Cham at all for the first couple weeks unless you absolutely have to. You can warm them up to it over time, but this is not an animal that is generally meant to be handled. Raise the cage up so his basking is at or preferably above eye level.

 

[emmayu]

• Crickets...while crickets are a good staple it would be good to add more variety...silkworms, locusts, roaches, hornworms, BSFL, superworms, etc
• Flucker's orange ...this is not a good gutload. You can use dandelion greens, kale, collards, endive, escarole, carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, etc and a bit of berries, melon, apple, pear, mano, papaya, etc.
• Repashy Calcium Plus and every feeding I dust them. Leaving this for other people who use this product to comment on. I use other things because I started keeping chameleons ages ago when these products were not available and never switched from what worked for me. But there is not only one option to what works.
• Watering ...you said..."mister is set to mist 8sec every 30mins"... these sessions are not long enough and ai would recommend adding a dripper that is run long enough to stimulate drinking.
• Fecal Description ...white part white?

• Lighting ...Repti basking spot 75w heat lamp...what color of light does this give off?

I tried super worms but he seems to show no interests in it at all but only go for crickets right now.
For gut loading, I usually go to petsmart to buy enough crickets for a few days and add the flucker's orange and some carrots and veggies in there. If i buy too many some them tend to die within a day or two.
If I set my mister to a higher duration, it floods the bottom of the cage... I'll definitely invest in a dripper.
As fecal, yes there's a white part at the end.
Lighting is a warm yellow light but I will be switching it to 100w fo more heat

 

[emmayu]

Do what kinyonga said. Also handle less! It's the first week geez lol. You shouldn't be handling your Cham at all for the first couple weeks unless you absolutely have to. You can warm them up to it over time, but this is not an animal that is generally meant to be handled. Raise the cage up so his basking is at or preferably above eye level.

I know, I don't handle him unless he's on the potted plant that i'm having to clean his fecal off of.
I'll try raising his cage up a little more also to see if that helps. Thank you for your advice.

 

[bobbydigital]

To avoid flooding you can drill small holes around the bottom of your Chameleon enclosure and put a plastic storage bin under it to catch all the water.