new babys
- Thread starter melonman
- Start date
Congrats on your new additions! You will need to get two more cages as they cannot be kept together. One chameleon per cage. A jacksons should have a cage 18x18x36" tall minimum, usually screen only and well decorated with sticks, vines and plants. They do need both a basking light and a UVB light. They do not need substrate of any kind.
How old are they?
Temperatures for juvenile (<9 months): 70-75F (21-23C) ambient, basking 80F basking
Temperatures for adults: 70-80F (21-26C) ambient, 85F (29C) basking
Humidity should be 60-80%.
Please see for some more information: Frequently Asked Questions and Gutloading Basics
How old are they?
Temperatures for juvenile (<9 months): 70-75F (21-23C) ambient, basking 80F basking
Temperatures for adults: 70-80F (21-26C) ambient, 85F (29C) basking
Humidity should be 60-80%.
Please see for some more information: Frequently Asked Questions and Gutloading Basics
S
skittles1234
Guest
do you have them all in one enclosure? is the "tank" a glass aquarium? And you need a basking bulb and a 5.0 UVB tube light. Substrate is usually a BIG no no. can you fill this out so everyone can help you properly?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
S
skittles1234
Guest
some people shouldn't own chameleons. i'm sorry not trying to ragg on anybody but geez? i have 2 jacksons and they are exteremly difficult to care for. they need a TON of care. this is not a good starter cham for anyone and for you to have them in glass cages is just bad news for those poor babies
Skittles that doesn't help anyone, least of all the chameleons.
There should not be standing water on the floor of the tank. That is unsanitary and can cause bacterial problems that may lead to a respiratory infection or other problems. Plus it is not safe for babies to be able to fall into water like that.
Can you post a picture of them?
There should not be standing water on the floor of the tank. That is unsanitary and can cause bacterial problems that may lead to a respiratory infection or other problems. Plus it is not safe for babies to be able to fall into water like that.
Can you post a picture of them?
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
Glass 'tanks' (as in fish tanks) are not so good as they don't have adequate airflow, but chameleons can be kept in glass terrariums that have ventialtion strips along the front and screen tops. My young Jackson currently lives in one and is thriving!
To the OP - with regard to water on the floor, you can use paper towels or even newspaper to soak it up. How old are these babies? Jacksons babies can be difficult to care for as tiny youngsters. It's not until they get past the 4 - 5 month stage that they are past the critical stages.
S
skittles1234
Guest
I apologize melonman. I do want the best for your chams tho. Fill out the help form https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ Please
DekuScrub
Avid Member
whos got a link to jdogs vid?
you can keep them in the tank for the short term, and can be kept together at that age. BUT do not get too comfortable with your current set up.
it may be cheaper to use a tank you already have instead of buying or making a screen cage. but considering the issues youre going to run into trying to get a good temperature gradient going. sopping up excess water, and cleaning. a screen cage is going to make it easier for you to maintain and provide a healthier living environment. like i said tanks are doable but harder to maintain, you really need to have a strong foundation on the inner workings of husbandry issues if youre going to provide an ideal environment with a tank. you need decent airflow too and so you would need to incorporate a small fan to avoid stagnation.
trust me its well worth investing in the screen cages, it will take a weight off your shoulders, then again i dont know if you know of all the things you need to be worried about.
watch this video, anyone who is a beginner to chameleons and buys a jacksons should be required by law to watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKTbUaOQ0aA
you can keep them in the tank for the short term, and can be kept together at that age. BUT do not get too comfortable with your current set up.
it may be cheaper to use a tank you already have instead of buying or making a screen cage. but considering the issues youre going to run into trying to get a good temperature gradient going. sopping up excess water, and cleaning. a screen cage is going to make it easier for you to maintain and provide a healthier living environment. like i said tanks are doable but harder to maintain, you really need to have a strong foundation on the inner workings of husbandry issues if youre going to provide an ideal environment with a tank. you need decent airflow too and so you would need to incorporate a small fan to avoid stagnation.
trust me its well worth investing in the screen cages, it will take a weight off your shoulders, then again i dont know if you know of all the things you need to be worried about.
watch this video, anyone who is a beginner to chameleons and buys a jacksons should be required by law to watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKTbUaOQ0aA
DekuScrub
Avid Member
one half to one?? or one and a half? they sound very young...im concerned...sounds like the breeder sold them to you young or undersized. as a rule of thumb you want to wait till theyre around 3 months. sometimes youll have random deaths with very young babies or runts.
DekuScrub
Avid Member
i knew i saw you around and thought you had a cham but i doubted my memory when i saw the content of the thread.
do everything the same as your adult. im guessing you know what to do.
when i bred panthers and veileds i always kept my neonates in large tupperware containers for about the first month and then they would graduate to small screen cages.
lighting is the same, basking and uvb. ferret already gave you the temps/gradient make sure they have plenty of foliage to hide in though. it can be rough managing a good humidity without making puddles. LIVE plants will make managing the water and humidity much easier. paper towels will do just fine for now, remember babies eat A LOT! and in effect poop a lot.
with a full clutch you find yourself cleaning up and finding it an absolute mess again in an hour, but you only have 3. if they are as young as i think, probably around a month, youre gonna have to worry a little more than you normally would. when i bred at around a month is when i would move them up to small screen cages 12"x18"x24"
just make sure you manage your waterings humidity and temperature well while they are in the tank. and make SURE the basking bulb isnt heating the tank up too much, or drying it out too much. its gonna be a balancing act with the tank but you should be okay with it for a little while.
you could even consider standing it up on its side. how big is the tank youre using?
oh and what night time temps are we looking at, it would have to be pretty cold to warrant the use of a nightlight, i dont recommend it.
DekuScrub
Avid Member
that temp is fine. no need for the night light.
good you have a fan just make sure its not much, its gonna be sucking all the humidity out of your cage if you have it directly on there. if you can set it up so that its just a slight breeze from afar that should help, the heat from the basking light by itself is actually moving the air. as it heats the air in the tank that air is going to rise and cooler air from the other side will replace it.
but the basking light im afraid is going to really dry out the tank with it being that small, do you have any bigger tanks? do you have the light directly on the screen lid? you may want to hang it, or clamp it to something so its not directly on the lid.... like i said its going to be a balancing act to make a tank work, providing sufficient air flow and basking temperature but maintaining humidity will be difficult.
do you have a reliable thermometer? a tempgun would help you figure this out but you may just want to get a digital dual hygrometer/thermometer i think i saw em in home depot for like $20. cheap hygrometers can be really unreliable.
luckily ive got a really old analog that works perfect.
haha see how it gets complicated with a tank? you might just want to get a small screen cage for now, even one of those collapsible butterfly cages will do till they get older. i think theyre cheap.
do you have any potted plants in there with them? make sure it stays moist all the time.
good you have a fan just make sure its not much, its gonna be sucking all the humidity out of your cage if you have it directly on there. if you can set it up so that its just a slight breeze from afar that should help, the heat from the basking light by itself is actually moving the air. as it heats the air in the tank that air is going to rise and cooler air from the other side will replace it.
but the basking light im afraid is going to really dry out the tank with it being that small, do you have any bigger tanks? do you have the light directly on the screen lid? you may want to hang it, or clamp it to something so its not directly on the lid.... like i said its going to be a balancing act to make a tank work, providing sufficient air flow and basking temperature but maintaining humidity will be difficult.
do you have a reliable thermometer? a tempgun would help you figure this out but you may just want to get a digital dual hygrometer/thermometer i think i saw em in home depot for like $20. cheap hygrometers can be really unreliable.
luckily ive got a really old analog that works perfect.
haha see how it gets complicated with a tank? you might just want to get a small screen cage for now, even one of those collapsible butterfly cages will do till they get older. i think theyre cheap.
do you have any potted plants in there with them? make sure it stays moist all the time.
melonman
New Member
Hmm
The basking light is really small its not even a dpme its like a can with a bulb just enoigh to make it warm rite under the bulb but ill
look into what you said thanks ...... at what age to you start supp. The tiny guys.... i can never keep a ficus alive (never they end up getting all shribbled up
The basking light is really small its not even a dpme its like a can with a bulb just enoigh to make it warm rite under the bulb but ill
look into what you said thanks ...... at what age to you start supp. The tiny guys.... i can never keep a ficus alive (never they end up getting all shribbled up
AllFallDown
New Member
Does anyone ever get to a point at which they do not have any questions? I should hope not.
