I bought my Veiled Chameleon on about 3 weeks ago from a Petsmart with everything I needed inside an 18x18x24 GLASS death kit. I wish I did my research on death kits and found FB Groups/Forums before. I brought him home and immediately spent an additional $300-$400 on the correct lighting (75W Philips Plant light, 24" Arcadia T5 HO 12%), enclosure (2x2x4 Reptibreeze), and a whole bunch of cham safe plants. He seemed to me like he loved being handled for the first few days and was eating out of my hand almost immediately. Before all of this new stuff arrived, I had a fear of a URI from looking up, gaping, and sneezing sounds, so I used the Petsmart 14 day return policy with the intent to repurchase. They brought him to a local exotic bird/reptile vet who found a blockage in his nose, gave him an antibiotic, and had the petstore monitor him for a week with higher than normal humidity to help loosen up whatever it was. No other issues found. I went back in to pick him up a week later and brought him home to his new enclosure. For the last week since getting him back, he will sit in a pothos plant low to the ground and not move a muscle. This pothos is lifted about 12-14 inches from the ground. Whenever I walk into the room, he may be on his basking branch but immediately turns dark moves as fast as he can to the pothos at the bottom at the first site of me. I bought a 2 foot plant stand to put the pothos on to keep him higher but don't want to handle him when he is already super stressed to put the stand in. I have a majesty palm, a ficus, 3 Pothos plants (2 smaller ones mounted on dowels on top and the bigger one at the bottom). I dont think coverage on top is the issue. Do you think this is just him acclimating to the new enclosure? He has been back in my card for 11 days.
- Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon. Unknown age but assumed 4-5 months. In my care for about 2-3 weeks.
- Handling - Handled often with no issues the first few days when originally got him. Only once in the last week when cleaning/adding to enclosure.
- Feeding - Small-Medium Crickets (Carrots and Apple gut load and flukers quencher) and Small BSFL. I load up a bowl with about 5-6 BSFL and 2-3 Crickets every AM and PM. Hornworms occasionally. 2 in the last week.
- Supplements - RepCal calcium every feeding on crickets only (I read BSFL are pretty calcium loaded and dont need dusting). Reptivite biweekly (Have only had to use this one time since he is new to me).
- Watering - Hand mist 30 minutes before lights on (9AM) and 30 minutes after lights off (9PM) about 2-3 minutes. Have never seen him drink because he has been hidden but he looks hydrated. Fogging midnight to 6AM.
- Fecal Description - Feces looks normal. Black and White. Toothpaste consistency. Have not seen any orange which from what I've heard is no good.
- History - Histoty in the description above
- Cage Type - 2x2x4 reptibreeze. Shower curtain on 2 of 4 sides.
- Lighting - Philips 75W Plant light (Doubles as basking light). Arcadia 24" T5HO 12%. 9AM-9PM lights on.
- Temperature - Cage floor is usually between 70-75. Basking is 82-85. I have 2 therm/hygrometers. One near basking one on opposite side lower. Also use temp gun as a backup.
- Humidity - Florida weather so relatively humid. Day time fluctuates from 35-50. Nighttime after misting around 75-80 but the fogger overnight falls directly on the plant where he has been hiding/sleeping.
- Plants - 3 Pothos, Majesty Palm, Ficus
- Placement - Cage is located in the living room area. Apartment and not many low traffic areas to choose from. There is a ceiling fan and vent but not close to enclosure. The enclosure is lifted about 2 feet off the ground.
- Location - Central Florida