New Chameleon, Ideas around coloration??

[Kbomb]

Hi everyone,

I just got my first chameleon, a panther chameleon, and am hoping someone can ease my mind surrounding his coloration.

General Info:
Chameleon - Male Panther Chameleon
Age - 4 - 5 months (Feb/Mar Clutch) from Kammerflage
Cage - ExoTerra 36Lx18Wx36H
Lighting - 1 Mercury Vapor 100W bulb in a deep dome, and 1 26W Reptiglow 5.0.
Hydration/Humidity - I have a digital thermometer/hygrometer in 2 locations of his setup and the ambient temp is about 79 during the day down to maybe 73 - 70 at night. I run an automatic mister for 2 minutes every 4 hours.
My setup pictures below show the layout, but i do have 2 lamps on top not just the one. each one is raised about 3 inches off the top of the screen so he cant burn himself. That is the only difference.

Setup Picture

He has been eating pretty vigorously every day when I feed him, and a couple times would eat out of the food dish while I was holding it. I am supplementing every day with Calcium w/o phosphorous/D3 and have a multivitamin for once a week. I've had him for 4 days now, and am just concerned because I haven't seem him brighten to a lime green or white color like he was in the breeder's picture. He's maintained a dark brown, dark green, or black coloration for a majority of his 4 days. Here is the photo by the breeder

, but he hasn't been that color since after he arrived. I'm just wondering if I should be doing anything differently.

Any thoughts??

 

[krikinit]

It will just take some time is all. Its a tough process and it will be a few week before he really starts to settle down. As long as he eats/poops you are good.

 

[janjan20]

He’s very cute! Just some things I noticed what is his basking temp? And I highly recommend a linear light fixture to give uvb to the entire enclosure. See picture below.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

You’ve got the wrong lighting, no calcium with D3, and are double dosing on vitamins. Post your complete help form and someone will go over it with you to get you back on track.

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Kbomb]

So far I've only given him 1 multivitamin supplement on some crickets a few days ago. I'll change the plan to once every two weeks for that. My calcium doesn't have D3, so I'll order some for this next week. The two bulbs i'm currently using are the Evergreen Pet Supplies 100 Watt UVA UVB Mercury Vapor Bulb/Light/Lamp for Reptile and Amphibian Use - Excellent Source of Heat and Light for UV and Basking and ReptiGlow 5.0 26W. Should I replace my 26W Reptiglow with a strip lamp that matches the link above?

 

[janjan20]

So far I've only given him 1 multivitamin supplement on some crickets a few days ago. I'll change the plan to once every two weeks for that. My calcium doesn't have D3, so I'll order some for this next week. The two bulbs i'm currently using are the Evergreen Pet Supplies 100 Watt UVA UVB Mercury Vapor Bulb/Light/Lamp for Reptile and Amphibian Use - Excellent Source of Heat and Light for UV and Basking and ReptiGlow 5.0 26W. Should I replace my 26W Reptiglow with a strip lamp that matches the link above? View attachment 239495

Yes that will do
Edit: you can get the bulb and light fixtures at http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/

 

[Clayton0520]

After every shed he will get brighter and brighter, also like another posted after a few weeks he will get settled in and start to show you more colors and patterns. My little guy still every now and then turns a color or pattern that iv never seen before! That’s the fun of them! Also do as much research on your husbandry and don’t be afraid to ask ANYTHING here on the forum. There’s lots of good people and knowledge here.

 

[Daesie11]

It took my guy a bit over a month of being in my care before he started showing any colors. I would say the picture you showed he looks to be about the same age my Pesto was when I got him. Even then, it was very small amounts of color. But within a few weeks after he first started showing color he became a magnificent colorful beast!
It just takes time. The breeders show you pictures of the babies all fired up because you wouldnt want to buy their baby if they showed you the brown turd that they usually are when they are that young

 

[KobaOregonherper]

You’ve got the wrong lighting, no calcium with D3, and are double dosing on vitamins. Post your complete help form and someone will go over it with you to get you back on track.

Welcome to the forums!

Does Kammerflage Kreations still use non linear uvb? I cant for the life of me remember where I heard that they dont use linear.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Does Kammerflage Kreations still use non linear uvb? I cant for the life of me remember where I heard that they dont use linear.

How would I know? Lol I can’t see that being true...

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Does Kammerflage Kreations still use non linear uvb? I cant for the life of me remember where I heard that they dont use linear.

They use T8s and Repashy Calcium Plus every feeding

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

I would pull the mercury Vapor bulb until he's on his adult enclosure and you have a UVI meter

 

[Beman]

Yeah the mercury Vapor needs to go until you have a solarmeter 6.5. These produce high levels of UVI and heat. You want a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% uvb bulb. and then your basking bulb can be a regular house hold incandescent bulb.

 

[Graves923]

Agreed about the MV Bulbs. They put out a lot of heat and a lot of UV light which could burn your cham. Young chameleons like yours are easily dehydrated.

 

[Kbomb]

Ok, I’ll pull off the MV bulb tonight and use a 75w exoterra bulb instead. A 75W exoterra spot bulb and the new hood lamp with a 24” 5.0 will do the trick?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Ok, I’ll pull off the MV bulb tonight and use a 75w exoterra bulb instead. A 75W exoterra spot bulb and the new hood lamp with a 24” 5.0 will do the trick?

Yes.