New Chameleon owner, need some advice

[TempestOnawa]

I have just got a baby veiled chameleon after wanting one for a loong time. He's about 3-4 months old. I got home from a pet store, and they got him from a breeder. He was pretty healthy when I got him, nice greens, his eyes weren't sunken in and he was the liveliest one they had. I have a 16x16x28 screen terrarium, a live Ficus and Pothos plant, and a lot of branches. I have a simple zoomed 'little dripper' system, two misting bottles (one is extra fine), two light bulbs from reptism; a basking light and a UVB light. The temperature is usually in the high 70's, and I'm buying a humidifier to get the humidity up (its usually in the mid 30's). My house has a lot of ventilation, and right now its a little chilly so he gets a few gusts of chill air here and there.
I'm currently trying to find a reptile vet near me (I can't find a vet that will take a chameleon. Would anybody possibly be able to help with this?), but I would like some feed back from other experienced owners.

So, the first thing i noticed that really startled me is he sneezes. I've been monitoring it and it only seems to be when i mist him or if i accidentally startle him (like drop the mister or something), but it shakes him.

The second, is he will lie under the heat lamp with him mouth open, and sometimes leaning to the side; I turn one off occasionally to monitor the temperature, and I know that sometimes they open their mouths to let out excess heat, so I try to lower the temp whenever i notice it.

Thirdly, He is often a dark greenish brown shade when i walk into the room. If i open to screed door and hang out near him, he usually comes to a closer branch and turns green. Sometimes when I'm misting the cage he will try to go on my hand, and on multiple occasions he has climbed into my shoulder on arm without me even really wanting him to. Is this normal? Is he perhaps just used to people as he is from a busy pet store, or is he trying to escape because he's uncomfortable?

Fourthly, are the branches too small in his terrarium? Sometimes he wobbles and often when he is sleeping he has one arm awkwardly holding him in place. (Pictures bellow)

Fifthly, i notice when i feed him sometimes his tongue will do one or two fake extends, like half an inch out of his mouth before he actually stricks down the insect. He is eating well, and right now I've only got mealworms but I'm going to get some crickets tomorrow. I bought some kingworms, but the guy at the store said I would have to cut them in half because they are too big...which i don't really ave the stomach for. I'm using exo-terra's multi vitamin supplement, the one with a chameleon on the front.


And last but not least, his shedding. I have noticed a few pieced of shed above his eye, along his tail, and in the corner of his mouth have been there for a few days. This is the one area I'm feeling the most unsure about, as none of my snakes have ever had a messy shed. (I've been so lucky I've almost always had perfect sheds) So, I'm not entirely sure what to do about these pieces of skin, because i know chameleons are very fragile and i can't really just give them a warm bath like you can a snake. (can you?)

Thanks for taking your time, I really want to give this guy a happy home and keep him strong and healthy. And if you know of any vets that will take chameleons in and around Vancouver BC, please let me know!

(in the photo with him gaping, you can see the piece of shed in the corner of his mouth. The last photo is from the day i got him.)

 

[Ninkylou]

I know you put a great deal of information in your post but for someone (one of our many experts) to help they are going to want information about specific husbandry.

There is a form that you need to use to ask for help.

There are addition questions regarding feeding, supplementation, temperatures etc.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Eggimations]

Nice to see another new Cham owner from BC! I have a veiled of similar age, yours seems to be fine. I've never seen my Cham sneeze before, but he has yawned and fake tounge extensions are very normal, he's just getting ready. If he's not happy in his cage there might have something in his cage he doesn't like. How big is it? otherwise he might just be really friendly, mine is very friendly outside of his cage but a bit of a grumpy turd inside it

 

[TempestOnawa]

I know you put a great deal of information in your post but for someone (one of our many experts) to help they are going to want information about specific husbandry.

There is a form that you need to use to ask for help.

There are addition questions regarding feeding, supplementation, temperatures etc.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

I pretty much stated all that but here:

Your Chameleon - veiled, about 3-4 months, I've had him for 4 days
Handling - the first day when i put him in him terrarium, and almost everyday he reaches to go on my hand when i open the screen door for misting, and he sits on my shoulder. I avoid this, but sometimes he is so persistant, and he usually goes a nice green after.
Feeding - meal worms and king worms. i give him about 3 meal worms and 1 king worm cut in half a day. usually always around noon. I gut load them with carrots, banana peels, kale, peppers, and potatoe sometimes. i use a bran bedding.
Supplements - so far one or two worms a day are dusted with exo terras multi vitamine supplement.
Watering - a store bough little dripper and two misting bottles, i use them in the morning and before bed for about 20 seconds each (untill all the leaves have water on them) and i use the finer, gentler mister a few times through out the day, with only one or two spritz at a time. I've seen him drink multiple times.
Fecal Description - dark brown, fairly solid gooey texturem with white and green colours.
History - I don't have much on his history, but when i get pinhead crickets tomorrow i will ask.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - all screen, 18x18 and about 30'' tall.
Lighting - reptism basking and UVB light. since it is winter im doing 13hrs dark 11 light, then i'll make it 12/12 then 11/13 in the summer. is this okay?
Temperature - the lowest has been 62 at night, the highest 83 in the basking spot. I'm going to buy a temp gun for more accurate reading, because i only have a small one with one probe.
Humidity - I wil admit my humidity levels are lower than they should be, but i need to get my pay check to buy a humidifier. on average its in the mid 30's, and i mist quite regularly. at night it goes up by 10%
Plants - two live plants - a Ficus and a Pothos.
Placement - The terrarium is in the corner of my room, diagonal from the window and across from the door. there is an air vent between the terrarium and the door, and I have it place about a foor away from the ceiling as i have carpeted floors and don't want it to be too dusty.
Location - Vancouver BC, Canada. It's not snowing, but its rainy, windy and cold right now.


Current Problem - I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right, and I'm fairly concerned about his colouring/behavior.

 

[xraygirl]

As far as your supplementing goes, you'll need calcium with D3, calcium without D3, and a multivitamin without D3.

Use the calcium without D3 at every feeding... Calcium with D3 every other week, and use the multivitamin every other week, in between your calcium with D3 weeks.

 

[Cucciolo]

You can go to Dewdney Animal Hospital.www.dewdneyvet.com. Look for Dr. Walton. He is one of the more knowledgeable vet in the lower mainland area. He deal with a lots of different reptiles. His clinic is located in Maple Ridge but it is worth the drive.

 

[Defianceofexistence]

Hey I'm in BC to

I work in Vancouver but I live in New Westminster.....

Your little boy looks adorable by the way