New chameleon owner

[Frigga]

Hello everyone! I've been reading all your threads for the last few days and decided I should join my name is Amanda and as of last Thursday I am a proud veiled chameleon owner!
I'm still new in the world of reptiles, but I found my calling to them when my sister bought my son a Leopard gecko (Godzilla, aka Zilla) for Christmas last year and I fell in love with her. A couple months later I got myself a bearded dragon (Puff). I went my whole life without knowing I loved reptiles!
So last week I decided (after much ogling at the pet store) to bring home a veiled chameleon, who I named Loki.
Based on his size, I believe Loki is about 6 months old. I have him in a screen cage, which is still a work in progress, I feel it need some more foliage and plan on getting a ficus for him. I've learned a lot about chameleons the last week, I tend to go a little OCD once I put my mind to things. Loki was a little dehydrated this week so I learned I need to give him a few drops of water on his face to make him drink and based on his poops he's already improving a lot.
Next week he has a vet appointment to get a checkup and tested for parasites.

Loki is surprisingly friendly, he's only been home less then a week I had no intention of handling him at all for the first couple of weeks, at least. But a couple of days after bringing him home I was working on attaching a new thermometer in his cage and hanging new vines when he came to me and climbed right on my hand! Now when I walk up to his cage he reaches for me like he wants to be held. Maybe he just wants out of his cage, but I prefer to think I'm just a lizard whisperer

I don't really have any questions yet, just wanted to introduce myself and Loki, any advice for a newbie is appreciated and I look forward to picking exprert brains and future discussions

 

[guanagator]

Great that he's comfortable with you, with this forum you've found a good community to help with anything you need. Sounds like your off to a good start with the vet check up and research. My one recommendation would be to look into an automated misting system if you don't have one already.

 

[Frigga]

I have a drip thing, "the little dripper", but haven't set it up because I haven't figured out the best way to set it up without just setting it on top of his cage, so I have just been manually misting his tank 2-3x a day. He also has a little water fountain thing, it pumps water over leaves, although I have never actually seen him drink from it.

 

[JGuinan007]

I have a drip thing, "the little dripper", but haven't set it up because I haven't figured out the best way to set it up without just setting it on top of his cage, so I have just been manually misting his tank 2-3x a day. He also has a little water fountain thing, it pumps water over leaves, although I have never actually seen him drink from it.

You may never see him drink, I have never seen mine drink unless in a shower, and read lots of others with veileds say the same thing just make his poop is good

 

[Frigga]

You may never see him drink, I have never seen mine drink unless in a shower, and read lots of others with veileds say the same thing just make his poop is good

Thanks, good to know. I have a friend who is a bit of an expert who told me, after we noticed he had become a bit dehydrated, to offer him water twice a day by dropping some water on his face. It definitely helped and noticed the difference in his poops within a day or two

 

[Fiona's Mom]

Welcome....he's a good looking veiled.

 

[WAMBO]

Welcome!

 

[Frigga]

Thanks everyone!
Having my little Loki in my life makes me so happy and I want to do everything I can to provide the very best for him