new/concerns

[nosytrish]

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 16 x 16 x 20 screen cage we got today but have been using 5 gallon glass tank with a screen top.

Lighting - Flukers sun coil lantern 20W 5.0 and Sunglow Neodymium 75W Basking Spot Light, plus sun from window for about 3-4 hours (on a sunny day) Schedule is 12 hours on/12 hours off, but the basking bulb goes off during the sunny parts of the day
Temperature - 70-84 degrees, lowest overnight temperature 18 degrees Measured with a non-digital thermometer, heater used if it gets too cold(those sticker thermometers)
Humidity - 50-80% measured with a hydrometer, non-digital. We also bought a humidifier to maintain better levels. We spray multiple times a day.
Plants - Using one live plant (chameleon approved) bought from reptile store, one fake plant and a small vine.
Placement - The cage is in it's on room (the den, which has been taken over), The cage is beside a window and the air vent is blocked near the cage. There is only 2 of us living at our house (one during the week) so it is pretty quiet and low traffic at most times. The top of the cage is at about 5Ft.
Location - Kitchener, On. Canada

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Nosy Be Panther Chameleon, Sex unknown, age approx 2 months (1.5in from his nose to the base of his tale). We have had him for about a month.
Handling - Once maybe Twice maximum a day (for feeding)
Feeding - Pin Head Crickets currently, he eats about 1-3 per day. He gets food around 11:00 am each day and if he isn't going after the food (he sometimes gets a bit upset and refuses) we will try again around 5:00 (all of this is done in a separate feeding tank which we put paper towel on the floor and some small dried grape vines for him to crawl on. Two crickets are in a cup in his tank during the day and there is one or two usually loose in his tank at all times (because sometimes he likes to eat those)
How are you gut-loading your feeders? Flukers cricket quencher water and a gutload mix from my local reptile shop owner. (What he uses to gutload)
Supplements - Repti Calcium Without D3 and Miner-all multi-mineral suppliment with D3 and they have been getting dusted with miner-all for the last week before feeding, but not too much, just a light dust.
Watering - Water is set out at least 24hrs in advance. Spray bottle and dripper. We mist around 5 times a day for less than a minute because of his old enclosure, we have increased his spraying time today to make sure to maintain humidity. He loves to drink all the time.
Fecal Description - long skinny black with white tip , not yet tested for parasites
History - Hatched in the store we purchased him/her. The second week that we had it, we let it stay at the store in the nursery because it was sleeping during the day. It was acting fine at the store so we adjusted humidity levels and purchased a spot lamp and the chameleon stopped sleeping (shutting eyes and was more energetic)

Current Problem - Lately he has been pretty active (showing a range of colours, climbing around, active eyes, drinking a lot although with a minimal appetite. On the advice from our breeder, we bought a separate feeding tank to help him focus on getting down to munching we have had pretty decent experience with it, if he doesnt get too mad going into it (that happens 1/4 time.) We fear that he is not getting enough nutrition though because most babies eat a lot more than he does.
Today we noticed very squinty eyes (almost not even open), and very little activity (almost frozen/stressed but not puffed out or too dark). Not laying on the floor but not interested in food or moving much at all. He almost seemed blind, and was moving around like he just couldnt open his eyes.

We are new to chameleon care and would just like some advice/ comments on how we are doing, how he is doing/ any tips on being the best owners we can be. Also, even though I have referring to my chameleon as a "he", we are unsure of the sex and would like anyone's opinion on what they think it will turn out to be.

Names: if it is a boy- Zephyr and if its a girl-Coral.

Thanks so much for the help!!
ps: the pics are from about 2 weeks ago

 

[kinyonga]

Some of the spiral bulbs cause problems. The most often recommended UVB light to use is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Try turning off the spiral bulb to see if it helps the eye issues.

You said..."sun from window for about 3-4 hours"...the sun might be useful for the brightness and the heat, but light passing through glass or plastic will not provide any UVB. Also...being near a window, the coolness from the window at night could lead to a fungal or respiratory infection.

It should be eating quite a bit more than that at that age....but I can't give you a definite reason why he isn't.

You said..."Flukers cricket quencher water and a gutload mix from my local reptile shop owner. (What he uses to gutload)"...IMHO its much better to give them a natural diet of greens and veggies such as dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, etc.

You said..."Repti Calcium Without D3 and Miner-all multi-mineral suppliment with D3 and they have been getting dusted with miner-all for the last week before feeding, but not too much, just a light dust"...neither of these is a vitamin powder...so you might need one.

Here are some articles you might like to read...
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/20060502...rnals.com/vet/index.php?show=5.Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20060421.../index.php?show=6.Vitamin.D3.and.Calcium.html
http://adcham.com/
http://chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=102

 

[pssh]

I would suggest cup feeding and not moving him to a separate tank. Hang a plain Jane NOT clear(or red) cup and put food items in it. Put it under a favorite basking spot or a place that he likes. Make sure it is below a branch so he can see them.

Also, all the above info was great information, but make sure the basking spot is no more than 80.

 

[warpdrive]

I fully agree with the above posters...

yet not only would I turn off the coil UVB light, I would also look into getting a reptisun or reptiglow 5.0 tube light as soon as you can.
what ever that bulb is, I'm sure it's causing the eye problems and needs to be replaced fast.

also, to me, pinhead crickets are crickets that are less then 7 days old, or less, and quite small.
at the size you posted, SHE (and it looks like a she to me based on the photo and the size vs. age) might be ready for 2 week old crickets. such crickets are still small but might be large enough to make her WANT to eat them.
when my Splat was young, he would constantly refuse to take food that he felt was too small for himself.

a good idea would be to try houseflys to get her/him to eat more. trust me, she/he will go crazy for houseflys.

now, to me, moving such a young baby out of her/his main cage in order to feed is way too stressful and totaly unneeded.
this is not a boa, this is a chameleon and doesn't need to feed in another cage.
this baby cham needs to get used to eating in it's own cage and will in time with the right size food.
in fact, with some slightly larger crickets and houseflys, I'm sure she/he will start eating like a beast.
I would also try cup feeding some small phoenix worms too if possable.

one other thing that has nothing to do with you...
I've seen people get realy young baby chams before, in fact my Splat came to me at only 6 weeks old.
but are you realy saying that this cham is only 6 weeks old now, and you got it at about 2 weeks old?
no offence to the breeder, but that is selling a baby WAY too young to even someone who has taken care of newly hatched chams, never mind a potential first time owner.

above all, keep posting closer or larger photos for a better idea of the sex.
also keep asking questions about everything and we'll get you on a better path.

Harry

 

[DNA]

IMHO its much better to give them a natural diet of greens and veggies such as dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, etc.l]

Kinyonga is a friend with many kindnesses. Always help anybody wherever and whatever in need.

I want to know whether intake of protein is necessary for cricket? and How do you supply protein if you only provide with greens? I think greens contain very few protein inside.

 

[kinyonga]

Thanks for the compliment!

I'm not sure the crickets need anything other than greens and veggies.
Here is what one site says..."Crickets are omnivores and scavengers feeding on organic materials, as well as decaying plant material, fungi, and some seedling plants."...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_(insect)

And another..."The main part of a cricket’s diet is greens, including fresh seedlings, garden fresh fruits, tomatoes, and has even at times been the cause of whole fields being destroyed" and "They also have been known to feed on other insects, as in the smaller ones that live among ants"...
http://www.essortment.com/all/cricketinsects_rgfe.htm

House crickets also eat things like paper, cloth, carpets, etc.

Some studies done have shown that female crickets need more protein and male crickets need more carbohydrates, BTW!

 

[nosytrish]

some bad news

Hey everyone, I just want to say thanks for all of your words of wisdom.
Unfortunately after a long battle with sleeping during the day and no apetite, and a day of wincing eyes and not much movement, Coral the Nosy Be passed away. She was found at the bottom of the cage the morning after I posted about her symptoms. She only got to sleep in her screen enclosure for one night
We brought her, and her enclosure to the reptile store so we could come up with some answers and we all believed that she was most likely the runt of the litter because she never thrived well. We also brought up the age of Coral when she was purchased and how that may have had added to her stress and illness

The owner, my boyfriend and I came up with a deal and we purchased a reptisun, the same as you all suggested, and we recieved a new juvenile panther. Yesterday we went out and got the new little guy some more foliage, another thermometer, and an amazing humidifier. We have named it Zephyr and he seems to like his new jungle. Zephyr eats pretty big crickets that we cut off the legs and cup feed to it, the ones with legs seem a little too fast and slightly too big. I look forward to all of your advice in the future.

thanks!

 

[nosytrish]

Zephyr

Just wondering if anyone knew if little zephyr is a he/she. This picture was taken today and Zephyr is around 2.5-3 months. Also, any comments on the habitat? They are the same as listed above for the other chameleon.
Thanks so much!

 

[pssh]

I'm sorry for your loss.

More foliage! Also, if you want people to sex him/her, you need closer pictures of the baby's back end with the tail straight out (from the side). Like the third pic, but closer up.

 

[Carlton]

we all believed that she was most likely the runt of the litter because she never thrived well. We also brought up the age of Coral when she was purchased and how that may have had added to her stress and illness

One of many problems with offering such young chams for sale (and buying one) is that not every cham born in a clutch will survive even with perfect care. Buying older chams saves much heartache. Unfortunately for some sellers the explanation that "it must have been the runt" still begs the question why such a tiny baby was up for sale in the first place. I hope Zephyr does great.