New friend

[cornelius.rex]

Thank you so much @Beman!!! Pictures attached of supplements - the Reptivite is the one we've only used twice (once on day one, once on day 15 of him in our care), ExoTerra every day aside from those 2 days.

One question; If I'm able to ensure the basking bulb in the deepdome is 8" above him (or her), perhaps by raising the basking lamp, would it be safe to raise the basking branch so that it's closer to the UVB light/UVI 3? The T5HO should be here Friday, but I'd like to do as well as we can today and tomorrow until it arrives.

 

[cornelius.rex]

Also updated feet pics. Looking more we may have a little lady?

 

[elizaann2]

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? 4x2x2 Reptibreeze XL Deluxe (mostly screen, with the acrylic front upper panel+LEDs) - the Reptibreeze XL was so hard to source in my area that I had to settle for the Deluxe LED combo. I do not use the red LEDs as I've read they can damage Cham eyes and disrupt sleeping cycles. Perfect you are on point with everything you have learned for this.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? We were provided with the Fluorescent housing seen in the photo - the bulb is brand new out of box (also provided) and is a Zilla T8 15W 18". There's a chart on the box which indicates the UVB intensity/UV index and the light is arranged so that he's in 2-5uv index while basking. ~8-10" from bulb. He's positioned next to a large window upstairs to receive as much ambient sunlight as possible. Arcadia T5HO should be here this weekend. The basking lamp itself came with the deep dome housing, it's a blue daylight UVB+Basking bulb. Lights on roughly 9AM, off roughly 8PM. Ok this is what I wanted to double check. So UVB needs to be upgraded asap. you want a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% bulb strength. I only recommend the arcadia ProT5 kit or reptisun brand name. This fixture sitting directly on the cage top you want to then measure down 8-9 inches that is where your highest branches should start to put baby in a 3 UVI level. Unfortunately with that T8 the output they say is not correct. They do not account for the screen in between which reduces the UVI output by about 40%. So you actually have to have a branch 5-6 inches down from the screen to get baby into a 2-3 UVI. Where baby is at right now it is not getting the UVI levels needed to slow down the MBD so it will continue to progress.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Awaiting the proper tools to fully measure the enclosure, but the home is kept at 72F and commonly 70F at night. So to fog at night you have to drop your ambient house temp. Basking spot feels warm to the hand and in my absolutely unequivocally expert hand-measuring experience I would say 80F. I've got a shipment with some items coming to incl. the correct measurement devices so I can get accurate readings inside his enclosure, but at the moment he's positioned about 10ft away from our home thermostat which measures Temperature and RH at its location. He's positioned next to a large window upstairs which I've been opening at nighttime to tank the temperature to around 63-65F, as well as provide air flow through the cage. Due to nighttime drops here being around 50F, I close this window at around midnight. So I would not position the cage right next to a window. It is fine being in the room with an open window but right next to a window you will have the exposure influencing temps season to season. Sun coming through a window can drastically increase ambient temp.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? We live on the Gulf Coast of the US, so daytime RH hovers around 55% and nighttime is generally 70%+. I've got a shipment with some items coming to incl. the correct measurement devices so I can get accurate readings inside his enclosure, but at the moment he's positioned about 10ft away from our home thermostat which measures Temperature and RH at its location. With living in a high ambient humidity level you will want to watch how long you mist in the morning time. You will more than likely have to reduce this or eliminate it all together because you need your daytime ambient level to stay lower. Hot moist air with chameleons can lead to respiratory infections. Really looking for a 40-50% range daytime. Night can be up to 100% with cold temps.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Only live plants. Schefflera, Pathos. Bendable branches provided by an acquaintance. The enclosure in total will be updated more this weekend but some things have been surprisingly hard to source in our area. Planning to build wooden upright supports inside the corners this weekend to hold the pathos plants at the top and add more branches in the higher regions. Then another tall growing plant (taking recommendations!) in the bottom with the Schefflera. So for anything wood structure wise... You want to use something like flex seal to totally seal the wood. This will contain VOC's that cut wood can produce which can be harmful for their lungs. But also it is going to keep your structure from degrading. There are lots of ways to attach to a cage. I like the vinyl lattice cut to size and slid in along the sides and into the back panel. then you can secure it to the screen with floral wire (sharps on the outside) or zip ties. This can also help prevent screen climbing which can harm their nails breaking them off as they get larger. Keep in mind flex seal still has to gas off before you can put the structure into the cage.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high-traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? Located in an upstairs office. This is not a high traffic area, but I'm commonly in the room. It is a calm and quiet area of our home. There is a ceiling fan and floor air purifier in the room, both remain on most of the time. Cage is located on a stand ~3ft high, putting the entire 4ft enclosure at ~7ft at the top. He looks down on me from his basking spot and I'm 6ft tall. Sounds great.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Gulf Coast, USA

View attachment 362730View attachment 362731View attachment 362732

Thank yoU!

 

[Beman]

Thank you so much @Beman!!! Pictures attached of supplements - the Reptivite is the one we've only used twice (once on day one, once on day 15 of him in our care), ExoTerra every day aside from those 2 days.

One question; If I'm able to ensure the basking bulb in the deepdome is 8" above him (or her), perhaps by raising the basking lamp, would it be safe to raise the basking branch so that it's closer to the UVB light/UVI 3? The T5HO should be here Friday, but I'd like to do as well as we can today and tomorrow until it arrives.

My pleasure. Ok the exo terra calcium is perfect to use this is just plain calcium without D3 and they have magnesium in it. Now the reptivite I would go ahead and switch to repashy calcium plus LoD version. It has a jackson chameleon on the label. Reason for this. As I mentioned I am not a big fan of the reptivite. While it has everything needed they additionally add phosphorus. Phosphorus can interfere with calcium absorption. Now with a healthy cham this may never cause an issue but with a chameleon that is MBD compromised it is the last thing you want to add to the equation. Because to get those bones strong again they need the absorption of the plain calcium no D3. This is why almost universally you will see a vet prescribe special liquid calcium to treat the MBD faster. The bones never return to normal shape but it stops them from getting even worse. You kinda have a double whammy because I am betting you have a little girl. If you do you have to get her bone health on point asap as they will lay infertile eggs. We do things to control clutch size as they mature which we can talk about later once we know for sure you have a female. But for a female to be able to dig a tunnel and lay their eggs we want those limbs to be strong and working as they are supposed to.

Yes you can raise that basking fixture up higher. Easy way is to get a plant hook and screw it to the wall behind the cage at the distance needed. If you are using the 60 watt daylight blue bulb then there would be little to no risk of thermal burn with an 8 inch distance from bottom of fixture to top of cham.

Also updated feet pics. Looking more we may have a little lady?

I really think you do have a little girl after seeing this angle.

 

[cornelius.rex]

My pleasure. Ok the exo terra calcium is perfect to use this is just plain calcium without D3 and they have magnesium in it. Now the reptivite I would go ahead and switch to repashy calcium plus LoD version. It has a jackson chameleon on the label. Reason for this. As I mentioned I am not a big fan of the reptivite. While it has everything needed they additionally add phosphorus. Phosphorus can interfere with calcium absorption. Now with a healthy cham this may never cause an issue but with a chameleon that is MBD compromised it is the last thing you want to add to the equation. Because to get those bones strong again they need the absorption of the plain calcium no D3. This is why almost universally you will see a vet prescribe special liquid calcium to treat the MBD faster. The bones never return to normal shape but it stops them from getting even worse. You kinda have a double whammy because I am betting you have a little girl. If you do you have to get her bone health on point asap as they will lay infertile eggs. We do things to control clutch size as they mature which we can talk about later once we know for sure you have a female. But for a female to be able to dig a tunnel and lay their eggs we want those limbs to be strong and working as they are supposed to.

Yes you can raise that basking fixture up higher. Easy way is to get a plant hook and screw it to the wall behind the cage at the distance needed. If you are using the 60 watt daylight blue bulb then there would be little to no risk of thermal burn with an 8 inch distance from bottom of fixture to top of cham.

I really think you do have a little girl after seeing this angle.

Roger that thank you! We've been reading quite a bit on laying bin setup, etc. just in case (I had a feeling those weren't tarsal spurs, as other pics seem much more pronounced). Will get that set up this weekend as well.

 

[cornelius.rex]

View attachment 362726


Am another vote for a a girl. I mean, dat tail taper...

I think you might be on to something!

 

[Gloriawood]

Also updated feet pics. Looking more we may have a little lady?

I’d like to change my vote to girl

 

[Beman]

I’d like to change my vote to girl

 

[cornelius.rex]

@cornelius.rex Please see my feedback in Red bold. let us know what questions you have. I am going to split this into two posts because I talk too much for the character limits in the forum.

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled, ~3-6mo old, 2-3weeks in our care. Based on the image of baby on your hand I am betting somewhere in the 4 month age. Too small for a 6 month old and not showing the maturity you would expect to see.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Not at all in the first several days. Approximately 5-6 times in the last 2 weeks, he's been held while various enclosure activities are done (cleaning, draining plants). While out, colors change to vibrant almost neon green and he's very active (climbing to top of head, sitting on hand by window, etc.) he seems to enjoy it but I know this is rare. Watch its colors when you interact. Very vibrant can indicate stress colors. It will take time to learn the behaviors and colors and what they mean. As they start to mature more muted greens indicate calm resting colors."enjoying" being out of the cage is more linked to something missing in the cage at this age.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? ~15 crickets/day at around 10am. Crickets are kept in a separate cage, gutloaded from the store with apple, and sweet potato from me. Crickets are about the width of his mouth (~.75inch). He has a very strong appetite and moves quickly when it's time to eat. Tongue shoots out at least the length of his body and with force, has no problems eating. He eats from a glass (cricket-escape-free) in the base of his Schefflera plant but has eaten/will eat directly from hand. We have a shooting gallery which we plan to put other feeders in when we have them - Dubia, Hornworm, etc. when the time is right. Perfect keep in mind at this age they can easily take down 2 dozen insects per day. Might add in some black soldier fly larvae. These are great with their calcium levels. Expand your gutload see image.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with, and what is the schedule? ExoTerra Calcium daily, Reptivite multivitamin+D3 once per 15 days (not on 1st and 15th, but planning to move to these days when I'm sure he's fully healthy) Can you post pics of your supplements? They are probably good but this is something I like to double check for people that they are adequate with what is in them. I would suggest a change to repashy versions as their multivitamin does not have added phosphorus like the reptivite does. Let me know if you are interested in this option. Your 1st and 15th plan is correct for the multivitamin but this should start now. Remember dusting all feeders that day lightly.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long do you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Hand misting twice/day at recommended times for approximately 5-10min - before lights come on and after lights go off. I also have a Little Dripper which I activate for ~2-4 hours/day. I have witnessed him drinking a few times actually and have video/photos of that if you'd like to see He also seems to enjoy the shower very much. I've also read in several places that they can be taught to drink from standing water or that it's at least good to offer, so he's got a clear glass which is full to the brim, and while I move the dripper on the top of the enclosure, it is commonly made so that it drips into the glass. Fogger/automatic mister are en route and will be set up in the next 2-3 days. So no standing water... this is not recommended for chameleons they respond to moving water and that triggers a drinking response. hopefully you are getting a mistking starter system. This is the way to go and allows you to have more freedom and baby to have an extremely fine mist. Foggers should be cool mist only and can only be used at nights when temps are below 67. The cooler the better for this. I try to aim for no higher that 65 with a fogger.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Looks as I believe it's supposed to. Brown on one half, white on the other. No real traces of orange or yellow. No parasite test yet. I do recommend this. The last thing you want is to invest in tons of plants and add real branches to then find out there is a parasite load. Not all parasites are treated and cleaned for in the same way. So ruling this potential risk out is a very good idea.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Unfortunately, this little guy/gal came from a big box pet store where husbandry is notorious. I've worked adjacent to exotic animal husbandry and conservation, and could not bear to leave him in the conditions we found him in. So big box does not mean short life... I just want you to know that. Once husbandry is on point and baby is treated medically for the MBD It can live a long healthy life. But the MBD does need a good reptile vet as you will need to supplement baby with liquid calcium to build bone strength faster and stop the progression.

T5 HO installed and she loves it! Pretty big difference in her color from yesterday to today (more of a normal green today), I think she's happy! Mistking is also arriving in the next hour or so. Exciting day once we upgrade her canopy/branches this weekend and install the mistking, I will post pictures for a new review. Thank you so much!

 

[Beman]

T5 HO installed and she loves it! Pretty big difference in her color from yesterday to today (more of a normal green today), I think she's happy! Mistking is also arriving in the next hour or so. Exciting day once we upgrade her canopy/branches this weekend and install the mistking, I will post pictures for a new review. Thank you so much!

Yeah it is quite an amazing difference in how they physically respond to having the correct lighting. Happy to hear she is perking up as expected. great job!

 

[Eileen]

Will you be changing her name to the female version?... Cornelia?

 

[cornelius.rex]

Will you be changing her name to the female version?... Cornelia?

Yes! That's actually exactly what we've been calling her

 

[MzLaurie]

Well hello. I guess I will chime in on what this baby is. At first I said girl. The size and shape of the casque, didn’t really see spurs, but the coloring is more of a male. I would say 5 months old. At this age they do a full body molt in one day. With each molt, more and more colors will be defined if it’s a boy. You don’t need to help with the molting unless there is stuck shed at the tip of the tail or around a leg/ankle joint. Do not use water, they are dry shedders just gently use your clean hands/ fingers and try to peel it off. If it’s stuck around a leg just try to remove a section to break the ring that is cutting off circulation. When he/she stops doing full body molts that means he growth rate has slowed. Once a year old they are full grown. So in about six to seven months you will have to start making changes to diet and things. If he is a she, then you will have to make accommodations for egg laying. Females lay eggs whether fertile or not. Your biggest issue right now is MBD. Since you have had crex for such a short period of time, I would say the clutch was not properly housed. You need to add to the upper portion of the cage more vines do he can be six inches below that uvb light. 10” is too much right now if he is fighting MBD. You should get a wellness check with a vet that see and knows chameleons. Let us know where you live and we will get you a list of those in your area that have been tried out by members. Also get Bend A Branch from fluker farms on amazon to create a jungle gym for the climbing that is required. They come in three thicknesses I would just get one of each to start with. You need to create a jungle gym and here’s a pic of the top 1/3 portion of my cage. I just took it with all lights out so you can see the difference. Oh rubber tree dead branches are great as they taper and curve.

 

[MzLaurie]

If he does have MBD, he will need liquid calcium right away. Let us know what the vet says and we will take it from there. If it is MBD, then he is a fall risk and there are things you can do to the cage to ease his fall if he does. I truly mean the best to you! You have a very beautiful chameleon who has personality. If you see dark spots, that means he is mad or really scarred in time you will know his mood by his coloring. That is how Chameleons communicate!

 

[Eileen]

Yes! That's actually exactly what we've been calling her

 

[cornelius.rex]

Updated enclosure: she seems to like it! Lay bin to be added in the next few days to the bottom rear. The 4 pothos plants are in smaller pots which are placed into the mounted/suspended pots (for easy removal). Very excited for these 4 to take over the enclosure! Basking spot measured at her back is hovering at 80.4F, and I haven't seen her darken or stretch to reach the heat.

Updated feeding: gutload has been prepared using collard greens/carrots/apples in the mixture provided by the infographic here. The crickets seem to enjoy their new soup lol. We've also fed her small hornworms that we were lucky enough to find at a local pet store. She loves them! The petstore was also kind enough to resume their ordering of Dubias for us. She ate out of her glass this morning, but I just added the shooting gallery now and she seems a bit wary of it lol (2nd pic, left side right next to branch to eat from)

Her condition seems good! She's active and exploring.

 

[Eileen]

Updated enclosure: she seems to like it! Lay bin to be added in the next few days to the bottom rear. The 4 pothos plants are in smaller pots which are placed into the mounted/suspended pots (for easy removal). Very excited for these 4 to take over the enclosure! Basking spot measured at her back is hovering at 80.4F, and I haven't seen her darken or stretch to reach the heat.

Updated feeding: gutload has been prepared using collard greens/carrots/apples in the mixture provided by the infographic here. The crickets seem to enjoy their new soup lol. We've also fed her small hornworms that we were lucky enough to find at a local pet store. She loves them! The petstore was also kind enough to resume their ordering of Dubias for us. She ate out of her glass this morning, but I just added the shooting gallery now and she seems a bit wary of it lol (2nd pic, left side right next to branch to eat from)

Her condition seems good! She's active and exploring.

She looks very happy. I think she'll take to the shooting gallery. The first day I had mine I had to make my own out of a milk jug.. and she figured it out immediately.

 

[cornelius.rex]

She looks very happy. I think she'll take to the shooting gallery. The first day I had mine I had to make my own out of a milk jug.. and she figured it out immediately.

Wow so update on that, quicker than I thought! I just looked and the shooting gallery is completely empty. She had 6 crickets in there. As I'm looking, I notice I can't find her and after a minute I see her slinking down the schefflera trunk towards a single escaped cricket and I watched her snipe him up. Unless the other 5 are hiding really well, I think she got them all lol.

Random question, I know we typically stay away from substrate and things at the bottom due to impact risk of sticks and the like if consumed by chams. The cricket she just ate was in the soil of the schefflera and I think she got a decent bit of dirt in her mouthful. Any thoughts on that? I imagine this happens frequently in the wild but just wondering!

Here she is pondering the taste of the dirt she just ate

 

[chemeleonboi1]

Happy for you! So cute!

 

[GrannyK]

Just keep an eye on her with eating the soil. She should be ok. Maybe cover the soil with 2in size river rocks if she continues. What a darling, she looks to love her new home.