New man Oscar. Husbandry check and skin.

[KLivolsi]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled Chameleon, Male, 4 Months. We have had him a week.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? We left him alone for 2 days but now are trying to hand feed him to get used to us so everyday.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now we are feeding him crickets and dubia roaches. Around 10 crickets and 4 roaches. We were feeding him twice a day morning and mid afternoon but now just feeding him in the morning. They eat Repashy Bug Burger, Flukers cricket quencher for water and gut load with mangoes, apples, oranges and carrots. We have also done blackberries and are in the process of growing some greens for him. We are placing an order today for silk worms, BSFL and horn worms.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Rep-cal Calcium without D3 at every feeding and Reptivite with D3 we have only used it once but plan on doing it every other Saturday.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? MistKing. Misting for a minute and a half at 7:30, 45 seconds at 11, 45 seconds at 3 and 3 minutes at 7. Yes we see him drinking mainly in the morning.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Brown and white. He has never been tested for parasites.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Purchased from FL Chams. Jethro line.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen on three sides and solid back. Total dimensions are 2 1/2 ft deep, 2 feet wide and 6 feet high. The bottom foot and a half is a cabinet. Then the actual living space is 6 inches of bioactive layer and 4 foot of space.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Basking lamp is a 60 watt flood light suspended about a 1 1/2 feet above the cage, Zoo Med 24" T5 UVB bulb and a Jungle Dawn 13 watt for the plants.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking spot ranges from 82-86 depending how high up the branch he rests. Middle to lower cage is around 75-78. Lowest over night temp is 72 but usually around 74. Thermometer and humidity gauge.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? During the day around 40-50 and at night 70-80 (I am trying to get night time humidity up but am having a tad trouble, thinking of getting a fogger. We have a mist king and between the bioactive layer and coco fiber walls I think its helping. Humidity Gauge.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Live plants. There are 3 golden pothos, 3 umbrella trees, a money tree, a dragon tree, wondering jew and four bromeliads.
• 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? It is in the corner of my daughters room. There is a fan in the middle of the room but we have kept it off, no air vents near or facing it and it is a pretty low traffic area.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Located in South Florida

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. I have a couple questions and hopefully they wont be concerns.
1. Oscar has almost white rough looking patches on his lower side. He has not shed yet with us and I'm not sure when he shed last with his previous owner. Could this be a sign that he is about to shed? Is this normal? It just looks different than the rest of his skin. Yes he is sleeping on the wall in this picture lol.

2.Today when we had him out in the sun a little I noticed 2 weird spots on him that he didn't have before. I tried to circle it.

Here are some extra pics of Oscar and his cage. Thank you in advance for everyone's help. If you see a problem with anything please let me know.

 

[jannb]

Congratulations on your new baby. In the first picture, with his eyes closed, is that at night? What is that he’s hanging on? See all the little sprigs and hair things on that? He will most likely eat those and could become impacted. If it were me, I’d remove it. Also he may eat that stuff in the bottom of the enclosure. Veileds eat everything. I’m not sure about the bump on his side. Looks like maybe a healed over broken rib. I’d get the vet to check it out. It’s time for a new pet check up and a fecal to make sure he’s parasite free. There’s some good vets in South Florida I can recommend if you don’t already have one.

 

[KLivolsi]

Yes that picture is at night he was sleeping hanging on the back wall. That was the first time he has slept like that or even climbed on the wall. It is cocofibers that the whole back wall is made of to help with humidity. The bottom of the enclosure is the leaf litter for the bioactive.

 

[KLivolsi]

I really hope that isn’t a broken rib ? it seems like he might be getting ready to shed. I will definitely be taking him to the vet to get all tested. Any recommendations would be great. I’m in the Delray area but would be willing to travel for the right vet.

 

[Ares05]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled Chameleon, Male, 4 Months. We have had him a week.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? We left him alone for 2 days but now are trying to hand feed him to get used to us so everyday.

Leave him be for another week or two. He needs to settle in. Then you can start hand feeding, as well as working on bonding/trust.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now we are feeding him crickets and dubia roaches. Around 10 crickets and 4 roaches. We were feeding him twice a day morning and mid afternoon but now just feeding him in the morning. They eat Repashy Bug Burger, Flukers cricket quencher for water and gut load with mangoes, apples, oranges and carrots. We have also done blackberries and are in the process of growing some greens for him. We are placing an order today for silk worms, BSFL and horn worms.

Your variety of feeders and amount is good. Your gutload sounds good. Be sure to include some leafy greens in the gut load though. I will post a gutloading and feeding sheet.

Be sure you are cup feeding. It makes it easier for the babies to find their food.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Rep-cal Calcium without D3 at every feeding and Reptivite with D3 we have only used it once but plan on doing it every other Saturday.

The traditional schedule is plain calcium every day/feeding, and then a multivitamin (such as reptivite or herptivite) without d3 once every other week, and then a calcium w/d3 once every other week. Basically you would alternate between the multivitamin and the calcium w/d3 one day each week.

Im not sure if putting the d3 and multivitamin together instead of separate would be a problem.. @Beman @kinyonga what do y'all think?

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? MistKing. Misting for a minute and a half at 7:30, 45 seconds at 11, 45 seconds at 3 and 3 minutes at 7. Yes we see him drinking mainly in the morning.

I would mist for 2-4 minutes in the morning, 2-4 minutes in the evening, and then some short midday misting sometime in the middle. The basking light must be off for 30-15 minute before and after misting sessions.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Brown and white. He has never been tested for parasites.

I would get him tested as soon as you can. Just the a fresh sample to the vet within 24 hours.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Purchased from FL Chams. Jethro line.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen on three sides and solid back. Total dimensions are 2 1/2 ft deep, 2 feet wide and 6 feet high. The bottom foot and a half is a cabinet. Then the actual living space is 6 inches of bioactive layer and 4 foot of space.

Be sure he is getting his way around okay. That is a large cage for a baby.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Basking lamp is a 60 watt flood light suspended about a 1 1/2 feet above the cage, Zoo Med 24" T5 UVB bulb and a Jungle Dawn 13 watt for the plants.

How strong is the uvb light? 10.0 or 5.0?

What are your distances from highest branch to light?

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking spot ranges from 82-86 depending how high up the branch he rests. Middle to lower cage is around 75-78. Lowest over night temp is 72 but usually around 74. Thermometer and humidity gauge.

Temps look good.. be sure you aren't using any lights at night.

Chameleons need a temperature drop at night. 70-65 is ideal. No lower than 55.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? During the day around 40-50 and at night 70-80 (I am trying to get night time humidity up but am having a tad trouble, thinking of getting a fogger. We have a mist king and between the bioactive layer and coco fiber walls I think its helping. Humidity Gauge.

Humidity should be 30-40 during the day. 70-100 at night. I wouldnt spray at night, I would definitely get a fogger. They are great. Only run it at night.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Live plants. There are 3 golden pothos, 3 umbrella trees, a money tree, a dragon tree, wondering jew and four bromeliads.
• 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? It is in the corner of my daughters room. There is a fan in the middle of the room but we have kept it off, no air vents near or facing it and it is a pretty low traffic area.

Be sure your daughter doesn't disturb him. He needs to settle in for a little while.

• Location - Where are you geographically located? Located in South Florida

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. I have a couple questions and hopefully they wont be concerns.
1. Oscar has almost white rough looking patches on his lower side. He has not shed yet with us and I'm not sure when he shed last with his previous owner. Could this be a sign that he is about to shed? Is this normal? It just looks different than the rest of his skin. Yes he is sleeping on the wall in this picture lol.

I dont see what you are talking about. If it looks like white flakes, yes he is likely starting to shed.

2.Today when we had him out in the sun a little I noticed 2 weird spots on him that he didn't have before. I tried to circle it.

Looks like it could be a healed broken rib, as Jann said.

Here are some extra pics of Oscar and his cage. Thank you in advance for everyone's help. If you see a problem with anything please let me know.

Chameleon academy: https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/

Gutloading and feeding sheets:

 

[Beman]

As far as the reptivite with D3. Yes this can be used. It would be two times a month every other week. This is the multivitamin and the Calcium with D3 combined. Then all other feedings use the calcium without D3. These would be the only two supplements you would use.

 

[Ares05]

Thanks for clarification Becca! Didn't want to misdirect OP.

 

[jannb]

The best vet is Dr. Douglas Mader in Marathon, Fl but that’s a ways to go and he’s hard to get an appointment with if you don’t know him. Dr. Ivan Alfonso in Orlando is excellent and Dr. Bruce is good in Orlando but again far for you. Dr. Strauss in Weston would be ok for a check up and fecal but if you get something serious, I’d go else where.

 

[KLivolsi]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled Chameleon, Male, 4 Months. We have had him a week.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? We left him alone for 2 days but now are trying to hand feed him to get used to us so everyday.

Leave him be for another week or two. He needs to settle in. Then you can start hand feeding, as well as working on bonding/trust.
Ok will do. I think the excited got the best of us. He is just so darn cute!

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Right now we are feeding him crickets and dubia roaches. Around 10 crickets and 4 roaches. We were feeding him twice a day morning and mid afternoon but now just feeding him in the morning. They eat Repashy Bug Burger, Flukers cricket quencher for water and gut load with mangoes, apples, oranges and carrots. We have also done blackberries and are in the process of growing some greens for him. We are placing an order today for silk worms, BSFL and horn worms.

Your variety of feeders and amount is good. Your gutload sounds good. Be sure to include some leafy greens in the gut load though. I will post a gutloading and feeding sheet.
Thank you. yes we are going to work on the leafy greens. We have some growing specially for him. I was doing mostly veggies and fruit because it seemed like the bug burger had more greens and dry stuff rather than fruit and veggies.

Be sure you are cup feeding. It makes it easier for the babies to find their food.
We have been putting the insects in a cup and holding it by my elbow and letting him crawl up on my hand to the cup.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Rep-cal Calcium without D3 at every feeding and Reptivite with D3 we have only used it once but plan on doing it every other Saturday.

The traditional schedule is plain calcium every day/feeding, and then a multivitamin (such as reptivite or herptivite) without d3 once every other week, and then a calcium w/d3 once every other week. Basically you would alternate between the multivitamin and the calcium w/d3 one day each week.

Im not sure if putting the d3 and multivitamin together instead of separate would be a problem.. @Beman @kinyonga what do y'all think?
Thank you!

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? MistKing. Misting for a minute and a half at 7:30, 45 seconds at 11, 45 seconds at 3 and 3 minutes at 7. Yes we see him drinking mainly in the morning.

I would mist for 2-4 minutes in the morning, 2-4 minutes in the evening, and then some short midday misting sometime in the middle. The basking light must be off for 30-15 minute before and after misting sessions.
Ok thank you I will up the time for the morning and night mistings. Also I will get a timer for the lights so it can be more of a schedule. I have it misting everywhere but the basking spot. In the morning would you recommend misting first or light turning on first? I have read conflicting things.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Brown and white. He has never been tested for parasites.

I would get him tested as soon as you can. Just the a fresh sample to the vet within 24 hours.
Will do.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Purchased from FL Chams. Jethro line.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen on three sides and solid back. Total dimensions are 2 1/2 ft deep, 2 feet wide and 6 feet high. The bottom foot and a half is a cabinet. Then the actual living space is 6 inches of bioactive layer and 4 foot of space.

Be sure he is getting his way around okay. That is a large cage for a baby.
Yes he seems to be finding his way around nicely. I have three jungle vines throughout the cage so he can get to all levels smoothly. I haven't seen him explore the bottom of his cage yet.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Basking lamp is a 60 watt flood light suspended about a 1 1/2 feet above the cage, Zoo Med 24" T5 UVB bulb and a Jungle Dawn 13 watt for the plants.

How strong is the uvb light? 10.0 or 5.0?
It is a 5.0

What are your distances from highest branch to light?
The highest branch is about 8 inches from the top of cage and I have the basking light suspended about a little over a foot from the top of the cage. I wanted the backing spot to be about 85. The branch comes from one side of the cage to the other so on the lowest part of the branch its about 82 and the highest its about 86.

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking spot ranges from 82-86 depending how high up the branch he rests. Middle to lower cage is around 75-78. Lowest over night temp is 72 but usually around 74. Thermometer and humidity gauge.

Temps look good.. be sure you aren't using any lights at night.
Thank you and no lights at night.

Chameleons need a temperature drop at night. 70-65 is ideal. No lower than 55.
Ok I will try to get it down. Its just the temperature of the house. I think the fogger might help with that as well.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? During the day around 40-50 and at night 70-80 (I am trying to get night time humidity up but am having a tad trouble, thinking of getting a fogger. We have a mist king and between the bioactive layer and coco fiber walls I think its helping. Humidity Gauge.

Humidity should be 30-40 during the day. 70-100 at night. I wouldnt spray at night, I would definitely get a fogger. They are great. Only run it at night.
Next on my list to get is a fogger.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Live plants. There are 3 golden pothos, 3 umbrella trees, a money tree, a dragon tree, wondering jew and four bromeliads.
• 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? It is in the corner of my daughters room. There is a fan in the middle of the room but we have kept it off, no air vents near or facing it and it is a pretty low traffic area.

Be sure your daughter doesn't disturb him. He needs to settle in for a little while.
She is good with that, plus she cant reach the lock on the cage lol. She just likes to watch and document him. Shes fascinated with chameleons.

• Location - Where are you geographically located? Located in South Florida

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. I have a couple questions and hopefully they wont be concerns.
1. Oscar has almost white rough looking patches on his lower side. He has not shed yet with us and I'm not sure when he shed last with his previous owner. Could this be a sign that he is about to shed? Is this normal? It just looks different than the rest of his skin. Yes he is sleeping on the wall in this picture lol.

I dont see what you are talking about. If it looks like white flakes, yes he is likely starting to shed.
I will try to post another picture. It just seems more dry than the rest of his skin. I might be worried for nothing.

2.Today when we had him out in the sun a little I noticed 2 weird spots on him that he didn't have before. I tried to circle it.

Looks like it could be a healed broken rib, as Jann said.

Here are some extra pics of Oscar and his cage. Thank you in advance for everyone's help. If you see a problem with anything please let me know.

Chameleon academy: https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/

Gutloading and feeding sheets:

View attachment 267786View attachment 267787
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Thank you so much for all of your help!!! I just want little Oscar to be as happy as possible.

 

[KLivolsi]

You can see the bump a little better in that picture. Thank you Jannb for the vet recommendations! I will be checking them out. I

 

[KLivolsi]

Also here is some pictures of the light distancing. I have it suspended so high because I think I need a normal incandescent light rather than a flood light because it got really hot and I was scared it would burn him

 

[Ares05]

For the cup feeding I would secure it to a branch slightly below the basking branch/his usual hangout branch. And put his food in there each day.

I would raise your uvb off the top by a few inches. 8 inches is too close. Keep in mind at 10 inches away from the 5.0 uvb bulb, d3 will not be necessary.

 

[Ares05]

.

 

[KLivolsi]

Thank you Ares yes I plan on doing a feeding cup now. I wanted to get him used to us for the feeding but it is to soon so I will go back to putting the cup in the cage. The uvb is about an inch and a half off the screen cage and his uvb branch is lower than his basking branch. Once I make sure everything is right I will be getting everything stationary and will put bigger boards to hold up the uvb higher. Here is a pick of him basking on his uvb branch. I found another spot like the one on his side. It almost looks like a pimple without a white head. I tried to get a picture but it’s just not getting it right. Could it be a parasite?! Is this a sign of shedding?

 

[OscarAndAustin]

My chameleons name is oscar too!

 

[KLivolsi]

Haha yes they all just look like little Oscar the grouches hence the name Oscar. I got a better picture of the two spots. I talked to my friend who knows more about chameleons than I do and he said sometimes baby veileds get something like babies get acne. I wanted to get a check up anyway and he recommended Vanessa Rolfe. Jannb have you ever heard of her by any chance?