New member always looking for tips, tricks and chameleon conversations!!

[bluulagoon]

New members here! Wanted to introduce ourselves and moody Zilla. We’ve had Zilla for about 3 weeks now and she is awesome! We want all the possible suggestions (nicely ) as we are learning keepers.
Here is info on our chameleon I see in the thread used. I’ll also post pics for suggestions on enclosure, lighting, misting, plants, feeding. Thanks!!!!!

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

• Vieled, female, not sure of her age and we have had her for 3 weeks.

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

• she doesn’t like it so we don’t handle her except for when she was first brought home.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

• Crickets and meal worms. 6 crickets dusted with calcium no D-3 in the morning before I leave to work 8 am, about 10 mealworms in a feeder for the day and 6 crickets dusted with calcium again in the evening when I get home about 6pm. Crickets are fed calcium quencher (orange jelly like we were recommended at pet store)

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?



-reptó calcium without d3 every feeding of crickets only. Just had her for 3 weeks so any other suggestions for vitamins that I need to add please advise. (Bought calcium with d3 yesterday) I know I have to use that only a couple of times a month.



• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

• She has the dripper going all day everyday ( just figured out a drain system for her enclosure cuz we were flooding) I mist about 2-3 times a day or as long as the leaves are dry. I have seen her approach the dripper once to drink but I see her eating the pothos that always is wet.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

• Poop is brown/black not runny or dry, urate is a good yellow. I’ll take a pic, never been tested per my knowledge.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

• not that we are aware of

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?

• we were those people that got the chameleon kit from the pet store. 16x16x30

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

• the one from the chameleon kit, please provide better suggestions as we were reading more and more that those suck. We were even using the red lighting at night but just stopped using it. I was doing uvb and day one from 8-8 and then the red at night (stopped doing it in the last 48 hours)

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

• temp is 88 at the top, lower 85 (my place never goes under 71)

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

• I don’t have a way to test the humidity, we have pothos plant, used the soil mixed with moss at the bottom and mist.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

• currently just pothos and the vines. We mixed fake plants at the top with the vines to give her extra places to grab on to for climbing.

• 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?

• Corner of our living room next to our balcony door and window where heat comes through. We live alone with dogs, only people come on weekends. She seems ok with the dogs sometimes barking at the door, we haven’t seen her stress or show any reaction to them barking at times. Bought a stand for the cage (16x16x30) the stand is about 27inches high and the cage stands on it ( currently moved it on top of a pot as we created her laying bin)

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

• Maryland

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.



--------------

 

[Beman]

Hi there and welcome. I am going to put my feedback in red bold.
I do want to ask about the second picture. Her gum line looks swollen. Is it like that always? If so she needs a Reptile Vet. Could be a mouth rot issue and that requires antibiotics.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

• Vieled, female, not sure of her age and we have had her for 3 weeks.

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

• she doesn’t like it so we don’t handle her except for when she was first brought home.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

• Crickets and meal worms. 6 crickets dusted with calcium no D-3 in the morning before I leave to work 8 am, about 10 mealworms in a feeder for the day and 6 crickets dusted with calcium again in the evening when I get home about 6pm. Crickets are fed calcium quencher (orange jelly like we were recommended at pet store) Ok so you need to feed her in the mornings only. This way she has all day to digest her food. She looks to be about 5 months but genetics and prior care play into their growth. So age is hard to tell without a hatch date. So she should be getting about 12 feeders a day. Mealworms are a no no they provide very little nutrients and can cause impaction. The cricket food you have is not a sufficient gutload. I will attach a feeder image and gutload image for you.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?


-reptó calcium without d3 every feeding of crickets only. Just had her for 3 weeks so any other suggestions for vitamins that I need to add please advise. (Bought calcium with d3 yesterday) I know I have to use that only a couple of times a month. So this is good but lets add to it. Calcium without D3 is given at every feeding except 2 times a month when you give calcium with D3. You will also need a multivitamin as well that you give 2 times a month. So you will rotate the multi vitamin and the Cal with D3 week to week. OR you can get something like Repashy Calcium Plus LoD and use this on every feeder and do not use anything else.


• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

• She has the dripper going all day everyday ( just figured out a drain system for her enclosure cuz we were flooding) I mist about 2-3 times a day or as long as the leaves are dry. I have seen her approach the dripper once to drink but I see her eating the pothos that always is wet. Good hand misting works but having a mistking automated mister is much easier.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

• Poop is brown/black not runny or dry, urate is a good yellow. I’ll take a pic, never been tested per my knowledge. Get the Vet to run a fecal to ensure she does not have parasites.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

• not that we are aware of

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?

• we were those people that got the chameleon kit from the pet store. 16x16x30 Lol you arent the only ones. So this will have to be upgraded for her.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

• the one from the chameleon kit, please provide better suggestions as we were reading more and more that those suck. We were even using the red lighting at night but just stopped using it. I was doing uvb and day one from 8-8 and then the red at night (stopped doing it in the last 48 hours) Glad you learned to not have any light or heating at night. So you want a T5Ho Fixture if it is a single bulb then you need a 5.0 or 6% arcadia. If it is a quad fixture you need a 10.0 or 12% bulb. www.lightyourreptiles.com You want the basking level to be 7-8 inches below the screen top and the fixture to sit directly on top. You want the fixture to run the length of your cage and across the middle. So if you are going to upgrade to a larger cage then you want to get a fixture for that size so you do not have to buy another. You will need to use a heat bulb still as well but you can use an incandescent household bulb for this. Play with wattages to get the correct temp at basking.

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

• temp is 88 at the top, lower 85 (my place never goes under 71) Basking should be 85 for her. Get a temperature gun off amazon they are about 15 dollars.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

• I don’t have a way to test the humidity, we have pothos plant, used the soil mixed with moss at the bottom and mist. Get a hydrometer to test humidity levels. 30-50% max during the day and higher at night.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

• currently just pothos and the vines. We mixed fake plants at the top with the vines to give her extra places to grab on to for climbing.

• 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?

• Corner of our living room next to our balcony door and window where heat comes through. We live alone with dogs, only people come on weekends. She seems ok with the dogs sometimes barking at the door, we haven’t seen her stress or show any reaction to them barking at times. Bought a stand for the cage (16x16x30) the stand is about 27inches high and the cage stands on it ( currently moved it on top of a pot as we created her laying bin)

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

• Maryland

Additional info and links.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
www.chameleonbreeder.com

 

[bluulagoon]

Hi there and welcome. I am going to put my feedback in red bold.
I do want to ask about the second picture. Her gum line looks swollen. Is it like that always? If so she needs a Reptile Vet. Could be a mouth rot issue and that requires antibiotics.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

• Vieled, female, not sure of her age and we have had her for 3 weeks.

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

• she doesn’t like it so we don’t handle her except for when she was first brought home.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

• Crickets and meal worms. 6 crickets dusted with calcium no D-3 in the morning before I leave to work 8 am, about 10 mealworms in a feeder for the day and 6 crickets dusted with calcium again in the evening when I get home about 6pm. Crickets are fed calcium quencher (orange jelly like we were recommended at pet store) Ok so you need to feed her in the mornings only. This way she has all day to digest her food. She looks to be about 5 months but genetics and prior care play into their growth. So age is hard to tell without a hatch date. So she should be getting about 12 feeders a day. Mealworms are a no no they provide very little nutrients and can cause impaction. The cricket food you have is not a sufficient gutload. I will attach a feeder image and gutload image for you.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?


-reptó calcium without d3 every feeding of crickets only. Just had her for 3 weeks so any other suggestions for vitamins that I need to add please advise. (Bought calcium with d3 yesterday) I know I have to use that only a couple of times a month. So this is good but lets add to it. Calcium without D3 is given at every feeding except 2 times a month when you give calcium with D3. You will also need a multivitamin as well that you give 2 times a month. So you will rotate the multi vitamin and the Cal with D3 week to week. OR you can get something like Repashy Calcium Plus LoD and use this on every feeder and do not use anything else.


• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

• She has the dripper going all day everyday ( just figured out a drain system for her enclosure cuz we were flooding) I mist about 2-3 times a day or as long as the leaves are dry. I have seen her approach the dripper once to drink but I see her eating the pothos that always is wet. Good hand misting works but having a mistking automated mister is much easier.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

• Poop is brown/black not runny or dry, urate is a good yellow. I’ll take a pic, never been tested per my knowledge. Get the Vet to run a fecal to ensure she does not have parasites.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

• not that we are aware of

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?

• we were those people that got the chameleon kit from the pet store. 16x16x30 Lol you arent the only ones. So this will have to be upgraded for her.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

• the one from the chameleon kit, please provide better suggestions as we were reading more and more that those suck. We were even using the red lighting at night but just stopped using it. I was doing uvb and day one from 8-8 and then the red at night (stopped doing it in the last 48 hours) Glad you learned to not have any light or heating at night. So you want a T5Ho Fixture if it is a single bulb then you need a 5.0 or 6% arcadia. If it is a quad fixture you need a 10.0 or 12% bulb. www.lightyourreptiles.com You want the basking level to be 7-8 inches below the screen top and the fixture to sit directly on top. You want the fixture to run the length of your cage and across the middle. So if you are going to upgrade to a larger cage then you want to get a fixture for that size so you do not have to buy another. You will need to use a heat bulb still as well but you can use an incandescent household bulb for this. Play with wattages to get the correct temp at basking.

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

• temp is 88 at the top, lower 85 (my place never goes under 71) Basking should be 85 for her. Get a temperature gun off amazon they are about 15 dollars.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

• I don’t have a way to test the humidity, we have pothos plant, used the soil mixed with moss at the bottom and mist. Get a hydrometer to test humidity levels. 30-50% max during the day and higher at night.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

• currently just pothos and the vines. We mixed fake plants at the top with the vines to give her extra places to grab on to for climbing.

• 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?

• Corner of our living room next to our balcony door and window where heat comes through. We live alone with dogs, only people come on weekends. She seems ok with the dogs sometimes barking at the door, we haven’t seen her stress or show any reaction to them barking at times. Bought a stand for the cage (16x16x30) the stand is about 27inches high and the cage stands on it ( currently moved it on top of a pot as we created her laying bin)

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

• Maryland

Additional info and links.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
www.chameleonbreeder.com
View attachment 239876View attachment 239877

OMG! Thank you for all your feedback! The pics 1-3 from top to bottom were from the first day we brought her. Doesn’t seem swollen now but we have identified a reptile vet for her and that’s the first thing I will mention. Also the parasite testing.
The feeding and lighting info we appreciate so much! Making those changes ASAP!

-Andy and Jean

 

[Beman]

OMG! Thank you for all your feedback! The pics 1-3 from top to bottom were from the first day we brought her. Doesn’t seem swollen now but we have identified a reptile vet for her and that’s the first thing I will mention. Also the parasite testing.
The feeding and lighting info we appreciate so much! Making those changes ASAP!

-Andy and Jean

Your welcome. I highly recommend the vet for a check up and fecal. But get lighting changed asap. Let me know if you have additional questions. There are tricks for humidity as well if yours is not where it needs to be once you get the hydrometer. And that podcast link I gave you is amazing... Over 100 episodes in all the seasons.

 

[Daesie11]

The only other feedback I would give you that Becca hasnt already is to stay active on the forums! Things are always changing as we are always learning. I've had my cham for going on 3 months now and I can tell you with certainty these forums have been a life saver. Literally, my cham probably would have died without the people here!
Follow the feedback you got and your cham will live a long happy life. Your enclosure already has great cover, just make sure you dont lose than when you upgrade to the larger enclosure.

 

[bluulagoon]

The only other feedback I would give you that Becca hasnt already is to stay active on the forums! Things are always changing as we are always learning. I've had my cham for going on 3 months now and I can tell you with certainty these forums have been a life saver. Literally, my cham probably would have died without the people here!
Follow the feedback you got and your cham will live a long happy life. Your enclosure already has great cover, just make sure you dont lose than when you upgrade to the larger enclosure.

We for sure will! I have been reading all the threads in this forum and it’s been beyond helpful. I appreciate everyone’s feedback so much.
We’ll make sure the bigger enclosure is done the same way, we added the laying bin today because we think she may be ready to lay her first clutch or I’m just trying my best to be 10 steps ahead lol