New member and new mother too a baby panther chameleon

[Alozz25]

Hey everyone, new member here. I was told to join this because it would help me tremendously. So we just got a 3 month old panther chameleon (Apollo) on Saturday. Since he’s been home eating good, drinking and had a healthy looking poo n pee he’s sleeping good but the only thing is in the morning the lights come on at 8 am and today he stayed in same spot where he was sleeping until like 1030 am, he’s awake and I even seen him drinking just not moving from that spot. Is this normal behavior?? Or am I experiencing new mommy behavior??

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum! This is a great place to learn about chameleons!

Please post some photos of your chameleon and the whole cage for us.

 

[Alozz25]

Thank you I have added some pics. Now with the cage we are doing some renovations. Like removing hammock, adding more branches and alil higher basking spot.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Welcome Alozz25

he’s sleeping good but the only thing is in the morning the lights come on at 8 am and today he stayed in same spot where he was sleeping until like 1030 am, he’s awake and I even seen him drinking just not moving from that spot. Is this normal behavior?? Or am I experiencing new mommy behavior??

Is that spot in/under the basking zone? If so, he's probably just warming up.
If not, is it near where the food is? He could also be waiting for breakfast.

Can't say it's abnormal behavior, especially just this one time, and with so little information/background.

Would you be up for a husbandry check/review? If so, copy/paste the following to a post in this thread, answering the questions for your cham. Pics of the enclosure from (showing) lights to substrate/drainage would be helpful.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Alozz25]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Apollo the Panther Chameleon, male, 3 1/2 months old. Been in my care since Saturday 3/20
• Handling - we handled him when we first got him to just place in cage.
• Feeding - I’m feeding him small crickets. I also ordered some Dubai roaches and BSFL. He’s been eating around 5 to 7 every day. I feed in morning. gut-loading feeders with greens, mango, apple, carrots, sweet potatoes, I switch between all of these. I Gut-load the night before
• Supplements - brand zoo med Repti calcium without d3 and rep-cal calcium with d3. I’m not sure what vitamin products I should get. dusting my feeders with calcium without d3 6 days a week and on 7th I alternate between d3 and vitamin.
• Watering - I use mistking starter mister. I mist half hour before lights come on for 2 minutes and once in afternoon for 1 minute and half hour after lights turn off for 2 minutes. Yes I’ve seen him drinking multiple times. Also have a dripper throughout day.
• Fecal Description - poop was a dark color and pee was a whitish color. Looked alil slimy. hasn’t been tested yet for parasites.
• History - nothing that I can think of at the moment.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screened cage, wrapped a clear shower curtain around it. 18x18x36.
• Lighting - reptisun T5 Ho terrarium 24in and fluckers dome light with eco smart 100w daylight bulbs. Lights are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours.
• Temperature - temp range from cage floor to basking spot is 67 degrees at bottom 76 at his basking spot it’s 76 I need it alil higher. Lowest overnight temp is 64. I measure temps with a temperature gun with laser.
• Humidity - 55 to 62% humidity levels. At night it’s 72% Have mister, dripper and live plants. I use a hydrometer to measure.
• Plants - using live plants Pothos, croton and umbrella tree
• Placement - cage located is located in dining room in corner. Its in a quiet area but no windows, is that ok?? it’s 58in from floor to top of cage
• Location - Altoona, Pennsylvania

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. At night when he sleeps he turns white or very very light grey, is that normal??

How long should I leave his basking lamp on?

How to raise temp at the basking spot ??

What is good multivitamin for him??

 

[Haley Hendrix]

give me one sec and i’ll review it.

 

[Haley Hendrix]

my feedback will be in bold.

• Your Chameleon - Apollo the Panther Chameleon, male, 3 1/2 months old. Been in my care since Saturday 3/20
• Handling - we handled him when we first got him to just place in cage.

Once he settles in you can begin to work with him to be friendly. Work at his pace, lure him out with food.

• Feeding - I’m feeding him small crickets. I also ordered some Dubai roaches and BSFL. He’s been eating around 5 to 7 every day. I feed in morning. gut-loading feeders with greens, mango, apple, carrots, sweet potatoes, I switch between all of these. I Gut-load the night before

Perfect. He can eat more if he will. He can eat 10-15.

• Supplements - brand zoo med Repti calcium without d3 and rep-cal calcium with d3. I’m not sure what vitamin products I should get. dusting my feeders with calcium without d3 6 days a week and on 7th I alternate between d3 and vitamin.

Good.

• Watering - I use mistking starter mister. I mist half hour before lights come on for 2 minutes and once in afternoon for 1 minute and half hour after lights turn off for 2 minutes. Yes I’ve seen him drinking multiple times. Also have a dripper throughout day.
• Fecal Description - poop was a dark color and pee was a whitish color. Looked alil slimy. hasn’t been tested yet for parasites.

Where do you get him from? Pet store or Breeder?

• History - nothing that I can think of at the moment.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screened cage, wrapped a clear shower curtain around it. 18x18x36.

Eventually you will need to upgrade to a 2x2x4

• Lighting - reptisun T5 Ho terrarium 24in and fluckers dome light with eco smart 100w daylight bulbs. Lights are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours.
• Temperature - temp range from cage floor to basking spot is 67 degrees at bottom 76 at his basking spot it’s 76 I need it alil higher. Lowest overnight temp is 64. I measure temps with a temperature gun with laser.

For his basking highest right now should be 80.

• Humidity - 55 to 62% humidity levels. At night it’s 72% Have mister, dripper and live plants. I use a hydrometer to measure.
• Plants - using live plants Pothos, croton and umbrella tree
• Placement - cage located is located in dining room in corner. Its in a quiet area but no windows, is that ok?? it’s 58in from floor to top of cage
• Location - Altoona, Pennsylvania

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. At night when he sleeps he turns white or very very light grey, is that normal??
This is normal. When they sleep they relax and show all their colors. But, he is a baby meaning that he hasn’t got his colors just yet. As he grows up he will start to show bright colors when he sleeps.

How long should I leave his basking lamp on?
All day so for 12 hours
How to raise temp at the basking spot ??
You can get a higher wattage of a bulb. How far is your basking branch from the light? Is the light raised or on the screen?

A good multivitiam is
HERPTIVITE Multivitamin for reptiles and amphibians (3.3 oz) Blue Bottle, 1 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00076HT3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_G7Z169W47DYATQWTW2CJ

 

[Alozz25]

I got him from a breeder. His light is on top screen and his basking spot is about 4in below light. I don’t know if it makes a difference or not but when I got the light is ecosystem 100w daylight should it say natural light or is it the same thing?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

What is good multivitamin for him??

There are several good ones. I use Herptivite for both my chameleon and bearded dragon.

Here are some threads discussing different kinds:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/recommended-multivitamins.180964/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/looking-for-recs-on-best-supplement-brands.180626/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/supplement-brands.179747/

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I got him from a breeder. His light is on top screen and his basking spot is about 4in below light. I don’t know if it makes a difference or not but when I got the light is ecosystem 100w daylight should it say natural light or is it the same thing?

I'm not familiar with that brand; could it be EcoSmart?
Check if it's incandescent or LED. If it's LED, it's not producing enough heat.
Basking bulbs should be incandescent household bulbs, incandescent floods (NOT spots), or Halogen flood (NOT spot).

 

[Alozz25]

I'm not familiar with that brand; could it be EcoSmart?
Check if it's incandescent or LED. If it's LED, it's not producing enough heat.
Basking bulbs should be incandescent household bulbs, incandescent floods (NOT spots), or Halogen flood (NOT spot).

Yes it’s ecosmart, sorry. I attached a photo of what I got

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Yes it’s ecosmart, sorry. I attached a photo of what I got

OK, that's an LED. They don't produce any significant heat.
Depending on where you live (local law) you may have to order an incandescent bulb online.
Wattage will depend on ambient temperature, distance to basking site, type of enclosure (screen or hybrid). 75W is a good starting point for many folks, but depending on the results, you may have to go higher or lower. It's trial & error for everyone.

 

[Alozz25]

OK, that's an LED. They don't produce any significant heat.
Depending on where you live (local law) you may have to order an incandescent bulb online.
Wattage will depend on ambient temperature, distance to basking site, type of enclosure (screen or hybrid). 75W is a good starting point for many folks, but depending on the results, you may have to go higher or lower. It's trial & error for everyone.

Will this work

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Will this work

If you only need a ~50W bulb, it may—IDK.
I stick with well-known national brands.

 

[Haley Hendrix]

Will this work

You can also look on Amazon, they have them in larger packs.

 

[Haley Hendrix]

I got him from a breeder. His light is on top screen and his basking spot is about 4in below light. I don’t know if it makes a difference or not but when I got the light is ecosystem 100w daylight should it say natural light or is it the same thing?

Babies are known to screen climb so i would raise the light off the screen so he doesn’t get burned. As for how high the light is it needs to be 7-9inch away from the light.

 

[Alozz25]

Do you know of a good temperature gauge that I should get so I can measure his basking spot??

 

[Alozz25]

Do you think He should have thicker/wider branches.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Do you know of a good temperature gauge that I should get so I can measure his basking spot??

Any inexpensive digital thermometer with probe should do. For that matter combination hygrometers/thermometers with probe are pretty close to the same price, so they're an option too.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=digital+hygrometer+with+probe&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Go through a few pages. You'll see quite a bit of difference in prices for basically the same units (and those packaged for reptiles are obscenely priced). IME, they're all pretty much the same, so it's worth picking up a multi-pak just in case.

Avoid analog/dial types; they are notoriously inaccurate.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Do you think He should have thicker/wider branches.

The screen makes it difficult (for me) to see, but anything 1/2" dia. or smaller should be fine.
I use 1/2" dowels and bamboo plant stakes along with the vines & branches of the live plants.
Chams adjust quickly.