snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hello! I’m a new mom to two baby veileds. My husband and I bought a male and female at Repticon a week and a half ago. I’ve no idea of age, but people have guesstimated 3months or so. I’ve just moved the male into a new enclosure as he seems cool as a cucumber, whereas my girl is quite skiddish. In both cages I’ve noticed him chilling on his branches with his mouth open (within 7-8” of both/either his Reptisun compact 5.0 bulb or heat lamp).
I thought maybe he is overheating, as he will occassionally hang upside down under the lamp and gape. I placed the cheapo thermastat (came with the reptibreeze kit) under his basking spot and uvb bulb and temps are between 77-82ish depending on where. The highest point is more like 85F, but its just wbere the fine bends straight up vertically to the corner mount... and he doesnt really hang there.
The female’s cage is similiarly oriented with exact same cage and lighting, and theyre right next to each other. Her cage has a rather full umbrella tree, whose branches sprout up just below her mid and highest branches. She seems to enjoy dropping down into its leaves occassionally.
The boy’s cage is a bit more sparse with small umbrella plants at the bottom of the cage, just touching his lowest vines. Most vines are very exposed... with a small pothos in the upper right corner. The goodball enjoys laying on top of it like a feather bed, instead of within or under it!
I’m concerned and paranoid anout them both. They both eat well, especially him. He is active, especially in the new cage... almost to the point that I think he wants out. Constantly crawling whereas the girl usually chills. He has been doing this gaping for a few days, or at least thats when I noticed. He otherwise seems healthy. Tonight I had them both free ranging for 15 minutes or so and when i went to put them both back, both of them made a small noise I’ve never heard before... almost like a nasaly noise. Both did it as I put my top hand over them to prevent a fall - so it could have been a fearful noise... but now I’m paranoid about them having an URI.
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - Gaping a lot. No other signs of distress although they both did make a weird noise tonight (i think I scared them when handling). Paranoid new mom thinks everything is a warning sign
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Please Note:
I thought maybe he is overheating, as he will occassionally hang upside down under the lamp and gape. I placed the cheapo thermastat (came with the reptibreeze kit) under his basking spot and uvb bulb and temps are between 77-82ish depending on where. The highest point is more like 85F, but its just wbere the fine bends straight up vertically to the corner mount... and he doesnt really hang there.
The female’s cage is similiarly oriented with exact same cage and lighting, and theyre right next to each other. Her cage has a rather full umbrella tree, whose branches sprout up just below her mid and highest branches. She seems to enjoy dropping down into its leaves occassionally.
The boy’s cage is a bit more sparse with small umbrella plants at the bottom of the cage, just touching his lowest vines. Most vines are very exposed... with a small pothos in the upper right corner. The goodball enjoys laying on top of it like a feather bed, instead of within or under it!
I’m concerned and paranoid anout them both. They both eat well, especially him. He is active, especially in the new cage... almost to the point that I think he wants out. Constantly crawling whereas the girl usually chills. He has been doing this gaping for a few days, or at least thats when I noticed. He otherwise seems healthy. Tonight I had them both free ranging for 15 minutes or so and when i went to put them both back, both of them made a small noise I’ve never heard before... almost like a nasaly noise. Both did it as I put my top hand over them to prevent a fall - so it could have been a fearful noise... but now I’m paranoid about them having an URI.
Chameleon Info:
- Your Chameleon - Two young veileds - age unknown. 1 male 1 female (female is shedding in pics). In my care for 1.5 weeks
- Handling - Maybe daily... I don’t hold often unless free ranging for a few mins. My husband may be holding thrm daily for a few mins (idk).
- Feeding - Male really likes Phoenix Works and usually eats 2-3 daily. Female may eat 1-2. Just offered hornworms for first time this week... they’ve eaten 1 every other day (they dont seem impressed). Crickets are their staple ... unsure how many as they hide, but at least 5 each. Cricets are fed orange cubes, apples, oranges... and just offered a crushed piece of dry cat food to them recently. Only dusted with calcium so far. Usually fed sometime between 9-11.
- Supplements - Exo terra calcium only, so far. Usually daily but sometimes every other day. Got zoo med multi vit samples with the cage and will give that every other friday (offset with d3 every other friday)... but havent given anything but calcium so far.
- Watering - i mist with a spray bottle for about a minute in the morning before and after work. I do see the girl drink but have not seen him. I bought a dripper which i hate and cant get to drip correctly! So misting and hornworms are the only hydration so far.
- Fecal Description - no parasite test. Droppings looked normal (wet but firm, brown, white pee thingy... maybe a tiny drop of yellow/orange at the tip of dropping.
- History - only had them 1.5 weeks. Did give them a free range opportunity in a slightly steamy bathroom once, as I’m not sure my humidity level (but think its probably low)
Cage Info:
- Cage - two reptibreeze. 30x15x15
- Lighting - What came with the chameleon kits - small dual dome with a 5.0 compact uvb bulb and a heat bulb. Lights out and cage covered between 6-7pm. Lights on at 7:15.
- Temperature - the cheap thermometer that came with kit reads between 77-83 on top branch depending on if under hear bulb or closer to uvb. 75ish in middle. Did not measure bottom (theyre asleep now). Not a reliable thermometer but I think 80s is probably accurate. Overnight our house Nest thermometer drops to around 64 degrees. Chams are covered to protect from drafts.
- Humidity - no idea. Cages are full mesh, but I just added plastic to one side tonight to help with humidity and to keep them from seeing each other. I have several live plants and a crappy plastic vine that I spray 2x a day.
- Plants - girl has a large umbrella tree and a cheap plastic vine in corner. Boy has two small umbrella trees, a very small pothos, and the same plastic vine in corner.
- Placement - second floor next to staircase (possible drafts from front door?). There is a vent about 4’ away and 3’ higher (our second floor has sloped walls). The too of the cages are about 1-3’ from ceiling due to the slope.
- location - baltimore maryland usa
Current Problem - Gaping a lot. No other signs of distress although they both did make a weird noise tonight (i think I scared them when handling). Paranoid new mom thinks everything is a warning sign
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Please Note:
- The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
- Photos can be very helpful.
