Khrysjam
Member
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Female Veiled Chameleon. Unsure of Age. I’m assuming 6 ish months based on size? I’ve had her in my home for 4 days (Cham background listed below)
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Daily. Eye issues requiring medicated eye drop once daily. She also does not eat on her own so she gets hand fed. C-rays showed the beginning stages of MBD with bowing of bones so I have been taking her outside to sun for around 30 mins a day.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
So far I have offered discoid roaches, crickets, hornworms, and superworms. I have an order of hoppers and BSFL on the way. She was previously only fed crickets according to previous owner so I am trying to offer a variety.
She was in the care of a vet for 3.5 weeks before I brought her home. She was being force fed crickets everyday and occasionally syringe fed carnivore care because she was thin and not eating on her own.
I am unsure of age and how much she should be eating. Since I just brought her home this week she has not eaten much. I have been getting her to eat by dripping water droplets on her nose to prompt the drinking reflex and popping a feeder in while her mouth is open. Today she ate 5 discoid roaches and a super worm.
Feeders are gutloaded with Spirulina, carrots and sweet potatoes. I am also ordering bee pollen.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I am dusting with Fluker’s Calcium w/o D3 daily and using Reptivite w/o D3 biweekly.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I must by hand twice daily 30 mins before lights come on and 30-60 mins after lights go off. There is also a dripper running 24/7 at a slow speed. Observed drinking frequently off leaves, branches, as well as out of my hand.
I just ordered a fogger but keep seeing conflicting information on how long it needs to be run for and what temperature I should not use one. The AC in my apartment is not the best and there are no ceiling fans. Ambient temperature in the room is around 78. Even with my AC set to 70, it does not cool well. In a different group, I saw someone mention not to use a fogger if your temps aren’t in the 60s. Definitely want to get more insight on this if possible!
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Found excrement today in one of the plants. Dark brown in color with white urates. Seemed dry but I also don’t know how long it was there because of how it fell in the top of the plant. Fecal tested two weeks ago. Negative for parasites.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I work at a wildlife hospital. Cham was surrendered by the previous owner when she stopped eating. That person had gotten her from a neighbor who no longer wanted her when they moved. Unsure how long the first owner had her, but 2nd owner claimed to have had her for 2 weeks. Only offered crickets as diet. Unsure of previous enclosure set up, lighting, etc. she arrived cold, with fake plants and bark substrate in a cardboard box. Stuck shed present on eye and all over body.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Reptibreeze XL. 2x2x4
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Zoomed hood with Reptisun T5 HO 24 W diagonally across top of enclosure. Phillips 65 W Indoor Floodlight as basking light in back corner.
I just ordered an Odyssea T5 Dual 6500K light for my plants and plan to swap one of the bulbs with my UVB.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Cage Floor: 77 degrees F
Basking Spot: 82.9 degrees F
Read with a temperature gun.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Daytime humidity is between 40-50%
Nighttime is up to 100% after misting and slowly lessens throughout night. At this point with no fogger, humidity is usually back to around 50% by morning. Measured using digital reader.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Yes, Pothos, schefflera, and mass cane.
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?
My cage is located in the corner of the room. No fans or vents anywhere. In spare room. Top of cage is 2.5 feet from ceiling and bottom is 1.5 off the ground.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
I wanted to make sure my husbandry was set up correctly since my girl came with a lot of underlying conditions from previous owners and make improvements wherever possible. I also wanted advice on the feeding technique I have been using or if there is a better option until she is able to eat on her own without assistance. Thanks in advance for any and all help!
Female Veiled Chameleon. Unsure of Age. I’m assuming 6 ish months based on size? I’ve had her in my home for 4 days (Cham background listed below)
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Daily. Eye issues requiring medicated eye drop once daily. She also does not eat on her own so she gets hand fed. C-rays showed the beginning stages of MBD with bowing of bones so I have been taking her outside to sun for around 30 mins a day.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
So far I have offered discoid roaches, crickets, hornworms, and superworms. I have an order of hoppers and BSFL on the way. She was previously only fed crickets according to previous owner so I am trying to offer a variety.
She was in the care of a vet for 3.5 weeks before I brought her home. She was being force fed crickets everyday and occasionally syringe fed carnivore care because she was thin and not eating on her own.
I am unsure of age and how much she should be eating. Since I just brought her home this week she has not eaten much. I have been getting her to eat by dripping water droplets on her nose to prompt the drinking reflex and popping a feeder in while her mouth is open. Today she ate 5 discoid roaches and a super worm.
Feeders are gutloaded with Spirulina, carrots and sweet potatoes. I am also ordering bee pollen.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I am dusting with Fluker’s Calcium w/o D3 daily and using Reptivite w/o D3 biweekly.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I must by hand twice daily 30 mins before lights come on and 30-60 mins after lights go off. There is also a dripper running 24/7 at a slow speed. Observed drinking frequently off leaves, branches, as well as out of my hand.
I just ordered a fogger but keep seeing conflicting information on how long it needs to be run for and what temperature I should not use one. The AC in my apartment is not the best and there are no ceiling fans. Ambient temperature in the room is around 78. Even with my AC set to 70, it does not cool well. In a different group, I saw someone mention not to use a fogger if your temps aren’t in the 60s. Definitely want to get more insight on this if possible!
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Found excrement today in one of the plants. Dark brown in color with white urates. Seemed dry but I also don’t know how long it was there because of how it fell in the top of the plant. Fecal tested two weeks ago. Negative for parasites.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I work at a wildlife hospital. Cham was surrendered by the previous owner when she stopped eating. That person had gotten her from a neighbor who no longer wanted her when they moved. Unsure how long the first owner had her, but 2nd owner claimed to have had her for 2 weeks. Only offered crickets as diet. Unsure of previous enclosure set up, lighting, etc. she arrived cold, with fake plants and bark substrate in a cardboard box. Stuck shed present on eye and all over body.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Reptibreeze XL. 2x2x4
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Zoomed hood with Reptisun T5 HO 24 W diagonally across top of enclosure. Phillips 65 W Indoor Floodlight as basking light in back corner.
I just ordered an Odyssea T5 Dual 6500K light for my plants and plan to swap one of the bulbs with my UVB.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Cage Floor: 77 degrees F
Basking Spot: 82.9 degrees F
Read with a temperature gun.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Daytime humidity is between 40-50%
Nighttime is up to 100% after misting and slowly lessens throughout night. At this point with no fogger, humidity is usually back to around 50% by morning. Measured using digital reader.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Yes, Pothos, schefflera, and mass cane.
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?
My cage is located in the corner of the room. No fans or vents anywhere. In spare room. Top of cage is 2.5 feet from ceiling and bottom is 1.5 off the ground.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
I wanted to make sure my husbandry was set up correctly since my girl came with a lot of underlying conditions from previous owners and make improvements wherever possible. I also wanted advice on the feeding technique I have been using or if there is a better option until she is able to eat on her own without assistance. Thanks in advance for any and all help!
That’s awesome that you’ve taken her in and are providing great care to her. Although I may have missed something, there is nothing jumping out at me from your husbandry. The only thing I’d suggest differently is to run the dripper for only about 15-20 minutes at a time and around mid day. Also, it is correct that you’ll only want to boost night time humidity if you can get your temps below at least 68-70. Otherwise, heat + high humidity increases risk for respiratory infection. I’m also in Fl and unable to achieve a decent night time temp drop, so I don’t use a fogger. Instead, I have my mister do a couple of 15 second sprays during the night for just a subtle boost of humidity.
I’ll be returning that first thing tomorrow. I’ve moved the basking branch down 3 times already and cannot get it lower. I’m going to make a stand for the dome to prop it up off the screen and get the temp to drop more that way. 
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