New panther chameleon owner! Looking for experienced owners advice!

[Jojo2]

Bought two house humidifiers today! And am leaving the plant nursery now with live foliage! Fingers crossed guys. Also, I submitted a fecal sample to a vet today. They can’t get me in for a check until mid February. So hopefully that comes back clear. In the meantime I am looking for other vets for a wellness check sooner. I’ll keep everyone posted!

 

[Jojo2]

@Kaizen Thank you for the response and info! I am making a lot of changes today based on everyone’s recommendations! I’ll update with new photos once it’s completed. And yes his multi does contain d3!

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

if you’re still having trouble keeping humidity up…try researching a bioactive enclosure. More plants will always be better.

 

[Beman]

Bought two house humidifiers today! And am leaving the plant nursery now with live foliage! Fingers crossed guys. Also, I submitted a fecal sample to a vet today. They can’t get me in for a check until mid February. So hopefully that comes back clear. In the meantime I am looking for other vets for a wellness check sooner. I’ll keep everyone posted!

Good.... I live in AZ where I am lucky to get 5% humidity outside. I have two large hibiscus and 3 other plants all in pots. I have a hybrid cage and am able to get stable levels of 40-45% during the day... I do not fog at all. I provide mistings and that is it. The plants and the hybrid style cage create the ambient humidity needed for my veiled. So it is all about the set up of the enclosure.

 

[Jojo2]

Good.... I live in AZ where I am lucky to get 5% humidity outside. I have two large hibiscus and 3 other plants all in pots. I have a hybrid cage and am able to get stable levels of 40-45% during the day... I do not fog at all. I provide mistings and that is it. The plants and the hybrid style cage create the ambient humidity needed for my veiled. So it is all about the set up of the enclosure.

@Beman fingers crossed this is the fix then! Working on it now! I’m ready to stop stressing this poor guy out! Once this enclosure is fixed we embark on the journey of finding a name!

 

[Vinesar21]

That guy looks skinny... Could be be wild caught?

Definitely a wild caught

 

[PlanetRemulak]

Excellent advice has already been provided and I really don’t have anything to add on that front, beyond this:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/little-positive-things.180671/

The above is an excellent example of what it looks like to make your own aluminum channel ledges for a Zen Habitats cage. Pretty sure this is the route I’ll be taking if I get a Zen Habitats cage myself! In regards to humidity, 3 solid sides, the glass door and LOTS of plants should bring it up. I‘m actually working on getting a few more plants for the same reason

I also wanted to ask, what locale is your cham?

 

[Jojo2]

Excellent advice has already been provided and I really don’t have anything to add on that front, beyond this:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/little-positive-things.180671/

The above is an excellent example of what it looks like to make your own aluminum channel ledges for a Zen Habitats cage. Pretty sure this is the route I’ll be taking if I get a Zen Habitats cage myself! In regards to humidity, 3 solid sides, the glass door and LOTS of plants should bring it up. I‘m actually working on getting a few more plants for the same reason

I also wanted to ask, what locale is your cham?

Thank you for sharing that thread! I will check it out. And he is a nosy faly!

 

[Jojo2]

Ok guys! The updated enclosure is complete! I took little advice from everyone. The only thing I didn’t do was take out the cholla wood, my brother in law who breeds said that it was fine to keep in there. So we will just keep a watch! The humidity levels have already increased. Only to about 30% - 40%, but that’s progress from 17%. I feel much more confident in this enclosure. What do you guys think? @MissSkittles and @Beman (and everyone else) I added two rubber trees at the bottom and some trailing pathos. I added another hygrometer/thermometer too. So we are reading 3 different temperatures and two different humidity percentages at all times.

Now we need to get him to eat. it’s been two days and no success yet. We will try again in the morning!

 

[MissSkittles]

Great progress! I do have to ask about the sideways plant pots though…how are they stuck on there? I was reminded earlier today of my plans to create a faux background for my beardie’s Zen, like I’ve done for my chams. This would be a way to hang plants and branches without drilling any holes in your enclosure. I use light diffuser ’egg crate’, a piece of landscape fabric on the back (to contain foam) and then use Great Stuff foam, foaming in plant pots (with drainage). Carve to your liking and cover with 100% silicone (I use PlastiDip or Flex Seal), before dry cover with coco coir and voila! You can use thin wire to attach to the frame. Then you can just put your plant pots in the foamed in ones (2 pot method) and secure some branches. I left the bottom section bare as my enclosures are all bioactive and it wouldn’t show plus I wanted the ventilation. If you don’t want to go thru all of that work and expense, you could use some garden trellis attached the same to the frame to hang things. Your creativity is the limit.

 

[EmilioTheAnkify]

@MissSkittles nice background Mine is similar. Carving out the foam was a bit tedious… but we’ll worth it.

 

[Jojo2]

shoot, I wish I had thought of this option before I drilled! so, I drilled holes and fed zip ties through the holes to secure a pot that is slightly larger than my potted pathos. I hinged them slightly upwards with a wedge, then I could slide the slightly smaller pot that contains my plant inside of the mounted pot. I came up with the double potting idea for easy removal in case there is ever any issue with the plant needing to be replaced. I saw it on a YouTube video and the girl said she got the concept from bill strand. I really really hope this works for now! I feel like I have to leave it like it is, as to not stress out my little guy anymore. I don’t want to bother him except for feedings. I really think he needs to get acclimated! Fingers crossed this will suffice for now.

 

[Beman]

shoot, I wish I had thought of this option before I drilled! so, I drilled holes and fed zip ties through the holes to secure a pot that is slightly larger than my potted pathos. I hinged them slightly upwards with a wedge, then I could slide the slightly smaller pot that contains my plant inside of the mounted pot. I came up with the double potting idea for easy removal in case there is ever any issue with the plant needing to be replaced. I saw it on a YouTube video and the girl said she got the concept from bill strand. I really really hope this works for now! I feel like I have to leave it like it is, as to not stress out my little guy anymore. I don’t want to bother him except for feedings. I really think he needs to get acclimated! Fingers crossed this will suffice for now.

Yank on your plants... I have never seen Bill recommend this with pots... he does upright pot in a pot method so you can easily get them out. Issues here if the soil gets wet gravity is going to work... If they climb on a vine how stable is it in that pot? You do not want the entire potted plant coming out and falling on the cham either.

This is what Bill recommends with ledges. Anchor in first pot to the branches with zip ties then your second planted pot drops in. https://dragonstrand.com/getting-the-most-from-your-dragon-strand-dragon-ledges/

 

[Jojo2]

I just meant bill recommended the double pot method. I saw the sideways pot on a YouTube video and liked the idea of the plants growing downward and outward. So, what I did to secure the pots was double zip tie the larger to the enclosure wall. Then I took the smaller pot with the plant inside and zip tied the smaller pot l into the larger pot to secure them together. Then I put wedges under the lower half of the pot to angle them upwards slightly. I am worried about stressing him more since I just put him through changing his enclosure again since he’s been home. What I plan to do is keep a close eye on the plants and give it some time for him to acclimate and then change the pots to sit upright. Everyone’s concern on the sideways plants is enough for me to have concern.

Would you guys advise me to wait? I shouldn’t do it right away and add more stress, right?

 

[Beman]

I just meant bill recommended the double pot method. I saw the sideways pot on a YouTube video and liked the idea of the plants growing downward and outward. So, what I did to secure the pots was double zip tie the larger to the enclosure wall. Then I took the smaller pot with the plant inside and zip tied the smaller pot l into the larger pot to secure them together. Then I put wedges under the lower half of the pot to angle them upwards slightly. I am worried about stressing him more since I just put him through changing his enclosure again since he’s been home. What I plan to do is keep a close eye on the plants and give it some time for him to acclimate and then change the pots to sit upright. Everyone’s concern on the sideways plants is enough for me to have concern.

Would you guys advise me to wait? I shouldn’t do it right away and add more stress, right?

I think it depends on how secure they are.... With them sideways it does pose a risk. Only you can determine the amount of stress the cham is already under. If it has not been eating or not eating as much through all the changes and it is a younger cham then waiting until it is eating well would be a better idea. But only if the plant is totally secure... Dirt is not falling out etc.

 

[Jojo2]

He has not eaten since he came home Sunday. I offer food twice a day and he has not took to it at all. I left a cup in there w feeders today while I’m at work in hopes that he will take to a meal while he is home alone.

As far as the pots, they’re very secure. I checked the dirt today and it was in there pretty good. I suppose waiting until he eats is my best bet. He is slightly dehydrated based on his urates. After researching today I am worried about the roots getting adequate water placed like this. I thought I did my research before purchasing. But once he was here I realized this is a bit of a learning curve. Research and hands on are two completely different things. Lol

 

[Beman]

He has not eaten since he came home Sunday. I offer food twice a day and he has not took to it at all. I left a cup in there w feeders today while I’m at work in hopes that he will take to a meal while he is home alone.

As far as the pots, they’re very secure. I checked the dirt today and it was in there pretty good. I suppose waiting until he eats is my best bet. He is slightly dehydrated based on his urates. After researching today I am worried about the roots getting adequate water placed like this. I thought I did my research before purchasing. But once he was here I realized this is a bit of a learning curve. Research and hands on are two completely different things. Lol

Ok so if he is brand new to you then you need to get him drinking and eating. You will want to rework the pot direction but right now it is more important that he settle since the pots are secure.

Put a dripper on the top of the cage. This can be a solo plastic cup with a few tiny pin holes in the bottom. Have it over the plants below and away from light fixtures. Put ice cubes in it and it will provide a slow drip. This will help trigger a drinking response. Keep in mind a urate that is 50% yellow/orange is still considered hydrated. When it is all yellow/orange it shows dehydration.

You will find there is a ton to learn and everytime you think you got it down something else pops up.

 

[Jojo2]

Ok so if he is brand new to you then you need to get him drinking and eating. You will want to rework the pot direction but right now it is more important that he settle since the pots are secure.

Put a dripper on the top of the cage. This can be a solo plastic cup with a few tiny pin holes in the bottom. Have it over the plants below and away from light fixtures. Put ice cubes in it and it will provide a slow drip. This will help trigger a drinking response. Keep in mind a urate that is 50% yellow/orange is still considered hydrated. When it is all yellow/orange it shows dehydration.

You will find there is a ton to learn and everytime you think you got it down something else pops up.

Ok! So maybe he is not dehydrated. His urate was orange tinged. Phwew! Relief. So this is the first full day of all live plants. Today when his mist king came on he went crazy drinking from his leaves. This is the first time I’ve witnessed him drink like this! So that was super exciting. And I do have a dripper system set up as well! I have the big dripper. However, I’m wishing I went with the solo cup or milk jug option instead. This thing is so finicky! Lol thanks for all the quick responses!

 

[Beman]

Ok! So maybe he is not dehydrated. His urate was orange tinged. Phwew! Relief. So this is the first full day of all live plants. Today when his mist king came on he went crazy drinking from his leaves. This is the first time I’ve witnessed him drink like this! So that was super exciting. And I do have a dripper system set up as well! I have the big dripper. However, I’m wishing I went with the solo cup or milk jug option instead. This thing is so finicky! Lol thanks for all the quick responses!

Yeah I tried the big dripper and little dripper. Got annoyed and went with the solo cup and ice cubes. lol

 

[Jojo2]

Do the ice cubes slow the flow? What’s their purpose?