Hey! So I bought a Senegal from an expo last Saturday, the 11th, and have a couple questions/concerns. I've read that it could take awhile for chameleons to adapt to their new environment and become stressed very easily do I've been doing a lot of research and talking to other owners about how to properly care for my chameleon. The guy that I bought my Cham from, at the expo, told me basking and UVB lights weren't necessary and I quickly found out that was false. I have the UVA and UVB light, along with the night heat light all set on timers. I have made sure that the enclosure has plenty of plants and branches inside, along with a shallow water basin (although I know chams don't drink from it), and a drip device that allows water to drop on leaves. I also make sure to constantly mist the cage. However, my Senegal still seems stressed and I can't figure out why. I haven't seen him (although I'm not 100% it's a male) eat since I've brought him home and I've read many different things but I was wondering if that was normal? I've been putting baby crickets in his cage and I've read that chams usually eat whatever is in front of them. However, mine will look at the crickets but not eat any (atleast not that I've seen) so could he still be adjusting? Most of the time he is green but there are times where he is greenish-brown and I can't figure out why he might be stressed. I'll check the temp of the cage, his surroundings, and the room he is in is private, with no other animals, so what am I doing wrong that stresses him out? Please help! Any advice is greatly appreciated!
New Senegal owner!
- Thread starter Dewey516
- Start date
PantherEnvy
Avid Member
Welcome to the forum. Fill out this form so we can assist better. :
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.
Pictures are 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.
Pictures are helpful
My chameleon is a Senegal, although I'm not quite sure of the sex (but refer to it as a male) or age. My cham is about 6 inches long. I try not to handle him too much because I've read that they get stressed when handled often, although he seems to stress out more in his cage and is fine to me when he is out of his cage. I've been attempting to feed him baby crickets, that have been gut-loaded, and bought small mealworms to try to get him to eat. I know that mealworms can't be given daily and are used to fatten up a chameleon but I also read that mealworms are a nice treat so I was hoping that would entice him to eat. I try to mist frequently, especially when some of the leaves are dry and my cham drinks from the water drip device that's located in the cage. His stools are brown with white urate. Since he's had bowel movements I assume that he has to be eating but I, personally, haven't seen him eat. His cage temp is usually 75-80 during the day and 70 at night. The light timers are set at 9am (when the basking and UVB light turn on) and 9 pm (when the night heat light turns on). I haven't put any real plants in his cage yet, but i definitely want to look into it soon. The cage isn't near any windows or vents and is in a very quiet and private room. I've definitely grown more attached to him everyday and hope I can fix whatever is stressing him out soon!
Mredhorse
Member
First you need to know if he/she is eating. THis is a MUST---
Sometimes new chams can be tricky and would rather hid or just not eat when someone is watching. JMO I would remove all the cricket/worms or what ever your feeding him. Then I would put some in a small container, just a few, where it can see the crickets moving. Then leave the room or hid so the chameleon can't see you. I usually pinch off the back legs of the cricket at first. This way they don't jump from the container. After you find out if your chameleon is eating or not, then you can take the proper action. My adult Veiled will eat pinhead crickets and little fruit flies, so don't think the size of the food is the issue. Keep us updated. WC are tricky sometimes. Have you checked for parasites and when you mist does he drink?
Sometimes new chams can be tricky and would rather hid or just not eat when someone is watching. JMO I would remove all the cricket/worms or what ever your feeding him. Then I would put some in a small container, just a few, where it can see the crickets moving. Then leave the room or hid so the chameleon can't see you. I usually pinch off the back legs of the cricket at first. This way they don't jump from the container. After you find out if your chameleon is eating or not, then you can take the proper action. My adult Veiled will eat pinhead crickets and little fruit flies, so don't think the size of the food is the issue. Keep us updated. WC are tricky sometimes. Have you checked for parasites and when you mist does he drink?
D
DavidBuchan
Guest
Hello, welcome to the forum 
I never kept a Senegal before myself, so the only other thing I can see is that you don't need a light at night. If you need heat then use a ceramic heater. Even red lights can keep Chams awake or disrupt sleep (especially WC ones). They will often take a while to settle in to a new home anyway, so as long as you have plenty of branches to climb and leaves to hide in he should settle ok.
I never kept a Senegal before myself, so the only other thing I can see is that you don't need a light at night. If you need heat then use a ceramic heater. Even red lights can keep Chams awake or disrupt sleep (especially WC ones). They will often take a while to settle in to a new home anyway, so as long as you have plenty of branches to climb and leaves to hide in he should settle ok.
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I've looked at videos and also saw people put crickets in a small container, like suggested here, and I'm definitely going to try that. I've been having problems finding fruit flies and silkworms. I've tried about 4 pets stores now, so as of now I'm just trying to feed him crickets and occasionally mealworms. So a red heat light isn't necessary at night? I had no idea that it could keep him awake at night. He usually falls asleep around 8, and the basking and UVB lights don't turn off until 9 so should I change my timers to 8? I was reading through other peoples forums and saw that it's not uncommon or a bad thing if a chameleon starts to fall asleep at 6. The first day I got him he fell asleep around 5:30-6 and I thought something was wrong. But since then he's started to fall asleep around 8. I've also noticed that he gets a few little black spots on him while he sleeps. Everything I've read suggests that he is stressed but I can't figure out what might be the stressor, since he's sleeping. Any ideas? Could it be the night heating light? Thanks so much for replying, all of this advice has been really helpful so far!
Mredhorse
Member
This could totally be wrong, but I thought reptiles could not see the blue or red spectrums of light and those two colors would have no effect on sleeping at night, reason some snake keepers keep red night lights on to give a little more heat at night. (or to watch nocturnal animal move in the dark of night, like leopard geckos and such)
Plus, the sleeping part- If he is WC then his time zone will totally be different than ours. Animals have an internal clock and have to adjust to our time. I have seahorses and they know the feeding time better than I. Their parents are from FL and I am from CA. Their waiting for food at their feeding station before the CA Sun starts to shine. So, lights going on and off does not always put them to sleep-- that being said, he might just close his eyes because he can't see. Which might be stressfull. Most chameleons will fall asleep when they are ready, then you can pick up his habits and work around that. His time zone might have him awake while we sleep, so I would google his natural habitat and see if there is a difference and work with that. JMHO
Sorry, I can be winded at times....
Plus, the sleeping part- If he is WC then his time zone will totally be different than ours. Animals have an internal clock and have to adjust to our time. I have seahorses and they know the feeding time better than I. Their parents are from FL and I am from CA. Their waiting for food at their feeding station before the CA Sun starts to shine. So, lights going on and off does not always put them to sleep-- that being said, he might just close his eyes because he can't see. Which might be stressfull. Most chameleons will fall asleep when they are ready, then you can pick up his habits and work around that. His time zone might have him awake while we sleep, so I would google his natural habitat and see if there is a difference and work with that. JMHO
Sorry, I can be winded at times....
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