New to chameleon universe

[ig1na]

Hello guys,

Sorry for my bad english, as I'm a french dude..

I'm totally new here, first post. I own a chameleon one month ago, and to be honest, my knowledge about chameleons was near to 0..

So when I adopted mine, in a french reptiles store, I jumped onto this forum to learn about them, and I have to admit I didn't know it was so hard to keep one.

Anyway, I managed to buy almost everything the first day, except the mister, that I have now, and I wanted to post here just to know what you guys believe I'm doing wrong.

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Veiled Female, as total idiot, i didn't ask for the age.. I hope you will be able to help me on that point. Got her 1 month ago.
Handling - I handle her about 2 times a week, but she doesn't seem to be so happy when I try to make her come onto my hand
Feeding -
What are you feeding your cham? Crickets, blatta lateralis 4-5 per day and waxworms 4-5 per week
How are you gut-loading your feeders? I give crickets carrots and green beans
Supplements - exo terra calcium everyday, and exo terra calcium +d3 once a week, I will buy exo terra multi vitamin soon
Watering - I use a ZooMed Reptirain, and mist 60 seconds every 1 hour.. (60 seconds is the maximum..) but I know I will have to buy a mistking.
Fecal Description - dark brown color, 2-3 cm, and the urine is a bit yellow mut almost totally white, I didn't test her for parasites myself but I believe the animal store did?
History - She seems to like eating the soil.. I covered it with some rocks, but if she wants to lay eggs, how will she do? And insects seems to hide between them


Cage Info:

Cage Type - I use a reptibreeze screen cage, 46cm*46cm*91cm
Lighting - I use a Reptech UV mercury vapor lamp 100W which is made to heat and UV at the same time, photos below, lights on for 12 hours per day
Temperature - Temperature is between 28 and 30° Celsius on the basking spot. At night, it is about 20° celsius, the temp of my bedroom
Humidity - I use an electronic hygrometer, my humidity is between 55 and 70
Plants - I'm using two living ficuses
Placement - The cage is in a corner in my bedroom, no traffic noise as I'm in a house separated from neighboors, and far from the road. No other animals, no cats, he's alone with my parents
Location - I live in north of france, so I think i will have to warm up a bit in cold winter at night...

Thank you guys for reading my poor english, and you advices!

here are some pics :

 

[noahmeno]

I would try to limit feeding wax worms to as little as you can, they have little nutritional value at all. Try out horn, silk, super or phoenix worms. A varied diet is the best (as far as I know from what I have read)

 

[caietaro]

Welcome to the forum! This is definitely the place to be if you want to learn from some very helpful and friendly experts She's adorable by the way!

 

[pgr7]

They layout is really cool, I dig the bamboo forest look alot.
I would add some more cover for your pretty new chameleon around the top and middle areas,a few fake exo Terra vines also to add some basking sites that lay flat for the cham to soak it all in and laterally bask if it wants.
Cover adds security to the cham,which equals a healthy cham!

Enjoy the research process,it's really fun
Welcome !

 

[carol5208]

Yes, as mentioned more foilage and walkways toward the top and a basking branch about 8 inches down underneath the light. Place it horizontally across so he can bask comfortably.

 

[ig1na]

thanks for your answers!

I will put more foilage and add a horizontal branch at the top

for the food, i'd love to buy other varieties, but where I live there is not that much species, I would like to shop online, but delivery is way too expensive, any advice?

 

[MamatoElvis]

I just wanted to add. Calcium daily, calcium with d3 2x per month not every week and a multivitamin 2x per month. I also agree with more horizontal branches.

 

[carol5208]

thanks for your answers!

I will put more foilage and add a horizontal branch at the top

for the food, i'd love to buy other varieties, but where I live there is not that much species, I would like to shop online, but delivery is way too expensive, any advice?

Try catching some bugs yourself. My chameleons love moths. I catch them at night. I also catch dragon flies and beetles, some Cicadas, stickbugs when I can find them. . I am not sure what type of insects you have in France. I stay away from brightly colored insects like butterflies, also if you have Stinkbugs stay away from those! My chameleon grabbed one and it must have sprayed something in his mouth and he freaked out and was thrashing his head around and then spit it out! Also, I forgot to say welcome to the forums and chameleon ownership!

 

[Candybugs]

Hi french dude welcome. Since it sounds like you've got it all covered here's a fun fact I just learned the other day. Chameleons have a 3rd eye on top of their heads it's like a clear scale and acts as a light sensor to sense predators from behind and above. I've been able to find it on my dragon but not my chameleon. Kinda cool

 

[jims]

Salut ig1na et bienvenue sur le forum!

You came to the right place to learn about chameleons. You will find this place full of resources and good advice.
As for the food, it depends where you live. I'm near Paris so I can get all the feeders I need, but if you don't have any other choices than your local pet store, I would definitely recommend that you start breeding your owns bugs. Dubias and red runners roaches are amazingly easy to breed, crickets too, but they smell bad...
If you live in the country, you can catch grasshoppers, praying mantis and flies (I don't think there's any nutritional value to them, but my panther LOVES to go after them). Just make sure they don't come from an area where farmers are using pesticides.

Bon courage avec ton nouveau petit caly !