New to Chameleons and their stubborn ways

ScottDS710

ScottDS710

New Member
I have some concern for my new (2nd) Chameleon. I will have had him a week this Friday. I had purchased my 1st one two weeks ago and that one only survived 2 days, but he was a very small baby one. He would drink from the waterfall I have in the enclosure, but wasn't eating.
Now I'm on high guard with this guy! (Picture of him as my Profile Picture) My concern is that is isn't drinking from the waterfall I have in his enclosure, but he does lick the mist drops from when I mist in his enclosure. Also, he is only eating 1 or 2 Sm to Med. sized crickets a day. I purchased some of the dehydrated fruits and vegetables, I mist them then dust them with the Calcium and MultiVitamin, but he doesn't touch them. The crickets eat the Fruits and Vegetables though. Should he be eating more crickets or should I be doing anything different?? I mist his enclosure at least 4 - 6 times a day.
By next week, I'll be moving him into a Large ReptiBreeze enclosure with a live plant with the hopes of him having a lot more room, it will make him happier. Right now he is in 16″ x 16″ x 21.5″ BioBubble.
I appreciate any feedback.
 
Months ago I was advised to avoid using waterfalls unless I can be diligent in cleaning the whole unit at least once a day because they can grow and harbor bacteria.
 
Waterfalls are not great for chameleons. Most chameleons drink by licking water off of the sides of the enclosure, after it is sprayed. Also waterfalls are a breeding ground for bacteria, as your cham may poop in the water fall, then drink from it.
 
Is it male or female? Age of the chameleon? Are the insects of an appropriate size?
I would ditch the waterfall unless you want to end up with a sick chameleon.
I would ditch the dehydrated fruits too and give eit real greens (dandelion greens, kale collards, endive, escaro!e, etc,), veggies (squash, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, etc) and a bit of fruit (melon, berries, apples, pears, etc).
 
Thank you to everyone who had responded. I have his ReptiBreeze pretty well done. I will most definitely be getting rid of the Water Fall and dehydrated food. Thanks again! :)
 
You know, please remove me from this forum, if people like jamest0o0 is so rude and impatient with new owners such as myself, I want no part of such a forum!! I took everyone's advice to heart and busted my ass fixing up a new enclosure for my Chameleon getting rid of the waterfall and dry food. I was just going to post pictures of it with him in it!! So sorry I didn't fill "THE FORM" out fast enough for james. My Chameleon was TOP PRIORITY and I was using the time to fix what needed to be fixed so he would get sick!!!
 
New enclosure with my Chameleon! See, I can properly care for a Chameleon, jamese0o0!!
 

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Don't let Jamest ruffle your feathers. He means well but lacks patience. If you get deeper into this hobby his knowledge of bioactive habitats and free ranges will be invaluable to you.
I think your new cage is a huge improvement over what you started with. If you have any questions on how to fine tune it you won't find a better source of information than this forum.
 
Here is the info you requested. So sorry it's late and I've literally only been a member of this forum for 24 hours now!!

Chameleon Info:
  • Chameleon - Vailed, male, Juvenile (not sure, pet store not sure either), I have him for a week now.
  • Handling - I don't right now, he hisses and nips, so I don't push him.
  • Feeding - Small live crickets that I dust with Exo Terra Calcium + Vit D3 and Zoo Med ReptiVit. Being so new I don't have a set schedule of feeding yet with me trying to find what he will eat. I have a Sm Cricket keeper that I use Fluker's Cricket quencher in for gut loading.
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - I have a Flukers MiniDrip system on the roof. I mist the cage with a misting spray bottle at least 6 - 7 times a day and I did see him licking the mist off the wall of his old enclosure.
  • Fecal Description - Stool is black with just a little bit of white in it. No, he hasn't been tested for parasites.
  • History - The pet store I got him from had very limited information on him. Sorry.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - JUST moved him in to the ReptiBreeze Large enclosure
  • Lighting - I Have the Zoo Med Tropical UVB & Heat Lighting Kit. - Daylight Blue Reptile Bulb (60 watt) and one ReptiSun 5.0 Mini Compact Fluorescent (13 watt)
  • Temperature - Basking Temp is 78 degrees @ daytime - 72 degrees @ night. I use Zoo Med's Thermometer and Humidity Gauge?
  • Humidity - Usually between 60 and 70, maintained with the 6 - 7 times a day misting using above gauge.
  • Plants - I am now with his new cage. I put a Schefflera Capella bush (Arboricola) Chameleon safe! with some artifical. I also put in some Aquaruim rock in the live plants pot, so my Chameleon won't be exposed to the soil, JUST IN CASE.
  • Placement - In a corner of a room with very limited traffic. It does have a ceiling fan and is up of the ground about 35"
  • Location - Just outside Buffalo, NY
Current Problem -
I have no current problems (except with the one member of this forum) now that I took care of them with you responses above. Again, sorry for taking so long in answering all these questions, as you can tell I put my Chameleon's health TOP priority over responding with this questionaire!
 
JacksJill said:
Don't let Jamest ruffle your feathers. He means well but lacks patience. If you get deeper into this hobby his knowledge of bioactive habitats and free ranges will be invaluable to you.
I think your new cage is a huge improvement over what you started with. If you have any questions on how to fine tune it you won't find a better source of information than this forum.
Click to expand...

Thanks JacksJill, I appreciate the encouragement. As you will see, I filled out the questionaire that you asked me to earlier. I look forward to learning so much more about how to care for my guy! (y)
 
Hi Scott, welcome to our group. Lots of people here, most are nice, but we do have a couple asses. You haven't even met them yet,.
Not to worry lots of us will be happy to help you. I drove a fair number of people nuts when I joined the forum 10+ years ago.
My only thought at this point is to make sure the gravel in your plants is WAY to big for your guys mouth. They will put anything in their mouths that will fit. And you have a growing boy, so be careful. Sort of hard to tell, but from what I see you have a pretty boy!
I kept veileds many years ago. I was down to only one chameleon - that was my grand plan, just my parsonii. Fast forward, I bought another veiled chameleon! He needed a good home. His basic needs were provided for, but no one really cared about him. I love him to bits! Pickle is my sweetie. We can enjoy our boys together.
 
You said..."Small live crickets that I dust with Exo Terra Calcium + Vit D3 and Zoo Med ReptiVit. Being so new I don't have a set schedule of feeding yet with me trying to find what he will eat. I have a Sm Cricket keeper that I use Fluker's Cricket quencher information gutload" i would recommend that you feed/gutload the insects with a wide assortment of greens (dandelion greens, collards, kale, endive, escarole, etc) and veggies (carrots, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, etc) and a small amount of fruit (melon, berries, apples, pears, etc). It's recommended that you use a phosphorous-free calcium powder at almost every feeding, a phosphorous-free calcium/D3 powder twice a month lightly and twice a month use a vitamin powder.

You said..."Daylight Blue Reptile Bulb (60 watt)"..I use a regular white household incandescent bulb for a basking light. I don't use any "colored" lights.

You said..."Basking Temp is 78 degrees" imho you could bump this up to the low 80's F.

You said..."with some artifical. I also put in some Aquaruim rock in the live plants pot, so my Chameleon won't be exposed to the soil"....like Laurie said...make sure the stones are way too big to ingest. You said you also use some artificial...I would replace them since veileds munch on foliage and have sometimes eaten the artificial plants. Make sure you wash real ones well...both sides of the leaves too.
Hope this helps!
 
Just a large title something to add... the waterfalls are good for two things. Weekend trips and if your chameleon is dehydrated. Keep it stored (dry and clean) until needed. Use it for 1-3 days then clean it (1/4 strength bleach, rinse, let dry completely until no more bleach smell), and put it away again.

I know a pet shop that uses one. They seem to have success with it but I think it's like rolling the dice. The owner knows its not the best but also knows there is a good chance the cham(s) wouldn't get sprayed enough.
 
Thank kinyonga and NickTide. The Aquarium rock I put in the pot of the live plant is the Med to Large polished River Rock. All the rocks are about the size of a Silver Dollar, so no worries there. I'm going out today to get the Vegi's and Fruit that you all have suggested. My only question is... Is where do you place it in the enclosure? I have yet to see him down on the floor of his enclosure, even in the one I just took him out. Should I attach a feeder dish up by his basking shelf? Also, should it be a concern if I see the crickets feeding on it? I just fed him a bit ago and he snatched up a large meal worm.
I do have a question about the ReptiBreeze... With it getting cooler at night (especially where I live Buffalo, NY area) should I cover 2 or 3 of the sides with towels or something to keep the heat in?
Thank you again for taking the time to help me out

Ohhh about the Waterfall, I will definitely do that and store it away. My 1st Baby Chameleon loved it, even though he only survived 2 days. I think it was already sick from the pet store I had gotten him from. But I watched him numerous times licking the drops that were coming off the artifical leaves, but this guy wanted nothing to do with it.
 
I've read that some veileds eat fruits and vegetables. But I believe that what was suggested to you is that you feed (gutload) the crickets with the green leaves, vegetables, and fruits.
 
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