Thegodfarmer
New Member
I will give info here but only had baby 4-5days.
Your Chameleon - a boy baby, as big as a thumb.
Cage Info:
Current Problem - I set up my enclosure 3 days before bringing him home. Everything supplied by the shop and advice for care given by shop. Did some of my own research in the 3 days and had a few doubts. I currently have a royal python 7 parrots, 4 of which i hand reared from 3 weeks and praying mantids. I am not daft but a complete novice with chameleons. The first day he seemed ok and drank from the mist on the wall we left him alone and didn't touch his locusts but expected this on first day. Next day seemed uninterested in food again so dusted some locust with calcium +d3 and held one near him and he flicked at it but it didn't stick I think it was too dusty?? So I went back to shop to ask what he was used to eating and he wasn't sure?! So I bought some small crickets but when I came home he just fell off the branch about 2 feet. Helped him back up seemed ok but one eye closed. And he was acting normal. However later in the day I offered some crickets and he ate 5 good sized ones and then went under his lamp and had a drink. Then the next day I noticed the other eye was closed and he wasn't "awake" in the morning so I left him until dinnertime and got on the internet to do some research and worked out it could be dehydration so misted him more that day. He opened one eye just enough to eat 3 crickets from my hand then back closed, after deciding it was unlikely to be dehydration I got back on the net and realised it could be the 12% UVb 850mm T5 lamp far too strong for a baby so I turned it off last night and had only heat lamp today. I found an 8 inch 2.5% uvb lamp I got for my birds ages ago and put it in for tomorrow as I think now it is either uvb to blame or stress. However he shows no sign of obvious stress and is still a lovely turquoise colour or he goes a bit darker more brown or dark green on a night or if I have annoyed him but as of now he is not opening either eye and is only opening one eye to eat and then clamps it closed again. He only ate 1 cricket today... no d3 only calcium. Realised they don't need much d3. He hasn't moved much but still climbing up to top to go to sleep.... I know closing his eyes is not normal but he doesn't seem stressed and is just not moving much because his eyes are closed. He's just moved 2 feet to be on some leaves for bedtime so he can move when he wants to even though his eyes are upsetting him..... does anybody have any ideas or know what I am doing wrong as I don't give up easy and want to do the best for him but I'm a bit out of my depth I think as he's very small and I'm not certain I'm doing things right??? Can anybody help me as I'm concerned he won't eat if he doesn't open his eyes???
Your Chameleon - a boy baby, as big as a thumb.
- Handling - as little as necessary. But used to handling in pet shop.
- Feeding - nothing first day. Eaten several crickets dusted since but only 1 today.
- Supplements - repticalcium. With and without d3
- Watering - hand misting warm water 3-4 times a day seen drinking plenty by opening mouth and moving tongue while spraying.
- Fecal Description - only one I've seen was a yellowish with white around it.
- History - seemed very active in shop, ??
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - shop supplied 4'x2'x2' wood with glass front and vents. Pond liner bottom to catch water
- Lighting - shop supplied T5 850mm 12% 39w arcadia reptile
- Temperature - basking under 60w incandescent lamp with wire cage at 32 degrees on dimmer thermostat attached to log and independent thermometer probe to verify temp, top 24 degrees at other side of cage minimum 20 degrees on floor on evening. Ambient outside temp 18 to 20 degrees
- Humidity - electronic humidity probe ambient humidity 50-70 in day. Spikes to 90 after spraying for 1 hour then drops. Night 75ish.
- Plants - 1 plant in pot. Mother in laws tongue.
- Placement - on low table at moment until I get everything right. Will move up when I've settled everything. Low traffic area at back of large room. Much less traffic than pet shop.
- Location - north yorkshire England
Current Problem - I set up my enclosure 3 days before bringing him home. Everything supplied by the shop and advice for care given by shop. Did some of my own research in the 3 days and had a few doubts. I currently have a royal python 7 parrots, 4 of which i hand reared from 3 weeks and praying mantids. I am not daft but a complete novice with chameleons. The first day he seemed ok and drank from the mist on the wall we left him alone and didn't touch his locusts but expected this on first day. Next day seemed uninterested in food again so dusted some locust with calcium +d3 and held one near him and he flicked at it but it didn't stick I think it was too dusty?? So I went back to shop to ask what he was used to eating and he wasn't sure?! So I bought some small crickets but when I came home he just fell off the branch about 2 feet. Helped him back up seemed ok but one eye closed. And he was acting normal. However later in the day I offered some crickets and he ate 5 good sized ones and then went under his lamp and had a drink. Then the next day I noticed the other eye was closed and he wasn't "awake" in the morning so I left him until dinnertime and got on the internet to do some research and worked out it could be dehydration so misted him more that day. He opened one eye just enough to eat 3 crickets from my hand then back closed, after deciding it was unlikely to be dehydration I got back on the net and realised it could be the 12% UVb 850mm T5 lamp far too strong for a baby so I turned it off last night and had only heat lamp today. I found an 8 inch 2.5% uvb lamp I got for my birds ages ago and put it in for tomorrow as I think now it is either uvb to blame or stress. However he shows no sign of obvious stress and is still a lovely turquoise colour or he goes a bit darker more brown or dark green on a night or if I have annoyed him but as of now he is not opening either eye and is only opening one eye to eat and then clamps it closed again. He only ate 1 cricket today... no d3 only calcium. Realised they don't need much d3. He hasn't moved much but still climbing up to top to go to sleep.... I know closing his eyes is not normal but he doesn't seem stressed and is just not moving much because his eyes are closed. He's just moved 2 feet to be on some leaves for bedtime so he can move when he wants to even though his eyes are upsetting him..... does anybody have any ideas or know what I am doing wrong as I don't give up easy and want to do the best for him but I'm a bit out of my depth I think as he's very small and I'm not certain I'm doing things right??? Can anybody help me as I'm concerned he won't eat if he doesn't open his eyes???
