new to the Chameleon world

[MollyDora]

Hello Everybody,

my boyfriend got me my Veiled Chameleon for my birthday 3 weeks ago.

We bought the exo terra Terrarium it has glas sides and the mesh top.
In the beginning we had some issues with the light, but we figured it all out.

In the lamp that came with the tank are 2 13W Repti Glo 5.0 UVB lamps.

In order to have a heat lamp I bought a second lamp that hangs from the ceiling, this one has a 75watt Repti Halogen bulb in it.

Both lamps are on all day, I shut them off at night (over all they are off for about 6-8 hours) it never gets below 73 in my house.

I feed crickets only so far and I dust them once a week with exo terra multi vitamin and exo terra calcium, oh and I feed 5-12 a day depending on how much he seems to hunt.
I have a little dripper that we pimped with a IV drip so it works quite well.

Right now I have the substrate on the floor that I'm planning on taking out now that I know that I don't need it. I was wondering what I can put on the floor, maybe I could get some of that fake grass carpet for outside, I think that would look cool.
I also bought a little hibiscus plant that I still need to wash off and replant.
Now I also bought 2 Succulent dishes yesterday and thoght they would work since the stones on top are glued on and liked the look of them. I know I can use the hibiscus but what about the succulent??

I tried to attach the pictures of the succulents, the terrarium and Humphrey

 

[DavidBuchan]

Welcome to the forum, and may I say very well done, Humphrey looks cute and his viv looks real good too. Most people who come on here new to the chameleon world seem to have real problems. The multivitamin would be better twice a month, alternated with a D3 and calcium powder twice a month.
I use compost/ soil for substrate but will not recommend it for you (since most on the forum are set against soil). A lot of people use nothing (very easy to clean!) but I think it looks a lot better to have some substrate. Any kind of heat treated wood chipping would be perfect. The finer the better really so food items can't hide in it. Fake grass would be good too, but harder to clean probably. The succulent would be fine. Leafier things are generally better, because the more cover he has the more comfortable he will be.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums and congrats on your first chameleon. I keep veileds and they are such a pleasure to keep. I don't recommend glass for veileds and keep nothing on the floor. Veileds eat everything and could become impacted from eating the soil. I have a blog for new keepers attached below it will help you to keep your little one healthy and happy. I'll attach you the safe plant list.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

There's a couple of safe plant list in this thread that you can check out.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/helpful-guide-live-plants-30239/

 

[seanUTD]

I would have to agree... Of all of the "new to chameleon" posts... Your is quite startling at how well your already doing (Better than I did) But I will say this with the supplementing the best schedule that I have had repeatedly pushed down my throat here on the forums in calcium w/o D3 at almost every feeding, multivitamin once to twice a month, and calcium WITH D3 at least once a month but not too often (as they get their D3 from the UVB which I'm confident you already know seeing the rest of your post lol) but otherwise welcome and quite an impressive job with your first

 

[MollyDora]

awesome, thank you.

I will get a new schedule for the different powders and will make sure to get a D3!

The succulent I really just want to use to make it look a little nicer, so the floor won't be so bare, I'm stoked I can use it.

since the Hibiscus is still fairly small I will use that and for now keep some of the fake plants, maybe I'll get a pothos or something like that as well. I wanted to start with one life plant and see how I do with that.

I have been trying to find some wood branches I see them on pictures here all the time but don't know where to get them. any suggestions on online stores??

thank you for your help! I feel much more confident now.

 

[MollyDora]

wow, thank you!!! I want my Humph-Man to be happy and I'm glad to see that I'm not doing a too horrible job.

When we first went to the pet store, they wanted to sell us a pair (girl and boy) chameleon ... at the time I did not know much and now am happy that I decided to just take the tank home and get it ready first, then pick up the chams the next day. Thankfully I read alot about it that night and realized that I should not have a pair in a tank that size if at all...

It started off quite crazy but now I'm hoping to be on a good path.

do you guys thing that 4-12 Crickets a day is a good amount for his size?
sometimes he seems to be hunting all day looking for more crickets.
I have the cricket keeper right next to the tank and sometimes he sits in front of it and stares at the crickets....

thank you so much for your encouraging words!

 

[seanUTD]

for most of the owners on here branches come from the great outdoors lol... It's ghetto style for me, I see I take... But honestly sites like lllreptile.com and flchams.com will have enclosure supplies... Just make sure that if you do get something from outside that it is properly cleaned off with dish soap and warm water and rinsed EXTRA well... Check out the rest of the enclosure section of these forums and you'll find PLENTY of stuff for enclosures... And pothos is a great idea for ANY terrarium or vivarium especially if you hang it from the top it will give PLENTY of hding and it is EXTRA easy to take care of

 

[DeviousMike]

I love the look of your enclosure. Very zen-like.

 

[seanUTD]

And at his size I know my panther eats at LEAST 12 a day... Basically a lot of people when the chams are that young will feed as much as the little guys will eat because when they are that young they are growing like weeds and will just munch and munch so 4 is really low but 12 is closer

 

[DavidBuchan]

The succulent I really just want to use to make it look a little nicer, so the floor won't be so bare, I'm stoked I can use it.

I could tell that.....do get a pothos, and I'll leave the substrate totally up to you because I can tell you'll be very careful whatever you use. If I were you I think I'd keep a similar number of crickets and let him have nearly everything else he wants. I think you were planning to add variety soon anyway, so buy a few fruit flies, mealworms, waxworms, and anything else that its really easy for you to get hold of. Have fun finding out what he likes best!

 

[MollyDora]

awesome! I'll go shopping today and see what I can find. With a little luck I'll find everything I need and will post pictures of the new look tonight.

I have problems finding other food sources then crickets, I live in a small town and the local pet store has only crickets for sale.

A lot of the online stores that offer live food, offer a way too big amount as the smallest size...

any ideas?

 

[seanUTD]

A lot of the online stores that offer live food, offer a way too big amount as the smallest size...

any ideas?

Unfortunately for those who are just looking for food from day to day, these sites are offering for more those who KEEP the insects... I do (as many will) suggest keeping these large quantities of insects because chams do LOVE variety and keeping it various means being able to keep the insects for longer periods of time.. I keep running colonies of crickets, woodlice, mealworms, and dubias... That way a month from now I still have the ability to choose without having to pay ridiculous prices for bugs again

 

[DavidBuchan]

a
I have problems finding other food sources then crickets, I live in a small town and the local pet store has only crickets for sale.


any ideas?

Small town? Problems finding insects? If you can find an area you know has not been sprayed with pesticides (or man-made chemicals of any kind) then you shouldn't have too many problem catching enough to feed him without even buying crickets!
Do use crickets for a staple though, as you can gutload them to make them extra healthy.
If Humphrey doesn't love spiders I'll eat my hat! and I don't even have a hat. I look stupid in hats.

 

[MollyDora]

Spiders, eh? just any spider?

I have to go to the petstore today and I will ask them if maybe they can get some things in?

Is there some kind of list of things I can offer him? I have a pretty good idea of the live things I can feed, but what else is there?
Hopefully I can get myself to get to the store and finish the new look for the enclosure today (I have tomorrow off too, so I might finish it up tomorrow)
I have a Vision and hope that I can get it done...

I want to do different layers, I was thinking to use smaller Flowerpots and glue stones on them with Aquarium Silicone (so he can climb up on them easier) then flip them over and put the pots with the succulents on them... that's just an idea, not sure yet if that's really what I want to do. Or if I can find Aquarium silicone, or could I use regular Silicone if I let it dry outside?

ok, enough questions.

once again, you guys rock!!! Thank you

 

[DavidBuchan]

Spiders, eh? just any spider?

Is there some kind of list of things I can offer him? I have a pretty good idea of the live things I can feed, but what else is there?

ok, enough questions.

once again, you guys rock!!! Thank you

Any spider, I don't think there's anything poisonous to them.....They will like soft fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, banana. Veg like lettuce or cale. Don't be concerned if he ignores these for now, they are more interested when older. Silkworms are the healthiest by all accounts, but I've not got any yet. Variety and gutloading are the most important things (and vit and min powder of course). Locusts are a good staple along with crickets. Waxworms and mealworms should be used as supplements only. Fruit flies would go down a treat and you can get one box that will last until he grows out of them if you keep them really well.
I'm not sure about the silicone. If it's non-toxic there should be no problem, but don't take my word on that one.