New to the hobby

[TheFabricator]

Like the title says,

I have been wanting a Cham for some time now. After spending weeks reading online i finally gave in. Yesterday i picked up a 3mo male Veiled and complete set up from Reptile Island in Huntington beach. Cant say how excited i am. I can already feel the addiction setting in. With that said i have a question for you guys...
I noticed some people have substrate and some say do NOT use it. When i purchased the set up i was given moist wood chip substrate. I actually like the look better and plan to change the entire substrate once a month. So my question is, would it be ok for me to use it if i plan on changing it every month?

Thanks,
Louie

Ps. Here's some pictures, we all like pictures.

Pascal! (i didnt name him LOL)

 

[Mmcbain1]

Very few of us use substrate because it ends up being more work. It can mold from constant spraying and high humidity. it ends up having a musty oder and I worry about accidental consuption but some people use it and in the wild they definitly have it! welcome to the forum!

 

[absolutbill]

Congrats on your first little guy - and you can change his name, it's not like they come when called I personally don't use substrate just because it's cleaner and easier to wipe the bottom out without it. Also, if you need to find a poop to get a fecal check done it'll be a lot easier as well. Welcome to the most addicting hobby I've ever had (can't say most expensive since I scuba dive, but it's definately 2nd!)

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum Looks like a nice setup you have, I'm sure he'll be very happy there. Here is the basic caresheet I recommend to all new people with Veileds - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html
As for the great substrate debate......there are risks, the risks are quite small, but potentially life threatening if he eats a big chunk and gets impacted. I have had soil in all my cham cages and never personally had a problem.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums and congrats on that handsome little man. I keep veileds and they are very rewarding and show so much personality. I'm attaching my blog for new keepers below and I would not recommend substrate. Veileds are the worst at eating things and you wouldn't want him to eat any of the substrate and have health issues.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[TheFabricator]

Thanks for the advice guys (and gals) I think ill accept the extra work and run a substrate. I came out of the reef keeping hobby so maintenance is not a bother.

 

[andynco]

Thanks for the advice guys (and gals) I think ill accept the extra work and run a substrate. I came out of the reef keeping hobby so maintenance is not a bother.

Welcome to the forum.
Nice colored veiled you have there!!!
As a fellow reefer: Are you still reef keeping or did you quit?

 

[TheFabricator]

Welcome to the forum.
Nice colored veiled you have there!!!
As a fellow reefer: Are you still reef keeping or did you quit?

I quit. Spent almost 20k on the hobby not including $400+ a month on electricity bills through out the adventure. I love it but it became unrealistic for me. I got into building rimless aquariums to support it but ended up not having enough time to build anymore. Don't know if you're familiar with Amazing Reefs and aquariums (Ali) in orange but I built 4 of his store displays. Still have a lot of glass to build a few large tanks and one 24" cube but don't know if ill end up using it all anytime soon. Chameleons are much more appealing to me now being that I can actually interact with them. Pretty sure ill end up making my own cage being that I'm pretty good at making stuff.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Thanks for the advice guys (and gals) I think ill accept the extra work and run a substrate. I came out of the reef keeping hobby so maintenance is not a bother.

It's not so much the maintenance as the keeping a constant worry in the back of your mind that he might eat some so you watch him eat all the insects, and check that he doesn't spend too much time on the ground or ever appear to be looking too hard at the substrate....... so you feel safe leaving him to his branches . If it looks like he's deliberately eating anything I would have it all out straight away.
Here's some inspiration for building ideas - https://www.chameleonforums.com/official-enclosure-picture-thread-49688/
And some more - https://www.chameleonforums.com/post-your-cage-pictures-94781/

 

[lilLostduckie]

Hey there, I'm also facing the substrate dilemma. My cage currently has coconut shavings at the bottom, and I am planning on getting a veiled from a local rescue later this week.

Glad I'm not the only one!

 

[lilLostduckie]

P.S.

We are planning on naming our guy PJ, which is short for Pascale Jr. Pascale was the chameleon in the new Disney remake of Repunzel, Tangled.

My niece may or may not have thrown a temper tantrum for the name....

 

[TheFabricator]

It's not so much the maintenance as the keeping a constant worry in the back of your mind that he might eat some so you watch him eat all the insects, and check that he doesn't spend too much time on the ground or ever appear to be looking too hard at the substrate....... so you feel safe leaving him to his branches . If it looks like he's deliberately eating anything I would have it all out straight away.
Here's some inspiration for building ideas - https://www.chameleonforums.com/official-enclosure-picture-thread-49688/
And some more - https://www.chameleonforums.com/post-your-cage-pictures-94781/

Thanks for the link that first one is pretty cool with the plants coming out the front of it.

 

[TheFabricator]

P.S.

We are planning on naming our guy PJ, which is short for Pascale Jr. Pascale was the chameleon in the new Disney remake of Repunzel, Tangled.

My niece may or may not have thrown a temper tantrum for the name....

Haha I'm sure there is 1000,000 chams named pascal now. Like I said in my original post, I didn't name mine Pascal. He was given that name by my lady friend and I just left it alone. PJ is a cool name though.

 

[Decadancin]

Hey there, I'm also facing the substrate dilemma. My cage currently has coconut shavings at the bottom, and I am planning on getting a veiled from a local rescue later this week.

Glad I'm not the only one!

I had used this due to the coconut husk's resistance to mold, but my veiled did try to eat some. I changed to a moss, and he did eat that. (Had a tough time passing it!) I took out the loose substrate and now use an eco-mat to maintain humidity levels. I change it out at least once a week to clean it and have had no issues with mold.

 

[MollyT]

Your new little guy is so cute! I love his colors! He looks to have a bit of blue in him. NICE!!

I, personally, don't use substrate. I think it's super easy to just pick up poop as I see it and wipe out the bottom of his cage a couple times a day with a cloth. I like being able to easily monitor his poop.

 

[lilLostduckie]

Yeah, we have decided on no substrate, at least to start out with.

We WILL be putting our smaller plants in pots of the coconut shavings with a bit of moss on top to aid humidity, topped with large pebbles, the ones that we use in the bottom of my turtle tank.

Planning on just putting some paper towels in the bottom to make cleaning easier. Though the hubby wants to go out and get some brown paper towels for it, apparently he thinks it will look better.