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Duffield

Duffield

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Greetings,

I was looking for a place to for introductions however I could not find one. I am currently a federal officer within the N. Texas area, prior service, and what not. My name is Keith and I look forward to being an active member of your online community.

I recently went out to the pet store and fell bought my kids a few bearded dragons. They are nice pets, and the family loves them. I however fell in love with a Panther Chameleon and decided to buy the little guy right on the spot. I have a few questions if you guys and girls are not that busy.

First off I purchased a Lilac shrub for my little cage. I cut it down so It would fit and I think its looking great. I was hoping someone can tell me if it needs work. I also am a little puzzled because he is so small he can't eat crickets, but fruit flies go to quick. I don't want the little guy to go hungry. Any tips and tricks on my setup or little guy would be appreciated.
 

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Welcome to the forums :) that little meleon looks pretty young. Im not exactly sure how old it would be though. I would guess between 1 and 2 months? Try to check with another pet store and see if they have pin head crickets. They are extremely small. The way i used to feed my baby was putting them in a mini plastic dish and set her on the edge and she didn't have a problem. Also make sure to have a UVB light source as well as a heat source. A 60 watt white household bulb should work fine. Dont leave heat on at night unless your house drops into the low 50s at night, which im sure it doesnt. Also make sure to gut load your crickets with greens and veggies before feeding them to your baby. Check out the care sheets on the forums for help as well :)
 
Hello! Welcome to the forums! Happy to hear you'll be spending some quality time with us and our chams :p Have you considered 1/8" Black Soldier Fly Larvae? I know that you can get some that are in stock right now at Josh's Frogs. They are one of the site sponsors. BSFL are rich in calcium and they are small and squishy. They can't climb or move quickly, so it is a good feeder for new hunters ;) Your little one is precious and I think I speak for everyone when I say we can't wait to what him grow up.
 
Just be aware that a cham that tiny is going to be tough to raise if you haven't done it before. They can overheat, dehydrate, and even aspirate water droplets quite easily. You already know that tiny food is a challenge! IMHO they shouldn't even be for sale that small. Still, roam around on the site, especially read the articles under the Resources tab at the top. Good luck with him!

Edit: the lilac tree may not like the lower light level of an indoor cage very much. It might not survive. In the Resource articles there are suggestions for better cage plants you could use.
 
Welcome! Hibiscus, ficus Benjamin, pothos are three of the most used safe plants. Arborcola is also a good choice and most can be foundcat lowes or home depot.
 
Welcome to the forums :)! One other thing to be aware of, I can't tell from the picture, but if the soil is exposed you may want to cover it with some large (so can't be eaten) rocks. The soil can be accidentally ingested and some of the things within the mix could cause problems for your new baby. I would look into a linear bulb for UVB and a plant grow light. I highly recommend Arcadia T5 high output lighting for a UVB source. Here are some places that supply them...
http://www.pangeareptile.com
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com
www.reptilebasics.com
Best of luck with your new chameleon!!!
 
I would copy and paste this as a precautionary measure so members here can help adjust husbandry. A chameleon that small should not have been sold and will take some extra effort. There's always a possibility for babies like that to not make it either way. We can all help wherever possible though, keep reading on here.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
Duffield said:
Greetings,

I was looking for a place to for introductions however I could not find one. I am currently a federal officer within the N. Texas area, prior service, and what not. My name is Keith and I look forward to being an active member of your online community.

I recently went out to the pet store and fell bought my kids a few bearded dragons. They are nice pets, and the family loves them. I however fell in love with a Panther Chameleon and decided to buy the little guy right on the spot. I have a few questions if you guys and girls are not that busy.

First off I purchased a Lilac shrub for my little cage. I cut it down so It would fit and I think its looking great. I was hoping someone can tell me if it needs work. I also am a little puzzled because he is so small he can't eat crickets, but fruit flies go to quick. I don't want the little guy to go hungry. Any tips and tricks on my setup or little guy would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
welcome, try to keep him hydrated, give with oild form vitamin a once a month calcium without D3 in every feeding and with d # 1 or 2 a month same with vitamins, you can try to use blue botle flies and houseflies and see if he can eat them, you can feed the flies bee polen or just powder them with it.
 
Decadancin said:
Welcome to the forums :)! One other thing to be aware of, I can't tell from the picture, but if the soil is exposed you may want to cover it with some large (so can't be eaten) rocks. The soil can be accidentally ingested and some of the things within the mix could cause problems for your new baby. I would look into a linear bulb for UVB and a plant grow light. I highly recommend Arcadia T5 high output lighting for a UVB source. Here are some places that supply them...
http://www.pangeareptile.com
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com
www.reptilebasics.com
Best of luck with your new chameleon!!!
Click to expand...


Thank you so very much.
 
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