New young veiled chameleon

☣Redfern☣

☣Redfern☣

New Member
Hi, so I recently bought my first chameleon. He's a young veiled chameleon named Rango. I'm giving him 5 or so crickets a day dusted with calcium powder. I have him in a 16" x 16" x 30" starter enclosure. I want to see if you guys think he looks healthy. I've done lots of research and a lot of results I've found are variable opinions. So I came here to get direct opinions on my specific chameleon. Does he seem healthy to you guys?
 

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Looks aren’t that meaningful without some husbandry context. He might be a bit skinny, but veileds are always bean poles at this age. It would be great if you filled out the following form:


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?
 
Welcome to the forum!

At that age your chameleon should be fed as much as it can eat in a couple of minutes at each feeding. Make sure the insects are an appropriate size...and well fed and dusted with the proper implements. More on that after you newer the questions @Kaizen gave you.
 
He is a male veiled cham I'm not sure how to tell their age but is about 3 inches from head to butt. he's been in my care for about 2.5 weeks.

I handle him 3 times a week tops

I feed him 5 or 6 crickets before work in the mornings with calcium powder. The crickets are fed apples with reptile vitamins

I use zoo med vitamins and calcium and zoo med water conditioner

I use a dripper throughout the day while I'm at work and I mist once in the morning and every couple hours after I get home.(I work 10 hrs days) I see him drinking droplets off his sticks and leaves

His feces is dark brown with some white and a thick-ish consistency

I have no history of this guy other than he came from my local pet store

His enclosure is a zoo med repti breeze 16" x 16" x 30" starter kit (all mesh, no glass)

Im using the dual light fixture with 5.0 uvb light with a 25 watt heat light. I leave the heat light on 24/7 and I turn off his uvb light at night

His temperature is 76f to 85f from bottom to top ( basking spot) coolest it gets down to is 72f at night towards the bottom. I use the zoo med digital thermometer with a probe

His humidity ranges from 50 to 70 ( I'm having trouble keeping it consistent). I use a exo Terra hygrometer. I spray every couple hours or so while I'm home in the afternoon and I'm running the dripper throughout the day onto his fake foliage while I'm at work.

I have no live plants in his cage

His enclosure is about 5.5' off the floor from top of enclosure to floor on a stand in my bed room there is a ceiling fan but nothing blowing directly on his enclosure.

I live in south eastern U.S.A.
 
He is a male veiled cham I'm not sure how to tell their age but is about 3 inches from head to butt. he's been in my care for about 2.5 weeks.Probably in the 3-4 month range

I handle him 3 times a week tops

I feed him 5 or 6 crickets before work in the mornings with calcium powder. more detailed required: is it plain calcium with no d3, calcium with d3, an all-in-one such as repashy calcium plus. The crickets are fed apples with reptile vitamins. way more detail required here: what do you mean by reptile vitamins? Also, your bugs should be fed with a variety of items, 60-70% of which should be high calcium greens such as collard greens, dandelion greens, etc. Other veggies can include carrots, squash, sweet potato; and fruits such as oranges, papaya

I use zoo med vitamins and calcium and zoo med water conditioner We’re going to need more detail here: which zoomed products exactly? Vitamins are a big part of husbandry, and it would be helpful to know which products, and how often you are using them.

I use a dripper throughout the day while I'm at work and I mist once in the morning and every couple hours after I get home.(I work 10 hrs days) I see him drinking droplets off his sticks and leavesGood job on the dripper during the day; try misting first thing in the AM and just after lights out.

His feces is dark brown with some white and a thick-ish consistency

I have no history of this guy other than he came from my local pet store

His enclosure is a zoo med repti breeze 16" x 16" x 30" starter kit (all mesh, no glass)probably going to want to think about upgrading soon. Also, your choice in upgrade should help you achieve night time temps in the low 60’s and nightime humidity approaching 100%.

Im using the dual light fixture with 5.0 uvb light with a 25 watt heat light. I leave the heat light on 24/7 and I turn off his uvb light at night.first, Please stop leaving his heat light on all night. At night, do not provide any light or heat. His uvb bulb should be upgraded as soon as you can. You want a linear t5 high output fluorescent. An Arcadia 6% or reptisun 5.0 is usually recommended. Please adjust the nightime heat/light immediately, and the uvb as soon as you can.

His temperature is 76f to 85f from bottom to top ( basking spot) coolest it gets down to is 72f at night towards the bottom. I use the zoo med digital thermometer with a probe Nightime temps can drop way lower, like low 60’s high 50’s

His humidity ranges from 50 to 70 ( I'm having trouble keeping it consistent). I use a exo Terra hygrometer. I spray every couple hours or so while I'm home in the afternoon and I'm running the dripper throughout the day onto his fake foliage while I'm at work. Daytime humidity can drop as low as 25-30%, but the nightime humidity is crucial. Your goal is as close to 100% as possible, all night. Try adding a shower curtain over three sides of the cage. Attach it with stick Velcro, and you can remove it if necessary. After lights go out, mist the heck out of the enclosure, and do so again before lights on.

I have no live plants in his cage Live plants will help humidity greatly. Plesr

His enclosure is about 5.5' off the floor from top of enclosure to floor on a stand in my bed room there is a ceiling fan but nothing blowing directly on his enclosure.
Some pictures would help n
 
I will definitely up grade to those better equipment options in the next few days and his lights will be off from now on at night. Everything else is noted thanks so much for the advice. Hope these pictures help
 

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So, the reptivite should be dusted twice a month on your bugs. If you feed it to your bugs, you might kill your bugs, and overdose your Cham. The calcium you have can be dusted every feeding.
 
It's been off and on I think I saw him gape I'm not sure if he had just eaten something. Aren't those signs of respiratory infection?
 
I’m not a vet or scientist. However, he looks slightly dehydrated and skinny. Again, no reason to panic, but keep him well hydrated, we’ll fed, and book a vet appointment. If for nothing else then to start a relationship with a vet.
 
Kaizen said:
I’m not a vet or scientist. However, he looks slightly dehydrated and skinny. Again, no reason to panic, but keep him well hydrated, we’ll fed, and book a vet appointment. If for nothing else then to start a relationship with a vet.
Click to expand...
Thanks I will definitely make sure he gets more water and food. Any recommended ways to transport your cham and what not to do?
 
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