Normal ?

[jorgeduardo]

Is it normal for a baby panther chameleon (almost 3 motnhs) to sit on the same branch pretty much all day ?

I'm asking this because my panther chameleon is always on the same branch where his basking spot is. He is not sleeping but he is really steady. He eats and drinks normally and his poop and urates look fine. He has a lot of foliage to hide and his bask temp is around 82 and 85. He is also getting his calcium w/out d3 every day and vitamins and herptivite twice a month.

So my question is: should he be more active ?

Thank You

 

[qdude46]

How long have you had him? He might still be adjusting and getting comfortable in his new environment.

 

[xcrystalx]

hi there it could be that hes settling but it can be number of reasons.

if you dont mind please fill this out for us just to make sure that everythings ok with his enclosure and that we an get a better picture.

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.

 

[streetmike84]

im not the best person to answer this as i am new to chams but i also have a baby panther (2 months old) who also pretty much stays basking all day with the same temps as you
i have also noticed that my guy is quite dark a lot (but not stress colours) is yours the same
i think his a male but not sure his just had his second shed since iv had him and in really starting to see some nice green around his eyes

 

[jorgeduardo]

hi there it could be that hes settling but it can be number of reasons.

if you dont mind please fill this out for us just to make sure that everythings ok with his enclosure and that we an get a better picture.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Panther Chameleon, Almost 3 motnhs old, I've had him for 2 weeks.
Handling - In two weeks I have just handled him two times for purpose of cleaning his cage
Feeding - I'm feeding my cham with Crickets, Superworms, Dubia and wax worms as treets. He is eating probably 12 crickets and 3 worms daily, and he has not eaten any of the dubias he does not seem interested.I tried too feed him in the mornings. My feeders are gutloaded with Bug Burger
Supplements - I'm dusting my feeders with Exo terra calcium w/out d3 almost every feeding, using repcal with d3 twice a month and heprtivite twice a month also
Watering - I have a exo terra water pump and that is what I use for misting, I usually mist 3 times a day and I see him drinking every day. He also has a dripper but it does not run all day.
Fecal Description - His poop looks brown solid and urates look whites and solid with no yellow present. he has not ever been tested for parasites.
History - just had him for two weeks so we are making history haha

Cage Info:
Cage Type - zoo med screen cage 18*18*36
Lighting - Im using a 45W for basking and a zoomed reptisum 5.0 for UVB, lights go on at 8 am and go off at 8 pm
Temperature - The basking spot is at 82-85, and the cage overall is at 75, I have a temperature gun to measure this.
Humidity - Humidity is between 50 and 80 % all day, I have a humidity gauge
Plants - The cage has 1 live plant (kind of scheflera that is not toxic)
Placement - The cage is located right next to my desk where I am almost all the time. The cage is on a table.
Location - I live in houston TX

Current Problem - My cham is not really active, and he is sitting almost always on the same branch. Wondering if this is normal behavior.

 

[qdude46]

Sounds like your doing everything right so just give him some time. This is unrelated but make sure you dont feed waworms as a treat more than once a week, htey can be addicting to chams.

 

[fluxlizard]

Any lizard sitting under the basking spot all day in the hottest spot is a lizard trying unsuccessfully to raise its body temperature to the temperature according to the needs of its instinct. Because it cannot achieve preferred operating temperature (used to be called POTs) it continues to do its best to try and achieve that temperature.

Thermoregulation is as instinctive as drinking and eating and just as necessary for survival. There is no need to provide artificially cool basking temperatures even for babies unless one does not have the ability (either understanding ability or physical ability because of too small of an enclosure or inadequate equipment) to provide a true thermogradient.

Shorter answer- a lizard who basks all day is too cold and is trying unsuccessfully to raise it's core temperature.

Standard warnings apply- tweak your temps carefully and gradually and be around long enough to observe changes to the environment. Drastic changes can cook a lizard. Even slight changes can burn a lizard if you do not understand how thermogradients and thermoregulation work together. Lizards thermoregulate based on core temp- if their surface area heats too fast compared to their core, they will burn. This happens in poorly implemented thermogradients where a small hot spot exists in a cool terrarium. A proper thermogradient provides gradual temperature changes in the terrarium, and lizards understand how to use these without burning.

If you are unsure, it is safer to go with the cooler basking temperature. But keep in mind, the lizard is still sitting there because it feels cool and wants to warm itself...

AMBIENT high temperature in ambilobe madagascar most of this week is around 84-87

 

[Lover of Animals]

My chameleon will sit under a basking spot for hours then make his trip to the bottom of the cage. I think it's normal, but what color is he when he is under the light?

 

[jorgeduardo]

My chameleon will sit under a basking spot for hours then make his trip to the bottom of the cage. I think it's normal, but what color is he when he is under the light?

Right now he is not dark brown color but he is not light brown either, somewhere in between. He also does what you said. But he is mainly under his basking spot. I'm going to try getting a something bigger than 45 W and see how it works

 

[streetmike84]

i dont think your need any bigger if your getting the right temps already unless your useing a dimmerstat your just going to make it to hot for him