Not warm enough for my Veiled? Closing eyes while basking too..

[m1ndless]

My chameleon seems to love to figure out ways to get on the screen top, and crawl upside down, and he usually hangs out right under the basking light, I have it about 2" off the top for his saftey, but I am now thinking that he is not warm enough, and this may be why he likes to get on the roof and crawl around.

I noticed as he has gotten a little older, he likes to bask ALOT more than he did when I first got him a month ago.

The basking spot ranges from 78-82f on the branches in the cage, I was told that should be the maxium for a baby, but he is getting a little bigger/older, should I get a warmer/brighter bulb or what?

Also, I am not sure if this is normal, but he seems to be lethargic in the mornings until his cages heats up (takes about 2 hours to get from ~68 to ~80) but when it gets warmer in there, he seems to be alot more active.

Also, he closes his eyes when he basks, is that normal? If I blow on him or like tap on his cage, he looks at me, but then goes back to closing his eyes, but he only does this while basking now.

 

[Julirs]

He really shouldn't be closing his eyes at all during the day, even when basking. You could prob go up to 85 with no issues at this age.

 

[m1ndless]

Would high humidity cause him to close his eyes?

Cause when I think about, he really only closes his eyes after mistings, when the humidity shoots up to 80-95%.

As for the temps, Ill try a brighter bulb. I am using a 65W, ill try different ones to see what I get.

 

[nightcrawler]

are his eyes closes well after the water dried off of his eyes? mine closes his eyes till the water that is on them is gone. any other reason tho, they shouldent be closed.

 

[m1ndless]

I don't mist him direclty, I was told not too on here til he is older, he is only 9-10 weeks old right now. I spray down the cage with a small spray bottle using warm water 2-4 times a day based on the humidity.

I sometimes let the mist kinda fall on him, like spray above him, he HATES it, he gets dark and crawls away.

 

[joefarah]

warmer temps - screen cage - drip system ... that's what you need.

Its ok to directly mist him once or twice a day just don't blast the hell out of him.

 

[m1ndless]

warmer temps - screen cage - drip system ... that's what you need.

Its ok to directly mist him once or twice a day just don't blast the hell out of him.

Ill put a new lightbulb in the morning, and why would I use a drip system? The humidity is already high enough, and he is drinking when I mist, I watchim drink 2-3 times a day, and his urates are white.

I am looking for a screen cage, it's just not in my budget right now. He is small enough for the glass cage still (only 4" long) so I will use that until I can get him into a screened enclosure.

 

[chamlover]

You need a drip system because you can't count on him drinking enough just by you misting him for a few minutes. Buy the Big or LIttle Dripper for the pet stores. They are only 9-12 dollars or so. It is a MUST HAVE. Also my i have 5 veileds and they all love to bask but my oldest one 2 1/2 yrs old, can't get enough of it. He is always under his basking light. They really like the heat. LIke everyone said get your temps up a little, get a dripper, but keep an eye on him as far as his eyes closed. And alot of them seem to run and hide with the misting. Are you using warm water? Sometimes it doesn't matter, they act like it is acid. lol. What do you think they do out in the wild? Hold a leaf over their head.lol. Good luck.
Debby

 

[chamlover]

Forgot to tell you. You aren't misting the cage only for humidity. Your misting it to remind them to drink. I heard that male veileds inparticular actually forget to drink, so the misting kinda is a wake up call for them to drink. I actually stopped doing it to my large male cause he hated it so much. He actually sits on my hand and drinks with and eye dropper. He actually will put his head up and stick his tongue out just a lttle and i put the dripper and he actually drinks it right out. It's kinda cool. None of my other ones do that.

Debby

 

[joefarah]

.... He actually sits on my hand and drinks with and eye dropper. He actually will put his head up and stick his tongue out just a lttle and i put the dripper and he actually drinks it right out. It's kinda cool. None of my other ones do that.

Debby

That is really cute!

 

[m1ndless]

Forgot to tell you. You aren't misting the cage only for humidity. Your misting it to remind them to drink. I heard that male veileds inparticular actually forget to drink, so the misting kinda is a wake up call for them to drink. I actually stopped doing it to my large male cause he hated it so much. He actually sits on my hand and drinks with and eye dropper. He actually will put his head up and stick his tongue out just a lttle and i put the dripper and he actually drinks it right out. It's kinda cool. None of my other ones do that.

Debby

If I see him drinking 2-3 times a day, I see no need for a dripper, so if he is drinking, his urates are fine, why bother? Like a famous man once said, if it aint broke don't fix it.

 

[Julirs]

I don't drip any of my chams. 3 solid misting sessions daily.

 

[m1ndless]

I don't drip any of my chams. 3 solid misting sessions daily.

That is good to here, yours are perfectly healthy right?

I honestly see no need for it right now, when I put him into a larger (24x24x48) then I will use a dripper, but in such a small enclosure, with barley any room for a drip tray, I see no need.

 

[summoner12]

I don't drip. My mister comes on 7 times a day.

6am for 10 min
7am for 10 min
8:30am for 5 min
10am for 5 min
11:30am for 5 min
1pm for 5 min
3pm for 10 min

I honestly never see my two males veileds drink. I do see white urates, so I don't worry.

 

[joefarah]

For the record, when I said a "drip system" I didn't necessarily mean one of those automatic machines that you put inside (or outside) the enclosure. I just use a big clear deli cup with a pinhole poked in the bottom. Then I can fill it up twice a day and walk away. It drips about once each second and I can go away and leave the chams in peace to drink. They like the sight of dripping water...

I didn't mean you should go out and buy and expensive automatic system, I just meant they like dripping water...

 

[m1ndless]

When I move him into a larger enlcosure, I will add a dripper, I like the hose idea that other members have used.