Please give me honest feedback on my chameleon enclosure and set up and feeding

[bigboujeechameleonlover]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Female (i think) I've had her since August 4th 2020
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Rarely unless to take her outside with me
• Feeding - 1/2" Banded Crickets from Josh's Frogs (i called them and asked what size i should do and emailed a picture of her in and they recommended that size) I gut-load the crickets with Fluker's orange cubes and carrots and dog food and I have one of those big calcium block things in there and I feed her about 15-20 every morning and she usually eats all of them but if there is any left over i put them away.
• Supplements - Before every feeding I dust them with repticalcium without D3 What other supplements should I be using I don't want to take someone's advice from pet smart
• Watering - I have a mister and mist the leaves for 2 minutes twice a day and I also have a leaf dripper going 24/7
• Fecal Description - brown and white yellowish
• History - N/A

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - ReptiBreeze Screen cage 16" L X 16" W X 30" H (building her a much bigger enclosure what will be 2ft X 2ft X 6 ft)
• Lighting - Zoo med double uvb (ordered the proper lighting a T5HO light should get that soon) lighting schedule is 12 on 12 off
• Temperature - I know the cage temp is mid 70s during the day and her basking spot is in the lower 80s Should I get a temperature gun thing what brand and one do you recommend?
• Humidity - Humidity is between the 45s and 60s i maintain them with the mister and I can see the numbers by the humidity scale i have in the habitat
• Plants - All fake plants but in her new enclosure getting all real plants and fake vines
• Placement - I moved the cage when I got her to the office which is on our first floor where the temperatures are much more suitable.
• Location - North Texas

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
- There isn't a current problem I just don't want there to be one please be honest I just want to give her the best life and keep her healthy I want to learn from my mistakes

 

[bigboujeechameleonlover]

Also getting a new laying bin this week with sand not dirt I had dirt with my previous cham, Bean and it created a lot of bacteria when i was going through and deep cleaning and sanitizing her cage after she passed.

 

[PetNcs]

Also getting a new laying bin this week with sand not dirt I had dirt with my previous cham, Bean and it created a lot of bacteria when i was going through and deep cleaning and sanitizing her cage after she passed.

Compare your xate with these reference sheets
Yaou must know the aex of your chameleon
You are short on supplements
You should notnuse any fake matter neither plants nor vines
Your humidity levels are wrong
Etc etc

 

[bigboujeechameleonlover]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Female (i think) I've had her since August 4th 2020
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Rarely unless to take her outside with me
• Feeding - 1/2" Banded Crickets from Josh's Frogs (i called them and asked what size i should do and emailed a picture of her in and they recommended that size) I gut-load the crickets with Fluker's orange cubes and carrots and dog food and I have one of those big calcium block things in there and I feed her about 15-20 every morning and she usually eats all of them but if there is any left over i put them away.
• Supplements - Before every feeding I dust them with repticalcium without D3 What other supplements should I be using I don't want to take someone's advice from pet smart
• Watering - I have a mister and mist the leaves for 2 minutes twice a day and I also have a leaf dripper going 24/7
• Fecal Description - brown and white yellowish
• History - N/A

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - ReptiBreeze Screen cage 16" L X 16" W X 30" H (building her a much bigger enclosure what will be 2ft X 2ft X 6 ft)
• Lighting - Zoo med double uvb (ordered the proper lighting a T5HO light should get that soon) lighting schedule is 12 on 12 off
• Temperature - I know the cage temp is mid 70s during the day and her basking spot is in the lower 80s Should I get a temperature gun thing what brand and one do you recommend?
• Humidity - Humidity is between the 45s and 60s i maintain them with the mister and I can see the numbers by the humidity scale i have in the habitat
• Plants - All fake plants but in her new enclosure getting all real plants and fake vines
• Placement - I moved the cage when I got her to the office which is on our first floor where the temperatures are much more suitable.
• Location - North Texas

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
- There isn't a current problem I just don't want there to be one please be honest I just want to give her the best life and keep her healthy I want to learn from my mistakes

 

[nightanole]

Gut load sucks. Get rid of the orange cubes. 1 they are dangerous for small chams because they can dehydrate and stick to the crickets, and then expand 1000x fold in the cham once they contact water. 2 they have no nutritional value. And dont feed pet food, its too high in protein and will cause the insects to store the excess as uric acid, which will cause gout in the cham. there are plenty of recipes for dry on the forum, or store bought (cricket crack, and dry bug burger). Wet gut load can just be left over spring/salad mix that you change out daily or every other day.

I am not an expert in females(insert joke) but you should not feed them every day. Females that are over fed will produce eggs way too early. Maybe every other day or every 3rd day.

Fake plants are fine, fake moss is not. its up for debate on silk vs plastic. It seems the phony looking plastic ones dont mold as much.

Basking temps on females is also up for debate. You tend to run them cool, and if air temps are in the 80's i wouldnt have one. At best you could dangle a normal house bulb near the side of the cage to create a hot pocket of air.


Finally you need to create a vitamin mineral mix. Calcium every feeding is good, but you also need a vitamin every 2 weeks, and a D3 every 2 weeks.

 

[CBee7726]

@Beman @kinyonga

Hi there! Welcome to the community

I'm not a veiled expert, but there are a few general things that I can suggest until some of our other more experienced members can chime in. In the meantime, please post photos of your cham and of your setup!

• How old is she?
• How high off the ground is her cage?
• If you're not 100% sure she is a female, look for spurs on the back of her feet. Feel free to post pictures of her feet and people might be able to help you out with this.

• Fluker's orange cubes are not great for gut-loading and dog food isn't a good choice either. Feeders should be gut loaded with fresh veggies and fruit from the attached image.
• It looks like you've gotten a head start on getting the proper-sized cage and UVB light, this is good.
• Fake plants are no good for a veiled. They are known to nibble on their plants occasionally and a fake plant can cause impaction. Live plants are also great for holding water droplets, maintaining humidity, and creating hiding places for your cham. Some great options are pothos and umbrella plants.

 

[Beman]

@bigboujeechameleonlover I am going to go through your help form adding info to each section. I will be repeating what others have already said as well. But this may help you keep it all a bit more organized for easier understanding. See feedback in red bold.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Female (i think) I've had her since August 4th 2020
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Rarely unless to take her outside with me
• Feeding - 1/2" Banded Crickets from Josh's Frogs (i called them and asked what size i should do and emailed a picture of her in and they recommended that size) I gut-load the crickets with Fluker's orange cubes and carrots and dog food and I have one of those big calcium block things in there and I feed her about 15-20 every morning and she usually eats all of them but if there is any left over i put them away. You were already told about the orange cubes and dog food being bad. You don't need the calcium block either. You can do fresh veg and fruit or if you need something easier Repashy Bug burger is a good option and once mixed following the directions provides water and proper nutrition.
• Supplements - Before every feeding I dust them with repticalcium without D3 What other supplements should I be using I don't want to take someone's advice from pet smart.. You can buy Reptivite WITH D3 and this would be your multivitamin and calcium with D3. You would use this 2 times a month every other week say the 1st and the 15th. THen all other feedings use the calcium without D3.
• Watering - I have a mister and mist the leaves for 2 minutes twice a day and I also have a leaf dripper going 24/7
• Fecal Description - brown and white yellowish
• History - N/A

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - ReptiBreeze Screen cage 16" L X 16" W X 30" H (building her a much bigger enclosure what will be 2ft X 2ft X 6 ft) great.
• Lighting - Zoo med double uvb (ordered the proper lighting a T5HO light should get that soon) lighting schedule is 12 on 12 off What exactly did you order fixture and bulb strength?
• Temperature - I know the cage temp is mid 70s during the day and her basking spot is in the lower 80s Should I get a temperature gun thing what brand and one do you recommend? temp guns only measure surface area not ambient temps. So these have their uses but are not used often at all. You want a temp gauge with a wired probe to hook in at the basking level so you know the exact temp of that area. Your wanting a basking temp of 79-80max if it is a female.
• Humidity - Humidity is between the 45s and 60s i maintain them with the mister and I can see the numbers by the humidity scale i have in the habitat Keep in mind between 30-50%max is perfect for her.
• Plants - All fake plants but in her new enclosure getting all real plants and fake vines I would suggest using real branches as well. More natural for them and their nails and they dry out properly. Use branches from non sap producing trees.
• Placement - I moved the cage when I got her to the office which is on our first floor where the temperatures are much more suitable.
• Location - North Texas

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
- There isn't a current problem I just don't want there to be one please be honest I just want to give her the best life and keep her healthy I want to learn from my mistakes


With females temps and food make a difference... Here is a guideline to follow for her.

As she matures you will have to start cutting back her food. By about 6 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeders so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3-4 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 10 months old.


You will not want basking to be over 80 for her. Very important for females because as she ages she needs this temp no higher at basking to help control the amount of eggs she produces.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

I really love this husbandry program https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/


Let us know what questions you have and as well.

 

[bigboujeechameleonlover]

@bigboujeechameleonlover I am going to go through your help form adding info to each section. I will be repeating what others have already said as well. But this may help you keep it all a bit more organized for easier understanding. See feedback in red bold.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Female (i think) I've had her since August 4th 2020
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Rarely unless to take her outside with me
• Feeding - 1/2" Banded Crickets from Josh's Frogs (i called them and asked what size i should do and emailed a picture of her in and they recommended that size) I gut-load the crickets with Fluker's orange cubes and carrots and dog food and I have one of those big calcium block things in there and I feed her about 15-20 every morning and she usually eats all of them but if there is any left over i put them away. You were already told about the orange cubes and dog food being bad. You don't need the calcium block either. You can do fresh veg and fruit or if you need something easier Repashy Bug burger is a good option and once mixed following the directions provides water and proper nutrition.
• Supplements - Before every feeding I dust them with repticalcium without D3 What other supplements should I be using I don't want to take someone's advice from pet smart.. You can buy Reptivite WITH D3 and this would be your multivitamin and calcium with D3. You would use this 2 times a month every other week say the 1st and the 15th. THen all other feedings use the calcium without D3.
• Watering - I have a mister and mist the leaves for 2 minutes twice a day and I also have a leaf dripper going 24/7
• Fecal Description - brown and white yellowish
• History - N/A

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - ReptiBreeze Screen cage 16" L X 16" W X 30" H (building her a much bigger enclosure what will be 2ft X 2ft X 6 ft) great.
• Lighting - Zoo med double uvb (ordered the proper lighting a T5HO light should get that soon) lighting schedule is 12 on 12 off What exactly did you order fixture and bulb strength?
• Temperature - I know the cage temp is mid 70s during the day and her basking spot is in the lower 80s Should I get a temperature gun thing what brand and one do you recommend? temp guns only measure surface area not ambient temps. So these have their uses but are not used often at all. You want a temp gauge with a wired probe to hook in at the basking level so you know the exact temp of that area. Your wanting a basking temp of 79-80max if it is a female.
• Humidity - Humidity is between the 45s and 60s i maintain them with the mister and I can see the numbers by the humidity scale i have in the habitat Keep in mind between 30-50%max is perfect for her.
• Plants - All fake plants but in her new enclosure getting all real plants and fake vines I would suggest using real branches as well. More natural for them and their nails and they dry out properly. Use branches from non sap producing trees.
• Placement - I moved the cage when I got her to the office which is on our first floor where the temperatures are much more suitable.
• Location - North Texas

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
- There isn't a current problem I just don't want there to be one please be honest I just want to give her the best life and keep her healthy I want to learn from my mistakes


With females temps and food make a difference... Here is a guideline to follow for her.

As she matures you will have to start cutting back her food. By about 6 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeders so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3-4 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 10 months old.


You will not want basking to be over 80 for her. Very important for females because as she ages she needs this temp no higher at basking to help control the amount of eggs she produces.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

I really love this husbandry program https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/


Let us know what questions you have and as well.

Thank you so so so so MUCH

 

[bigboujeechameleonlover]

thank you so much

@Beman @kinyonga

Hi there! Welcome to the community

I'm not a veiled expert, but there are a few general things that I can suggest until some of our other more experienced members can chime in. In the meantime, please post photos of your cham and of your setup!

• How old is she?
• How high off the ground is her cage?
• If you're not 100% sure she is a female, look for spurs on the back of her feet. Feel free to post pictures of her feet and people might be able to help you out with this.

• Fluker's orange cubes are not great for gut-loading and dog food isn't a good choice either. Feeders should be gut loaded with fresh veggies and fruit from the attached image.
• It looks like you've gotten a head start on getting the proper-sized cage and UVB light, this is good.
• Fake plants are no good for a veiled. They are known to nibble on their plants occasionally and a fake plant can cause impaction. Live plants are also great for holding water droplets, maintaining humidity, and creating hiding places for your cham. Some great options are pothos and umbrella plants.

thank you so much

- not sure on how old she is when i got her asked and they didn't know

 

[Beman]

Thank you so so so so MUCH

Your welcome. and which UVB did you get exactly?

Do you have images of the baby so we can get an approximate idea of age?

 

[NashansCamos]

yeah photos would help on the age which is important because you need to plan ahead for egg laying. Apologies if this has been answered already I haven't read this whole thread but do you have a lay bin? Also top to bottom photos of the enclosure would be great too.

 

[bigboujeechameleonlover]

Your welcome. and which UVB did you get exactly?

Do you have images of the baby so we can get an approximate idea of age?

 

[Beman]

IMO about 5 months old.