Please help if possible!

[merisah98]

got it, thank you! and unfortunately, no I did not I have not gotten too far into that aspect yet....

Ok so the best way to control ambient temps are by controlling your house temps. You want your heat set no higher than 72ish. Make sure the cage is not directly in front of a window either. This will pull temps higher and lower based on the season. You will want to keep her between 78-80 max for basking. Controlling basking temps is either dropping back the bulb wattage or raising the fixture higher. You can use those plant hanger bars that people use for hooking plants to walls. Mount that at the right distance above the cage. Also bulb type matter. Focused or basking bulbs that are flat on the surface are a hotter output bulb. I only use standard incandescent bulbs 60 watt typically is a good wattage.

Did you get info on how to reduce food intake as she matures to control clutch size?

 

[Beman]

got it, thank you! and unfortunately, no I did not I have not gotten too far into that aspect yet....

Copy paste this into something you can save. You can download the image as well.


Females

As she matures you will have to start cutting back her food. By about 6-7 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7-8 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeder amounts so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 9-10 months old.


You will not ever want basking to be over 78-80 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. The hotter the temp they more their metabolism speeds up so we have to keep the temp lower since we are doing lower food intake.

A lay bin should be added as a permanent fixture by the time they are 6 months old so they get used to it and it does not cause stress.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

 

[merisah98]

Than

Copy paste this into something you can save. You can download the image as well.


Females

As she matures you will have to start cutting back her food. By about 6-7 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7-8 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeder amounts so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 9-10 months old.


You will not ever want basking to be over 78-80 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. The hotter the temp they more their metabolism speeds up so we have to keep the temp lower since we are doing lower food intake.

A lay bin should be added as a permanent fixture by the time they are 6 months old so they get used to it and it does not cause stress.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

thank you so much! I truly appreciate it! I plan on putting a lay bin in once my bigger enclosure comes in & it is fully set up!

 

[Beman]

Than

thank you so much! I truly appreciate it! I plan on putting a lay bin in once my bigger enclosure comes in & it is fully set up!

Your welcome. As you have more questions just add them here then I will get a notification and can help.

 

[merisah98]

Your welcome. As you have more questions just add them here then I will get a notification and can help.

Hi me again! Sorry! Just extremely worried about her still, I’m still taking her to the vet next Wednesday to get her eyes checked again and to get a fecal test.. Should I lower the uvb light? She’s still acting a bit lethargic sitting in the same spot of the enclosure and I noticed that she also keeps looking up at the uvb light occasionally

 

[merisah98]

Hi me again! Sorry! Just extremely worried about her still, I’m still taking her to the vet next Wednesday to get her eyes checked again and to get a fecal test.. Should I lower the uvb light? She’s still acting a bit lethargic sitting in the same spot of the enclosure and I noticed that she also keeps looking up at the uvb light occasion

Your welcome. As you have more questions just add them here then I will get a notification and can help.

Here’s another pic with her eye closed

 

[Beman]

Here’s another pic with her eye closed

So as long as the light is 8-9 inches from the bottom of the fixture to the branch it is fine.

I do not think the eye drops did the trick. I think she has an infection going that is going to require oral antibiotics from the vet. The fact that the eye is that puffy in the corner and that you said it was secreting yellow stuff before you took her to the vet and the fact that she is still holding it closed indicates infection. If you can get her in sooner than Wednesday that would be better. And if she were mine I would push for oral antibiotics to clear the infection. Giving these meds can be tricky. I personally like to inject them into an insect when they are still eating and then immediately giving it to the cham. This can be less stressful for both of you. Otherwise you have to aim to the very back of the throat to give the meds because their airway is in the front of the mouth under the tongue. So if you put meds there you can aspirate them. On antibiotics you need to keep a dripper active so she can drink as she needs to.

 

[Beppo]

Hi me again! Sorry! Just extremely worried about her still, I’m still taking her to the vet next Wednesday to get her eyes checked again and to get a fecal test.. Should I lower the uvb light? She’s still acting a bit lethargic sitting in the same spot of the enclosure and I noticed that she also keeps looking up at the uvb light occasionally

I had to laugh when I saw those gnat traps because I've been dealing with the same, somewhere on here people talked about a kechy (spelling?) Gnat trap and I got it and it is so worth it! It sucks those bad boys right outta the air.

 

[merisah98]

So as long as the light is 8-9 inches from the bottom of the fixture to the branch it is fine.

I do not think the eye drops did the trick. I think she has an infection going that is going to require oral antibiotics from the vet. The fact that the eye is that puffy in the corner and that you said it was secreting yellow stuff before you took her to the vet and the fact that she is still holding it closed indicates infection. If you can get her in sooner than Wednesday that would be better. And if she were mine I would push for oral antibiotics to clear the infection. Giving these meds can be tricky. I personally like to inject them into an insect when they are still eating and then immediately giving it to the cham. This can be less stressful for both of you. Otherwise you have to aim to the very back of the throat to give the meds because their airway is in the front of the mouth under the tongue. So if you put meds there you can aspirate them. On antibiotics you need to keep a dripper active so she can drink as she needs to.

Thank you so much! I will definitely push more towards oral antibiotics & injecting the insects instead. I appreciate all your help!

 

[merisah98]

I had to laugh when I saw those gnat traps because I've been dealing with the same, somewhere on here people talked about a kechy (spelling?) Gnat trap and I got it and it is so worth it! It sucks those bad boys right outta the air.

omg it’s been the WORST! I bought an organic soil that was completely infested with them & the gnat traps have definitely been helping, but they just keep coming! I’m really tempted to pull at least my monstera out to repot prior to her waking up & top off with sand as I don’t want to mess with her enclosure too much since she’s still adapting to her environment

 

[kinyonga]

In one post you said she was gaping sometimes…is she still doing it?

in one post you said she sometimes looks up at thenUVB light…with her mouth open or closed? Moving her gular pouch in and out or just looking up?

 

[Beppo]

omg it’s been the WORST! I bought an organic soil that was completely infested with them & the gnat traps have definitely been helping, but they just keep coming! I’m really tempted to pull at least my monstera out to repot prior to her waking up & top off with sand as I don’t want to mess with her enclosure too much since she’s still adapting to her environment

When I repotted my monstera with a chunkier soil it made it a lot better, I feel your pain

 

[merisah98]

In one post you said she was gaping sometimes…is she still doing it?

in one post you said she sometimes looks up at thenUVB light…with her mouth open or closed? Moving her gular pouch in and out or just looking up?

Hiiii! Sorry if I missed your message if you posted one earlier than this one! She stopped the gaping, she only gapes at me now when she sees me taking out her food or I get to close!

I believe the gaping was from temps being WAY too hot for her so I had to make some adjustments by raising her basking & uvb up from the enclosure at the correct distances

Also, not sure if you saw the pictures of her eye closing and her lethargy, but I believe I know what that’s from also… I have the enclosure by a door , so every time someone opens/closes it or comes through that door, we are stressing/scaring her out..I’m going to get some foam/poster boards today to cover both sides to give her more privacy! I know she also needs more plant coverage, but I am going to wait for one more week to switch her to a bigger enclosure with more coverage. I’m pretty sure that I’ve stressed her enough plus she has a vet visit on Wednesday , so I want to give her a break to be able to adapt accordingly

 

[merisah98]

When I repotted my monstera with a chunkier soil it made it a lot better, I feel your pain

Yes!! I’m going to try repotting with a chunkier soil as well I have some premade as well, but I’m going to wait on it and just keep using the stickies at the moment. I think I’ve stressed her out by constantly having my hands in there making adjustments and I’m going to have to cover the sides to give her some privacy just for another week

 

[Beppo]

Yes!! I’m going to try repotting with a chunkier soil as well I have some premade as well, but I’m going to wait on it and just keep using the stickies at the moment. I think I’ve stressed her out by constantly having my hands in there making adjustments and I’m going to have to cover the sides to give her some privacy just for another week

I feel the same way, I feel so bad everytime I have to make an adjustment to something

 

[Beman]

If you only knew how many times I had to redo stuff lol. It is how it goes especially when your new. You will always find a better way or better product lol.

 

[merisah98]

I feel the same way, I feel so bad everytime I have to make an adjustment to something

If you only knew how many times I had to redo stuff lol. It is how it goes especially when your new. You will always find a better way or better product lol.

Agreed! I wish I would have done more research, had everything setup, and not purchased gnat infested soil , but it is what it is! We live and we learn!

 

[Beman]

Agreed! I wish I would have done more research, had everything setup, and not purchased gnat infested soil , but it is what it is! We live and we learn!

Yeah even with research... You will find things you like better and redo stuff lol.

FYI all soil comes with the gnats..... Does not matter what you do. They cycle and hatch for a few months then tend to die off completely. Unless you bake your soil you will end up dealing with them. And baking soil smells nasty from what I have been told.

 

[Beppo]

If you only knew how many times I had to redo stuff lol. It is how it goes especially when your new. You will always find a better way or better product lol.

2 months in I 100 percent believe you! My tax return is coming and I’ve got half of it spent on my chameleon already

 

[bruce the cham]

i used to have so many gnats but onces i removed the hibiscus they were gone