PLEASE HELP

[Static13]

Hello everyone, forgive me in advance for the long post. I have a male panther chameleon who is about 1 1/2 years old. I purchased him from a reptile expo from breeders about 2 months ago.

Issues: Initially he was rubbing his eyes on sticks pretty aggressively. I purchased Vitamin A Repashy powder and that has seemed to get much better, he still does this rarely. This also started getting better about the time i removed the red heat bulb. He is very picky about eating, when i first got him he loved dubias/crickets but quickly lost interest in the dubias. Initially I was feeding 5-6 bugs every other day, but now he will only eat a few bugs at a time and some days will eat nothing. Lately his poop has also been runny/liquid brown. I noticed one time he had a very minimal amount of red in his poop, but that has almost seemed to go away. He has shed once since i’ve owned him, and there is still shed stuck to his face. The pooping is also occurring once or more daily.

Supplements and Husbandry: He is in a 24x48 reptibreeze cage, with a 5.0 UVB. Ambient room temp is ~68F. Basking temps are 85-95F. Night temp is ~65-70F. I have a live hibiscus plant with 4 pothos in each corner. He gets calcium without D3 in every feeding, and vitamin A and calcium without D3 once a month. He is also on a regulated 12 hour sleep schedule. On days where he won’t eat I resort to giving him 1-2 superworms so he won’t starve, but I don’t want to teach him being picky gets him treats. He does have a dripper in case he ever wants a drink. I was misting 2-3 times a day, but after the vet visit i’ve been doing more frequently.
I had a cheap hygrometer, but it seemed very unreliable and I’m planning to buy a new, high end one as well as a lamp hanger as soon as possible.
Handling: He has been handled as minimal as possible, but with his issues I’ve taken him to the vet and been taking him out daily for the past ~3 days for soaks/shower steams. He has always been extremely friendly, has never hissed or puffed at me, and will not close his eyes during handling. Sometimes he even comes to me from his cage.

Vet Visit/Previous Advice: The vet confirmed he has no parasites, and they said that the only issue he has is dehydration. I stay in contact with the breeders and in contrast they have told me he was overhydrated.

He acts like normal, which is weird. He shows bright colors and darker when basking. Aside from the issues i’ve described, he acts completely normal, happy, and healthy.

I have wanted a panther my entire life, and I love this little guy more than anything. I have done countless amounts of research and it feels like i’ve done everything I know to do to make sure he is okay. Regardless whether it’s the vet, the breeders, or online research like these forums i end up with a different answer everywhere. I am lost. Will someone please give me some credible information on what I am doing wrong? If any other information is needed please ask. Pictures are below, I replicated his home from the breeders as best as I could and they told me the cage looks good. I am worried about him not eating properly, as well as over moisturizing and causing respiratory problems, and really anything at all. Please understand this is only my 2nd ever chameleon and I have really done everything I know to do.

 

[ERKleRose]

Hi there! There are some corrections that need to be made from the info you’ve provided, but if you could fill out this form in as much detail as possible, that’ll help us help you the most! Also, stop using the Repashy Vit. A immediately, it is way too high in preformed Vit. A. How did the vet rule out parasites?

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.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Static13]

Hi there! There are some corrections that need to be made from the info you’ve provided, but if you could fill out this form in as much detail as possible, that’ll help us help you the most! Also, stop using the Repashy Vit. A immediately, it is way too high in preformed Vit. A. How did the vet rule out parasites?

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.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

Most of these questions were already answered but i’ll repeat it for clarification. Panther Chameleon, Male 1 1/2 years old. He’s been in my care for around 2 months. The vet did a fecal test, that is how they know no parasites.

Handle as minimal as possible.

Feeding schedule when he was eating fine was every other day 5-6 crickets and an occasional super worm. The breeders recommend since he wasn’t eating the full amount to cut it down to everyday but in half the amount. Some days he will eat a few bugs, others he will not eat at all. Some days feeding will take hours because I do not leave crickets in the cage. I have just recently started gutloading, i put an apple in for the crickets. Online research said gutloading with carrots does not help with vitamin a because of how they digest it. All insects are from feeders pet supply.

Zoo med repticalcium no d3 for every feeding. Zoo med reptivite with D3 and Rephasy vitamin A once a month. Also how are you certain that repashy vitamin A is bad. Why would the breeders or the vet not tell me this?

My chameleon drinks frequently from a dripper, and I mist 4-5 times a day for 30 seconds to a minute. I noticed only one time he was drinking heavily with a drool string out of his mouth.

Poop started normal when I first got him. Over the past week or so it has been light brown, runny like a consistency of water. The urates are normal from what I can tell. He poops once to multiple times a day. I noticed a very small amount of blood in the stool, but after hydrating his bottom that seems to have went away. I have noticed dark brown, thick stool lately so that issue appears to slowly be getting better. Although it is still runny sometimes. Like mentioned he does not have parasites.

No previous information other than he came from Tree Hugger Chameleons.

24x48 Screen cage.

I have multiple bulbs, but right now I have one 150 watt and a 50 watt in a dual bulb. They are white light, and the UVB is a long horizontal 5.0. So far this combo of heat bulbs has showed the most reliable temp for a basking spot. He wakes up and goes to bed at 11 everyday. Regulated 12 hours.

I measure temps with a digital gun, and 68F at bottom of cage, 75F in middle, and 85-95 in basking spot. Night temps are 65-70.

I had a cheap hygrometer because it is the only one i could find in my small town. It had shown humidity levels of 80-90 but i really don’t trust it. The breeders said if i mist 2 times a day that is okay, but after the vet visit ive been doing more. (As previously mentioned).

One live hibiscus and 4 live pothos.

Somerset, Ky. All issues have been previously discussed. Pictures are provided.

 

[janjan20]

I will put my responses in red.

Most of these questions were already answered but i’ll repeat it for clarification. Panther Chameleon, Male 1 1/2 years old. He’s been in my care for around 2 months. The vet did a fecal test, that is how they know no parasites.

Handle as minimal as possible.

Feeding schedule when he was eating fine was every other day 5-6 crickets and an occasional super worm. The breeders recommend since he wasn’t eating the full amount to cut it down to everyday but in half the amount. Some days he will eat a few bugs, others he will not eat at all. Some days feeding will take hours because I do not leave crickets in the cage. I have just recently started gutloading, i put an apple in for the crickets. Online research said gutloading with carrots does not help with vitamin a because of how they digest it. All insects are from feeders pet supply.
I do agree with @ERKleRose the vitamin A supplement you are using is not the recommended dosage for chameleons. It is fat soluble and stored in fat so it takes a while for it to deplete from the body. He can easily have toxicity if you continue to use it. I would add, it likely helped in the beginning since you saw improvement. Typically as they get older they eat less, he could be going through a phase or it could be related to the weather being colder.


Zoo med repticalcium no d3 for every feeding. Zoo med reptivite with D3 and Rephasy vitamin A once a month. Also how are you certain that repashy vitamin A is bad. Why would the breeders or the vet not tell me this? The reptivite with D3 aid I’m not mistaken also has Vit A along with other vitamins. Everything should be listed on the label. You can also dust with this twice a month. As far as the breeder and vet not saying anything, well they may not know. As many of us here, initially I had no clue about different supplements.

My chameleon drinks frequently from a dripper, and I mist 4-5 times a day for 30 seconds to a minute. I noticed only one time he was drinking heavily with a drool string out of his mouth. If he has a dripper he actively drinks from make sure it’s cleaned thoroughly. If he is parasite free, the diarrhea could be from bacteria. Also, if his urates look good you could just mist twice a day for a couple minutes.

Poop started normal when I first got him. Over the past week or so it has been light brown, runny like a consistency of water. The urates are normal from what I can tell. He poops once to multiple times a day. I noticed a very small amount of blood in the stool, but after hydrating his bottom that seems to have went away. I have noticed dark brown, thick stool lately so that issue appears to slowly be getting better. Although it is still runny sometimes. Like mentioned he does not have parasites.
Next time this happens take a pic and post it so we can see it. Runny stools are of course a sign that something is not right and off balance. The blood could likely be from irritation. Does the poop smell at all?

No previous information other than he came from Tree Hugger Chameleons.

24x48 Screen cage.

I have multiple bulbs, but right now I have one 150 watt and a 50 watt in a dual bulb. They are white light, and the UVB is a long horizontal 5.0. So far this combo of heat bulbs has showed the most reliable temp for a basking spot. He wakes up and goes to bed at 11 everyday. Regulated 12 hours. How far is the basking branch from the uvb and when was the last time it was changed? What is the brand of bulb? Bulbs should be changed every 6 months.

I measure temps with a digital gun, and 68F at bottom of cage, 75F in middle, and 85-95 in basking spot. Night temps are 65-70. I would not let the basking temp get above 85. Especially since you have a 150w and a 50w. I would ditch the 50w and just use the 150w. Just to prevent risk of a burn.

I had a cheap hygrometer because it is the only one i could find in my small town. It had shown humidity levels of 80-90 but i really don’t trust it. The breeders said if i mist 2 times a day that is okay, but after the vet visit ive been doing more. (As previously mentioned). 80-90 is pretty high for day time humidity. You definitely want the cage to dry in between misting sessions. Also, prolonged high humidity with higher temps could potentially put your cham at risk for a respiratory infection.

One live hibiscus and 4 live pothos.

Somerset, Ky. All issues have been previously discussed. Pictures are provided.

The enclosure looks good with the plants and your cham does look healthy and not dehydrated. He looks like he is a healthy weight too.

 

[Static13]

I will put my responses in red.

Most of these questions were already answered but i’ll repeat it for clarification. Panther Chameleon, Male 1 1/2 years old. He’s been in my care for around 2 months. The vet did a fecal test, that is how they know no parasites.

Handle as minimal as possible.

Feeding schedule when he was eating fine was every other day 5-6 crickets and an occasional super worm. The breeders recommend since he wasn’t eating the full amount to cut it down to everyday but in half the amount. Some days he will eat a few bugs, others he will not eat at all. Some days feeding will take hours because I do not leave crickets in the cage. I have just recently started gutloading, i put an apple in for the crickets. Online research said gutloading with carrots does not help with vitamin a because of how they digest it. All insects are from feeders pet supply.
I do agree with @ERKleRose the vitamin A supplement you are using is not the recommended dosage for chameleons. It is fat soluble and stored in fat so it takes a while for it to deplete from the body. He can easily have toxicity if you continue to use it. I would add, it likely helped in the beginning since you saw improvement. Typically as they get older they eat less, he could be going through a phase or it could be related to the weather being colder.


Zoo med repticalcium no d3 for every feeding. Zoo med reptivite with D3 and Rephasy vitamin A once a month. Also how are you certain that repashy vitamin A is bad. Why would the breeders or the vet not tell me this? The reptivite with D3 aid I’m not mistaken also has Vit A along with other vitamins. Everything should be listed on the label. You can also dust with this twice a month. As far as the breeder and vet not saying anything, well they may not know. As many of us here, initially I had no clue about different supplements.

My chameleon drinks frequently from a dripper, and I mist 4-5 times a day for 30 seconds to a minute. I noticed only one time he was drinking heavily with a drool string out of his mouth. If he has a dripper he actively drinks from make sure it’s cleaned thoroughly. If he is parasite free, the diarrhea could be from bacteria. Also, if his urates look good you could just mist twice a day for a couple minutes.

Poop started normal when I first got him. Over the past week or so it has been light brown, runny like a consistency of water. The urates are normal from what I can tell. He poops once to multiple times a day. I noticed a very small amount of blood in the stool, but after hydrating his bottom that seems to have went away. I have noticed dark brown, thick stool lately so that issue appears to slowly be getting better. Although it is still runny sometimes. Like mentioned he does not have parasites.
Next time this happens take a pic and post it so we can see it. Runny stools are of course a sign that something is not right and off balance. The blood could likely be from irritation. Does the poop smell at all?

No previous information other than he came from Tree Hugger Chameleons.

24x48 Screen cage.

I have multiple bulbs, but right now I have one 150 watt and a 50 watt in a dual bulb. They are white light, and the UVB is a long horizontal 5.0. So far this combo of heat bulbs has showed the most reliable temp for a basking spot. He wakes up and goes to bed at 11 everyday. Regulated 12 hours. How far is the basking branch from the uvb and when was the last time it was changed? What is the brand of bulb? Bulbs should be changed every 6 months.

I measure temps with a digital gun, and 68F at bottom of cage, 75F in middle, and 85-95 in basking spot. Night temps are 65-70. I would not let the basking temp get above 85. Especially since you have a 150w and a 50w. I would ditch the 50w and just use the 150w. Just to prevent risk of a burn.

I had a cheap hygrometer because it is the only one i could find in my small town. It had shown humidity levels of 80-90 but i really don’t trust it. The breeders said if i mist 2 times a day that is okay, but after the vet visit ive been doing more. (As previously mentioned). 80-90 is pretty high for day time humidity. You definitely want the cage to dry in between misting sessions. Also, prolonged high humidity with higher temps could potentially put your cham at risk for a respiratory infection.

One live hibiscus and 4 live pothos.

Somerset, Ky. All issues have been previously discussed. Pictures are provided.

The enclosure looks good with the plants and your cham does look healthy and not dehydrated. He looks like he is a healthy weight too.

I have only used the vitamin A once so far, but i will not use it again. His basking branch is about 8 inches away from the bulb. I will attach a picture of recent stool and the bulb brand. I will upload another if next time is runny. I was also wondering, should the heat and UVB bulb be overlapping? The UVB is a reptisun 5.0. Should i continue with the soaks and shower steams for now?

 

[janjan20]

Does the stool have undigested bug parts? Also, I saw you post he was 58g at the vet. For being 1.5 years old he should be double that weight. As for the uvb it should be over the basking branch and the basking bulb can be in front or behind. Keep in mind the uvb light will also produce some heat as well. The distance should be good.
I would not soak anymore, they do not absorb water through their vents. No steam showers either. Warm water to them feels much different than it feels for us. As a rule of thumb, always mist with room temp water. The best way to maintain hydration is to keep humidity up at night by fogging.

If you haven’t already, I would check out the chameleon academy as well.

https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/

 

[Beman]

@Brad can you merge this thread with this one https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/please-help.194192/ We have duplicates going.

 

[Static13]

I’ve noticed this post hasn’t gotten the amount of attention i was hoping. I have been worried sick about my cham. I have heard completely differing responses from the breeders, the vet, and these forums. I do not understand how I can receive so much drastically different information. Who should I trust? He is still not eating the amounts that he should and I noticed him rubbing his eye again today. I feel that i have really done all i know to do at this point. Can someone please give me some credible information as to what is wrong with him?

 

[Sherbertsmysunshine]

Everyone on this forum is doing the best they can for you and your cham.

What vet are you going to? Are they experienced in chameleons or any other reptiles? What have they said about the issue?
He could have gotten something stuck in his eye from these branches, or it could be stuck shed…

Are you using tap water? Is there a free range he can play on that could be dusty? Hornworms are a great snack that provide hydration, silkworms are good stable feeders chameleons love, most chameleons love super worms, but these should be fed in moderation.

There are a lot of reasons your Cham could be behaving this way, we will do our best to help you find the issue.

 

[Static13]

Everyone on this forum is doing the best they can for you and your cham.

What vet are you going to? Are they experienced in chameleons or any other reptiles? What have they said about the issue?
He could have gotten something stuck in his eye from these branches, or it could be stuck shed… View attachment 361457
Are you using tap water? Is there a free range he can play on that could be dusty? Hornworms are a great snack that provide hydration, silkworms are good stable feeders chameleons love, most chameleons love super worms, but these should be fed in moderation.

There are a lot of reasons your Cham could be behaving this way, we will do our best to help you find the issue.

I live in Somerset, Ky. The nearest vet I could find that said they are familiar with chameleons was 1 1/2 hours away. It was Pennyroyal in Lexington. I only use distilled water. He is only handled when he willingly comes out of his cage and I have to put him back in(when door is open while feeding.) I believe the eye may be shed, but after the vet visit on the 23rd I have been upping mistings to help the shed on his head. I hope that answers all of your questions adequately, thank you.

 

[Beman]

You posted right after major holidays. Most active members were not on the forum. You did receive multiple posts with accurate info. I will go through your info very thoroughly as well. See my feedback in Red Bold

Issues: Initially he was rubbing his eyes on sticks pretty aggressively. I purchased Vitamin A Repashy powder and that has seemed to get much better, he still does this rarely. This also started getting better about the time i removed the red heat bulb. He is very picky about eating, when i first got him he loved dubias/crickets but quickly lost interest in the dubias. Initially I was feeding 5-6 bugs every other day, but now he will only eat a few bugs at a time and some days will eat nothing. Lately his poop has also been runny/liquid brown. I noticed one time he had a very minimal amount of red in his poop, but that has almost seemed to go away. He has shed once since i’ve owned him, and there is still shed stuck to his face. The pooping is also occurring once or more daily.

Supplements and Husbandry: He is in a 24x48 reptibreeze cage, with a 5.0 UVB. Ambient room temp is ~68F. Basking temps are 85-95F. Night temp is ~65-70F. I have a live hibiscus plant with 4 pothos in each corner. He gets calcium without D3 in every feeding, and vitamin A and calcium without D3 once a month. He is also on a regulated 12 hour sleep schedule. On days where he won’t eat I resort to giving him 1-2 superworms so he won’t starve, but I don’t want to teach him being picky gets him treats. He does have a dripper in case he ever wants a drink. I was misting 2-3 times a day, but after the vet visit i’ve been doing more frequently.
I had a cheap hygrometer, but it seemed very unreliable and I’m planning to buy a new, high end one as well as a lamp hanger as soon as possible.
Handling: He has been handled as minimal as possible, but with his issues I’ve taken him to the vet and been taking him out daily for the past ~3 days for soaks/shower steams.

Per this section above... Stuck shed can signify an issue of your ambient levels. Red bulbs damage their eyes. I am willing to bet the rubbing the eyes had more to do with that and can also be linked to not being able to clean their eyes if you are hand misting. It would have nothing to do with vitamin A as you were already supplementing with reptivite with D3 which has plenty of vitamin A.
So your saying he does not eat but then you say he is eating superworms??? So here is the thing. A cham going off feeders like dubia or crickets because they prefer the superworms means you have a picky cham that thinks he can get what he wants by not eating. He will not starve if he is off food even for 2 weeks. IF HE IS TOTALLY HEALTHY then you have to be the one to hold out. You do not offer superworms at all only healthy feeders. until he finally breaks down and eats. MOST chams you see this picky behavior around the 1 year mark. Took my boy 9 days to go off superworms and back on dubia and crickets.

Misting more frequently does not help. You want to mist in the morning and the evening any where from 2-5 minutes each time. If you are handmisting I highly recommend an auto mister like a mistking. Misting more during the day can not only create a cage environment that is far too moist but it makes it so that the cage is not able to fully dry out. This can end up being a bacteria breeding ground.

Basking temps are wayyyyyy too hot. 95 will bake a chameleon. You want it no hotter than 85. Get a temp probe with gauge hook the probe in at the branch right below the heat bulb. If your temps there are 82 then where he rises off the branch closer to the bulb would be around 84-85. That is as hot as you want to go.

You never want to steam a chameleon. You will give them a respiratory infection. Heat and water do not mix with chams. If they are breathing in hot moist air they will develop a respiratory infection. You never soak a chameleon. They are not like other reptiles that can absorb water through their skin. They do not do this. And soaking them can not only increase stress but this can compromise their immune system.

Most of these questions were already answered but i’ll repeat it for clarification. Panther Chameleon, Male 1 1/2 years old. He’s been in my care for around 2 months. The vet did a fecal test, that is how they know no parasites. If only one fecal was done you should have another done. Parasites shed their oocysts (eggs) in cycles. So it is very easy for a determination of no parasites to come back when there is actually a parasite load simply because they were not shedding the oocysts. Signs in the fecal of a parasite issue are runny fecal, strong odor to the fecal, and mucous. Signs from the chameleon are lack of appetite and weight loss.

Feeding schedule when he was eating fine was every other day 5-6 crickets and an occasional super worm. The breeders recommend since he wasn’t eating the full amount to cut it down to everyday but in half the amount. Some days he will eat a few bugs, others he will not eat at all. Some days feeding will take hours because I do not leave crickets in the cage. I have just recently started gutloading, i put an apple in for the crickets. Online research said gutloading with carrots does not help with vitamin a because of how they digest it. All insects are from feeders pet supply. For a Male Panther chameleon of his age his feeding schedule should be every other day with 4-5 insects. Your gutload is lacking. See image. Either all fresh veg including green veg or buy repashy bug burger and mix as directed. Your looking for a diverse mix to properly feed the insects this should not be all fruit.

Zoo med repticalcium no d3 for every feeding. Zoo med reptivite with D3 and Rephasy vitamin A once a month. Also how are you certain that repashy vitamin A is bad. Why would the breeders or the vet not tell me this? So you are actually overdosing him. Repashy vitamin A plus should never be used on a chameleon because it is 2M IU/lb this far exceeds even the strongest recommended vitamin A dose of 80 k IU/ lb that repashy calcium plus LOD version has in it. Also your reptivite with D3 already has the vitamin A as well. It is a full multivitamin that can be used for chameleons. Drop the repashy vitamin A plus immediately. It can take months for his levels to reduce as vitamin A is fat soluble and stores in the tissues. Most vets do not know what is actually in supplements and in what levels. Most vets do not have the hands on experience with chameleons and treat them as if they are any other reptile. They simply are not. They have extremely specific husbandry needs. I have no idea who the breeder is but they may not know either.
Supplements should be calcium without D3 at all feedings and then two times a month say the 1st and the 15th you would use the reptivite with D3.

My chameleon drinks frequently from a dripper, and I mist 4-5 times a day for 30 seconds to a minute. I noticed only one time he was drinking heavily with a drool string out of his mouth. Drool is a sign of a respiratory infection if you are seeing excessive salivia. Can also happen if they cough up water from spraying in the mouth or being right up on the dripper.

No previous information other than he came from Tree Hugger Chameleons. Not one I have ever heard of. So not one of the main breeders in the hobby. They may be great I just have not heard of them in my almost 7 years in the hobby.

I have multiple bulbs, but right now I have one 150 watt and a 50 watt in a dual bulb. WAY TOO MUCH. At most you would use a 75 watt bulb. I am betting your temps are hotter than you realize. if you are having a hard time regulating temps due to ambient room temps there are ways to do this where you are modifying the cage instead of adding an extreme heat source. They are white light, and the UVB is a long horizontal 5.0. So far this combo of heat bulbs has showed the most reliable temp for a basking spot. He wakes up and goes to bed at 11 everyday. Regulated 12 hours. I would not run 11-11 this is far outside the sunrise to sunset schedule that is the best for them. Per your UVB I need to know if it is a T5HO fixture and how old the 5.0 bulb is?

I measure temps with a digital gun, and 68F at bottom of cage, 75F in middle, and 85-95 in basking spot. Night temps are 65-70. Guns are not accurate. They only measure the surface temp. See my prior advice for what to use.

I had a cheap hygrometer because it is the only one i could find in my small town. It had shown humidity levels of 80-90 but i really don’t trust it. The breeders said if i mist 2 times a day that is okay, but after the vet visit ive been doing more. (As previously mentioned). Daytime humidity should not be sitting higher than 50%. High humidity and constant misting with hot temps increase respiratory infection risk.

 

[Beman]

For accurate info on chams from one of the leaders in this hobby. Bill Strand has a ton of info including a husbandry program. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

For videos that follow the same accurate info watch Neptune the Chameleon.

Be very cautious where you get your info from. Google, reddit, and most facebook groups are spewing totally inaccurate info. We see many many people here that are in your situation. They are frustrated because they are told one thing and do not know what to believe. I will tell you the people that give feedback in this group are very experienced members. We have helped many people in your position here. Let me know what questions you have. We are all more than willing to help you.

 

[Sherbertsmysunshine]

@Beman is a very experienced keeper and extremely knowledgeable. She can help you with their health a lot more than I can.

Here is a vet list if you would like to see more exotic vets near you https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachments/chameleon-forums-vet-list-2024-u-s-a-pdf.353577/

 

[Static13]

I’ve called around, silkworms aren’t available anywhere near me. Reddit says nwreptilefeeders.com is pretty reputable, does anyone have opinions on them for silkworms?

 

[Sherbertsmysunshine]

I’ve called around, silkworms aren’t available anywhere near me. Reddit says nwreptilefeeders.com is pretty reputable, does anyone have opinions on them for silkworms?

I’ve never heard of them… you can check the sponsor list for some reputable sources https://www.chameleonforums.com/sponsors/?tag=food

 

[Static13]

You posted right after major holidays. Most active members were not on the forum. You did receive multiple posts with accurate info. I will go through your info very thoroughly as well. See my feedback in Red Bold


Per this section above... Stuck shed can signify an issue of your ambient levels. Red bulbs damage their eyes. I am willing to bet the rubbing the eyes had more to do with that and can also be linked to not being able to clean their eyes if you are hand misting. It would have nothing to do with vitamin A as you were already supplementing with reptivite with D3 which has plenty of vitamin A.
So your saying he does not eat but then you say he is eating superworms??? So here is the thing. A cham going off feeders like dubia or crickets because they prefer the superworms means you have a picky cham that thinks he can get what he wants by not eating. He will not starve if he is off food even for 2 weeks. IF HE IS TOTALLY HEALTHY then you have to be the one to hold out. You do not offer superworms at all only healthy feeders. until he finally breaks down and eats. MOST chams you see this picky behavior around the 1 year mark. Took my boy 9 days to go off superworms and back on dubia and crickets.

Misting more frequently does not help. You want to mist in the morning and the evening any where from 2-5 minutes each time. If you are handmisting I highly recommend an auto mister like a mistking. Misting more during the day can not only create a cage environment that is far too moist but it makes it so that the cage is not able to fully dry out. This can end up being a bacteria breeding ground.

Basking temps are wayyyyyy too hot. 95 will bake a chameleon. You want it no hotter than 85. Get a temp probe with gauge hook the probe in at the branch right below the heat bulb. If your temps there are 82 then where he rises off the branch closer to the bulb would be around 84-85. That is as hot as you want to go.

You never want to steam a chameleon. You will give them a respiratory infection. Heat and water do not mix with chams. If they are breathing in hot moist air they will develop a respiratory infection. You never soak a chameleon. They are not like other reptiles that can absorb water through their skin. They do not do this. And soaking them can not only increase stress but this can compromise their immune system.

Most of these questions were already answered but i’ll repeat it for clarification. Panther Chameleon, Male 1 1/2 years old. He’s been in my care for around 2 months. The vet did a fecal test, that is how they know no parasites. If only one fecal was done you should have another done. Parasites shed their oocysts (eggs) in cycles. So it is very easy for a determination of no parasites to come back when there is actually a parasite load simply because they were not shedding the oocysts. Signs in the fecal of a parasite issue are runny fecal, strong odor to the fecal, and mucous. Signs from the chameleon are lack of appetite and weight loss.

Feeding schedule when he was eating fine was every other day 5-6 crickets and an occasional super worm. The breeders recommend since he wasn’t eating the full amount to cut it down to everyday but in half the amount. Some days he will eat a few bugs, others he will not eat at all. Some days feeding will take hours because I do not leave crickets in the cage. I have just recently started gutloading, i put an apple in for the crickets. Online research said gutloading with carrots does not help with vitamin a because of how they digest it. All insects are from feeders pet supply. For a Male Panther chameleon of his age his feeding schedule should be every other day with 4-5 insects. Your gutload is lacking. See image. Either all fresh veg including green veg or buy repashy bug burger and mix as directed. Your looking for a diverse mix to properly feed the insects this should not be all fruit.

Zoo med repticalcium no d3 for every feeding. Zoo med reptivite with D3 and Rephasy vitamin A once a month. Also how are you certain that repashy vitamin A is bad. Why would the breeders or the vet not tell me this? So you are actually overdosing him. Repashy vitamin A plus should never be used on a chameleon because it is 2M IU/lb this far exceeds even the strongest recommended vitamin A dose of 80 k IU/ lb that repashy calcium plus LOD version has in it. Also your reptivite with D3 already has the vitamin A as well. It is a full multivitamin that can be used for chameleons. Drop the repashy vitamin A plus immediately. It can take months for his levels to reduce as vitamin A is fat soluble and stores in the tissues. Most vets do not know what is actually in supplements and in what levels. Most vets do not have the hands on experience with chameleons and treat them as if they are any other reptile. They simply are not. They have extremely specific husbandry needs. I have no idea who the breeder is but they may not know either.
Supplements should be calcium without D3 at all feedings and then two times a month say the 1st and the 15th you would use the reptivite with D3.

My chameleon drinks frequently from a dripper, and I mist 4-5 times a day for 30 seconds to a minute. I noticed only one time he was drinking heavily with a drool string out of his mouth. Drool is a sign of a respiratory infection if you are seeing excessive salivia. Can also happen if they cough up water from spraying in the mouth or being right up on the dripper.

No previous information other than he came from Tree Hugger Chameleons. Not one I have ever heard of. So not one of the main breeders in the hobby. They may be great I just have not heard of them in my almost 7 years in the hobby.

I have multiple bulbs, but right now I have one 150 watt and a 50 watt in a dual bulb. WAY TOO MUCH. At most you would use a 75 watt bulb. I am betting your temps are hotter than you realize. if you are having a hard time regulating temps due to ambient room temps there are ways to do this where you are modifying the cage instead of adding an extreme heat source. They are white light, and the UVB is a long horizontal 5.0. So far this combo of heat bulbs has showed the most reliable temp for a basking spot. He wakes up and goes to bed at 11 everyday. Regulated 12 hours. I would not run 11-11 this is far outside the sunrise to sunset schedule that is the best for them. Per your UVB I need to know if it is a T5HO fixture and how old the 5.0 bulb is?

I measure temps with a digital gun, and 68F at bottom of cage, 75F in middle, and 85-95 in basking spot. Night temps are 65-70. Guns are not accurate. They only measure the surface temp. See my prior advice for what to use.

I had a cheap hygrometer because it is the only one i could find in my small town. It had shown humidity levels of 80-90 but i really don’t trust it. The breeders said if i mist 2 times a day that is okay, but after the vet visit ive been doing more. (As previously mentioned). Daytime humidity should not be sitting higher than 50%. High humidity and constant misting with hot temps increase respiratory infection risk.

The red bulbs have been removed for ~2 weeks now. I am confused how I am supposed to mist other than with a spray bottle. I will change lighting to one 75 watt, it is the t5 UVB and is only 2 months old at most. Thank you for your insight, I will follow your advice and update asap.

 

[Static13]

The red bulbs have been removed for ~2 weeks now. I am confused how I am supposed to mist other than with a spray bottle. I will change lighting to one 75 watt, it is the t5 UVB and is only 2 months old at most. Thank you for your insight, I will follow your advice and update asap.

Can you possibly provide me with a good hygrometer and thermometer i could order online?

 

[GrannyK]

I’ve called around, silkworms aren’t available anywhere near me. Reddit says nwreptilefeeders.com is pretty reputable, does anyone have opinions on them for silkworms?

I use frams chams for silkies, they have fast shipping and always come alive and healthy. I have not heard of the feeder company you stated. Josh’s frogs may have some silkies too, though Ives never used them.

 

[Beman]

The red bulbs have been removed for ~2 weeks now. I am confused how I am supposed to mist other than with a spray bottle. I will change lighting to one 75 watt, it is the t5 UVB and is only 2 months old at most. Thank you for your insight, I will follow your advice and update asap.

Good you should continue to see an improvement in the eyes. Look up Mistking starter system. They are the best and you only need the starter with the single nozzle. Look up youtube videos on these they are really amazing. So one part is you are then automating the misting sessions. But you set the exact time and exact length of misting session. This is a super fine mist spray and allows them to clean their eyes. You can automate your lighting too by putting them on wifi plugs. Then you control everything and this then means you now get to leave town for a weekend without worry. Ok so the reptisun is the 5.0 bulb strength you want to replace this bulb every 6-9 months so put it on your calendar to order a new one. If you have a 24 inch fixture you need the 22 inch bulb. May I see a picture showing how you have the lighting on top of the cage positioned? Please include the top half of the cage as well. I want to double check your UVB distances.

Can you possibly provide me with a good hygrometer and thermometer i could order online?

I use govee brand for my ambient levels for both. These do need to be placed away from water as it will damage them. They run off the govee app. I use their wifi timers as well which run on the same app. Google govee in the forum search function and you will get a ton of info on them. They are sold on amazon. I have old versions of both which are not sold now. They have the new versions available.

For your basking temp. Zoomed has temp gauge with probe. This is where you will gently hook the probe to the branch below the heat with a tiny zip tie. then pull the gauge to the outside of the cage. this cant stay in the cage with moisture.

How long were using the repashy vitamin A plus?

 

[Gloriawood]

Hello! You have gotten the best advice from beman. She knows her stuff. I know the mixed answers from different sources can be beyond frustrating. A lot of information is outdated but still readily available so it makes it difficult to weed out the good from the bad. I was brand new to keeping when I got my guy. He was on the way out and the people here including @Beman, helped me get him back to good health and today he is thriving. I would trust what she says and follow her advice. Sometimes it takes a while to see improvement. It was a couple weeks before my guy was showing noticeable improvement. Healing can be slow sometimes. Following bemans advice is the best thing you can do right now.