Rexy! Is she too small?

[RexyTheCham]

Hey everyone! First time poster, been using this site since I first thought about getting a chameleon.

I know this has been discussed before I just want to get some peoples thoughts on this.

I'm sure there's things that I can be doing better and I want to do better so any advice is appreciated.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, female, about 6-7 months old.
• Handling - Once a week, if that. She comes to my hand at her own will when I have a bug on the tongs.
• Feeding - I feed dubia, BSFL, hornworms. I used to give crickets but not too often anymore. When I have hornworms I will give her 1-2 hornworms, 3-4 bsfl, and 5 dubia a day. Without hornworms I do 7-8 dubia and 4-7 BSFL a day. I gutload with collard greens or dandelion greens, sweet potato, carrots, bok choy, green beans, oranges, apples, mango, and occasionally grapes. I mix this gutload up about once every week.
• Supplements - Flukers. I dust every day with calc no D3. Twice a month with D3, twice a month multivitamin.
• Watering - Right now I use a spray bottle. I mist 2-3 times a day. Always in the morning, and before bed. I leave a washed milk jug on top and drip water from it. I do see her drink.
• Fecal Description - Brown with white urates. No smell that I've noticed. I haven't tested for parasites yet and I know that I should and I will.
• History - I've had her since February 2021. Reptile store told me she was about 3 months old when I got her.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage. Right now she's in a 18x18x36. I have a 2x2x4 that I'm setting up for her at the moment.
• Lighting - Don't remember brand names, bought them from the reptile store I got her from. I have the heat lamp and T8 UVB light.
• Temperature - I've moved basking branch around multiple times trying to find the right temps. The temp where it's at right now is generally around 83-86. I know that's too hot and I'm trying to fix that problem. I have a digital thermometer. I will get a temperature gun soon. She gets a drop in temp at night time. It's been hot outside where I live the last month so I try to be conscience of that and not keep the heat lamp on too long. I've been turning off the heat lamp when I get home from work if the outside temp is hot.
• Humidity - Humidity spikes around 40-50 throughout the day.
• Plants - I have a pothos in her cage right now. When I put her in the 2x2x4 I plan on getting another pothos and another plant to place at the bottom.
• Placement - Her cage is in my room. It's next to my door, not the window.
• Location - I live in Washington around the Seattle area.
• This isn't part of this, I just wanted to point out that I do have a laying bin made. I know she's a bit young for it at the moment but I've read that they can lay clutches at this age so I put the bin in there every few days and leave it in there for a few days. She shows interest it sometimes and will go to it and the only way I can describe this is she "plays" in the bin. She doesn't dig or anything, she will just go down to it, explore climb back up then back down to it. She'll do this a couple times then ignore it for the rest of the day.

Current Problem - I know females are smaller than males. I'm just worried that she's too small.


Some of the pictures I'm going to attach aren't recent and probably aren't the best to show size. There's a few that she looks too cute in not to share. Around a month ago is the oldest picture. I'll put oldest first, newest last. She wasn't very fond of the phone today so the newest picture isn't the best.
She's shedding again! This is the third time I've seen her shed since I've had her.
Yes, my girlfriend put her on one of my daughters barbies because "Rexy needs a boyfriend."

 

[kinyonga]

Your cage photo doesn't show an egg laying bin in it. Do you have an egg laying bin in her cage at all times now? She's sexually mature (her colors show it) and can produce eggs without a mate. She needs a place to lay them if you don't want her to die eggbound. Moving the bin in and out might make her feel like it's not a safe place to lay the eggs...or maybe there's something about it she's not happy with.

Also you over feeding her and she will likely lay a huge clutch and may have reproductive issues and even develop MBD.
She should only be fed two or three times a week and only about 4 crickets per feeding...or equal value in other insects.

It would be good for you to tell us the brand, etc of the long linear tube light you're using.

Your right to be trying to decrease the basking temperature...80F would be good.

Those first two photos are adorable!

 

[AmandaS]

The second and third photo are sooo sweet!

 

[RexyTheCham]

Your cage photo doesn't show an egg laying bin in it. Do you have an egg laying bin in her cage at all times now? She's sexually mature (her colors show it) and can produce eggs without a mate. She needs a place to lay them if you don't want her to die eggbound. Moving the bin in and out might make her feel like it's not a safe place to lay the eggs...or maybe there's something about it she's not happy with.

Also you over feeding her and she will likely lay a huge clutch and may have reproductive issues and even develop MBD.
She should only be fed two or three times a week and only about 4 crickets per feeding...or equal value in other insects.

It would be good for you to tell us the brand, etc of the long linear tube light you're using.

Your right to be trying to decrease the basking temperature...80F would be good.

Those first two photos are adorable!

I've moved it in and out because the play sand would get too wet when I left it in. I came home one day and the dripper was dripping off a leaf right into the bin and there was a puddle in it. I could dig a hole and it wasn't stable. I would cover it with a towel when I would mist. I will keep the bin in there permanently now and figure something out to keep it from getting too wet.

As far as feeding goes, over feeding has been something I've been terrified of doing. I've gotten so much conflicting information online. I knew she was coming up to the age where I needed to start cutting back. I just wasn't aware that time was now. I had read that 3-9 months is around 8-12 bugs 1X day. I planned on cutting back sooner than that because she's a female and I was aware that over feeding can cause those things. I can start cutting back on food tomorrow as I've already fed her today.

I looked it up and it looks like the UVB I'm using is the Zilla Slimline 25 UVB T8.

 

[RexyTheCham]

The second and third photo are sooo sweet!

Thank you! I love that little girl so much.

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."I've moved it in and out because the play sand would get too wet when I left it in. I came home one day and the dripper was dripping off a leaf right into the bin and there was a puddle in it. I could dig a hole and it wasn't stable. I would cover it with a towel when I would mist. I will keep the bin in there permanently now and figure something out to keep it from getting too wet"...
You can make a "tent" out of wood or something to go over it so the water won't go into the bin.

You said..."As far as feeding goes, over feeding has been something I've been terrified of doing. I've gotten so much conflicting information online. I knew she was coming up to the age where I needed to start cutting back. I just wasn't aware that time was now. I had read that 3-9 months is around 8-12 bugs 1X day. I planned on cutting back sooner than that because she's a female and I was aware that over feeding can cause those things. I can start cutting back on food tomorrow as I've already fed her today"...that would be good. Don't do it all at once but over a few feedings. Make sure her basking temperature is at 80F so it will help her be less hungry.

You said.."I looked it up and it looks like the UVB I'm using is the Zilla Slimline 25 UVB T8"... @Beman is better at the lights than I am so I've tagged her for this.

 

[RexyTheCham]

You said..."I've moved it in and out because the play sand would get too wet when I left it in. I came home one day and the dripper was dripping off a leaf right into the bin and there was a puddle in it. I could dig a hole and it wasn't stable. I would cover it with a towel when I would mist. I will keep the bin in there permanently now and figure something out to keep it from getting too wet"...
You can make a "tent" out of wood or something to go over it so the water won't go into the bin.

You said..."As far as feeding goes, over feeding has been something I've been terrified of doing. I've gotten so much conflicting information online. I knew she was coming up to the age where I needed to start cutting back. I just wasn't aware that time was now. I had read that 3-9 months is around 8-12 bugs 1X day. I planned on cutting back sooner than that because she's a female and I was aware that over feeding can cause those things. I can start cutting back on food tomorrow as I've already fed her today"...that would be good. Don't do it all at once but over a few feedings. Make sure her basking temperature is at 80F so it will help her be less hungry.

You said.."I looked it up and it looks like the UVB I'm using is the Zilla Slimline 25 UVB T8"... @Beman is better at the lights than I am so I've tagged her for this.

Thank you so much for the help.

 

[Beman]

I would switch out the UVB to a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% bulb. The zilla ones honestly suck. This one in the 24 inch fixture size and then basking branch would be 8-9 inches below. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html

Let me know if you have questions on this.

 

[RexyTheCham]

I would switch out the UVB to a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% bulb. The zilla ones honestly suck. This one in the 24 inch fixture size and then basking branch would be 8-9 inches below. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html

Let me know if you have questions on this.

Sounds good, will change that ASAP. They're out of stock on this website but I will look around. Thank you

 

[Beman]

@RexyTheCham See my feedback in bold. Let me know if you have any questions.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, female, about 6-7 months old.
• Handling - Once a week, if that. She comes to my hand at her own will when I have a bug on the tongs.
• Feeding - I feed dubia, BSFL, hornworms. I used to give crickets but not too often anymore. When I have hornworms I will give her 1-2 hornworms, 3-4 bsfl, and 5 dubia a day. Without hornworms I do 7-8 dubia and 4-7 BSFL a day. I gutload with collard greens or dandelion greens, sweet potato, carrots, bok choy, green beans, oranges, apples, mango, and occasionally grapes. I mix this gutload up about once every week. See gutload sheet below for more options. For feeding.... 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 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.
• Supplements - Flukers. I dust every day with calc no D3. Twice a month with D3, twice a month multivitamin. What multivitamin are you using exactly. Will you post a pic for me please?
• Watering - Right now I use a spray bottle. I mist 2-3 times a day. Always in the morning, and before bed. I leave a washed milk jug on top and drip water from it. I do see her drink. Great.
• Fecal Description - Brown with white urates. No smell that I've noticed. I haven't tested for parasites yet and I know that I should and I will.Perfect.
• History - I've had her since February 2021. Reptile store told me she was about 3 months old when I got her.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage. Right now she's in a 18x18x36. I have a 2x2x4 that I'm setting up for her at the moment. Good will need the larger cage to accommodate her lay bin.
• Lighting - Don't remember brand names, bought them from the reptile store I got her from. I have the heat lamp and T8 UVB light. I would switch out the UVB to a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% bulb. The zilla ones honestly suck. This one in the 24 inch fixture size and then basking branch would be 8-9 inches below. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html
• Temperature - I've moved basking branch around multiple times trying to find the right temps. The temp where it's at right now is generally around 83-86. I know that's too hot and I'm trying to fix that problem. I have a digital thermometer. I will get a temperature gun soon. She gets a drop in temp at night time. It's been hot outside where I live the last month so I try to be conscience of that and not keep the heat lamp on too long. I've been turning off the heat lamp when I get home from work if the outside temp is hot. Drop back your bulb strength this will drop temp. You want it 78-80 max.
• Humidity - Humidity spikes around 40-50 throughout the day. good.
• Plants - I have a pothos in her cage right now. When I put her in the 2x2x4 I plan on getting another pothos and another plant to place at the bottom. Good and no fake plants in her big girl cage.
• Placement - Her cage is in my room. It's next to my door, not the window.
• Location - I live in Washington around the Seattle area.
• This isn't part of this, I just wanted to point out that I do have a laying bin made. I know she's a bit young for it at the moment but I've read that they can lay clutches at this age so I put the bin in there every few days and leave it in there for a few days. She shows interest it sometimes and will go to it and the only way I can describe this is she "plays" in the bin. She doesn't dig or anything, she will just go down to it, explore climb back up then back down to it. She'll do this a couple times then ignore it for the rest of the day. So this will be easier in her big cage and it should be left as a permanent fixture in the bottom. This way when it comes time she has it and is used to it being there. Are you using moist playsand for the substrate that holds a tunnel?

Current Problem - I know females are smaller than males. I'm just worried that she's too small. Females are typically much smaller then males. But there are parasites that can stunt growth. This is why fecals are always a good idea.

 

[Beman]

Sounds good, will change that ASAP. They're out of stock on this website but I will look around. Thank you

I use these. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html
They come with the plant bulb. I would buy one for UVB and one for the plant bulb. So two fixtures. Then buy this uvb bulb to replace one of the plant bulbs that comes in the second fixture. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/arcadia-6-uvb-t5-reptile-bulb.html
24 inch fixture takes the 22 inch bulb.

Basking branch below the uvb fixture should be 8-9 inches below no closer for the proper uvb level.

 

[RexyTheCham]

@RexyTheCham See my feedback in bold. Let me know if you have any questions.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, female, about 6-7 months old.
• Handling - Once a week, if that. She comes to my hand at her own will when I have a bug on the tongs.
• Feeding - I feed dubia, BSFL, hornworms. I used to give crickets but not too often anymore. When I have hornworms I will give her 1-2 hornworms, 3-4 bsfl, and 5 dubia a day. Without hornworms I do 7-8 dubia and 4-7 BSFL a day. I gutload with collard greens or dandelion greens, sweet potato, carrots, bok choy, green beans, oranges, apples, mango, and occasionally grapes. I mix this gutload up about once every week. See gutload sheet below for more options. For feeding.... 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 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.
• Supplements - Flukers. I dust every day with calc no D3. Twice a month with D3, twice a month multivitamin. What multivitamin are you using exactly. Will you post a pic for me please?
• Watering - Right now I use a spray bottle. I mist 2-3 times a day. Always in the morning, and before bed. I leave a washed milk jug on top and drip water from it. I do see her drink. Great.
• Fecal Description - Brown with white urates. No smell that I've noticed. I haven't tested for parasites yet and I know that I should and I will.Perfect.
• History - I've had her since February 2021. Reptile store told me she was about 3 months old when I got her.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage. Right now she's in a 18x18x36. I have a 2x2x4 that I'm setting up for her at the moment. Good will need the larger cage to accommodate her lay bin.
• Lighting - Don't remember brand names, bought them from the reptile store I got her from. I have the heat lamp and T8 UVB light. I would switch out the UVB to a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% bulb. The zilla ones honestly suck. This one in the 24 inch fixture size and then basking branch would be 8-9 inches below. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html
• Temperature - I've moved basking branch around multiple times trying to find the right temps. The temp where it's at right now is generally around 83-86. I know that's too hot and I'm trying to fix that problem. I have a digital thermometer. I will get a temperature gun soon. She gets a drop in temp at night time. It's been hot outside where I live the last month so I try to be conscience of that and not keep the heat lamp on too long. I've been turning off the heat lamp when I get home from work if the outside temp is hot. Drop back your bulb strength this will drop temp. You want it 78-80 max.
• Humidity - Humidity spikes around 40-50 throughout the day. good.
• Plants - I have a pothos in her cage right now. When I put her in the 2x2x4 I plan on getting another pothos and another plant to place at the bottom. Good and no fake plants in her big girl cage.
• Placement - Her cage is in my room. It's next to my door, not the window.
• Location - I live in Washington around the Seattle area.
• This isn't part of this, I just wanted to point out that I do have a laying bin made. I know she's a bit young for it at the moment but I've read that they can lay clutches at this age so I put the bin in there every few days and leave it in there for a few days. She shows interest it sometimes and will go to it and the only way I can describe this is she "plays" in the bin. She doesn't dig or anything, she will just go down to it, explore climb back up then back down to it. She'll do this a couple times then ignore it for the rest of the day. So this will be easier in her big cage and it should be left as a permanent fixture in the bottom. This way when it comes time she has it and is used to it being there. Are you using moist playsand for the substrate that holds a tunnel?

Current Problem - I know females are smaller than males. I'm just worried that she's too small. Females are typically much smaller then males. But there are parasites that can stunt growth. This is why fecals are always a good idea.

Cutting back on feeders, I can start doing that starting tomorrow. There may be no correct answer to this.. but when I start cutting back on the amount of bugs, when should I make the jump to skipping feeding days? I know I'm a bit behind on schedule already. She's around 6-7 months at the moment.

Yes, no fake plants is the goal for the 2x2x4. I hope to have everything I need in the next few weeks to make the switch to her new cage.

Attached is a picture of the multivitamin. I read your comment and researched more into this and it looks like I should be using a different brand.

Yes I am using moist playsand in the laying bin. The problem I was having with the bin being left in the cage was the dripper would drip into the bin and then the sand would develop puddles. Kin offered me some advice on how to resolve that problem.

You all make the best community in the world. I'm sure helping out this many people is tough. I can't say thank you enough for everything!

 

[Beman]

Cutting back on feeders, I can start doing that starting tomorrow. There may be no correct answer to this.. but when I start cutting back on the amount of bugs, when should I make the jump to skipping feeding days? I know I'm a bit behind on schedule already. She's around 6-7 months at the moment.

Yes, no fake plants is the goal for the 2x2x4. I hope to have everything I need in the next few weeks to make the switch to her new cage.

Attached is a picture of the multivitamin. I read your comment and researched more into this and it looks like I should be using a different brand.

Yes I am using moist playsand in the laying bin. The problem I was having with the bin being left in the cage was the dripper would drip into the bin and then the sand would develop puddles. Kin offered me some advice on how to resolve that problem.

You all make the best community in the world. I'm sure helping out this many people is tough. I can't say thank you enough for everything!

Ok you can keep her on that one. It has Vitamin A too. That is what I wanted to be sure of. So your rotation as you cut back. Pick a day every week that you will rotate between the calcium with D3 and the vitamin. So that each are given 2 times a month. Then any additional days you feed gets the calcium without D3.


I would start reducing her first. Remember size of feeder matters. So if she were mine I would go ahead and take her down to 5-6 feeders every day. Keep her on that the next week or so then start cutting feeder amounts on your every other day by one feeder every week until you get to none fed those days. This way within 6 weeks she is on and every other day schedule. Then slowly work her into the 3 feeding days of 3 feeders. This will give you a bit of time to start the reduction then kick her over to 3 days.

Remember temps are very important though. If your keeping her hot it speeds up her metabolism. Makes her more hungry. So you need to drop temps too.

And we try to be as helpful as possible lol