Routines

[raptorslovepuns]

I'm doing my research (I'm thinking about buying a veiled in three months, but I might wait for a year or so) and what I hear again and again is the routine is the key. So I guess I just wanted to see what your weekly routines are

Something like:

Every day
Wake up, turn on lights, mist for ten minutes and fill dripper
Drop in dusted/gutloaded crickets/superworms/silkworms/etc.
Gutload feeders

Once a week
Bleach cage bottom

Monday Wednesday Friday
Crickets/Supplement A

Tuesday Thursday Saturday
Lobster roaches/Supplement A

Sunday
Hornworms/Supplement B

I'm hoping to get a better idea of how much of a daily commitment they are, how much people tend to vary their feeders/supplements, etc. If you have a better idea for how the schedule should be formatted, feel free to shift it up. Thanks so much guys!

 

[lonomac]

I don't really swap out feeders that much. I use superworms and roaches almost every day. Ill get others (crickets/silks/hornworms etc) sometimes for variety because they get bored with the same food.

Misting: Just get a misting system, put it on a timer for 3 times a day, 10 minute sessions. You will almost never have to worry about misting all the time. Your lights can be on a timer also. I never have to turn anything on or off.

Supplementing is something people do differently, there really isnt a one way to do it. If you search the forums youll find lots of ways to do it.

I dont bleach the cage either. I really dont like any chemicals near them. I just pour water in and scrub, then rinse down the drain. Might use a little dish soap sometimes.

 

[Justin Carl]

Raptor,

I would have to say a routine is one of the most important things when you decide to buy a chameleon.
You choice of a Veiled Chameleons is also very good.
So far almost everything sounds really good.
I can give you a few pointers.
Starting from the top:

Waking up to turn the lights on...NO WAY!
Thats why someone invented a timer.
I like to use the little cheap ones for like 10 bucks.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100026919
You adjust the time by sliding the little red and green pins into the desired time.
Off of that you plug an electrical strip.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100083782
You definitely don't need to buy one of the fancy digital reptile timers.

I like to gutload my feeders the night before.
A lot of people on the forum call it a "last meal" method.
For crickets I use a small cricket keeper with a gut gutload mix of veggies, fruit, and cricketfood.com formula.
I keep all my supers in the same bin and toss in an assortment of veggies each night.
The supers to be gutloaded go into a small bowl with straight cricketfood.com as bran.
All of my roaches stay together, and don't get any special treatment.
They also have the cricketfood.com gutload with an assortment of veggies and fruit.


I also like to feed before I water.
The reason I feed first is because the crickets will wipe off the dust supplements and the water makes it that much easier.
I free range crickets and cup feed supers and roaches.
After everyone has finished eating, then they get one good misting per day.

You really don't need to bleach once a week, but I don't see a reason not to.
I usually just give the cage a good wipe down each week.
I clean the poop and fallen leaves each day.

Here is my revised dusting schedule:
A phosphorous free calcium without D3 at most feedings.
A phosphorous free calcium with D3 once or twice per month.
A multivitamin, Herptivite, once per month.
Sandfire T-Rex Chameleon Formula once or twice per month. It does contain a small amount of D3 and Vitamin A.

If you plan to feed roaches 3 days per week, then your going to need a lot with a growing Veiled.
Crickets are much easier and cheaper for babies and juveniles.
Hornworms grow extremely fast, so you need to feed them off fast.
After two weeks they will most likely be to big to feed to a baby.

I hope that helps.

 

[raptorslovepuns]

Misting: Just get a misting system, put it on a timer for 3 times a day, 10 minute sessions. You will almost never have to worry about misting all the time. Your lights can be on a timer also. I never have to turn anything on or off.

I dont bleach the cage either. I really dont like any chemicals near them. I just pour water in and scrub, then rinse down the drain. Might use a little dish soap sometimes.

Thanks for the advice, I think I might be the only one who does this but I call all cleaners "bleach." I was really thinking of an organic biodegradeable substance like Simple Green, but you're probably right, I can probably just skip that.

Would you really recommend a misting set up for just one chameleon? The timer sounds like a good idea; already I have to turn on my two gecko tanks, the dart frog tank and the snake lights, and sleeping in is SO nice.


Justin:
Do you guys feed every day with an adult veiled? Or is 4 times a week generally enough?

I've gotten permission from the girlfriend to culture roaches (this REALLY wasn't easy!), and I figure after a couple months I'll have enough for the cham and her leopard gecko. Thanks so much for taking the time to write that reply!

 

[Justin Carl]

Raptor,

Four times a week is plent for any adult chameleon.

Good thing you got permission on the roaches!
You can feed them not only to your chameleons, but your geckos and dart frogs too.