Shedding???

[bg77]

I have searched for info on shedding and have seen a few posts but no anwsers. I am curious as to what to do to help a Veiled cham shed? I am sure that humidity and misting or showers will work. My male now is about 5 months old, his first 5 or so sheds were Great, they came and gone usually within 5-7 hours. Now the last 2 or 3 sheds have taken forever. He sheds different areas of his body, and those areas take atleast a day or two sometimes more. Average humidity is 30-40, he gets misted 5 times a day at 5 minutes each time. I guess I can get a humidifier going. I dont know what to do to help him along. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Bryant

 

[tryme]

I've never seen my shed as of yet do they eat their own skin like leos

 

[Brad Ramsey]

As they get older shedding in "areas" is normal.
I wouldn't add any more water (In my opinion 5, 5 minute mistings per day is excessive)

Are you supplementing with any source of preformed Vitamin A?

Check out the supplements article on my site:
http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

-Brad

 

[bg77]

Yeah Brad I do give a tiny drop of Vitamin A from a gel cap twice a month. So you think I should cut the misting back a little?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

The enclosure needs to dry out completely between mistings.
Is this the only way water is provided?
If so then 5 times is alright, but maybe for only a minute or two.
Are there live plants in the enclosure?
I just get nervous about too much moisture.

-Brad

 

[Tyminator]

mist

When everyone talks about misting for 5 minutes, does that mean automatic misters, or hand misting? I hand mist my cage for only about 30 sec. 2-3 times a day. I do have a small enclosure right now, but my humidity never goes under 40%.

 

[Sepioteuthis]

misting isn't just for the humidity, it's also to provide drinking water. It varies per species and individual but my chams won't drink unless the water hits them on the head.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

misting isn't just for the humidity, it's also to provide drinking water. It varies per species and individual but my chams won't drink unless the water hits them on the head.

A lot of keepers mist to stimulate drinking, which in many cases can take several minutes.
This does make a drainage system essential.
What concerns me is the feeling that there needs to be a certain time (ie: "I mist for 20 minutes, three times a day") and that is the rule for everyone.
It takes a bit of intuition, common sense and observation to provide your chameleon with adequate hydration.
It does not rain 5 times every day for 5 minutes anywhere that I am aware of (except in chameleon enclosures)
Overly wet environments encourage mold, bacteria, and parasites like coccidia... not to mention the possibility of respiratory issues. (all reasons why waterfalls are a bad idea)
If misting is the only way water is provided, certainly a 30 second mist will not be sufficient, however, we don't need to drown them either.

-Brad

 

[bg77]

The enclosure needs to dry out completely between mistings.
Is this the only way water is provided?
If so then 5 times is alright, but maybe for only a minute or two.
Are there live plants in the enclosure?
I just get nervous about too much moisture.

-Brad

The cage does dry out between misting. I do not use a dripper now that I have a misting system. Yes I do have live plants.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

The cage does dry out between misting. I do not use a dripper now that I have a misting system. Yes I do have live plants.

I assumed you did have live plants in the enclosure (had to ask tho)
They should help out a lot with the humidity.
I'm sure everything is fine the way you're doing it ... but ...
I still think it rains an awful lot where your chameleon lives
Does your mister have to go for the same amount of time every time, or can you set it to mist for shorter times later in the day?
ie: 5 minute mist when lights come on, 1 minute mists at noon, 3:00 and 5:00.
I don't have a misting system and would be curious to know if that's possible.

-Brad

 

[bg77]

Oh yeah, it can mist at anytime for as little as 1 minute at a time. I never thought about misting for different lenght of times. I think I will change it up a bit.