Update on my lil guy’s recovery

[thereptileguy]

So I got Waldo to eat and drink a few days ago and yesterday. His eyes are still closed but I managed to get him to drink water and eat insects dusted with D3 calcium powder. I know chameleons usually don’t eat if they can’t see their prey, and I’m honestly quite shocked and happy that he is eating and drinking.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

How do you get him to eat if he cant see?

 

[thereptileguy]

So I got Waldo to eat and drink a few days ago and yesterday. His eyes are still closed but I managed to get him to drink water and eat insects dusted with D3 calcium powder. I know chameleons usually don’t eat if they can’t see their prey, and I’m honestly quite shocked and happy that he is eating and drinking.

I also wanted to mention that the T5 Strip UVB bulb and fixture finally arrived.

 

[thereptileguy]

How do you get him to eat if he cant see?

After I would give him water, he would open him mouth and then I would gently put a calcium dusted wax worm and set it in his mouth and then he proceeds to chew it and swallow it.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

After I would give him water, he would open him mouth and then I would gently put a calcium dusted wax worm and set it in his mouth and then he proceeds to chew it and swallow it.

I dont really remember your old threads, is he being treated?

 

[thereptileguy]

I dont really remember your old threads, is he being treated?

Yes he is. His vet has me giving him eye drops and an oral antibiotic

 

[ERKleRose]

Would you mind filling out the husbandry form, please (I noticed you haven’t filled one out in your previous threads)? Make sure to do so in as much detail as possible and to include more pics of him, his entire cage (lights to bottom), and his lights. Let me know if I need to paste it for you.

 

[thereptileguy]

Would you mind filling out the husbandry form, please (I noticed you haven’t filled one out in your previous threads)? Make sure to do so in as much detail as possible and to include more pics of him, his entire cage (lights bottom), and his lights. Let me know if I need to paste it for you.

Please paste the form!

 

[jannb]

So I got Waldo to eat and drink a few days ago and yesterday. His eyes are still closed but I managed to get him to drink water and eat insects dusted with D3 calcium powder. I know chameleons usually don’t eat if they can’t see their prey, and I’m honestly quite shocked and happy that he is eating and drinking.

That’s great news!

Use calcium without d3 at most feedings and d3 no more than twice a month.

 

[ERKleRose]

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.

 

[Beman]

I also wanted to mention that the T5 Strip UVB bulb and fixture finally arrived.

You want to make sure that the uvb is over a branch he can easily grip. What fixture type and bulb strength did you get? I can tell you the distance to the branch needed for the correct UVI level.

 

[thereptileguy]

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.

Male veiled chameleon, he is about 6 months old he has been in my care for 2 months. I handle him, when I clean his enclosure (which is about twice a week) and to feed him. I feed him a variety of insects from superworms to wax worms, calcium worms, crickets, and occasionally I would give him small hornworms. I have a bin where I store my feeders and I gutload them with a variety of fruits and vegetables (that are safe for chameleons) I feed him twice a day, first being in the morning when I wake up, second being late to mid afternoon. I use a fogger at night, and I most his cage during the day (5-6 times a day) I stop misting his cage after 3 minutes of misting, yes I do see him drinking water. His poop has been a brown color and his pee is a solid white. He has not been tested for parasites. He has a mesh cage (5 feet tall, 4 feet wide) I use a Zilla basking lamp, and a Zilla UVA lamp. I use the UVA lamp when I wake up at 7:30AM, the at 1:30PM I swap lamps and use the basking lamp for the remainder of the day. I use the UVA lamp for the first half of the day, then I use the basking lamp for the second half of the day. Then I use a ZooMed T5 Strip UVB with a ZooMed fixture. I turn the UVB lamp on when I wake up, then turn it off before I go to sleep. I leave it on for the whole day since I know that wire mesh absorbs 50% of UVB radiation. I have his basking spot at about 81 degrees (Fahrenheit) and his night time temps stay around 67-73 degrees (Fahrenheit). I have a thermometer gauge in his enclosure. I keep his humidity between 70 and 80 percent. I have a humidity gauge set by near his enclosure. I have 5 little air plants that I sometimes put in his cage, but most of the times I have them next to his enclosure. I also have a split Leaf Philodendron that I have as an edible plant that I have outside of his enclosure to put him on while feeding him. His enclosure is by a window that I rarely open, I only open it when it’s nice and warm outside. His cage is on a table and from top to my floor it is about 6 feet high. I am located in Garfield Heights, Ohio. Current problem I’m concerned with is his eye infections.

 

[thereptileguy]

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.

I also have Fluker’s liquid vitamin and I use ExoTerra Calcium powder supplements

 

[ERKleRose]

After I would give him water, he would open him mouth and then I would gently put a calcium dusted wax worm and set it in his mouth and then he proceeds to chew it and swallow it.

How do you give him water?

 

[thereptileguy]

How do you give him water?

I drip it on his nose and crown

 

[Beman]

@ERKleRose just want to make sure you are not already working on the help form, Let me know. If not I will do it.

 

[ERKleRose]

@ERKleRose just want to make sure you are not already working on the help form, Let me know. If not I will do it.

It’s yours if you want, I’m not near a computer right now

 

[Beman]

It’s yours if you want, I’m not near a computer right now

k I will get it done now.

 

[Beman]

See my feedback and questions in bold.

Male veiled chameleon, he is about 6 months old he has been in my care for 2 months.

I handle him, when I clean his enclosure (which is about twice a week) and to feed him. What do you mean when you feed him?

I feed him a variety of insects from superworms to wax worms, calcium worms, crickets, and occasionally I would give him small hornworms. How many feeders are you feeding and are you feeding everyday?

I also have Fluker’s liquid vitamin and I use ExoTerra Calcium powder supplements. Please post pictures of what your using. The liquid one is not the correct supplement for a chameleon.

I have a bin where I store my feeders and I gutload them with a variety of fruits and vegetables (that are safe for chameleons)
I feed him twice a day, first being in the morning when I wake up, second being late to mid afternoon. He should really be on one feeding a day in the morning at this point.

I use a fogger at night, and I most his cage during the day (5-6 times a day) I stop misting his cage after 3 minutes of misting, yes I do see him drinking water. You can only use a fogger if the room is colder then 67 degrees. Otherwise it becomes hot moist air and this leads to Respiratory infections. Really need a temp drop down to 65 at night. You want to mist in the morning and the evening. Then provide a dripper onto plants during the day.

His poop has been a brown color and his pee is a solid white. He has not been tested for parasites.

He has a mesh cage (5 feet tall, 4 feet wide) This is not the size of your cage. Guessing yours is 18 square and 36 high. This will not be large enough for him in a few months he will totally outgrow it. Need a 2x2x4ft. I use a Zilla basking lamp, and a Zilla UVA lamp. I use the UVA lamp when I wake up at 7:30AM, the at 1:30PM I swap lamps and use the basking lamp for the remainder of the day. I use the UVA lamp for the first half of the day, then I use the basking lamp for the second half of the day. Then I use a ZooMed T5 Strip UVB with a ZooMed fixture. I turn the UVB lamp on when I wake up, then turn it off before I go to sleep. I leave it on for the whole day since I know that wire mesh absorbs 50% of UVB radiation. So this is a bit confusing. You really want to provide heat once they have eaten. They need to be able to bask and digest. UVB should be on for 12 hours. No lights at all at night.

I have his basking spot at about 81 degrees (Fahrenheit) and his night time temps stay around 67-73 degrees (Fahrenheit). I have a thermometer gauge in his enclosure. Night time temps need to be 67 and below not hotter...

I keep his humidity between 70 and 80 percent. I have a humidity gauge set by near his enclosure. This is way too high for a daytime level. Should be 30-50% max. You are misting too much during the day...

I have 5 little air plants that I sometimes put in his cage, but most of the times I have them next to his enclosure. I also have a split Leaf Philodendron that I have as an edible plant that I have outside of his enclosure to put him on while feeding him. The air plants are pointless. All fake plants need to come out and be hooked to the outside of the enclosure. Waterfall in the bottom must be removed. The extra stuff on the bottom removed. You need live plants that are veiled safe in the cage. More mature plants that will fill out that cage. Then put 1 inch or larger rock on top of the soil to keep him from eating the soil. The hanging ball needs to be removed. This is not made for a chameleon. The moss is an impaction risk. See this link for plants. Home depot or lowes are good places to buy indoor plants. https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf

His enclosure is by a window that I rarely open, I only open it when it’s nice and warm outside. His cage is on a table and from top to my floor it is about 6 feet high. I am located in Garfield Heights, Ohio. Current problem I’m concerned with is his eye infections.

 

[ERKleRose]

May I just add that superworms and waxworms should only be used as treats, along with hornworms. The Fluker’s Orange Cubes aren’t a good gutload at all. What are the exact gutload ingredients you use? I’ve attached gutload and feeder charts for you to follow below. Are you using a multivitamin? If so, Exo Terra is not a good one. You want a powdered phosphorus-free calcium without D3 to use at every feeding, except for once per week, where you’ll rotate weekly between a phosphorus-free calcium with D3 and a multivitamin with preformed vitamin A but no D3 (like Zoo Med Reptivite Without D3), so that each is used once every two weeks. What brand and strength of UVB bulb do you have, and how far away is it away from his basking branch, along with the heat bulb’s distance? His cage needs veiled-tested live plants, properly cleaned, repotted in organic soil, and the soil in the pots covered with rocks too big for him to eat. You also need branches of multiple species and diameters (just none from toxic or sap-producing trees) and safe vines (no Exo Terra, moss, or fake vines with leaves on them), preferably all live. Is your window energy efficient/does it change the air temps by it? If you give me some time, I can attach some very helpful links for you.