Veiled Chameleon

[Kntonoff]

Hi everyone,

I have a Veiled Chameleon, and I have had her for almost 4 weeks and I just want to make sure that I am doing everything right. If I am doing anything wrong or if you have any recommendations please let me know

Gender: Female
Age: Unknown, but I would guess 1-2 months
Feeding Habits: Meal Worms, about 3-6 a day
Temperature: Around 60-80 degrees
Humidity Levels: Ranges from 50-60%
Lighting: 50 watt neodymium basking bulb
Plants: 2 small sized plants, 1 medium sized plant, and a long vine
Water: Spraying about 4-8 times a day, and I run the drip tank for about an hour each day.
Supplements: Fluker's Calcium with D3
Fecal Matter: Dark, with whitish yellowish urates

Question #1 - Ok, so I've read that yellow or orange urates can mean dehydration. So i have tried took a Syringe dropper and let her drink from that today, but I don't want to train her to drink out of a syringe. The first couple weeks she was okay and was drinking out of the drip tank, and off of the walls when I sprayed them, but she doesn't do it anymore. What should I do to make her drink out of the drip tank or off the walls again? (I can only turn of the drip tank for an hour or else it floods the tank)

Question #2: When I turn on my drip tank it the floods the entire tank and makes the substrate really wet and then I have to change the substrate every three days because she gets substrate on her (she tends to go in the substrate sometimes). I want her to have access to water all of the time. How do I prevent flooding in the tank? (I have already put moss under where the drip tank is.)


If I am doing anything wrong, or if you can answer my questions, please let me know. All recommendations will be appreciated!

 

[SaintJimmy]

• Get rid of the substrate
• Try to feed her a varied diet. Not just mealworms. Crickets/dubias/hornworms/silkworms/superworms/caliworms do just fine
• Get a UVB bulb
• Get NON D3 calcium and feed that EVERY day on the food, then 2 times a month you can do the D3 calcium dust
• Make a drainage system/buy a drainage pan to avoid flooding of the tank. Moss/substrate is not a good idea in a chameleon tank, they may swallow it and become impacted since their digestive systems are so tiny

Those are the first things I see wrong, but other than that it's good.

As for the water issue: Just quit syringe feeding her the water, and she will eventually drink off the leaves or walls.

 

[Kntonoff]

Thank you
I have a couple of questions
What do you suggest I use instead of substrate?
Also, she is really really tiny, so I don't feed her anything that is too big, because I don't want her to choke of them.

 

[carol5208]

Nothing for substrate. Some people use paper towels, but nothing is best. Also, a uvb is CRITICAL for her health and well being. Get a tube style uvb bulb 5.0. She has already gone a month without it. Can you post a few pictures of her please?

 

[SaintJimmy]

You could buy baby crickets, baby dubia roaches. Your options are limited here until she gets bigger. You could also try fruit flies. My local petco has them so try your luck there for small crickets or fruit flies/super worms even.

UVB is essential.

Bare bottom is the best. For now, put paper towels, bare bottom, or buy a draining system. Drainage systems are only really "sold" as pans, no one really sells an effective rack, so many people make their own.

 

[Kntonoff]

She has a light that provided UVA and UVB it also serves as a basking lamp. Sorry should have been more specific about her lighting. And I will post a picture in a few minutes.