Where to buy veiled safe plants?

[bryceoneal]

Hey everyone! i’m new here but i’ve been browsing for the past couple of days and everyone seems very nice and knowledgeable. anyways, i was recently given a fully grown adult female Vieled chameleon (her name is Pascal, from the previous owners) and she’s about 3 years old from what they tell me. i’ve never had a chameleon before, but had a bit of general knowledge about them and reptiles in general,but i still did all the research i could in the few days i had before getting her. she has no live plants in her enclosure but i really want to get her some, but i don’t know where to purchase chameleon safe plants online or in stores (i’m located in pennsylvania USA) the plants i was thinking of getting was pothos and a dwarf umbrella tree (i think that’s what it’s called) and also a ficus, i’m willing to change/add/ to those options but that’s what seemed like the best options. any advice on good plants and where to get them is greatly appreciated!

 

[bryceoneal]

Hey everyone! i’m new here but i’ve been browsing for the past couple of days and everyone seems very nice and knowledgeable. anyways, i was recently given a fully grown adult female Vieled chameleon (her name is Pascal, from the previous owners) and she’s about 3 years old from what they tell me. i’ve never had a chameleon before, but had a bit of general knowledge about them and reptiles in general,but i still did all the research i could in the few days i had before getting her. she has no live plants in her enclosure but i really want to get her some, but i don’t know where to purchase chameleon safe plants online or in stores (i’m located in pennsylvania USA) the plants i was thinking of getting was pothos and a dwarf umbrella tree (i think that’s what it’s called) and also a ficus, i’m willing to change/add/ to those options but that’s what seemed like the best options. any advice on good plants and where to get them is greatly appreciated!

i also forgot to mention: her cage is 2ft by 2ft by 3 ft tall but it might be slightly taller i haven’t actually measured it that’s just what i was told it was and it looks about right

 

[Decadancin]

Welcome to the Forums! Congrats on your new chameleon. Did the previous owner discuss egg laying with you? Since you have a female you will need to have an egg laying bin available for her.

As for plants, the ones you mentioned are great and usually can be found at Lowes. Even during the cooler months you should be able to find the pothos in the inside plant area of the store.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Welcome! As stated above good choices and they can be found online or at any local garden center.

Thank you for doing your homework early on and not waiting until a problem arises. Since this was just kind of dropped in your lap we would love to help you with any husbandry questions you may have. The questions below are a great place to start!

Please fill out the “how to ask for help” form and post your answers back here. Quality pictures will help us help you.

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.


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Please Note:

1 The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.

2 Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

I will add one important step to whatever plants you get....
Any plant bought usually has insecticides and fertilizer. You will need to wash plant thoroughly, buy some ORGANIC potting soil and wash off as much old soil as possible and repot in new soil. On top of the soil cover with pebbles large enough that your cham can't accidentally swallow while going after a bug. This also keeps the cham from ingesting the soil which could cause impaction. Welcome to the wonderful world of chams/money takers.

 

[bryceoneal]

so we had not discussed egg laying and that is the one topic i don’t know much about, so i asked her if she had ever laid eggs before and she said no i’m so confused but i’m almost positive the cham is female as there are spurs on the back legs so i’m not sure what to do or what’s going on with that at all
i included a hopefully decent picture of her back legs, i’m currently on mobile and i have no idea how to work pictures i will try to upload more

 

[ERKleRose]

Spurs equals male

 

[Fiona's Mom]

so we had not discussed egg laying and that is the one topic i don’t know much about, so i asked her if she had ever laid eggs before and she said no i’m so confused but i’m almost positive the cham is female as there are spurs on the back legs so i’m not sure what to do or what’s going on with that at all
i included a hopefully decent picture of her back legs, i’m currently on mobile and i have no idea how to work pictures i will try to upload more

If she/he has spurs on the heel of her back feet...she is a he. Males have the spurs. Your picture is not clear enough to tell. If there is a bump about the size of half a grain of rice located on the center of the heel...boy. Smooth heel...girl. Markings make me lean towards male...but try to get a closeup of the back of the hind foot.

 

[bryceoneal]

i filled out the form, all of my answers are in parentheses

◦ Your Chameleon - The species (veiled), sex (female but we maybe questioning this bc of a lack of eggs), and age of your chameleon(3 years). How long has it been in your care?(3 days)

◦ Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?(every day so far for 3-10 minutes but don’t plan on handling every day or for long)

◦ Feeding - What are you feeding your cham?(crickets and superworms, used to eat a diet of just crickets) What amount?(was eating 10 cricks a day now eats about 5-6 cricks(is offered 10 but isn’t interested in all of them, maybe bc of new environment? and 2 superworms a day) What is the schedule?(every day) How are you gut-loading your feeders? (flukers orange cube complete cricket diet)

◦ Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?(had no vitamins and no calcium until 3 days ago when i got her, she gets her food dusted every other day with calcium, i use exoterra calcium without d3)

◦ Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use?(spray bottle, spraying down leaves, previous owners had a small tupperware bowl of water at the bottom of the cage that they claim she drinks out of, i left it in just in case she does) How often and how long to you mist?(previous owners misted her 2x a day once in the morning once about 5 pm, i do at least 3x a day if not 5 i just mist her fake plants for a little bit i make sure they are dripping) Do you see your chameleon drinking?(i have not yet seen her drink off of leaves or out of her bowl)

◦ Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. (egg white color/ consistency, harder black poops, harder brown poops, and white poops that look like cheese curds, all in the same poop session lol) Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?(not that i know of and i highly doubt it)

◦ History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.(she was rescued by her previous owners, and now i am attempting to rescue her again lol, there is nothing out of the ordinary that i have been told that hasn’t already been mentioned, except she had a 2-3 inch portion of the spines on her back missing, previous owners said the owner before them was careless and probably had some sort of accident but she has healed fine (at least it seems like it) but there seems to be no scarring or anything (idk if/how chams scar) but it looks like it could’ve maybe been some sort of birth defect bc i suspect an injury like that would’ve killed her)


Cage Info:

◦ Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) (screen) What are the dimensions? (2feet deep 2 feet wide 3 feet tall)

◦ Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? (all lighting came from previous owner. i believe it is zoomed i have a heat lamp which i believe is 100 watts, and a tropical uvb bulb which i believe is somewhere between 100-150 watts),What is your daily lighting schedule? (12 hrs on, twelve hrs off, 7am-7pm lights on)

◦ Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)?(the cage is a steady 75 degrees all around, basking spot reaches about 95 degrees) Lowest overnight temp?(id say 73, my room stay very warm) How do you measure these temps? cool side is measured with a simple stick on thermometer and hygrometer, basking spot is checked with a flir thermal camera)

◦ Humidity - What are your humidity levels? ((50-70) How are you creating and maintaining these levels?(misting cage, naturally humid house) What do you use to measure humidity? (simple stick on hygrometer)

◦ Plants - Are you using live plants?(no but i’m working on locating some) If so, what kind?

◦ Placement - Where is your cage located? (on top of my desk) Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas?(no, there is a fan in the middle of the room but it’s on low and pointed away from her, to circulate air) At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?(probably about 5 and a half feet or so)

◦ Location - Where are you geographically located?(pennsylvania usa)


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.(plants, egg laying, and lots of general knowledge)

 

[bryceoneal]

seems to me that actually, Pascal is a boy i included pictures of the back legs and him/her being very angry at my phone for pictures and showing his/her darker colors

 

[ERKleRose]

Definitely male, he needs a 2 ft by 2 ft by 4 ft tall screen enclosure, and either an all-in-one vitamin like Repashy Calcium Plus or Sticky Tongue Farms Minerall or calcium (no phosphorus or D3) daily, calcium (no phosphorus with D3) every 2 weeks, and a multivitamin every 2 weeks together. Is your uvb linear or regular bulb?

 

[Fiona's Mom]

Congratulatios...it's a boy. No need to worry about eggs. Get rid of orange cubes...fresh fruits and veggies or bug burger or cricket crack. Dust feeders lightly everyday with calcium without D3 everyday...with D3 once every 2 weeks and multi vitamin once every 2 weeks. Lower basking temp to around 85. May eventually want to go to 2X2X4' enclosure. I am sure others will jump in on other tweeks to make.

 

[ERKleRose]

Also,vary up your types of feeders, go to the chameleon forums sponsors pages to look at some feeder websites, also look for local feeder businesses or local exotic shops, too. I feed red runner roaches, dubia roaches, superworms, crickets, silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, and black soldier fly larvae, and want to get into snails (helix aspersa) and stick insects and mantids

 

[ERKleRose]

Forgot about gutload, make your own with fresh organic fruits and veggies or give them something like cricket crack or Pangea gutload, Repashy, Mazuri, etc

 

[Fiona's Mom]

Post picture of enclosure please.

 

[ERKleRose]

Forgot about gutload, make your own with fresh organic fruits and veggies or give them something like cricket crack or Pangea gutload, Repashy, Mazuri, etc

Sorry, Fiona’s Mom got to the gutload before me

 

[Fiona's Mom]

Sorry, Fiona’s Mom got to the gutload before me

Best to over help than under help.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

You can also cut back on feeding to every other day. 5 crickets or the equivalent in other feeders. You don't want him too fat.

 

[bryceoneal]

i have no idea about the bulb, is there any way to tell?
okay so i’m making myself checklist of things to do.

taller enclosure
daily calcium
multivitamin every 2 weeks
better gutload, fresh fruits and veggies or bug burger
more diet variety what are the best/most cost effective staple options, and some good treats?
cut back feeding, 5 bugs a day, every other day? that sounds like too little but we can tell i’m definitely not the expert here haha

does that list sound good? oh and live plants!
i was wondering what a good weight for him is, as i plan to try to weigh him soon.
here’s enclosure pictures, i just added three vines today and that piece of wood hanging from the top (i definitely thought it was going to be way bigger when i bought it LOL) so before this it was one vine and the two bamboo sticks with all the fake plants shown here just arranged differently i’ll try to find a before the vines picture

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Thank you for filling out the form and accepting the criticism gracefully.