Why does my chameleon look stressed

[LukeTheLizard]

You are so welcome! I remember just starting off and so many people jumped to help me become a better chameleon keeper, and I wanna do the same for everyone else! Once a week isn't bad, I try to hold my cham as little as possible, although sometimes it's hard to resist holding such an amazing animal! But in the end, they are more of a look but dont touch animal. Yay! A pothos and weeping figs are both beautiful plants, and having all live plant enclosures makes the enclosure looks so much more natural and beautiful! Awww I love cresties! And here is the gutload sheet I was talking about, I just get all this gutloading stuff, blend it together, then I freeze it into cubes. That way I can just give the insects the cubes, and they get a perfect balance.

 

[LukeTheLizard]

You can see this one a little easier.

 

[Beman]

I am going to put the feedback in red. example:hello!

Also, all the experts out there, please correct me if I am wrong on any of this, as I am still learning new stuff too.

You did very well with your feedback...

@2134bean
Only things I would note for the original poster.. You want to mist morning and evening rather then multiple times during the day. This will help control your humidity levels but also allow for the cage to dry out during the day.

Per feeding... Time to curb her back...
By about 6 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeder amounts so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 9-10 months old. Make sure temps at basking are 78-80max end.

I would really fill out that cage with branches and some taller plants. But she will need to be able to easily access her lay bin and the bottom half of the cage otherwise she will screen climb and break her nails.

 

[2134bean]

You are so welcome! I remember just starting off and so many people jumped to help me become a better chameleon keeper, and I wanna do the same for everyone else! Once a week isn't bad, I try to hold my cham as little as possible, although sometimes it's hard to resist holding such an amazing animal! But in the end, they are more of a look but dont touch animal. Yay! A pothos and weeping figs are both beautiful plants, and having all live plant enclosures makes the enclosure looks so much more natural and beautiful! Awww I love cresties! And here is the gutload sheet I was talking about, I just get all this gutloading stuff, blend it together, then I freeze it into cubes. That way I can just give the insects the cubes, and they get a perfect balance.

I'm going to have to try that cube technique, that sounds alot easier. Do you just mix the gutloading stuff or do you add water or something else? Just wondering cuz that sounds like a very smart idea lol.

 

[2134bean]

You did very well with your feedback...

@2134bean
Only things I would note for the original poster.. You want to mist morning and evening rather then multiple times during the day. This will help control your humidity levels but also allow for the cage to dry out during the day.

Per feeding... Time to curb her back...
By about 6 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeder amounts so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 9-10 months old. Make sure temps at basking are 78-80max end.

I would really fill out that cage with branches and some taller plants. But she will need to be able to easily access her lay bin and the bottom half of the cage otherwise she will screen climb and break her nails.

This feels so difficult because everytime I see her she's always begging for food so I feel like she's hungry. Bull ill start feeding 5-10 feeders every other day. And for 3 days a week do you mean 3 insects every day that I feed her? So 9 insects a week? Or am I misunderstanding that lol.

 

[LukeTheLizard]

You did very well with your feedback...

@2134bean
Only things I would note for the original poster.. You want to mist morning and evening rather then multiple times during the day. This will help control your humidity levels but also allow for the cage to dry out during the day.

Per feeding... Time to curb her back...
By about 6 months she should be getting about 5-8 small feeders each day. At about 7 months you want to slowly reduce by cutting down feeder amounts so that she is on a feeding schedule of 3 days a week with 3 feeders. You want them to be on this schedule by the time they are 9-10 months old. Make sure temps at basking are 78-80max end.

I would really fill out that cage with branches and some taller plants. But she will need to be able to easily access her lay bin and the bottom half of the cage otherwise she will screen climb and break her nails.

I have the approval from Beman!(muahaha)

 

[Beman]

This feels so difficult because everytime I see her she's always begging for food so I feel like she's hungry. Bull ill start feeding 5-10 feeders every other day. And for 3 days a week do you mean 3 insects every day that I feed her? So 9 insects a week? Or am I misunderstanding that lol.

So lesson 1 in Veileds... They are like a 2 year old toddler everything goes in the mouth. They will eat until they make themselves puke. Not good. They do not have an off switch. lol
By the time she is 9-10 months old she has to be on a schedule of only 3 days a week with 3 feeders each time.

Start working her down now. If she is seven months then remove a feeder or two from all feedings every week for the next 8 weeks. So that your end result is 3 in one feeding. Going from every other day to 3 days a week really is not a big deal and can be done once your down to 3 feeders.

 

[LukeTheLizard]

I'm going to have to try that cube technique, that sounds alot easier. Do you just mix the gutloading stuff or do you add water or something else? Just wondering cuz that sounds like a very smart idea lol.

I don't use any water, with all the fruits and veggies, it gets the juices from that. i just throw the right amounts into a blender, vroom vroom it up, then I put it into those ice cube trays, and voila.

 

[ERKleRose]

One question I'd like to add is what is the strength, age, and distance from bulb to basking branch of your UVB bulb?

 

[2134bean]

One question I'd like to add is what is the strength, age, and distance from bulb to basking branch of your UVB bulb?

6% t5 arcadia, I've only have it for about 4 months, I'm about to buy a longer one to fit the new tank in about a month or 2, would yall recommend me the same one or to get a different kind. I order them from joshs frogs. I'm not sure the exact distance but i uploaded pictures earlier in the forum.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Another way to add branches is to add lattice to the sides and/or back of your enclosure and then zip tie branches across and at angles by zip tying them to the lattice they in turn brace the lattice in the sides and back and where your branches criss cross you can set in a small potted plant.

 

[ERKleRose]

6% t5 arcadia, I've only have it for about 4 months, I'm about to buy a longer one to fit the new tank in about a month or 2, would yall recommend me the same one or to get a different kind. I order them from joshs frogs. I'm not sure the exact distance but i uploaded pictures earlier in the forum.

The same brand and bulb strength is perfect, just a longer bulb! You'll want to place the UVB bulb 8-9" away from your cham's basking branch. I'd also start saving up for/buy a Solarmeter 6.5, as well, as it'll give you better accuracy and pay for itself in how useful it is!