why is he always so dark?

[xxaprilrose]

Today is 9 days since I got my male panther chameleon. He is about 3.5 months.. The last couple days he has been really dark. Like all day, or at least when I go peek in on him. Is he ok? He's eating fine, pooping fine (and look normal with white pee), and hes drinking. Now my question is, could humidity cause this? In NY it has been storms the past 3 days and himidity is 90% outside. I have an a/c running in his room which also helps with humidity but his enclosure still is at 75-80% all day. I cant get the humidity to drop with this weather going on at all. Even the dehumidifier (high end brand, usually works really well) still doesnt help that much in current weather. Now I know gingero's videos state that this is normal for new chameleons but honestly im still discouraged lol esp since I just saw a youtuber handling his chameleon on week one and his chameleon was doing perfectly so now I feel like im doing something wrong. I have included pics of his current state, as well as pics the last couple days.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - panther chameleon, male, and 3.5 months. 9 days
• Handling - only first day when I got him to place in his enclosure
• Feeding - Crickets mainly. I got silkworms but he doesnt like them as much and generally only eats them if I use my tongs and place it in front of him. Wont eat them from a bowl or if they are crawling on a vine not near him (even though he sees them)... also bought BSFL but i bought them way too small so im seeing if they grow out a bit before feeding them
• Supplements - flukers calcium WITHOUT d3 dusted on all crickets every feed, I did purchase reptivite WITH d3 that i plan to give once every 3 weeks, have not yet though
• Watering - mist king system during nighttime only since humidity is so high but will spray a couple plants once during the day for him to hydrate
• Fecal Description - dark brown with white urate
• History - no history yet

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - reptibreeze 2x2x4 with pvc panels on 2 sides and extterra 3d foam type background in the back
• Lighting - 2 flukers 8.5 inch rounch lamps with a 75w reptile heating light (believe its zoomed), and a plant bulb for the second one which shows 65 watt, UVB i use the 24inch reptisun t5
• Temperature - plant light was set to 84, bumped it up to 86 for the plants and also because hes been so dark maybe it can help him warm up a tad? the basking light was also set to 85 but now it fluctuates between 86-88 (depends if the ac is running or off), have tried it bumped up to 90 for a day to see if it would help him not be so dark but I didnt notice much change
• Humidity - unfortunately its been hovering around 80% at this time due to the weather and i cant seem to drop it
• Plants - live plants, croton, pothos, bromeliad, wandering jew, swiss cheese plant, umbrella plant, fittonia, stromanthe tristar, hosta, coleus
• Placement - cage is in a corner, on a desk and almost reaches the ceiling, no view of outside but is near a window, also low traffic room and only sounds in room ar fish tanks running and a/c
  • Location - central NY
• 
  Current Problem - hes dark in color
• 
  
  
  
  
  

 

[Beman]

Give me a minute to look over everything... But honestly no being dark is not something they all do while they acclimate. Where did you get him from and how are you testing your temps at basking?

 

[xxaprilrose]

Give me a minute to look over everything... But honestly no being dark is not something they all do while they acclimate. Where did you get him from and how are you testing your temps at basking?

I got him from framschams and I use the probe ones as I was told the heat gun may not be accurate. So I actually have one under the plant light and the basking light then I have a hydrometer/thermometer in the middle of the cage so that gives me the ambient which is 74 right now

 

[Beman]

Today is 9 days since I got my male panther chameleon. He is about 3.5 months.. The last couple days he has been really dark. Like all day, or at least when I go peek in on him. Is he ok? He's eating fine, pooping fine (and look normal with white pee), and hes drinking. Now my question is, could humidity cause this? In NY it has been storms the past 3 days and himidity is 90% outside. I have an a/c running in his room which also helps with humidity but his enclosure still is at 75-80% all day. I cant get the humidity to drop with this weather going on at all. Even the dehumidifier (high end brand, usually works really well) still doesnt help that much in current weather. Now I know gingero's videos state that this is normal for new chameleons but honestly im still discouraged lol esp since I just saw a youtuber handling his chameleon on week one and his chameleon was doing perfectly so now I feel like im doing something wrong. I have included pics of his current state, as well as pics the last couple days.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - panther chameleon, male, and 3.5 months. 9 days
• Handling - only first day when I got him to place in his enclosure
• Feeding - Crickets mainly. I got silkworms but he doesnt like them as much and generally only eats them if I use my tongs and place it in front of him. Wont eat them from a bowl or if they are crawling on a vine not near him (even though he sees them)... also bought BSFL but i bought them way too small so im seeing if they grow out a bit before feeding them It is normal for them to not transition quickly to other feeders when they are younger. Try the BSFL but keep in mind they can get out of bowls. Too small is not an issue too large is.
• Supplements - flukers calcium WITHOUT d3 dusted on all crickets every feed, I did purchase reptivite WITH d3 that i plan to give once every 3 weeks, have not yet though Reptivite with D3 should be every two weeks. So say the 1st and the 15th then calcium without D3 at all other feedings.
• Watering - mist king system during nighttime only since humidity is so high but will spray a couple plants once during the day for him to hydrate. Provide a dripper if you are not doing so. He needs access to water during the day. Plastic cup with a few tiny pin holes set on top of the screen over the plants works great. Add ice cubes for a slower drip or water for a faster drip.
• Fecal Description - dark brown with white urate
• History - no history yet

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - reptibreeze 2x2x4 with pvc panels on 2 sides and extterra 3d foam type background in the back... You could pull a side panel for extra air flow. The issue with hybrid style in high humidity environments is that you loose airflow. IT holds in all that humidity. Adding an ocilating fan a few feet from the cage on low will help move the air around.
• Lighting - 2 flukers 8.5 inch rounch lamps with a 75w reptile heating light (believe its zoomed), and a plant bulb for the second one which shows 65 watt, UVB i use the 24inch reptisun t5
• Temperature - plant light was set to 84, bumped it up to 86 for the plants and also because hes been so dark maybe it can help him warm up a tad? the basking light was also set to 85 but now it fluctuates between 86-88 (depends if the ac is running or off), have tried it bumped up to 90 for a day to see if it would help him not be so dark but I didnt notice much change.. This is pretty hot for a baby.... What were the temps the breeder was providing? How are you measuring your temps? Babies will bake themselves heck adults will too. So really be careful increasing temps. They can dehydrate and have issues.
• Humidity - unfortunately its been hovering around 80% at this time due to the weather and i cant seem to drop it
• Plants - live plants, croton, pothos, bromeliad, wandering jew, swiss cheese plant, umbrella plant, fittonia, stromanthe tristar, hosta, coleus
• Placement- cage is in a corner, on a desk and almost reaches the ceiling, no view of outside but is near a window, also low traffic room and only sounds in room ar fish tanks running and a/c
  • Location - central NY
• 
  Current Problem - hes dark in color IME I have noticed that they can show dark colors even when temps are right. They eat quite a bit so they are consistently digesting.

 

[Beman]

I got him from framschams and I use the probe ones as I was told the heat gun may not be accurate. So I actually have one under the plant light and the basking light then I have a hydrometer/thermometer in the middle of the cage so that gives me the ambient which is 74 right now

Did you ask them what temps they keep their babies at?

Ok and the probes are at the highest points where he is sitting? I ask because some of those branches are really close to the fixtures.

 

[xxaprilrose]

Did you ask them what temps they keep their babies at?

Ok and the probes are at the highest points where he is sitting? I ask because some of those branches are really close to the fixtures.

the probes are directly under the actual bulb and at the hightest point there. There are def higher branches but they are more towards the end of the light fixture and didnt read as high of a temp than when it was directly under the bulb. at least they didnt when i set up the cage and tested then but right now the probes are ziptied down... also their care sheet said temps 85-90 i believe. ill have to double check that

 

[ERKleRose]

Also, what brand and strength of UVB do you have, and how far away is it from his basking branch? What do you gutload with?

 

[ERKleRose]

the probes are directly under the actual bulb and at the hightest point there. There are def higher branches but they are more towards the end of the light fixture and didnt read as high of a temp than when it was directly under the bulb. at least they didnt when i set up the cage and tested then but right now the probes are ziptied down... also their care sheet said temps 85-90 i believe. ill have to double check that

You want the basking temp to be 80*F with the probe placed where the top of his back is when he’s on his basking branch

 

[xxaprilrose]

Also, what brand and strength of UVB do you have, and how far away is it from his basking branch? What do you gutload with?

reptisun t5 and about 8 inches. as for gutloading collar greens and zuchini.... also i just fed him 2 silkworms with tongs (tried for a third but he walked away) and when doing so he turned a really light color and when he was done he went back to basking and turned dark again

 

[Beman]

the probes are directly under the actual bulb and at the hightest point there. There are def higher branches but they are more towards the end of the light fixture and didnt read as high of a temp than when it was directly under the bulb. at least they didnt when i set up the cage and tested then but right now the probes are ziptied down... also their care sheet said temps 85-90 i believe. ill have to double check that

Maybe shoot them an email and clarify what they keep their babies at. Certain breeders keep babies warmer. This is when you need to slowly acclimate them to a lower temp. But a lot of them keep them in the 80-85 range. Your baby can show really dark colors and everything be perfectly normal. Typically when they are too cold they actually try to get to the hotter areas so going to the highest branch or even screen climbing the top. But they are able to digest perfectly well at 78-80. There really is no need for intense heat.

I have a herpstat that controls my basking temp. It is set at 82 on the branch. Where Beman rises up is warmer. So he gets a max of 85. So you do need to account for it being hotter above the branch.

 

[xxaprilrose]

Maybe shoot them an email and clarify what they keep their babies at. Certain breeders keep babies warmer. This is when you need to slowly acclimate them to a lower temp. But a lot of them keep them in the 80-85 range. Your baby can show really dark colors and everything be perfectly normal. Typically when they are too cold they actually try to get to the hotter areas so going to the highest branch or even screen climbing the top. But they are able to digest perfectly well at 78-80. There really is no need for intense heat.

I have a herpstat that controls my basking temp. It is set at 82 on the branch. Where Beman rises up is warmer. So he gets a max of 85. So you do need to account for it being hotter above the branch.

oh wow so it could be that hes too hot? I thought they did it when they need more heat so im sitting here trying to adjust the heat lamp higher to see how he adjusts when i should be going lower? that branch that sticks up vertically in some of the pics above is the hightest point in the cage which he was on this morning as well.. the last 2 pics posted are actually from today. and yes I will for sure reach out and ask them! thanks for the tip

 

[ERKleRose]

reptisun t5 and about 8 inches. as for gutloading collar greens and zuchini.... also i just fed him 2 silkworms with tongs (tried for a third but he walked away) and when doing so he turned a really light color and when he was done he went back to basking and turned dark again

Is the bulb a 5.0 or 10.0? Here’s a gutload chart, use as many ingredients as possible (in the correct ratios) to give your cham the most nutrition!

oh wow so it could be that hes too hot? I thought they did it when they need more heat so im sitting here trying to adjust the heat lamp higher to see how he adjusts when i should be going lower? that branch that sticks up vertically in some of the pics above is the hightest point in the cage which he was on this morning as well.. the last 2 pics posted are actually from today. and yes I will for sure reach out and ask them! thanks for the tip

What’s the distance and temps of the branch under his heat bulb?

 

[Beman]

oh wow so it could be that hes too hot? I thought they did it when they need more heat so im sitting here trying to adjust the heat lamp higher to see how he adjusts when i should be going lower? that branch that sticks up vertically in some of the pics above is the hightest point in the cage which he was on this morning as well.. the last 2 pics posted are actually from today. and yes I will for sure reach out and ask them! thanks for the tip

Its hard... It is all trial and error. But I have seen both babies being very dark when the breeder kept them much warmer then they are being kept and babies staying very dark when their temps are too warm. But what I will say is you will see much darker colors more often when they are young because they bask so much more due to the food intake. When they are older they bask less.

 

[ERKleRose]

Is the bulb a 5.0 or 10.0? Here’s a gutload chart, use as many ingredients as possible (in the correct ratios) to give your cham the most nutrition!

What’s the distance and temps of the branch under his heat bulb?

Forgot the chart, sorry!