Newbie Veiled Cham owner - help

famous · #1 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 04:52 AM

Just have a few questions about housing them and odd behaviors. My cham is kept in a 25 gallon reptile tank tipped on its side with a 5.0 uv light and a 100 watt repcal sunglo light bulb. During the day the top of the tank is 100-105 fahrenheit. I have a decent sized live Pothos plant in it so that shades down everything a bit. I mist him often keeping the humidity at 50-70%

At night while he sleeps he is a very light green, but during the day, ecspecially the morning he is a darker brown, unless I take him out of his cage. I was told he should only be handled once or twice a week or he will die. How can I get him more comfortable during the day?

The other weird thing he does is gape. He will be sitting at the top of the tank and will open his mouth and sit there for 5-10 minutes with his mouth wide open.

I've never seen him drink but he does have a healthy appetite, i feed him 10-15 crickets a day.

sarahking20 · #2 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 09:05 AM

we handle ours about once a day (well when we spray her cage shecrawls up my arm to get out) and she wonder round the living room.
how old is your cham?
im useless at this gallon thing, what are the dimensions of the enclosure?
as for the drinking, i very rarely see mine drink, but if i do she usually licks the droplets off of the leaves or chases them down the walls!!

sarahking20 · #3 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 09:06 AM

the gaping is their way of sweating
is it breathing ok?

paulskin · #4 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 09:13 AM

a dark colouration usually means stress or and illness,stress can easily be caused by handling young chams,how does your cham seem to toleratre this.also lots and lots of foilage will ease stress

Forestjewel · #5 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 09:15 AM

If your cham is a baby you are frying it with those temps, babies need it much cooler than adults. Change your bulb to a 20-25 watt halogen lamp, my adults only have 60 watts on a dimmer stat.

macro junkie · #6 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 09:19 AM

"I was told he should only be handled once or twice a week or he will die"

lol...is this true?

famous · #7 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 12:38 PM

He is a baby. I have a 100 watt on a dimmer. Approx. what temp should it be at? I thought it was too cold for him? Dimensions are 2 1/2 feet tall, 1 foot wide and 1 foot deep. He is in a fairly high traffic area. Could that affect things as well? His breathing seems normal.
Thank you for the quick replies

sushigeezer · #8 (**permalink**) 31-08-2008, 01:13 PM

chams are regulting their body temperature by sitting with open mouth.

temperature 100 F is way to high, I'm keeping basking spot not highier than 30 C which should be around 87F.

Mr Wendal · #9 (**permalink**) 01-09-2008, 02:23 AM

Hi,
There is a link to a couple of books you may want to consider in my posting of 29th August. Your local library should be able to order these in if you don’t want the expense of purchasing them. Or try Amazon UK for second-hand/used copies.

I’m new to reptiles (1 month) and I would appear to have a very young veiled chameleon, as he’s only 6”-8” max nose to tail. Whilst the male veiled I handled yesterday has been owned for approx 1yr and was at least the length of my hand & forearm (18” approx) Very tame, and quite happy to be out on my shoulder/head and be handled, even though there were a large crowd including screaming kids around me.

Personally, I have been given so much conflicting information I don’t know what to believe or what to do for the best, hence my posting. I'm guessing the extremes of information is because every chameleon has its own personalaity/temprement? Even though they come from the same species. Humans are different, so why shouldn’t reptiles be the same? Maybe this also applies to moods, appetite and general well being?

The BEST source of information should be the person/shop you purchased it from, if not maybe they can get the breeder to call you or better still contact your local specialist reptile shop? But seek advice wherever possible, and try to apply/dismiss that advise as you see fit. Good ole common sense has played a large part in what I have decided is best for my cham, given all the information I have sought & been given/read.

My cham is in an exo-terra glass terrarium (mesh top) that measures 2ft high x 18”wide/deep. With a dual top canopy 2x 14w repti-glo fluorescent tubes + 1 x 35w sun-glo bulb. The temperature taken 1/3rd down and ½ way across the side, which has read no more than 85f max. Humidity measures between 40-70% (varies with temperature/misting) this is taken again 1/3rd down ½ way across the side (opposite from the temperature) Lights on for a maximum of 12hrs per day. I don’t know if this is right, but it works for my cham + me. I fully expect to be purchasing a bigger/taller terrarium/vivarium within 6mths or so as my cham matures.

The basking spot is approx 3”-5” away from the 35w sun-glo bulb, I’ve also made sure there are other levels evenly spaced apart and at connecting branches are at 45 degree. I also have silk ficus + abulition plants and use chipped orchid bark as a substrate. In short I have tried to make a varied environment that has a bit of “everything” hot/cold as well as light/dark + places to hide. My cham does move about during the day, in the afternoons he tends to be further away from the sun-glo lamp, but he will go back and have a top-up from time to time especially if he’s been out.

I’ve resisted using real plants like Ficus/Croton/Pothos because I can’t be sure that I can get 100% organic, plus silk are easier to clean/maintain.

Food wise I say mine eats no more that 6-8 gut-loaded crickets per day, supplemented with the odd wax/meal worm when he comes out as a treat, I have tired to get into a routine and my cham gets fed at roughly the same time everyday, and also comes out at roughly the same time only for 20-30mins max. That gives me a chance to check him over + see what he’s eaten + tidy-up his environment, I do a thorough wash/clean of his terrarium every week + remove any uneaten crickets dead or alive.

* I have tired to care just as much for my chams “live food” too, after all if that’s in good condition, it stands to reason he will reap more benefit & nourishment.

My cham is situated in a high traffic area of our through lounge, I also have a dog! Plus lots of visitors. My cham seems unfazed (no major colour change) even though everyone seems to want to put his or her nose right up against the glass to have a good look at him. And if it gets to noisy + lots of movement, he seems to withdraw and hide, once it’s quite again, he’s back out on his favourite vine, almost like he is watching the world go by…

Finally I have never seen my cham drink in the month I have owned him, even though I mist his viv twice a day. I say he looks well, in fact he's put on a bit of weight and starting to grow (according to a friend who only visits on a weekly basis) So foods going in & the waste coming out, no major colour changes, handled everyday, I must be doing what’s right for my cham, despite what I have been advised.

Hope all goes well for you, and you get any issues sorted out....

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