Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just noticed Charlie doing something today that i havnt seen him do. I found him deep inside the tree in his cage (see attched photo) rather than up near any of his three lights. Could this be a bad sign, or am i just being paranoid?

Jeff

He is well fed and watered, so i dont think that is the problem. Maybe he is doing the thermomigration thing?

Jeff - your pic was not there.
Ot could be any number of things - he just felt like hiding, cooling off or was in there hunting. Double check your temps (do you use a temp gun?) to make sure his basking temps are not too high. If all else is well I am sure he is fine - would love to see that pic!
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she's back!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

You can just see him at the top there underneath the UVB bulb on the right. Instead, tonight he has taken a perch back inside the tree. I was just worried becuase i have never seen him do this before and i am not experienced enough to recongnize behavior that indicates a problem. I need to get a camera to update my photos.

By the way, thanks for all the help recently

Jeff

oh, i dont know if you have seen this pic yet. He is about to much on a mealworm out of my hand.

Thermoregulation is a possibility...especially with spring in the air. I have found mine "deep in the trees" occasionally...Usually during mid day. He as well is eating and drinking fine. Most of us here have heard that age old saying "don't micro-manage". If everything else looks good, just chill and keep an eye out for other things to pop up.

On another note, I have heard many say to avoid the meal worms. Their hard bodied shells are hard to digest and they don't have a ton of nutrients (the experts may want to comment on this). Change up to crix, wax worms and silks.

He looks otherwise healthy. I definately know I am going through spring changes myself!

Good luck.

Kris
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2.1 Black Labs Tucker, Raider and Lacey
1.0 Lepoard Gecko Kumar (Another lost pet RIP and party on with Harold!)
3.0 Horses Smoothie, Rocky and Bogey
1.1 Ferrets Tank and Ellie (The fun fuzzies)
1.1 Veiled Chams Squiggy and Pudge (may she RIP)
0.1 Snowflake Cornsnake Lucky

Hey,
Thanks for the help. I noticed this morning that he drank way more in one sitting than i have ever seen him drink. I think what it may have been is that while it was gettin warmer here my humidity was going up because my windows were open, but yesterday was really cold, so i had to close them and it just got really dry in the cage so he was looking for more humid air in the middle of the plant. I hope thats the case, as i have heard that drinking alot is a sign of calcium and UVB diffeciency.

As for his nuitrition, i save mealworms for little snacks and varity, and when i want some interaction with him or test his appitite. I rarley feed him more than 4 in the corse of the day, and he goes several days without one. His current feeding routine is

day 1; five gut loaded crickets with cricket dust brand powder
Day 2; 2 superworms in the morning and 1 lightly dusted one in the afternoon
Day 3; 2 superwomrs in the morning and 3 undusted crickets
Day 4; 2 waxworms (i figure that 2 of these every fourth day is not too fatty)

also i throw a few mealworms in every now and than for varity and every few days i add some veggy varity with some thawed kale. He normally munches on the pothos and umbrella plant in the cage. I thought he wasnt, but recently i have found bite markes in someleaves.

as for lights, i have 1 20(75w) uvb bulb on the right of the afor mentioned picture (see my last posts) and 1 18inch flourecent bulb behind that. On the left is a heat lamp with spots for him to get closer if he is cold or bask a little farther away if he is warm.

when you see him in the midst of the plants give them a good misting around him (not on him unless he is OK with it) so he can drink and benefit fromt he humidity.

Do not recall from earlier posts - are you using a humidifier to supplement misting? IMO they can't be beat for a single cage if you live in cool climes.

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she's back!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

I dont use a humidifier in the room, i thought that misting morning afternoon and evening would bring up the humidity. Either way, as the temperature goes up outside i can either a/ leave the windows open more or b/ move the whole cage outside. Its Delaware and i live next to a lake so the humidity is almost always above 50%

Jeff

getting the humidity up in his cage is what's important. Misting a couple times a day does not hold it up for very long. He doesn't need it always high but up to 60-70 once or twice a day is good. As you can tell from the photo in last post I have one setup to go directly into the cage. This is mainly in dry winter months (NH) and is on a timer. Luna loved to sit right in the midst of the mist, where as Cyrus is afraid of it! He is in a small cage so hopefully it won;t seem so scary to him once he is upgraded! lol!

Note about misting, don't do it too clse to lights out as it may be toowet/cold. Occasionally is OK, just don't make it a practice. If you see him drink and his eyes are nice and "bulgy" he is probably OK. You are obviously taking great care of him!

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she's back!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

Oh yeah temperature

I use two thermometers, one underneath the basking bulb and one on the other side of the cage. He averages 95 under the bulb and 75 on the cool end. Misting the cage causes temp changes, which is twice a day. He is eating just fine, he munched on a few Cricket Dust brand gut loaded crickets earlier. He is also getting enough fluids, despite his dislike of the mister (i saw him licking the wet leaves when he was sure i was finished). COuld it be that he was hunting, ate, got full, and decided he didnt feel like moving from there? If so.... is my chameleon dominant dumb AND lazy... wow

jeff