Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click here for Dragon Serpents

Pics of baby veiled/Opinions wanted!

mastiffgrrl May 22, 2007 11:17 PM

Well, thanks to all of you for your help, and a few people I've been emailing with.

Deuce is still alive and I think he looks pretty good so far! I'm absolutely in love. He's my first reptile and after having him for a month, I'm going to my first reptile show this weekend. WOO HOO!!!! I'm not allowed to bring anyone else home though....

Anyone with Veiled experience, please let me know if you think he's developing okay. I just want to make sure that I'm doing everything right. We got him Apr.17/07, and the newer pics were taken yesterday.

Take care,
Diane

-----
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Deuce)
1.0 Mastiff (Murphy)
1.0 Humane Society Mutt (Darwin)
2.0 Cats (Tigger & Duke)
1.0 Holland Lop Rabbit (Leo)
0.2 Humans (Diane and Liz)

Replies (8)

kinyonga May 23, 2007 02:53 AM

He looks good...straight arms, etc....not too fat or thin! Keep up the good work!

Make sure that any plants you use in your cage are non-toxic and have been well-washed (both sides of the leaves). I also cover the soil with something to prevent the chameleon from ingesting it.

Here are some sites you might be interested in...
http://adcham.com/
http://www.chameleonnews.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/20060426121049/www.chameleonjournals.com/vet/
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/skintests.htm

Do you know about gutloading?

Do you provide UVB light from a tube light or sunlight so that the chameleon can produce D3 and thus use the calcium in the diet? The light from the tube light or the sun should not pass through glass or plastic. Appropriate basking temp. is important too so that the chameleon can digest its food properly.

Do you dust with a phosphorous-free calcium powder at most feedings? Most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phos....so this helps to make up for it.

Do you dust with a vitamin powder? If the source of vitamin A is beta carotene, it won't build up in the system like preformed vitamin A does. However, there is some controversy as to whether chameleons can convert beta carotene...so some people give a little preformed once in a while. Excess preformed vitamin A can prevent D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD. I dust twice a month with the vitamin powder.

Do you dust with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder?
D3 from supplements can build up in the system...so I only dust twice a month lightly with this because my chameleons don't usually get any direct sunlight.

I'm glad to see that you don't use any substrate!

Veileds become omnivores at about 5 months of age and will eat some greens (dandelion, kale, collards, endive, ROMAINE lettuce, etc.), veggies(carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, etc.) and a little fruit (apple, pear, melon, berries, etc.)...and even the leaves and flowers on the plants in its cage.

mastiffgrrl May 23, 2007 08:27 AM

>>He looks good...straight arms, etc....not too fat or thin! Keep up the good work!

YaY!:D Thanks!

>>Make sure that any plants you use in your cage are non-toxic and have been well-washed (both sides of the leaves). I also cover the soil with something to prevent the chameleon from ingesting it.

I replaced the soil with coconut-based substrate and washed it outside with a hard stream from my garden hose, both sides of the leaves, two times. Once last week, and once this week. I also have an african violet with him that I have had for over a year. I replaced its soil with organic soil, and he seems to like to nibble on the leaves :D

>>Here are some sites you might be interested in...
>>http://adcham.com/
>>http://www.chameleonnews.com/
>>http://web.archive.org/web/20060426121049/www.chameleonjournals.com/vet/
>>http://www.uvguide.co.uk/skintests.htm

Very good resources, all. Thank you!

>>Do you know about gutloading?

My crickets eat a mix of fruit(apples, oranges, bananas, kiwi) and veggies(romaine/sweet pepper/sweet potato/carrots/broccoli)/fish food/fluker's cricket quencher w/ calcium and fluker's calcium cricket food. I don't even have crickets die very often...I get kind of attached to them...

>>Do you provide UVB light from a tube light or sunlight so that the chameleon can produce D3 and thus use the calcium in the diet? The light from the tube light or the sun should not pass through glass or plastic. Appropriate basking temp. is important too so that the chameleon can digest its food properly.

Yes he has the small(18" UVB light from his first cage, which I will soon be replacing with a ceiling mounted, hard wired, 24" double UVB fixture(I feel like tim the tool man here...)

>>Do you dust with a phosphorous-free calcium powder at most feedings? Most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phos....so this helps to make up for it.

Every day...however, the powder that I have has Vit D3 in it...I need to pick up straight calcium at the show this weekend.

>>Do you dust with a vitamin powder? If the source of vitamin A is beta carotene, it won't build up in the system like preformed vitamin A does. However, there is some controversy as to whether chameleons can convert beta carotene...so some people give a little preformed once in a while. Excess preformed vitamin A can prevent D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD. I dust twice a month with the vitamin powder.

Just read the cricket feeding regime....he gets a mix of fruits/veggies, which include those high in Vit A and Beta-Carotene I will also be picking up a Multi Vit at the show this weekend though..

>>Do you dust with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder?
>>D3 from supplements can build up in the system...so I only dust twice a month lightly with this because my chameleons don't usually get any direct sunlight.

This is what I'm using right now every day, but I'm going to switch to straight calcium after this weekend, and then a twice a month dusting

>>I'm glad to see that you don't use any substrate!
>>
>>Veileds become omnivores at about 5 months of age and will eat some greens (dandelion, kale, collards, endive, ROMAINE lettuce, etc.), veggies(carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, etc.) and a little fruit (apple, pear, melon, berries, etc.)...and even the leaves and flowers on the plants in its cage.

I can't wait...Woo hoo!

Thanks again,
Diane
-----
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Deuce)
1.0 Mastiff (Murphy)
1.0 Humane Society Mutt (Darwin)
2.0 Cats (Tigger & Duke)
1.0 Holland Lop Rabbit (Leo)
0.2 Humans (Diane and Liz)

Ingo May 23, 2007 12:34 PM

I do disagree to some extend. To me this animal looks slightly dehydrated and muscle mass on limbs is below average.
Take goog care that he drinks a lot. Did you check his feces for coccidia?

Ci@o

Ingo

mastiffgrrl May 23, 2007 11:18 PM

>>I do disagree to some extend. To me this animal looks slightly dehydrated and muscle mass on limbs is below average.
>>Take goog care that he drinks a lot. Did you check his feces for coccidia?
>>
>>
>>Ci@o
>>
>>Ingo

No, I hadn't...how would I go about doing so? Is there a way for me to do it without a trip to the vet? He is CB, so he shouldn't have been exposed to too many parasites.

He does drink when I mist him. I mist him directly while I mist his cage and as it pools around his mouth, he takes it in. I've also seen him take water from leaves, and he has two live plants to chomp on if he pleases. His crickets are also well hydrated, eating lots of fresh fruits/veggies and cricket quencher. One thing that I don't have yet, which I'll be picking up this weekend, is a dripper. I'm having a terrible time trying to gauge the humidity in his cage. I have a digital that always reads 20% lower than the analog....no clue which one to believe! He does have a humidifier right next to his cage which is on all day.

Are you referring to the lack of muscle in the newer photo of him at about 3-4 months, or the younger pic of him when we first got him at about 2-3 months of age? I think his limbs now might be a little chubby, he's quite an eater. But he moves inside his cage with ease, and has no problem hunting. Do you have a pic of better muscle mass so that I know what to look for? Also pics of dehydration would be handy... I don't know anyone who raises chams near me to come and check him out, so any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Diane
-----
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Deuce)
1.0 Mastiff (Murphy)
1.0 Humane Society Mutt (Darwin)
2.0 Cats (Tigger & Duke)
1.0 Holland Lop Rabbit (Leo)
0.2 Humans (Diane and Liz)

mastiffgrrl May 24, 2007 01:49 AM

Here are some of the other pics I took that day, so you can get a look at him in different positions as well.

Diane

-----
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Deuce)
1.0 Mastiff (Murphy)
1.0 Humane Society Mutt (Darwin)
2.0 Cats (Tigger & Duke)
1.0 Holland Lop Rabbit (Leo)
0.2 Humans (Diane and Liz)

Ingo May 25, 2007 01:03 PM

Looks better, but the fleshy part of the helmet could still be more pronounced. Just take care he drinks a lot.

Ci@o

Ingo

mastiffgrrl May 25, 2007 06:28 PM

>>Looks better, but the fleshy part of the helmet could still be more pronounced. Just take care he drinks a lot.
>>
>>Ci@o
>>
>>Ingo

Sounds good, and thanks for your guidance! I think things should improve with the dripper. It will give him some non-invasive time to drink. I'll keep posting update pics of him every month or so.

Woo Hoo!
Diane
-----
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Deuce)
1.0 Mastiff (Murphy)
1.0 Humane Society Mutt (Darwin)
2.0 Cats (Tigger & Duke)
1.0 Holland Lop Rabbit (Leo)
0.2 Humans (Diane and Liz)

thisgoesto11 Jun 11, 2007 06:33 AM

what a smart looking little guy! keep up the good work, and may I ask what the dimensions of his cage are? Best of luck

-Ian

Site Tools