Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently acquired my first chameleon (though not my first reptile) last week. She (I think, no spurs..) is a 3 month old CB Flapneck. I did quite a bit of research before I got her but found many things seemed to contradict each other so I thought the remainder of my questions I could ask here. Is it better to get a pair so that the possibility of egg binding is decreased or is the risk still the same? only other thing is her feces are slightly orange....? Is this normal? Other than that, everything seems good. She travels through the whole enclsoure, she laps water off the glass when i mist her 3times a day and she has been a pretty good eater.Thanks for any help!

Kelly

I just got a flapneck chameleon as well.
I really enjoy her.

I was told that their feces is supposed to be brown and white, and that if the white part is yellow or orange she is dehydrated.
You will have to get her out of that tank and into a screen cage. Chameleons need good ventilation(helps with bactiria and it wont get too hot) They also prefer to spend time at the top of the cage so a taller cage is better than a longer one.

Heres a couple pics of Bubs

I cant figure out how to post more than one pic in a url??

Heres one more.......till i can figure out how to put them on the same message..lol

Q: How do I upload a photo to the photo gallery?
To upload a photo, follow these instructions:

-Go to the Photo Galleries

-Scroll down until you see where it says Home, Profile, Upload Photos, and Login. This is just above the red header for the PetHobbyist Photo Gallery.

-You will need to click "Login" and enter your user name and password.

-Once logged in, click "Upload Photos".

-Choose a category. We have a wide variety of categories for members to chose from. You can be very specific about where you put your photos, or you can put them in the Member Gallery. The Topic Galleries are reserved for just the animal that you are uploading. For example, a photo of a boa could go in the Boa Photo Gallery. A photo of a dog would go in the Dog Photo Gallery. A photo of you would go in the Member Gallery, etc.

-You will need to know where on your computer are your photos. Browse to your photos on your computer, and select the photo you wish to upload. Click ok.

-You may enter a title, keywords, and description. That is your option. It makes it easier for other users to find your photos if you use good keywords and descriptions.

-Then click Upload/Submit.

-------------------------

Q. How do we add photos to our messages?

A. There are three ways to add a photo:

Upload a photo elsewhere on the Internet and type the URL at the bottom of the message you want to add in the 'Image URL' block.
You can use our variation of HMTL code in the body of the message to add a photo you have uploaded elsewhere. See the "Tools and Toys" link for instructions.
Upload a photo to the photo gallery and select it from a drop down menu of the photos you have in the gallery. This is the best option since a lot of sites will block you from using your photos elsewhere. You can select up to three photos.
-----
CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

Hey thanks for the reply. I had a feeling about the dehydration and the color of feces because they have become darker since I got her and are no longer as bright as they were when she first arrived, in fact there was a fairly dark one this morning. I have a screen cage ready for her, however, I think she may be too small for it. I have her in a 10 gallon right now, so I could move her into a 15 or a 25 aquarium, but i dont know if this would be any better. The screen tank I have for her is a 65 gallon and though I put her crickets and butterworms etc. in cups in the vines, would she be able to find her food adequately? How old and how big is yours? My girl's body is maybe 2.5 inches.

My cham is about 6 inches long not including tail. I have her in a screen cage 24x14x14. I don't cup feed I just put in about 6 and take out the leftovers at night. She won't eat from a cup.
If your chameleon will eat from a cup you should be able to put her in a screen cage as long as she knows where it is and has enough vines and such to get around she will be fine. If she only ate free roaming crix it might be to much space to start.

Well I took all your advice and bought my girlie a small screen flexarium. It is the exo-terra 22 gallon. It is much smaller than the 65 that I had bought for her when she grew up and hopefully this will be better for her. She is currently basking under the light. I appreciate everyone's input and even though I may not have chosen the easiest beginner cham, I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep her happy.

Good! The flexariums/reptariums are very useful tools.

Another useful device in a thermometer and probe. Put the probe on the basking spot, directly where you r chameleon tends to sit most often, and the keep the display unit were you can see. After you have had this up for a week or so, you can take it out since you will know the temperature is correct, or leave it in if it doesn't bother you.

-----
CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

For my baby cams I put a slice of fruit in the tree wedged between a branch Y everyday. Always in the same spot. Then her crickets ect. will go there to eat it and she will know she can always find them at that spot.
It is a good idea to get her out of the glass and into the screen. Just make sure she has a tree tall enough to get her to the lights and you'll always find her up there.

You said..." Is it better to get a pair so that the possibility of egg binding is decreased or is the risk still the same?"...IMHO technically the risk is the same since egg binding has nothing/little to do with whether you have a pair of chameleons or not. (IMHO it is not true that a chameleon will become eggbound from not being mated as soon as she reaches sexual maturity...in case that is what you are referring to....and in my experience and opinion, mating a chameleon before it is full grown is not a good idea if you want the chameleon to live a long life.)

From what I have learned from reading and my own (many years) experience is that egg binding is caused by things like improper husbandry practices that result in such things as metabolic bone disease, or other imbalances in their diet. Also, improper temperatures or hydration levels can play a part.

Then, "physical" things such as deformed eggs, fused eggs, eggs that have been retained until they are too large,and deformities (for lack of a better word to desctibe what I mean) in the chameleon's reproductive tract can also be reasons for egg binding.

Not providing a proper/acceptable (to the chameleon) place for the female to lay her eggs is one of the most common reasons for the chameleon to become eggbound. (Many female chameleons, if not all, will produce eggs (infertile) without having been mated...and its hard for the inexperienced keeper to even know that she is carrying eggs sometimes so they will not even provide her with any place to dig.)

With any egglaying female chameleon I always provide a container in her cage for her to dig in when she is ready to lay her eggs. I also have a modified 65 liter rubbermaid-type container that she can be moved to once she is intent on digging the final hole to lay the eggs in.

IMHO you have not picked one of the easier chameleons to start off with. I hope that you will have success with her anyway!