Sun-ish Light

Finally got a UVB solution for Darin so here's the setup for now. 4 + 6 + 1...

And everyone seems happy, shedding and drinking in their new digs. 

 

Growing Like Crazy

After being away a week it was amazing (but not surprising) to see how everyone had grown.

And now in their spacious new digs:

New Pads

Since I'm going to be here and away over the next couple of months, I decided to put together a living situation that's a little easier to ask others to look after. In particular I wanted to add a sprayer so the little guys wouldn't go thirsty if left over the weekend.

On top of that it seemed time to give them a bit more space.

So I got a couple of new open air, screen enclosures, a new UVB and second heat lamp. Along with another sprayer.

Old:

New:

Small Zilla Fresh Air Reptile Habitat <link>
UVB light <link> + <link>
Zilla Mini Halogen Dome - Heat Lamp <link> + <link>
Monsoon Automatic Rainfall System <link>

Added a couple of Ficus (Ficus benjamina) along with the Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) from the little cages. Both are from the "chameleon safe" list <link> even though Jackson's reportedly rarely nibble on plants.

Darin is still in his separate little cage where he can get baby crickets.

R.I.P. Percy

"Grief is the price we pay for love"
-unknown

... but I'll remember you like this.

Checking in from Pittsburgh

Team Hammerhead (Caitlin and Trace) are doing a great job watching over the babies... all I can do is check from afar!

sleeping and shedding

Percy Problems

Unfortunately, I found (who I think is) Percy acting quite lame on Tuesday when I took them up to sun. By yesterday he/she was even worse and today is looking pretty bad.

I'm guessing it's something called MBD <link> which stands for Metabolic Bone Disease. It has to do with calcium metabolism and vitamins, etc. In short, chameleons get their calcium through their diet and need vitamin D3 to metabolize it. Sadly crickets are a poor source and need to be fed calcium themselves or dusted with calcium powder. I have been giving them dusted crickets but only weekly as the D3 in the powder is not recommended at every feeding. In nature, the D3 comes from UVB light in the sun and it looks like the few hours a week that I was putting these guys out wasn't enough.

So... I've gotten a new UVB light (ReptiSun 5.0) for the babies, separated Percy and put him under a light of his own. I've gotten a special "calcium only" powder (Repashy - supercal NoD) which I'll dust with each time. I've gotten some calcium fortified cricket food. I've added conditioner/calcium solution drops to their water. I've even added an additional UVB (ReptiSun 10.0) light to the adults bigger cage.

Now I'm just trying to keep Percy comfortable and hoping that I've caught it in time so it won't be an issue for the other babies.

Fingers crossed!