Baby Veiled Chameleon: HELP!

[bjleemkuil]

Hello,

I work at a pet store and we recently received a shipment that included a VERY tiny Veiled Chameleon. I had never seen one before and didn't realize how small it was until a customer told us that he was probably hatched 2 days before they shipped him. I want to make sure that we are giving him proper care. Any thoughts and hints on care? The customer told us that our housing was completely wrong, but unfortunately there isn't anything we can do about that. Fortunately they only sent one, so it's not over crowded or anything. It has plenty of leaves and vines. It currently has tropical soil as a substrate, but I was reading that they do better without one? Help please

-Britney

 

[GeckoGal]

Hey, www.Chameleonforums.com is great site for chameleon care. (Mods I hope that's not against the TOS, if it is, please remove!) That is really young, at this age they're very delicate. This is also a great care sheet: http://www.chameo.org/husbandry.html What kind of enclosure is he in currently? Chameleons really need to have a ventilated cage... Screen is best. No substrate, just paper towels. (Change them out daily) They need a basking lamp and a UVB light. The cage should be misted 3 times a day, and a dripper she be used once a day also. Feed pin head crickets and fruitflies daily... you'll be surprised how much they can eat for their size.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

It needs to be heavily misted a couple times a day and fed daily the tiniest (less than 1/4") crickets. Cultured fruit flies would be ideal.............. Feeders are to be dusted with calcium, both with and without D3, and vitamin powder. A good dusting schedule is on the http://www.chameleonforums.com/ as well as great care info. They require UVB light and a heat gradient from top to bottom of the cage. Exoterra cages are good for babies and keep humidity in better than a screen cage, which he would need once he its a few months old.

 

[Vegas Chad]

Screen Cage
Mist them at least 3-4 times a day
FF are good 1/8” crix are better
UVB light, basking light keeping basking area around high 80’s
That’s just the quick and dirty…

 

[KrakenQueen]

Pretty much what everyone has said so far is the best thing in this case. Fruit flies would indeed be your best bet, preferably the wingless variety. But the 1/8" pinheads would be good, and remember that as babies, they can be serious eat monsters.

Definitely go to chameleonforums for more info, there are a lot of very knowledgeable and friendly people on there.