Temperatures, humidity and how water is delivered
Chameleons live in gradients, and a vet reads the enclosure as a set of zones. Note the basking spot temperature, the cooler ambient temperature lower in the cage, and the night-time drop, plus where you measured each — a single room-temperature figure tells the vet very little. Humidity matters just as much: many species need humid nights and drier days, so record how humidity rises and falls across the day rather than one average. Describe the water delivery in detail: how often the mister runs and for how long, whether a dripper is used and where it drips, and whether you actually see the chameleon drink, since chameleons lap droplets from leaves and rarely use a bowl. A vet evaluating hydration, shedding trouble or breathing problems is really evaluating this water picture.
Lighting, and why the bulb's age matters
Record the lighting exactly: the type of ultraviolet bulb, its distance from the basking branch, how many hours it runs, and — the detail owners most often cannot answer — when it was last replaced. Ultraviolet output fades long before the bulb visibly dies, so a bulb that still lights up may no longer be doing its job, and a vet judging bone health or appetite problems needs the real age in months. Note any window light the enclosure receives too, and whether glass or mesh sits between the bulb and the animal, since both change what actually reaches the chameleon. Photograph the lighting setup from the chameleon's level if you can; the geometry of lamp, mesh and branch is hard to reconstruct from a verbal description in a consulting room.
Layout, foliage and feeding arrangements
Describe the cage itself: dimensions, whether the sides are mesh, glass or a mix, and how ventilation flows, because chameleons are sensitive to stagnant air. List the live plants and branch network — species of plant if you know them, how dense the foliage cover is, and whether the chameleon has a genuinely hidden retreat as well as exposed basking perches. A chameleon that cannot hide lives under constant low-level stress, and the vet needs to know whether that option exists. Add the feeding picture: what insects are offered, how they are gut-loaded and dusted, how often, and where feeding happens — from a cup, free-ranging in the cage, or by hand. Finally, note what else lives nearby: other reptiles in sight, household pets that watch the cage, and how much foot traffic passes it.
Presenting it at the appointment
Bring the record rather than your recollection: clear photos of the whole enclosure from the front and top, close-ups of the basking area and the mister nozzles, your recent temperature and humidity readings, and the bulb purchase date if you have it. Vets consistently say the fastest first appointments happen when the owner can show the setup instead of describing it, because enclosure problems can then be confirmed or ruled out in minutes. Write down anything you changed recently — a new plant, a moved lamp, different feeder insects — with rough timing against when symptoms began. Keeping those photos, readings and setup details in your chameleon's KinsLe Pet Passport means the packet is already assembled when the vet starts asking, and it stays current for the next visit.