Prococo is a great brand for Coco coir for bedding.
A 20gal is too small for an adult. I wouldn't buy the smaller tank at all, clutter up the 20gal and upgrade it later. This heavily depends on the sex of your noodle, females get substantially bigger so need bigger enclosures. I tend to go adult sized for my reptiles even as babies, because it's far more expensive to be upgrading tanks every year.
Overhead ceramic heat emitters are what you need, or halogen lamps which provide uvb and heat. Ceramic heat emitters just give heat, but can be left on at night. The "overhead heat lamp" you linked looks like a uvb lamp, these don't produce any heat. The heat pad you linked isn't good, this is a better option since it comes with a thermometer... https://www.amazon.com/BN-LINK-Durable-Thermostat-Terrarium-Reptiles/dp/B08XWTLVPV/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=1E3EPVTHEBEJO&keywords=reptile+heating+pad&qid=1646250079&sprefix=reptile%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-5 You need a thermometer attached to the pad. You stick the probe for the thermometer UNDER the tank, between the pad and the glass. So it goes pad, probe, glass, substrate/snake. If you put it in the tank you risk the snake moving it, getting stuck on it (if it's adhered with adhesive), or cut on it if it's glued. If it's moved you are looking at the pad continuously heating and I've seen people have dead snake because it heated over 130f.
You can give uvb light to, I have an under the tank heating pad, a ceramic heat emitter in a fixture, then a uvb fixture on both my tanks.
You also need a normal hydrometer like this one... https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07K2PV2R9/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also you'll need one of these... https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-774-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00837ZGRY/ref=mp_s_a_1_36?crid=29Q47ASESGNVJ&keywords=reptile+thermometer&qid=1646250294&sprefix=reptile+thermometer%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-36 (doesn't have to be that exact one, just an infrared thermometer to monitor surface temps)
You do not need to worry about brumatipm periods unless you want to breed. 12hrs full spectrum uvb daily. I do mine from 7-7. Your snake knows the difference between uvb and leds, your lights won't bother them as long as it's not blaring right in their tank.
The snake needs to be able to submerge their body, and they won't drown themselves unless the dish is so deep they can't get leverage to exit the bowl. Most commercial bowls should be good, as long as it's not like a boa sized bowl for a baby hog. No ramp is necessary, and you can get a dish with a built in ramp if you're that worried. Ceramic isn't the only material that's heavier but exactly the opposite with hogs. They like to dig, you put in a super heavy bowl, they dig under it, it falls, crushed hog. You want something more lightweight, the water is plenty of weight.
Two or more hides, more is better. Correct. DO NOT USE MAMMAL SKULLS. They have too many nooks and crannies, I did this once with my first Mexican black kingsnake. I used a cow skull, she got stuck in it and died. Never again, atleast not until my noodles are bigger. Or you seal every little nook and cranny with silicone and let it cure for a week. But even then I'd be worried they'd dislodge the silicone. It's better to wait for them to be older. You can paint, use acrylic paint and seal with qvarnish, let the varnish cure over a week so it can degass. Once cured it's perfectly safe.
Putting sphagnum moss in a hide is called a moist hide, I have my moist hide on my warm side for both my tanks and they just live there full of dried moss, it functions just like a normal hide. During shed I mist the hide once or twice a day. The point of a moist hide is to have it remain moist. You want your snake to shed in as close to once piece as possible, providing high enough humidity will accomplish this. Having sheds come out in a few large pieces happens sometimes. You just don't want it coming off in flakes like peeling skin from a sunburn.
You can use silk plants just fine. No bleech, that'll damage the silk. Just normal soap and water, rinse it until the water is clear. Let dry, you're good to go. Clean them when you clean the tank or as needed if the snake decides to dirty them. I honestly do not recommend bleach for anything in your snake enclosure. It's far too harsh. Most sanitation can be done with a mixture of 1to1 white vinegar and water.
Your humidity will depend on the area you live and the substrate. I live in California and my Kenyan sand boa was on aspen and his humidity wouldn't go over 20%, I wasn't happy with this so I switched him to Coco coir and now he stays around 30-40 and I'm much happier with this. I water his substrate once a day because that's how the substrate helps with humidity. It retains moisture and releases it over time. I wouldn't worry about too much humidity until you come across it. It's rare for me to see anyone complain about too much humidity. Even a momentary spike higher won't hurt your snake, it's prolonged exposure to too high humidity that causes problems. You can get reptisafe water dechlorinator for cheap to make your dechlorinated water.
You won't need to clean poop daily, and in fact if the tank is big you probably won't notice a baby's poop. Every six months is good, no bleach. Vinegar and water. Bleach is only in case of infectious disease.
Hi! Thank you for posting. I know what it's like to feel at wits end or hitting a brick wall when it comes to chameleon information, and there is A LOT of information out there, so I hope we are able to resolve your issues and hope that you get the responses you're looking for.
DISCLAIMER: I only have experience with panther chams, and it is my understanding that veileds have some different requirements; that being said, I will do my best to help you with your predicament.
I will analyze your post from beginning to end and will try to be concise and thorough.
-ENCLOSURE: Your enclosure looks really good, I think you did the right thing in getting the larger version. It's a lil big for a baby (might be difficult for him to find food), but he'll grow into it and you won't have to spend more money upgrading. From the image you posted it looks like he has plenty of climbing surfaces, hidey places, plant placement looks good from the front (requesting some side shots, chameleons can limit their exploration if there's too much foliage, but looks great from what you posted), easy to clean with no substrate. Good job. Is this your first chameleon? I'm sure you are already aware, but make sure plants are chameleon-safe before putting them in the habitat. There are numerous resources for this, just look up "specific plant name, chameleon safe" on Google. Veileds and feeders tend to eat plants and plants can poison or irritate them.
-LIGHTING: What % UVB bulb do you have in that bulb? 5%? 6%? 10%? This is important information to know. Is it a singe bulb or dual bulb fixture? If single bulb, I recommend getting a dual bulb fixture or introducing another 5000-6500k LED bulb to not only brighten up the cage but also provide grow light to keep your plants alive. That basking bulb (and all of the light fixtures, for that matter) look really really close. I have a 75W bulb hanging about 1 foot away from his basking branch and it's still almost too warm. Though mine is a flood-style bulb, which the larger bulb may contribute to more heat. Either way, it looks too close and might be too hot for your cham. They will burn, and often times they won't stop basking even though the light is burning them, which can lead to severe burn wounds on the face and body. Place your hand or a thermometer where his basking spot would be and gauge whether it is too hot in the meantime. The basking spot should not feel HOT, just enough to warm your hand slightly. ---To remedy this, I highly recommend getting a temp gun like this , that way you can temp all of your surfaces and areas and know for sure whether they are in the appropriate range or not.
I also highly recommend getting a Solarmeter 6.5 to measure your UVI. Not only will this ensure that your cham is getting proper UVB (especially while young! you want those bones to form properly. not too little UVB, not too much so as to burn), it will eventually pay for itself with all of the time you save on testing your UV bulbs rather than throwing what might be a good bulb away every six months. I know the Solarmeter is expensive and you can plausibly give decent husbandry just working on the Ferguson Zones alone, but honestly, I think the Solarmeter is integral in providing top notch husbandry, which it seems like you are interested in. This is a good thing!
WATER: Use distilled water. Keep misting, keep using the Big Dripper. The best thing you could do is buy a misting system with a timer (I have the Monsoon Mister, which runs about $100, there are certainly more and less expensive rigs). Until then, just keep administering water and keep refreshing that shot glass with fresh water. Some chameleons are just shy and don't like to drink when people are watching.
FEEDING: It sounds like your little guy is shy. It's just going to take time to get him comfortable with you and with handfeeding. There are great resource videos on youtube, just search "how to tame a chameleon," and you'll get a wealth of information, but veileds (and chameleons in general lol) are notoriously grumpy. Don't worry, he's young and he'll warm up in time.
As far as feeding goes, I recommend putting crickets into a feeder cup that they cant jump out of (like a plastic pint container) and putting the cup in a very accessible place to him so he can see them and hunt them. From there you can re-dust the crickets as needed. I would also place a couple around the enclosure (try to do this so he sees where the cricket is and catches his attention) so he can hunt naturally on his own accord as well - the problem with this, of course, will be not knowing whether the crickets are adequately dusted when he eats them. Try introducing small hornworms and silkworms. My cham loves them. Don't feed him dead bugs, chams eat live prey.
Good for you for making a vet appointment. You've proven that you are an absolutely responsible pet owner by getting everything set up before you got the animal, by doing your research, and by getting a checkup. You're doing great. There are going to be challenges along the way, and, like now, there are going to be times where you're worried about whether what you are doing is right or not. I think this invariably comes with owning your first chameleon. Your worry is a sign that you care and is a surefire way to make sure the animal gets all of the proper husbandry it needs, even if it means facing some issues and going through some challenges.
Keep worrying, but don't worry. Just stay diligent, you might need to drop more cash, but all of the adjustments you'll make, research you'll do, things you'll learn, and most importantly, the happiness and health of your awesome little chameleon, will make all of it absolutely worth it. Keep it up.
When I have some free time I like to occasionally watch Youtube videos, documentaries, and listen to the Chameleon Academy podcast. There are always things to learn about these wonderful little creatures.
I really hope this helps. Keep posting on the forums, keep asking questions, keep researching.
Temperature gun. Ever wanted to know how hot that thing across the room is? NOW YOU KNOW.
Also doubles as a laser pointer.
If you dont have well water please use water conditioner
API Stress Coat Water Conditioner
I put in stress coat or stress coat + zyme after a water change or when a fish loses color or looks like it has an ouchy
[API master Water Test Kit] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_fabc_2KGRHRGN4H778VSS338H)
The master test kit is great to see of the nitrate or ammonia is too high
Great for looking at all the chemical levels and properties of your aquarium water
Will let you know if your tank is to warm or to hot
For tropical fish like plecos
I use this when I bring new fish home or when doing a water change to make sure the tap water or Reverse osmosis water is not to hot or to cold
Laifoo 25ft Aquarium Vacuum Gravel Cleaner Fish Tank Cleaner Siphon Water Changer
If you dont have a water Siphon you can use a garden hose or PVC flex pipe from lowesnirnget a water changes from Petco or petsmart you will need a water dechlorinator if its town water if it's well water you should be ok
Great for water changes and easier on your back and floors
5ML pipettes
I love using these when I use stress coat or other liquid medicine or for plant fertilizer
You should have aquarium only gear that you never use soap or bleach on if you need to clean something only use water and distilled white vinegar
Aquarium Co-Op Measuring Glass
Measure glass for fish meds, liquid ferts, or aquarium salt
Beneficial bacteria
Aqueon PURE Live Beneficial Bacteria and Enzymes
Live beneficial bacteria is usually placed in your filter chamber under the pad so it can grow and Culture on the cotton or sponge filter ( beneficial bacteria is microscopic so if you can see growth something is wrong)
Beneficial bacteria for new filters or new filter cartridges
Fritz Zyme 7 Live Bacteria (Freshwater)
Bottled beneficial bacteria
slow release starter colony beneficial bacteria
Plants help remove and reduce nitrates if you got frogbite, Salvinia cucullata (Asian Watermoss) , duckweed if you dont mind removing some very week.
Plant holder like lucky bamboo or pathos plants
Poth-O-Carry™ Plus: Pothos Holder with Open Face Technology
You should have a secondary bio filter and never clean the hang on back filter the same week as the secondary bio filter should be a sponge filter or a a ziss moving bed filter
Sponge filter
AQUANEAT Double Bio Sponge Filter, Quiet Aquarium Filter with Ceramic Media Balls
These are both air driven so you will need
[air pump]
Air stone
Aquarium Air Stone, Ultra Silent Deep Dissolving Oxygen Diffuser
is the one I use.