4 horn moutain chameleon

zookeeper

New Member
we have a pair of 4 horn cahmeleon , we have got there cage build . i have put them in it now the male is acting funny .his color is good but he is acting like he is trying to puke. he drinking water and i think he been eating .he dosen't seem like he has got any smaller .but i'm worried about the puking reaction thing has any one seen this before. zookeeper
 
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I personally have never seen any of my chameleons regurgitate or act like they were, but from what I understand, that behavior can be caused by several factors. Young chams may regurgitate prey items that are too large or too difficult to digest. Chams that are stressed out, especially WC in new environments, may also do the same. Internal parasites could be a factor as well. I'm going to assume your Quads are WC imports and you haven't had them long...about how old are they? Are they housed together? If so, they probably would fare much better in separate enclosures unless you have a very large cage.
My Quad, even tho CB was very particular as a young cham. When he became unhappy in his original smallish cage, it was quite obvious. His behavior normalized once in his bigger cage.
Check every aspect of your husbandry, watch for further signs of ill-health (weight loss, dehydration, lethargy etc). Offer varied gutloaded food items and keep temps on the lower side...montaine species enjoy cooler temps. Even a vet check couldn't hurt.
 
Two things I have seen(well, three really)...

Water that is cold. They will puke if given cold water sometimes.

Too much water - yes, I said it. If they drink too much water too soon, they'll vomit it up. I've seen it in veileds, and a few others. This ususally happens when they are drinking RIGHT froma flowing water source, either a dripper or a spray bottle. Normally, they'll take it in slowly. IF it's forced down their throats too fast, they'll fill up and vomit.

Too much food. If they eat too many insects at once, they'll puke(common with waxworms or butterworms, for some reason).They have small stomachs, that fill quickly. That won't stop them from eating, though.

If he's sick and dying, it could be his death throws - whichis unlikely if he's been acting normally otherwise.
 
Actually, I'd forgotten about it because it was so long ago, but Eric is right about too many insects at once. I do remember my Meller's regurgitating several wax worms once when he was a juvie. He scarfed down maybe 3-4 right in a row, without chewing. They're still his favorite treat.
 
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