I NEED HELP ASAP

[DaChameleonKing]

We all know that King has been sick, but I need to know why he is doing the stuff that I am going to tell you in this thread. I just misted King and he went to the bottom and went to the bottom right on the bottom of his cage. King also has been brown and not eating for over 1 week as we all know. Please help me I am freaking out. I need experts to help me with this I can't lose King.

 

[Virgil1972]

Can you post a pic of your cham and fill out the How to ask for help.

 

[DaChameleonKing]

Can you post a pic of your cham and fill out the How to ask for help.

Yes what is the how to help thing

 

[leedragon]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[DaChameleonKing]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? = Jacksons Chameleon, Male, Don't know age, and has been with me for 1 year and 1 year and 3 months.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Never. except for cleaning or going to the vet
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Crickets. 15 every other day. I gutload my crickets by dusting them with calcium
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I use reptical with D3 twice a month and without D3 repti calcium 2 times a week
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Automatic mister for 60 seconds every 1 hour since he is sick. normally 60 seconds every 3 hrs
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? poop color is brown and white sometimes just brown sometimes just white. Hast pooped in a bit.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. No

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? combo of glass and screen. Has been really happy with it.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? UVB and UVA I dont remember the type I am changing the UVB June 21st and I got the UVB light 5.0 December 21st
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking is high 70s low 80s cage floor is normally around 74 at night around high 60s low 70s
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I dont measure humiddity, but I know its high since he gets misted every hour or 3 hours
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? live umbrella plant.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? cage is in the back middle of my bedroom and right next to my desk the hight of the cage is 4 feet 6 inches from the top of the cage to the bottom of the floor.
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - Not eating, Color change, Going to bottom A LOT. and not as active as normal.

 

[DaChameleonKing]

Here is a photo from 4 months ago

 

[The_Cham_Kid4]

are you just gutloading with calcium, what are you feeding your crickets

 

[DaChameleonKing]

are you just gutloading with calcium, what are you feeding your crickets

I feed them apples.

 

[MeruJack]

I gutload my crickets by dusting them with calcium

You need to gutload them with fresh green vegetables as well as a dry mixture like Cricket Crack so that King can get all the vitamins he needs. Didn't you just take him to the vet yesterday? He has a Vitamin A deficiency right? Are you giving him a multivitamin 1-2 times a month? It's really important that you properly gutload your crickets otherwise the crickets will have very, very little nutritional value for King.

 

[DaChameleonKing]

You need to gutload them with fresh green vegetables as well as a dry mixture like Cricket Crack so that King can get all the vitamins he needs. Didn't you just take him to the vet yesterday? He has a Vitamin A deficiency right? Are you giving him a multivitamin 1-2 times a month? It's really important that you properly gutload your crickets otherwise the crickets will have very, very little nutritional value for King.

Ok. I will do that when he is back eating. The vet said he has vitamin A defficency, but he said if he doesn't get better than he will do blood work to check for infections and examine poop for parasites.

 

[MeruJack]

Here is some valuable info about gutloading to give you some direction. I got it from the Resources section of this forum.

Gutload

In the wild chameleons feed on a wide variety of insects and those prey items themselves feed on many different sources of nutrition. It is through this natural cycle of life that chameleons in nature receive a properly balanced diet. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to replicate that system in captivity so to compensate chameleon owners must properly gutload the food items they feed their animals. Gutloading is the process of increasing the nutritional value of insects that you feed your chameleon. It involves feeding the insects a special diet so they can ultimately provide your chameleon with the proper nutrition it requires. Supplementing with a calcium and multivitamin powder is important, but not sufficient alone for any species.


Gutloading ingredients should be higher in calcium than phosphorus, as well as low in oxalates and goitrogens. High phosphorus levels inhibit calcium absorption. While convenient, most commercially available gutloads are low in calcium, imbalanced and/or insufficient for good nutrition. Creating a well rounded gutload at home can seem daunting but can actually be fairly inexpensive and easy to make! Use these brief guidelines to guide your choices of produce when going to the store. Each time you go get two or three options, then rotate them for something else next time. Make sure you wash all produce to eliminate pesticide residues and cut off the peel of fruits and vegetables as they have waxes and pesticides you can't wash off. The time from feeding insects, to your chameleon eating those insects, should be no more than 12 hours.


Suggested Ingredients

Best - These gutloading ingredients are best because they are highest in calcium, low in phosphorus, oxalates and goitrogens. They should be the primary components of your gutload: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress and alfalfa.


Good - These gutloading ingredients are good because they are moderately high in calcium and other vitamins/minerals. They should be used in addition to those from the previous category: sweet potato, carrots, oranges, mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy and green beans.


These fresh fruits and vegetables can be combined with dry gutload mixes or home made mixes for optimal well-rounded nutrition. Dry ingredients can include: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed and organic non-salted almonds.


Avoid These Ingredients

Avoid these gutloading ingredients because they are low in calcium, high in phosphorus, goitrogens or oxalates: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates.


Vertebrates (pinkies, lizards, etc.) are not a notable part of a chameleon's normal diet in the wild. Too many animal proteins in the diet of an animal that's not a carnivore can wreak havoc on their kidneys leading to kidney damage and gout due to the difference in protein breakdown. Everything your chameleon needs can be obtained through an all-insect diet with good gutloading and supplementation.

 

[DaChameleonKing]

Here is some valuable info about gutloading to give you some direction. I got it from the Resources section of this forum.

Gutload

In the wild chameleons feed on a wide variety of insects and those prey items themselves feed on many different sources of nutrition. It is through this natural cycle of life that chameleons in nature receive a properly balanced diet. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to replicate that system in captivity so to compensate chameleon owners must properly gutload the food items they feed their animals. Gutloading is the process of increasing the nutritional value of insects that you feed your chameleon. It involves feeding the insects a special diet so they can ultimately provide your chameleon with the proper nutrition it requires. Supplementing with a calcium and multivitamin powder is important, but not sufficient alone for any species.


Gutloading ingredients should be higher in calcium than phosphorus, as well as low in oxalates and goitrogens. High phosphorus levels inhibit calcium absorption. While convenient, most commercially available gutloads are low in calcium, imbalanced and/or insufficient for good nutrition. Creating a well rounded gutload at home can seem daunting but can actually be fairly inexpensive and easy to make! Use these brief guidelines to guide your choices of produce when going to the store. Each time you go get two or three options, then rotate them for something else next time. Make sure you wash all produce to eliminate pesticide residues and cut off the peel of fruits and vegetables as they have waxes and pesticides you can't wash off. The time from feeding insects, to your chameleon eating those insects, should be no more than 12 hours.


Suggested Ingredients

Best - These gutloading ingredients are best because they are highest in calcium, low in phosphorus, oxalates and goitrogens. They should be the primary components of your gutload: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress and alfalfa.


Good - These gutloading ingredients are good because they are moderately high in calcium and other vitamins/minerals. They should be used in addition to those from the previous category: sweet potato, carrots, oranges, mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy and green beans.


These fresh fruits and vegetables can be combined with dry gutload mixes or home made mixes for optimal well-rounded nutrition. Dry ingredients can include: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed and organic non-salted almonds.


Avoid These Ingredients

Avoid these gutloading ingredients because they are low in calcium, high in phosphorus, goitrogens or oxalates: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates.


Vertebrates (pinkies, lizards, etc.) are not a notable part of a chameleon's normal diet in the wild. Too many animal proteins in the diet of an animal that's not a carnivore can wreak havoc on their kidneys leading to kidney damage and gout due to the difference in protein breakdown. Everything your chameleon needs can be obtained through an all-insect diet with good gutloading and supplementation.

So he is sick because I havent been gutloading well?

 

[MeruJack]

Dark leafy greens are one of the very best sources of Vitamin A and it comes from foods like mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion leaves, collard greens and these are what you should be feeding your crickets. Start feeding them now so you can offer them to him now while he is sick. If he only ends up eating one or two crickets, isn't it best if those one or two are packed with nutrition?

 

[MeruJack]

It's very possible. And it truly is an easy fix. You might even have some leafy greens in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator right now.

 

[DaChameleonKing]

It's very possible. And it truly is an easy fix. You might even have some leafy greens in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator right now.

My mom likes lettuce a lot and I think that's her favorite kind. lol

 

[DaChameleonKing]

I offered him crickets and mealworms today, but he still wouldn't eat them. I'll put the lettuce in tonight and try again tomorrow after my exams.

 

[MeruJack]

I'll put the lettuce

NO LETTUCE. It has no nutritional value. That's why humans eat it when they are on weight loss diets. It is listed above as a food to avoid. You can get a big bag of greens (collard greens, mustard greens, etc.) for $3 at Safeway. NO LETTUCE!

 

[DaChameleonKing]

It's very possible. And it truly is an easy fix. You might even have some leafy greens in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator right now.

I just put the lettuce in and King has been at the bottom of his cage for about 3 hours maybe 4. Should I put him at the top?

 

[DaChameleonKing]

NO LETTUCE. It has no nutritional value. That's why humans eat it when they are on weight loss diets. It is listed above as a food to avoid. You can get a big bag of greens (collard greens, mustard greens, etc.) for $3 at Safeway. NO LETTUCE!

well its not really lettuce its dark green leave things is that ok?

 

[MeruJack]

I offered him crickets and mealworms today, but he still wouldn't eat them. I'll put the lettuce in tonight and try again tomorrow after my exams.

Are you only trying to get him to eat once every 24 hours? Try offering him food more often while he is ill and not eating. If you keep trying you might be able to tempt him into trying a bite which could lead to a second, third and fourth bite. If you can't do that, consider leaving a cup with a couple of feeders in his cage.