Baby chameleon acting very strange. Help please

[lbrench]

Bought a baby Yemen from a local breeder and he is only about 2 weeks old but he seems to not recognise his food at all and he is firing his Tongue out but into midair. So there is nothing there to catch, I put the crickets in a bowl for him and he is just not not recognising them, when he is climbing he often goes for branches that are not there aswell by just hanging his arms out, he finds his water dropper fine but this worries me a lot as I haven't seen him eat.
My girlfriend thinks he is blind but I don't.

Thanks
Lynden

 

[lbrench]

He is in a Terry thatcher mesh viv with 150w basking bulb around 6 inch from the hood and a 10.0 UV 2 inch above the mesh with a 2 litre dripper kit.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum It sounds like you have some very big bright lights..........he won't need any basking light at that age, and for uvb most people will use a 5.0........
Have a read of this blog for all the basic info. you need - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

 

[carol5208]

those powerful lights are probably blinding him! Remove the basking light and get a reptisun 5.0 tube light. See if these changes in the lighting don't show improvement. Did the breeder tell you use those particular lights?, just curious

 

[lbrench]

So if I change it to a 40w house bulb maybe?

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

ive never really heard of a chameleon just tongue shooting from lights. are you sure he's not going after water droplets from the dripper or after you mist?

 

[carol5208]

ive never really heard of a chameleon just tongue shooting from lights. are you sure he's not going after water droplets from the dripper or after you mist?

you are right and it is strange but he said he is finding the droplets. I just thought maybe if the lights were too intense it was affecting his vision. Think of when you look into a bright light or at the sun and you cannot see. Regardless the lighting is incorrect, no? and should be changed out for a 2 week old. I would not use a 150W even on an adult chameleon. I know it is 6 inches up but it still seems like it would be too intense. and a 10.0 for a two week old is too much also in my opinion.

 

[carol5208]

So if I change it to a 40w house bulb maybe?

what kind of temps are you getting? Are you measuring them?

 

[okiroo]

looks this over. i may help you find other errors in your cageing ect. here- https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/okiroo/532-chameleon-basic-info.html