I just recently got a baby veiled Cham and it seemed like things were going good up until about two days ago. I woke up and he was on the floor of his cage and I haven't seen him eat in about two days. I've put about ten crickets in the past two days and he has zero interest. He even let one crawl on his head and over his back. I read that loss of appetite could be a sign of his first shed, could that be it?
Baby veil won't eat
- Thread starter Acall1st
- Start date
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/ As requested above, a picture of your chameleon and your set up would be helpful.
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - He has had no interest in food for going on about three days now. He even let a cricket crawl all over him and didn't acknowledge it at all. Also, this is the third day I've woken up and hes on the floor of his cage. He isn't active at all, but he does crawl up on the vines when he decides he doesn't want to be on the floor anymore. When he does climb though, it seems like he is really unsure of where he's going or what to do. He's very hesitant and kind of wobbles every once in a while. He has also been stretching his head way back, like hes looking up as far as he can, but his eyes are usually closed. He seems really thin and fragile and his colors are usually a bright green, but the past few days hes developed a darker green, spotted color. I will post pictures soon, I am at work but my boyfriend is sending me pictures.
- Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon. Male. About 5-6 weeks, I have had him for a little over two weeks.
- Handling - I've handled him maybe about 3-4 times since I've had him. Just for when I clean out his cage. I have a little dripper system that makes the floor of his cage very wet and the crickets drown in it, so I dry it out maybe twice a week.
- Feeding - I feed him about 7-10 crickets every other day and dust them with a calcium powder. I also have a dish of meal worms and greens, but he hasn't acknowledged them at all.
- Supplements - ReptoCal is the brand of supplement I dust on his crickets. I've done this twice, so once a week since I've had him.
- Watering - I have a little dripper system and I mist his cage about 4-5 times a day. Once at 7:30 am, then at 11:00 am, then 5:00 pm, and around 12:00 am. I've seen him drink a few times, but not very often.
- Fecal Description - they are kind of soft. like a dark brownish color then white at an end
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - I have a glass tank with a screen top. I know that he will need a screen cage, I plan on getting him one next week, but the employee at the pet store said he'd be alright for now with the glass tank. It is 20 inches long, 10 wide, and 12 inches tall.
- Lighting - I have a Exco Terra Tropical UVB bulb that I keep on all day and a day-time heat bulb that I switch out around 12:00 am to a night-time heat bulb.
- Temperature - During the day his cage is about 72 degrees to 75 degrees in his basking spot. At night it goes down to around 70 degrees, then 72 in his basking spot.
- Humidity - I don't have anything to measure humidity. I mist his cage 4-5 times a day.
- Plants - No live plants.
- Placement - I have him in the living room, by a window. He is raised up on a high table. I suppose there is a lot of traffic because it's our living room.
- Location - I live in Appleton WI
Current Problem - He has had no interest in food for going on about three days now. He even let a cricket crawl all over him and didn't acknowledge it at all. Also, this is the third day I've woken up and hes on the floor of his cage. He isn't active at all, but he does crawl up on the vines when he decides he doesn't want to be on the floor anymore. When he does climb though, it seems like he is really unsure of where he's going or what to do. He's very hesitant and kind of wobbles every once in a while. He has also been stretching his head way back, like hes looking up as far as he can, but his eyes are usually closed. He seems really thin and fragile and his colors are usually a bright green, but the past few days hes developed a darker green, spotted color. I will post pictures soon, I am at work but my boyfriend is sending me pictures.
Peachypink
Chameleon Enthusiast
@Acall1st, First of all, you need to get him to a vet ASAP. Something is not right.
I will say the floor of his cage is WAY too wet. Using paper towels that you can change out is better than having wet carpet that can breed bacteria.
Once you get him to a vet there are a few things you will need to change...
Supplements..
Calcium with NO D3 daily
Calcium with D3 twice a month
multi vitamin twice a month
Also, NO heat at night. Your cham needs a drop in heat at night for his metabolism to help with digestion. also, the light at night will disrupt his sleep. He needs a clear day/night schedule to help him regulate hormones and set his internal clock. He needs the dark to sleep.
With a glass cage I would be extra vigilant in checking your temps. It can become a hot box and you need to make sure your temps are right. It's good that you are getting a screen cage, that will help give him the better gradient.
Read through the care sheet for veileds....follow it to the letter.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
I will say it again, he needs to see a vet. Making these changes and getting your husbandry aligned with this care sheet are a must but so is a vet visit at this point.
I will say the floor of his cage is WAY too wet. Using paper towels that you can change out is better than having wet carpet that can breed bacteria.
Once you get him to a vet there are a few things you will need to change...
Supplements..
Calcium with NO D3 daily
Calcium with D3 twice a month
multi vitamin twice a month
Also, NO heat at night. Your cham needs a drop in heat at night for his metabolism to help with digestion. also, the light at night will disrupt his sleep. He needs a clear day/night schedule to help him regulate hormones and set his internal clock. He needs the dark to sleep.
With a glass cage I would be extra vigilant in checking your temps. It can become a hot box and you need to make sure your temps are right. It's good that you are getting a screen cage, that will help give him the better gradient.
Read through the care sheet for veileds....follow it to the letter.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
I will say it again, he needs to see a vet. Making these changes and getting your husbandry aligned with this care sheet are a must but so is a vet visit at this point.
okay, I looked up vets in my area and I will be calling her later today.
would he get too cold at night without the heat? Our house temp usually goes down to 68 at night while were sleeping. And I was reading on here that there are some debates if the blue bulb heat lamp is a bad choice, what would you recommend has a better heat source?
would he get too cold at night without the heat? Our house temp usually goes down to 68 at night while were sleeping. And I was reading on here that there are some debates if the blue bulb heat lamp is a bad choice, what would you recommend has a better heat source?
Peachypink
Chameleon Enthusiast
Nope, he will be just fine. The temps can go as low as 55 and he will be fine.
Peachypink
Chameleon Enthusiast
Blue, red, purple....it doesn't matter. any light will disrupt their sleep. If you house drops below 50, then you could use a ceramic heater that gives off no light. As long as he has a good basking spot to warm up in the morning the temp drop will not hurt, it will only help. A temp drop of at least 10 degrees is good for them.
Nursemaia
Chameleon Enthusiast
Just use a regular incandescent household bulb for heat but you have bigger problems than the color of your light bulb right now. He needs to get off of that wet carpet and if he survives long enough to get to the vet you have to make sure you correct the issues in your husbandry that Peachypink pointed out. I also don't think waiting to get a new enclosure is an option. Good luck
Okay, when i get home I'll take the carpet out right away. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep the bottom from getting so wet? I had the dripper on very low (only a drop every minute or so, but still everyday when i get home the floor is soaked. I took the dripper system out yesterday and have just been misting him.
Your chameleon is in serious trouble. It should not be sitting with its mouthnoopen like that and it's legs not supporting it.
I don't think it's going to make it until Monday to go to the vets. Doesn't the vet have an emergency service?
I would move the cage away from the window. The chameleon may be getting a chill from it being there.
The daytime temperatures should be in the low 80's in the basking area and in the mid to high 70's in the rest of the cage. A chameleon will refuse to eat if it's too cold to digest the food.
Right now the only important thing is to get it some help.
I don't think it's going to make it until Monday to go to the vets. Doesn't the vet have an emergency service?
I would move the cage away from the window. The chameleon may be getting a chill from it being there.
The daytime temperatures should be in the low 80's in the basking area and in the mid to high 70's in the rest of the cage. A chameleon will refuse to eat if it's too cold to digest the food.
Right now the only important thing is to get it some help.
I've called 6 different vets in my area and the only one that is comportable treating a cham won't see me until Monday. I've called the energy vet clinic as well and they said that they don't have anyone trained to deal with reptiles.
I want to take the lining out of the cage, but I'm worried that too much activity in his cage may put more stress on him. Any opinions on if I should try or not?
I moved the cage into a different room where there is less activity. I'm not sure what else I can do until I can see a vet. I just hope that he can hang on long enough
I want to take the lining out of the cage, but I'm worried that too much activity in his cage may put more stress on him. Any opinions on if I should try or not?
I moved the cage into a different room where there is less activity. I'm not sure what else I can do until I can see a vet. I just hope that he can hang on long enough
