Baby Veiled Chameleon Eye Problem and Eating

[Skiddles]

I just purchased a little male two days ago. The lady at the pet store told me it may take a few days for him to get settled in. I have been trying to feed him those little tiny crickets (I am gut loading them and putting V's and Calcium on them) so far I have tried to feed him 10 crickets the past two days. I have seen him eat one for sure yesterday. I just place inside the cage and let the crickets free roam. Today on my lunch break I go home to check on his progress. I still see crickets in his cage. I can't verfiy a count but I know I saw 5 for sure. So I shake and bake 5 more since the ones in the cage had no more powerder on them. This time I place them in the container I got him in and place it in his cage under his branch he likes to walk on. He looked at them but didn't see interested or didn't realize they were food becuase they were white and the container is white as well. I watched him for about 10 minutes but nothing he just sat there then eventually moved away from the container.

Am I being overly concered right now? I just feel helpless these things are so small and helpless I want to make sure he gets all the nutrients he needs to be big and strong.


Also I noticed a problem with one of his eyes today after I was done spraying the cage (this was before feeding). He was rubbing one of his eyes on a branch then using his feet to pinch his eye socket. He was causing his eyes to sink in and out. I thought perhaps he just got water in his eyes (I don't spray him directly I spray into the air and let it fall on him)

Is it normal for these lizards to sometimes scratche their eyes in this fasion? I looked at his eye closely but could not see any visible problems. I didn't see any water around his eye as well.

At least he has no problem drinking he seems to love it when I spray the cage. He will go over to the glass and drink from it. He will also drink water off the branches, leaves and any he can get to on his body.

 

[Kent67]

How many poops have you found in the last two days? How did they look? It really shouldn't long for a baby male to start eating in a new cage.

As for the eye, it does sound like something is/was irritating it. The sinking in and out is how they clean them/blink and is normal to see occasionally. If he is doing it non-stop or working at it with a foot, there's something in it. Could just be water though, so hopefully he'll be ok.

 

[Skiddles]

How many poops have you found in the last two days? How did they look? It really shouldn't long for a baby male to start eating in a new cage.

As for the eye, it does sound like something is/was irritating it. The sinking in and out is how they clean them/blink and is normal to see occasionally. If he is doing it non-stop or working at it with a foot, there's something in it. Could just be water though, so hopefully he'll be ok.

I'll check his eye when I get home today. Something probably just got in there when I was spraying him. Hopefully that is the case. As for poo I have not seen any yet but I haven't taken a super good look. How large are they? Do they go in the same area all the time? I have two leopard geckos and they go in the same corner all the time. Are these lizards the same in that respect?

 

[John33871]

well i had the same problem with my first chameleon. he never really ate that well either. i think i just got an unhealthy one in the first place. anyways im not saying that yours is unhealthy, i just know where you have been. anyways i got another very healthy chameleon, veiled males, just like yours and he did not eat much of anything for the first two days either. today almost two weeks later he eats like crazy. anyways just let him get used to his new home and he should start eating. anyways good luck and hope your little guy starts eating. and you probley got water in his eye, the can blow their eye sockets up to get the water or anything else out of their eyes. its creepy looking, lol. anyways again good luck

 

[Kent67]

I'll check his eye when I get home today. Something probably just got in there when I was spraying him. Hopefully that is the case. As for poo I have not seen any yet but I haven't taken a super good look. How large are they? Do they go in the same area all the time? I have two leopard geckos and they go in the same corner all the time. Are these lizards the same in that respect?

Check out the first pics in Julir's post about her new pygmies for an idea of what to look for. These are not like leopard geckos and take more of the horse approach ie. they go where they please.

 

[Skiddles]

Check out the first pics in Julir's post about her new pygmies for an idea of what to look for. These are not like leopard geckos and take more of the horse approach ie. they go where they please.

Thanks I'll take a look at the post and scoop some poop heheh. I think i'm just going to mist him tonight when I get home and leave him alone the rest of the day and tomorrow. I'll see if he's doing better on thrusday. He has some crickets in there so if he gets hungry he can eat those.

I have a new male leo I got this past weekend as well that I need to get aquainted with. He looks ok tho just hasen't come out of his little house at all yet but I haven't checked on him in middle of the night when these lizards are more active altho my female at least lays out under the light sometimes during the day to warm up. She also likes to sleep on top of her house a lot.

 

[juriaan]

Chameleons are reptiles that do no handle stress very well, so you watching him like hawk can make him nerves and not eat!
Just leave him alone for a while.
Is he still on a good weight? No hipbones showing or talebase showing?
Those are signs he is getting thinner and there for not eating.
The sell Veiled chameleons as beginners but they are nor, they tend to be il tempert and grow large and have a lot of funny things that come with there up-keep.

Try a different prey item like flies or moths, something that looks different and moves different, fruitflies are great for that.

Then just make sure he drinks enough, spray him at least twice a day for half an hour, it can take a chameleon 20 minutes before they start drinking. That is why I like rainmakers and misters.

His eye, is problable a shed coming on, could be the reason for him not eating as well.

Take your time and watch him for a while and leave him alone to het to know his house.

Good luck.