Baby veiled Chameleon not eating

[Juventino]

Hi All

Compliments of the season.

I have a 9 week baby veiled chameleon (OZIL) about 11cm in length that I have had for 3 weeks. Ozil is living in an upright 38 Gallon 42 x 42 x 76 cm Xterra Flexarium with a UV and Basking light. Dont have real plants but suitable fake vines to climb and hide in.

When I first got Ozil he was eating 3-4 crickets a day and drinking quite well, had his first shed about 2 weeks ago. Over the X-mas and new year period ran out of crickets and nobody had stock so fed Ozil flies and flying ants which he really enjoyed. On Monday I managed to get crickets again but he hasnt really been eating the crickets maybe 1 a day but if I put a fly in front of him its gone in seconds.

He drinks in the afternoon and evenings, plus he is pretty active moves up and down the cage even on the ground at times.

My 2 worries are:

1. With the flies can not give him the calcium powder will this harm his health and growth

2. Is 1 cricket a day fine (with calcium powder of course)

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[CLP]

First thing I would suggest is to fill this out: https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ so we can see everything you're doing and therefore, give you the best advice possible.

Not sure about the insects you were feeding him (i.e. if they are safe to feed), but often they decide they like them better than crickets and will "refuse" to eat crickets in the hopes of getting what they want. But I will say, at his age, he should be eating WAY more than 3-4 crickets a day. He should be eating 15+ small ones. That would be the other thing I would suggest is to make sure the crickets are an appropriate size. No larger than the width between your chameleon's eyes. Also make sure you are gutloading them properly. And variety is important - as many different types of feeders as possible. See here for some great info: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html

As for calcium supplements, yes, it will harm him to not get proper supplementation. You should be giving him plain calcium (without D3) daily, calcium with D3 once every 2 weeks, and a muti vitamin once every 2 weeks.

You should also have a look at this caresheet if you haven't yet: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

Hope this helps. Good luck with him.

 

[Juventino]

Thank you for the reply, only saw the How to ask for help section after I posted.

Will look at all the suggestions you gave

Have a good one.

 

[fluxlizard]

Hey there-

I just wanted to point out that you could dust his flies with powder before feeding them to him. No laws against it.

My hunch is that he's fine, he's just not too hungry so he's holding out for flies which he prefers to crickets. But without actually being there and seeing I dunno for sure.

 

[Kate]

Can you get fruit flies in your country? Little one seem to like them. Does he get outside time? You may be able to get small dubai roaches, silkworms Phoenix worms. They like a variety the last two you don't need to dust as they are high in calcium.

 

[Kate]

Oh welcome to the forum

 

[Psychobunny]

You can mix some calcium dust, or Repashy calcium plus, in with some
honey to feed your flies.

Such a young veiled will not need more then 80 to 84F for basking.

Are you using house flies or blue bottle?
House flies are about half the size smaller, but bigger then a fruit fly.

Your little cham would probably handle the house flies better if you
can find some.

 

[ChameleonMom]

Some great advice here! I would like to add that if your Cham has a favourite food (ie: flies), when you go to feed him something else he may hold you 'hostage' and refuse to eat! They can be quite stubborn but don't let him play you...your Cham can go up to a week without eating! Show him who's boss and wait him out. When he's hungry, he'll eat!

 

[Juventino]

Hi All

Thanks so much for all the advise. Sorry only replying now but didnt have access to the PC.

Ozil is eating much better think the little guy was pulling a GHANDI move and fasting. Got some meal worms and tried smaller crickets and he had a field day.
He definitely loves the house flies and managed to dust them with calcium so happy with that.

Wanted to ask another question, I keep my terrarium by a window during the day which gets good sunlight not direct though and wanted to find out if its still necessary to take Ozil outside as read some articles that you should take a chameleon outside at least once a day for 30min

Hope everyone has a great day further.

 

[Juventino]

Hi Guys

Need some advice quick but think in the end think Vet is the final answer.
Ozil now about 11-12 weeks old is not eating much at all.

The problem is he catches his fly or cricket but struggles to eat them. Its like they get stuck to the tip of his tongue and when he puts the tongue back in he cant get them down his throat it stays stuck to the tip of his tongue and they eventually get away.

He drinks every day and still moves around quite a bit.

 

[Kate]

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

Could you take time to fill in form above. There could many things wrong but if we get an idea about how he is being kept we might be able to help.