Baby Veiled not eating, maybe sick too...I'm worried

MyChamMelvin

New Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled chameleon, male, between 2 and 3 months, today is day four for him being with me

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Only to mist the whole cage really well, and to try to get him to eat from a bowl with crickets in it.

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I am feeding crickets that are gut loaded using the gut load supplement, I am keeping around 5 in the bowl. I only keep the bowl in the cage because he isn't eating from it when I try to feed him. He has only eaten two crickets since I got him, and that is not good.

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I have a multivitamin that I will be using every 2 weeks and calcium supplement that I will use daily (it's on it's way here).

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I use a spray bottle right now. I mist around 5-7 times for at least a minute.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? One little deposit. It is mostly brown with a little white tip on one end of the lil poop.

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. He was shipped to me from Florida, I am in Idaho. He had a big trip here.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen reptarium cage, 65 gallon, it's pretty big for him.

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? I have a 5.0 UVB 15w from Repti Glo and I am using a 100w daytime light.

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? cage floor is around 75 and highest spot in cage is around 92 or so. Melvin likes to stay in the middle of the cage. overnight is around 68. these are rough estimates from my little stick thermometer.

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I don't have one of these yet, after I am done with this I am going to the store to pick up a new thermometer and humidity gage.

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I will be after I repot them so there isn't fertilizer in it. I have a Pothos and the umbrella tree schefflera.

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? It is on a short dresser in my bedroom. not near any fans or vents.

Location - Where are you geographically located? Moscow Idaho

Current Problem - Little Melvin isn't eating much and during the day he is closing his eyes and I know that there is a problem when they do that. I am worried sick about my very little guy:(
 

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I would put a plant in the cage so he has hiding spots. It is normal for them to not eat when you first get them. Just make sure you keep offering food so he knows its available when he wants some.
 
Welcome...:D

WOW.. He is tiny.. First of all, it can take some time for him to settle in and get use to his new home.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/
Here is a link to great caresheets that are found under the resources tab.

I believe that the basking temp. is too high for a chameleon this young. All correct temperature ranges are listed on the caresheets.

Let him settle in before you hold him again. Find a way to hang a cup up high under a climbing vine and put crickets in there. Just make sure your guy can see into the cup and that there is a place for him to stand and reach the crickets.

With supplements:
Plain calcium with NO D3 every feeding
calcium with D3 twice a month
multivitamin twice a month Alternate calcium with D3 and multivitamin..

Keep asking questions. This is a great forum with a lot of very knowledgeable members who are happy to help.

Be sure and read the caresheets. They have a lot of great information that every chameleon owner should know..
 
You are correct to worry about the closing of the eyes. Is he sleeping and staying near the bottom? I would say he is only about a month or month and a half old at most. If he does not eat right away for you it is not the end of the world, but you may not want to feed only in a cup. Toss some in the enclosure and see if that will help. (Just a few at first.) Be ready for a vet visit if he keeps sleeping during the middle of the day.
 
He is pretty good at being all over the cage I have never actually seen him on the bottom of the cage. He is usually more towards the middle of the cage or near the top. But yeah I am going to take him to the vet right now.
 
They said he looks really good. He is a whopping 1.2 grams in weight. I put the two plants in and I am going to keep an eye on him, but other than that I think he just needs to get used to his new home!

Let me know if there is more you guys think of that could help!
 
I took him to the vet they said he was fine and dandy, well today Mr. Melvin passed away. I knew something was wrong with him. RIP Melvin even though you were only mine for five days you were loved more than you will ever know :(
 
I'm so sorry to hear this. :( Its always tough to lose a pet, no matter how long or short we have them. It is difficult to have success with a chameleon that young, and the stress of the trip and new home could have been only part of the issue. Your husbandry and enclosure do not seem like they contributed to any health issues. So sorry that Melvin passed. RIP little one :(.
 
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