Barry won't eat

Thoff13

Member
So I've noticed yesterday he hadn't eaten his super worms and when I checked today he still hadn't eaten, they're cup feeders I'm going to pick crickets up tomorrow when my check comes through bc I free range those. I just can't seem to figure out why he isn't eating them. He usually always eats. Is he bored of the cup.? How can I coherse him to eat.?
 
some chams go on hunger strikes as long as it isn't more than a little while, if not try a hornworm or roach
 
some chams go on hunger strikes as long as it isn't more than a little while, if not try a hornworm or roach
some chams go on hunger strikes as long as it isn't more than a little while, if not try a hornworm or roach
Okay I just wanted to make sure he wasn't starving himself or I wasn't doing something wrong. Is there a certain amount of time they usually do this for.?
 
Sorry: you’ve probably posted on here a million times, and I’m just clueless, but it would be helpful to know what species, his age, his living conditions etc. There is a form that the experts on this forum typically request you fill out to help them:

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • 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?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
 
Okay I just wanted to make sure he wasn't starving himself or I wasn't doing something wrong. Is there a certain amount of time they usually do this for.?
U can always try to find the poop inside the cage...if he is eating he will be pooping..what goes in must comes out.
Look carefully on the poop that will gives u lots clue on your cham.
 
Chameleon Info:

  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • veiled, male, hes about 10 months old and ive had him for 8 months
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • he use to let mehandle him all the time but the past 2-3 months he doesnt have an interest in being help and sometimes gets very mad when i try lol
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • i feed him super worms and large crickets he has 5 super worms in his bowl daily and also about 7-10 free range crickets taking out whats left over at night, the crickets get gut loaded with Fluker's cricket quencher.
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • i dust with calcium with d3 every friday (so once a week) and Repashy superfoods Calcium plus LoD (vitamin and calcium supplement)
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • i am using 'The Big Dripper by ZooMed on a slow drip, a drip about every 30 seconds or so, i mist by hand 3 times a day for 2 minutes each. and some times just to make sure hes drinking ill put it on a heavier stream face it toward the tip of his mouth and it usually gets him to open up and take a nice long drink and i do that until he tells me hes finished lol
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • always solid, brown fecal with white on the end, never yellow. and no he hasnt been tested
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
  • nothing that useful, hes just been very moody lately, everytime i stick my hand in to clean or check his feeding cup he puffs up and lunges at me but other than that nothing abnormal
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • screen cage 16x16x30
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • have a bar uvb light not sure the brand pretty sure zoomed, and normal metal heating lamp with a 75 watt basking bulb by zoo med and hes up with the sun bc i leave my curtain open for him and also light it on a timer for 8 a.m and i put the shut off time around the time he usually falls asleep which is 8:30p.m
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • 2 in cage hygrometer/thermometer combo, basking temp flux. between 86-92 F floor rests at about 77-81 F give or take never lower than 60 id say about 65-70 F
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • 60-70% humidity constant with and obvious spike during misting and if i ever have an issue w the humidity i wrap 2-3 sides with some cling wrap just to build like a green house
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • yes i have a croton and a nice size tree limb
  • 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?
  • to the side of my room directly in front of the window near no fans or vents and im the only person in my room at all times and id say since im 5'2" and the cage is a good amount taller than me id say maybe 6 ft.?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
  • i am located in New Jersey
 
It looks a lot fuller in person I promise lol
20190404_005029.jpg
 
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Chameleon Info:

  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • veiled, male, hes about 10 months old and ive had him for 8 months
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • he use to let mehandle him all the time but the past 2-3 months he doesnt have an interest in being help and sometimes gets very mad when i try lol
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • i feed him super worms and large crickets he has 5 super worms in his bowl daily and also about 7-10 free range crickets taking out whats left over at night, the crickets get gut loaded with Fluker's cricket quencher.
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • i dust with calcium with d3 every friday (so once a week) and Repashy superfoods Calcium plus LoD (vitamin and calcium supplement)
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • i am using 'The Big Dripper by ZooMed on a slow drip, a drip about every 30 seconds or so, i mist by hand 3 times a day for 2 minutes each. and some times just to make sure hes drinking ill put it on a heavier stream face it toward the tip of his mouth and it usually gets him to open up and take a nice long drink and i do that until he tells me hes finished lol
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • always solid, brown fecal with white on the end, never yellow. and no he hasnt been tested
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
  • nothing that useful, hes just been very moody lately, everytime i stick my hand in to clean or check his feeding cup he puffs up and lunges at me but other than that nothing abnormal
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • screen cage 16x16x30
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • have a bar uvb light not sure the brand pretty sure zoomed, and normal metal heating lamp with a 75 watt basking bulb by zoo med and hes up with the sun bc i leave my curtain open for him and also light it on a timer for 8 a.m and i put the shut off time around the time he usually falls asleep which is 8:30p.m
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • 2 in cage hygrometer/thermometer combo, basking temp flux. between 86-92 F floor rests at about 77-81 F give or take never lower than 60 id say about 65-70 F
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • 60-70% humidity constant with and obvious spike during misting and if i ever have an issue w the humidity i wrap 2-3 sides with some cling wrap just to build like a green house
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • yes i have a croton and a nice size tree limb
  • 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?
  • to the side of my room directly in front of the window near no fans or vents and im the only person in my room at all times and id say since im 5'2" and the cage is a good amount taller than me id say maybe 6 ft.?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
  • i am located in New Jersey
first of all you eed a 2x2x4 cage, and a t5ho linear uvb. these are pretty much the basics of chameleon keeping.
supplements should be no d3 every day and d3/multivitamin every other week
you should be gut loading with something better like cricket crack or repashy bug burger supplemented with fresh fruits and veggies
and feed only in the morning so he can digest through the day.
 
first of all you eed a 2x2x4 cage, and a t5ho linear uvb. these are pretty much the basics of chameleon keeping.
supplements should be no d3 every day and d3/multivitamin every other week
you should be gut loading with something better like cricket crack or repashy bug burger supplemented with fresh fruits and veggies
and feed only in the morning so he can digest through the day.
i said in there i dont give him d3 everyday he gets it once a week but ill change it to once every other week... and it is a linear uvb i got it from petsmart and they said this is what people usually come in and get for their chameleons, the lady who showed it to me had a cham herself so i trusted in what she handed me, it probably is a t5ho but i got it so long about i dont remember hes in natural sunlight all day anyways, and i give my crickets kiwi and strawberries also, but thank you i will look into the repashy bug burger, and theres a 2x2x4 cage where i got my current one ive been looking at but you know how life is, always paying for something else but i am trying to get it, i appreciate the help
 
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i said in there i dont give him d3 everyday he gets it once a week but ill change it to once every other week... and it is a linear uvb i got it from petsmart and they said this is what people usually come in and get for their chameleons, the lady who showed it to me had a cham herself so i trusted in what she handed me, it probably is a t5ho but i got it so long about i dont remember hes in natural sunlight all day anyways, and i give my crickets kiwi and strawberries also, but thank you i will look into the repashy bug burger, and theres a 2x2x4 cage where i got my current one ive been looking at but you know how life is, always paying for something else but i am trying to get it, i appreciate the help
Natural sunlight outside or natural sunlight through a glass window? Glass blocks 100% of beneficial UVB rays. Also UVB bulbs are only good for 6-12 months depending on manufacturer. Just because it still lights up doesn't mean it's giving off UVB.
 
Okay Thank you I'll be sure to replace the bulb and I open the windows when the weather is appropriate but windows block most uvb rays but a lot of uva rays still pass through but I'll get it fixed. But does anyone have any comments on his eating bc that's what the thread is for..
 
And I haven't had the uvb for more than a year. I've had him for 8 and the uvb light for about 7 so it should still be fine until I get him a new one
 
And I haven't had the uvb for more than a year. I've had him for 8 and the uvb light for about 7 so it should still be fine until I get him a new one
What manufacturer of light? Zilla and ZooMed should be replaced every 6 months. Zilla isn't really recommended on this forum either. Not sure why to be completely honest. Only Arcadia bulbs are rated and tested to still be good at 12 months.
 
Okay Thank you I'll be sure to replace the bulb and I open the windows when the weather is appropriate but windows block most uvb rays but a lot of uva rays still pass through but I'll get it fixed. But does anyone have any comments on his eating bc that's what the thread is for..
Issues in husbandry can be a main factor in hunger strikes. Because you weren't using the right gutload for one could be that he's really lacking in vitamins and minerals. Also his cage size is way too small for an adult male veiled.
 
I've always used this gut load and he's never not eaten but I'm gonna get the repashy bug burger. And I said in previous comments I'm getting a new cage but people have bills to pay so right at this moment me getting the $135 cage isn't really in my budget right now
 
I've always used this gut load and he's never not eaten but I'm gonna get the repashy bug burger. And I said in previous comments I'm getting a new cage but people have bills to pay so right at this moment me getting the $135 cage isn't really in my budget right now
I completely understand and I'm not trying to over critique. Just want to tell you how it is. You asked what could be causing him not to eat and that could be your 2 major factors. I'm not judging you or out to be mean I'm only trying to help you and your beautiful boy. I got 3 kids, a wife, myself, 2 dogs, 1 cat, and 3 reptiles to take care of so I know how it goes.
 
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