Cham Help!

[cstocke]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Baby Veiled, Male, roughly 4 weeks. About 2 weeks in our care.
• Handling - We handle him every other day sometimes every couple of days.
• Feeding - Small Crickets, Baby Hornworms, and Baby Dubia Roaches. We try daily to feed but he never seems to takes them. We try to feed in the morning hours. Gut-loading feeders by using Nature Zone Total Bites for crickets and feeder insects.
• Supplements - We dust the feeders in Repti-Calcium w/out D3 every couple of days.
• Watering - we spray the enclosure multiple times a day with a water bottle. We spray for about 2-3 minutes straight each time. We see him drinking every once in a while.
• Fecal Description - Droppings appear normal. Drak in color and then white in color. He has never been tested for parasites.
• History - We were told when we got him roughly 2 weeks ago that he wasn't doing that well. He was the only male and by far the smallest of his group. They did say that he was eating less than normal but he was eating and drinking.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - He is in a screen enclosure apprx 10x10x10
• Lighting - We use a Zoo Med Mini Deep Dome Lamp Fixture w/ the ZooMed ReptiBasking Spot Lamp 50W Bulb and a regular coil bulb for the uvb. Daily lighting schedule from 7a-7p
• Temperature - 80-85F w/ overnight temps in the 70's. We measure the temp with a ZooMed digital thermometer.
• Humidity - We haven't measure the humidity but we spray multiple times a day and keep warm temps up.
• Plants - We have a live plant in there. Its a small plant but I forget the name. We did look it up before we got it and it was okay.
• Placement - The cage is located on a desk against the wall in our living room. It is right before we enter our hallway next to our other jackson cham's enclosure. They currently can't see each other and the jackson cham is thriving in this location. The top of the enclosure is about 3 1/2 feet from the floor.
• Location - We are located in Central AZ

Current Problem -
We got him about 2 weeks ago and were told he wasn't doing to well. We took him home and so far he's been okay except his eating and drinking habits aren't the best. We have tried crickets, worms, and baby dubia roaches but he won't typically eat. One day he ate 5 but another he won't eat at all. He does drink when we spray the enclosure down most times. He is also sleeping during the day. He doesn't seem to do this too much now though but he still does it.

@Kristen Wilkins

 

[cstocke]

The first photo is when we got him

Henry

• cstocke
• Aug 1, 2017

Baby Veiled Cham

This second photo was the first time I saw color changing behavior

Henry's Colors this morning!

• cstocke
• Aug 8, 2017

And this last photo is typically how he sits during the day but he normally has his eyes closed

Henry

• cstocke
• Aug 8, 2017

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Welcome @cstocke can you get some pics of the full enclosure please ?

 

[carol5208]

I know if he's not eating much he is probably not pooping much, but it is important to have his poop tested for parasites to rule that out. Parasites can cause loss of appetite and lethargy. Also, as i just told another member, when they point their noses in the air it can indicate a respiratory problem. Closing eyes during the day is not good and is either an illness, or vitamin A deficiency problem.

 

[carol5208]

Are you positive your light is a uvb?

 

[cstocke]

Here is his enclosure. I am positive his bulbs are what they should be. We are getting a bigger enclosure and a strip light hopefully at the end of this week.

Henry's Enclosure

• cstocke
• Aug 8, 2017

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Here is his enclosure. I am positive his bulbs are what they should be. We are getting a bigger enclosure and a strip light hopefully at the end of this week.

Henry's Enclosure

• cstocke
• Aug 8, 2017

Yes that will be great . His enclosure is much to small and there's not near enough pathways or foliage . You want the enclosure to be so full it's hard to find him . Potho's I personally like . They are very easy to keep , they hold water droplets fantastic . I would get a fecal done . What multivitamin are you using ?

 

[Katacara]

Hello and welcome!! A few questions: how are you feeding? Cup? Free range? Tweaking how you are feeding may help. Is his spine always that shape? In 2 of the pictures it looks like his spine is in the same bendy S shape, if so he may have been born with MBD.

At this age he should have cal w/o D3 every feeding, except the 4 days a month you dust with cal with D3 2X month, and multivitamin 2X month (did that make sense?)

 

[cstocke]

Hello and welcome!! A few questions: how are you feeding? Cup? Free range? Tweaking how you are feeding may help. Is his spine always that shape? In 2 of the pictures it looks like his spine is in the same bendy S shape, if so he may have been born with MBD.

At this age he should have cal w/o D3 every feeding, except the 4 days a month you dust with cal with D3 2X month, and multivitamin 2X month (did that make sense?)

We normally put a bunch of feeders free range in his enclosure and occasionally he goes for them. We have to keep cleaning out his enclosure because most die before he can eat them. We have tried feeding from the cricket keeper tube but that only worked for a short period of time. The other day i took him out and help him and a roach on a dowel style stick and he did eat it after a few minutes of it moving around. There seems to be no simple and effective way to feed him so he will eat every time.

I will take a new photo tomorrow after I turn his light on to show you his back. It doesn't really look curved in person. I think this may just be how the photos are coming out.

 

[Katacara]

This is what I use as a feed cup:

It let's the feeders crawl around (so they look like food) but not many excape. I put an appropriate amount of fresh feeders in it every morning and let my chams have their fill (I got my chams underweight also). This way you can hang it on your chams level so it is easier for him to eat.

There was something else I was going to suggest, but my brain just shut down for the night, so I will take another look in the am.

 

[cstocke]

This is what I use as a feed cup:
View attachment 187914


It let's the feeders crawl around (so they look like food) but not many excape. I put an appropriate amount of fresh feeders in it every morning and let my chams have their fill (I got my chams underweight also). This way you can hang it on your chams level so it is easier for him to eat.

There was something else I was going to suggest, but my brain just shut down for the night, so I will take another look in the am.

I am going to be making one of these. This seems like such a good idea. I've tried doing a feeder bowl style but this didn't work for either of my chams. I'm hoping that a constant supply of food where he can access it all day will help him out.

 

[Katacara]

Ok well now that my brain is functioning again 2 things

When you make one of those feeder cups be sure the edges are either covered with something or really smooth, you don't want your guy cutting his feet. I don't know if the picture is clear enough for you to see, but there is screening glued to the back so the feeders can climb up. This is important.

To pack on some weight quickly try feeding wax and butter worms. They don't have much nutritional value so you will still need to offer good gut loaded Staples but they are high in fat.

 

[cstocke]

Ok well now that my brain is functioning again 2 things

When you make one of those feeder cups be sure the edges are either covered with something or really smooth, you don't want your guy cutting his feet. I don't know if the picture is clear enough for you to see, but there is screening glued to the back so the feeders can climb up. This is important.

To pack on some weight quickly try feeding wax and butter worms. They don't have much nutritional value so you will still need to offer good gut loaded Staples but they are high in fat.

I will be trying to make the feeder today and will be picking up some crickets and either wax or butter worms to have him try. Thank you for the advice. I will be trying this out the next few days and then seeing how he his doing. I noticed the last time he ate a bunch in one day his overall attitude was better. He moved around more and slept less. Hopefully getting his weight up will do the trick.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I will be trying to make the feeder today and will be picking up some crickets and either wax or butter worms to have him try. Thank you for the advice. I will be trying this out the next few days and then seeing how he his doing. I noticed the last time he ate a bunch in one day his overall attitude was better. He moved around more and slept less. Hopefully getting his weight up will do the trick.

If you can safely take him out side , with out to much stress ,The natural uvb does wonders . Sometime you can get them to eat a bit more out side and hydrate .

 

[cstocke]

If you can safely take him out side , with out to much stress ,The natural uvb does wonders . Sometime you can get them to eat a bit more out side and hydrate .

He is okay if i take him out on a dowel style stick. He will usually start on the stick and then willingly crawl onto my hand. I just stopped taking him out to avoid added stress. I will try to take him out today onto my patio to see if he will possibly eat for me outside.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

He is okay if i take him out on a dowel style stick. He will usually start on the stick and then willingly crawl onto my hand. I just stopped taking him out to avoid added stress. I will try to take him out today onto my patio to see if he will possibly eat for me outside.

If you have a hand sprayer take it out with you . Get some glistening droplets going see if that helps get him drinking . Often chameleons won't drink in front of you . He will have to be watch if you can't bring his enclosure out , or a enclosure out . Wax worms work great there ok in nutrition but very hi in fat . They work wonders for fattening up a Chameleon. The only thing is they really love them and sometime will refuse to eat anything else . If you can get silkworms their fantastic . Likely you will need to order them .

 

[cstocke]

Okay, so after a long (rough) morning, Henry the baby veiled is in good hands. He is with the store owners getting much needed medical treatment. This morning when I turned his lights on he wouldn't open his eyes or move. I made the jug from above and cleaned out his enclosure. I went to put him back in and he refused to leave my hand. He collapsed into my hand, eyes closed, and didn't move for at least 20 minutes. I tried to get him to drink and I kept him nice and moist. I saw him take a gasp for air and then nothing. I thought he had passed but when I put him in a container to bring him back to the store he suddenly sprung up. I decided to run him over to the store and they said they will do anything in their power to help him.

*PS* When I say store I don't mean a chain store like Petco or something. The place I got him is run by a few individuals who have been breeding and caring for all sorts of reptiles and chams for over 20 years. They have a small boarding style facility at their store in which they can board and take care of animals.

I will post back in a few days with some updates. He is in our prayers!

 

[cstocke]

I just wanted to update the few of you who were helping me with my baby cham. Unfortunately he did no make it. We knew he was sick when we got him and did our best to save him. It is so sad to lose our little baby however, we are happy he is no longer suffering. I am truly heartbroken. RIP Baby Henry <3

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I just wanted to update the few of you who were helping me with my baby cham. Unfortunately he did no make it. We knew he was sick when we got him and did our best to save him. It is so sad to lose our little baby however, we are happy he is no longer suffering. I am truly heartbroken. RIP Baby Henry <3

Rip baby boy . I'm so sorry to hear this . There's to much of this lately .

 

[cstocke]

I just wish I knew what was wrong so we could have maybe done something differently. Everyone says that we did all we could. He was wild caught and sick when the owners of the store got him. We took a huge risk getting him, but I am happy that we were able to give him a good home up until this point.