chameleon poop

[kianna2118]

I have notice yesterday that my chameleon poop was like watery. Could that be normal? He eats everyday, he drinks water everyday? Could it be his food? I feed him crickets,superworms, butterworms, goliath worms, silk worms. I feed him superworms yesterday he ate and hours later thats when i discover his poop watery. Please let me know thanks. Could it be the superworms doing this to him ?

 

[DJnSoCal]

I have notice yesterday that my chameleon poop was like watery. Could that be normal? He eats everyday, he drinks water everyday? Could it be his food? I feed him crickets,superworms, butterworms, goliath worms, silk worms. I feed him superworms yesterday he ate and hours later thats when i discover his poop watery. Please let me know thanks. Could it be the superworms doing this to him ?

I notice when I feed more worms than crickets/roaches the feces tends to be more liquid in nature, at least the urates. People use worms for extra hydration. It makes sense some foods will cause different "outcomes." Worms add more liquid...

Will your chameleon eat roaches? I'd throw some into the mix, with more crickets, and cut out some of the worms you are feeding (save them for treats unless you're trying to hydrate him up).

 

[kianna2118]

I am trying to hydrate him since his little problem right now is to shed. But he has been drinking water everyday.. and been eating everyday. I spray his cage at least 3-5 times a day. I won't feed him roaches cause by the thought of them having them in my room is ewwww.. sorry. The only thing he is eating right now is superworms and crickets. I wanna start feeding him meal worms but i heard they aren't good for cham. I ran out of goliath worms and silk worms.

 

[DJnSoCal]

I am trying to hydrate him since his little problem right now is to shed. But he has been drinking water everyday.. and been eating everyday. I spray his cage at least 3-5 times a day. I won't feed him roaches cause by the thought of them having them in my room is ewwww.. sorry. The only thing he is eating right now is superworms and crickets. I wanna start feeding him meal worms but i heard they aren't good for cham. I ran out of goliath worms and silk worms.

I don't know why roaches get such a bad rap. They aren't stinky like crickets and much easier to deal with. I think you get much more "bang" for your buck with roaches vs. crickets. But, regardless, why are you worried about your chameleon shedding? He/she will do that when they are prepared. I'd make sure you are dripping them in addition to misting (unless you have a misting system) and getting appropriate supplements and gut-loading through your feeders. We mist automatically everyday, but the chameleons still love to be dripped. Just my experience.

Meal worms are a toss-up. I know from experience with other animals you need to be cautious because of stories of them staying, believe it or not, quite alive after being ingested and eating their way out of the animal from the inside. That would be bad. Very bad. I know people who feed them do so after they molt/shed so their skin is more supple and digestible. But why go through all that trouble when you can feed a cute little roach to your chameleon and not have to worry about anything like that?

It sounds like he is hydrated from how you described his feces, give him a variety of food and see how he does.

 

[kianna2118]

I have been giving him variety of food. But moneys short right now. And shipping is an arm and leg. I was feeding my cham crickets, goliath worms, silk worms, butterworms, superworms. Now as of this week he is only eating crickets dusted and gutloaded and superworms gutload with oats. I ran out of the goliath, silk worms and butterworms. Plus no one out here in cali sells roachs they only sell crickets & superworms and mealworms. I don't have a misting system. Just a drippler. And for th emist i have tried the shower but get s to hot for me =) i really don't know if that will help him. but i do it.

 

[DJnSoCal]

I have been giving him variety of food. But moneys short right now. And shipping is an arm and leg. I was feeding my cham crickets, goliath worms, silk worms, butterworms, superworms. Now as of this week he is only eating crickets dusted and gutloaded and superworms gutload with oats. I ran out of the goliath, silk worms and butterworms. Plus no one out here in cali sells roachs they only sell crickets & superworms and mealworms. I don't have a misting system. Just a drippler. And for th emist i have tried the shower but get s to hot for me =) i really don't know if that will help him. but i do it.

Well, if you're in Southern California, you should come to the SBCK meetings... meet a lot of people and there are a lot of cheap feeders there. I'd stay clear of the butters as a staple... But that is me. You can EASILY set up a colony of roaches for one chameleon with very little investment. I'd be happy to get you started if you come to a meeting, I'll give you some roaches to start off with. You just need to keep them warm and feed them.

No hot showers for chameleons. Remember, they aren't warm-blooded. Room-temperature water works wonders if you are misting / dripping / showering. You don't want to boil your pet, right? I realize money is tight for everyone, but you've taken on the responsibility as a caretaker of an exotic pet... get your chameleon some food... roaches!

 

[Bay687]

i wish we had something like that in the phoenix metro area.. like meetings.. i would jump all over that, and be glad to meet people in this area! that could also help and enjoy the same things as me! plus see all the different kinds

 

[PantherVeileD]

Dubia roaches is the way to go!! I had them for over 6 months and I hestitate to breed them. Didn't give them any heat and not enough food. Then I realize I gotta start breeding these guys, like what am I waiting for??!!? Most of my chams are all big now, which means I have to order bigger crickets.. They chirp, smells, stink, I see one here and there in my house!! SCREW CRICKETS!! they suck.... I can only tolerate the younger crickets.

Roaches ... is by far easier to deal with.. Believe it or not.. give it a shot!!

 

[kianna2118]

poop

so its normal he poops like that because of the worms so it doesnt mean that something is wrong right

 

[DJnSoCal]

so its normal he poops like that because of the worms so it doesnt mean that something is wrong right

No, something could always be wrong, but you need to consider what you've been feeding him as well. It's the totality of the circumstances. If you are worried, take him to a vet and have someone do a fecal float.

Why don't you try cutting back on the worms a bit and feed more crickets?

 

[sandrachameleon]

A diet heavy on goliath worms and silkworms can cause runny poops, yes. Does the fecal matter smell at all? If not, its probably the diet and not a problem. Try a temporary reduction in silkworms and goliath/hornworms, and increase the crickets for a couple weeks. If the fecal matter gets firmer, you've got your answer.
But like DJnSoCal said, If you are worried, take him to a vet and have a fecal float test done. doesnt hurt to do that yearly anyhow.

Mealworms dont have much nutrition, and the meat to chinton ratio is such that they are harder to digest, risking impaction. However if you are feeding primarily goliath worms, silkworms and butterworms, adding a mealworm once a week certainly wont hurt. But the superworms and crickets are likely adding well enough chinton, so mealworms arent necessary. I use mealworms as a treat only.

 

[kianna2118]

well for the past week we been feeding him crickets and super worms and he been eating them like its nothing. So his poop was only running for 1 day and thats good and it didn't smell. Again im thinking about the roaches but then it like ewwwww to me and plus i dont know were to get them at because my pet shop does not have them or can't order them for me. for only that week i was useing silkworms, goliathworms and butterworms to see what he liked and now what i see he likes crickets and superworms, cause he usually took him 10 mins to eat the silkworms, goliathworms and butterwworms and it only takes 1sec to eat the crickets and superworms when i put them in his cage.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Glad to know he's okay
I'd still give him silkworms and butterworms if you can. the variety is good.

 

[kianna2118]

we just ran out of goliathworms, butterworms and silkworms we need to reorder.