Chameleon Twitching

I know that twitching with chameleons is often a sign of MBD, but I would greatly appreciate some help! It doesn't look like normal symptoms from what I've read on both these forums and other forums, so I made an account in hopes for information on my specific case.
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - I have a male veiled chameleon, around three months of age. I've had him for just over two months.
  • Handling - I have not yet handled him completely, just because he never much likes me intruding on his space. I have recently taken him out to clean his cage, but that's about it.
  • Feeding - I feed him mostly crickets and mealworms- sometimes I give him little treats of the (safe to be consumed!) insect feeders, as well as strawberries and raspberries. Not more than twice a week. About four or five large crickets daily, and about ten mealworms, depending on how hungry he is. I also feed him daily, since he's still quite young. I feed my insects 'Nature Zone Total Bites.'
  • Supplements - I give him his nutrients through mealworms, mostly, because I know they're not best as main feeders. I use Zoo Med Repti Calcium, as well as Tetrafauna ReptoCal.
  • Watering - I use a spray bottle for misting. Because of where I live, I don't have to worry so much about humidity! My natural humidity is around 80%, regularly. I mist his terrarium around thirty to forty times with the bottle, until there's a healthy amount of water. I don't often see him drinking, because I spray before I leave for work and when I come home. I do see him occasionally, though.
  • Fecal Description - I bought him from 100% captivity, so I didn't think yet to get him tested for anything. His dropping are both the white bit as well as the longer bit, a normal dark brown as he had always had.
  • History - I bought him young, although he is my first chameleon! I'm new to all of this and I hope I can pinpoint the problem.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - He's in a screen terrarium, dimensions of a base 2ftx2ft and the height about 3.5ft.
  • Lighting - His lights turn on around 6:30 and shut off around 6:30. I have a night lamp for him, too. His daylight is Zoo Med, the Powersun UV. 100 W.
  • Temperature - He can get up close, pretty much right against the lamp if he needs to. The basic temps in the room are around 70°-75°. The light is branded to get around 90° if he sleeps close enough. I don't have a thermometer, but I know it never gets below 70°, even on the colder days!
  • Humidity - The natural humidity is around 80%, as mentioned. I make sure to spray his cage often, but I don't measure that, either.
  • Plants - I'm not using live plants. I keep plastic ones in there.
  • Placement - The cage is located in a loft space in my house. I have a fan near by, a Dyson Cool directed to the couch. The area is very, very low traffic. I'm just about the only one he sees daily. The cage is on the ground, without anything under it.
  • Location - I live in Southern California, if that's how I'm supposed to answer this! Otherwise, he's in a rather high spot in comparison to the base of the room.

Current Problem - And now, to the problem. I usually sit by the terrarium when I'm home, just on my laptop or my phone. I like to watch him when I have the time. He's one heck of a climber, too, so if he goes down by the bottom, he usually comes back up to bask in the light to warm up again. Sometimes, especially recently, if he goes up there, his head does a little twitch. Sometimes, I've seen it go on for about a minute. Is head twitches sideways and I think it scares him because he moves to brace against his branches and waits until he stops twitching. When he does stop, he's back on the move again, climbing around until he's back at it. He's only done it maybe twice before, one or two twitches, but today he's going on for thirty seconds every hour or half an hour. Also, please let me know if I need to make any other changes to his habitat to make him a happier fellow!
 
Why do you have a night lamp for him? You don't need the night lamp! Total dark so he can sleep! & I would skip the mealworms, no nutritional value! Just my .02!
 
Why do you have a night lamp for him? You don't need the night lamp! Total dark so he can sleep! & I would skip the mealworms, no nutritional value! Just my .02!
Crickets are just difficult to get regularly. Plus, they're easier to help give his nutrients. Also, it is near completely dark! It's kind of like a black light.
 
And enclosure?
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image.jpg
Sorry about poor pictures. Lighting is bad. If you need new ones, let me know.
 
View attachment 157657 View attachment 157658 Sorry about poor pictures. Lighting is bad. If you need new ones, let me know.
Beautiful cage n beautiful baby in your avatar.
When he twitch does he open his mouth also??or after he ate those mealworms???
And if u can drop down the branches or vine little lower that will prevent ur cham to get burn by the heat lamp,u can also replace the mealworm on his diet to silkworm and dubia roaches,that will definitely make him a even happier fellow,this is just my recommendation to ur cham.
 
Beautiful cage n beautiful baby in your avatar.
When he twitch does he open his mouth also??or after he ate those mealworms???
And if u can drop down the branches or vine little lower that will prevent ur cham to get burn by the heat lamp,u can also replace the mealworm on his diet to silkworm and dubia roaches,that will definitely make him a even happier fellow,this is just my recommendation to ur cham.
Thank you! Also, no. He just sits on the uppermost branch and his head twitches, kind of like you would if a gnat flew into your ear or something. I'll look into the change in his diet and look into what local pet stores have!
 
Not sure if I see MBD or not. Does you calcium have d3 in it? Do you use a multivitamin? Your schedule should be calcium with d3 2× a month
Multivitamin 2× a month
Calcium without d3 most feedings
 
Not sure if I see MBD or not. Does you calcium have d3 in it? Do you use a multivitamin? Your schedule should be calcium with d3 2× a month
Multivitamin 2× a month
Calcium without d3 most feedings
It does have D3, yes. I use a basic calcium and what the container says 'powdered nutritional supplement'. Are you saying I should use less calcium?
 
Thank you! Also, no. He just sits on the uppermost branch and his head twitches, kind of like you would if a gnat flew into your ear or something. I'll look into the change in his diet and look into what local pet stores have!
Pleasure will be all mine,there are lots great info that u can find in this forum,its under the resources tab on the menu,enjoy ur stay,bye now.
 
It does have D3, yes. I use a basic calcium and what the container says 'powdered nutritional supplement'. Are you saying I should use less calcium?
To much D3 can be toxic. If your calcium does contain D3 then it should not be given everyday. Calcium without D3 should be given daily or every other day depending on your feeding schedule.
 
Maybe a mute point as this thead is years old. I had a Helmet Chameleon and once I noticed him twitch, and I realized he was trying to get my attention. It did and I noticed that his 10 gallon water resevoir had gone empty. As soon as I filled it and started the pump he ran over to the spot where the spay nozzle is and tongued the first place the water hit, he was thirsty........
 
Maybe a moot point as this thead is years old. I had a Helmet Chameleon and once I noticed him twitch, and I realized he was trying to get my attention. It did and I noticed that his 10 gallon water resevoir had gone empty. As soon as I filled it and started the pump he ran over to the spot where the spay nozzle is and tongued the first place the water hit, he was thirsty........
That’s adorable!
 
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