szpond
New Member
I have just been concerned for the past couple of days my adult Jackson's has been seemingly restless during the day - climbing on screen to get from point A to point B (instead of using vines), finding a shady area before bedtime and snoozing before lights-out. This is all new. He won't snooze under direct light, but he does find a way to get to a dark spot.
Can't hurt to double-check, right?
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Xanth male, estimated 2 years (could be more) - will have been in my care a year as of next month.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I don't like to, but probably twice every two-three weeks or so. When I have to leave the room I will take him off of his free range and close his cage (if he is not in it).
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? He gets gut-loaded crickets, a cut-down amount of 3 medium/larges daily. They get a gutload that I alternate every week or so between a nice veggie mix to a veggie fruit mix, all taken from the gutloading basics. Probably around 20 ingredients total. Also a dry mix given in moderation with spirulina, fennel, sesame seed, flax seed...one more seed, can't think of it. Recently I got my hands on 5 or so horn worms, but right now he's only getting crickets and supers as a treat - it's too cold in Michigan to ship, temps will be up by the end of this month where he will get more horn worms, butter worms, hopefully dubia, etc...
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Rep-cal calcium w/ D3 on the 8th of every month, Rep-cal multivitamin on the 15th of every month, Repti-Calcium without D3 two days out of the week.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I have a 1-gallon dripper that takes a very long time to empty. If I am going anywhere, I make sure this is full. Otherwise I do 1-2-minute misting sessions 3-5 times out of the day. I see him drinking regularly from the dripper. On my off-days I will increase mistings to 8-10 minutes so I have time to change the paper towel afterwards. Still he will not drink while misting.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? I have talked to a breeder on this one -- even though he drinks a fair amount, his urate is always mostly orange and partially white (there is always at least some white). I have been told that this is probably due to kidney damage due to an antibiotic he needed after his growth-removal surgery in Sept. Poop always a firm ball. I plan on having a fecal done - just have to find a vet that can do one accurately. I'd like another opinion on the kidney damage, though. Never had a fecal.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you: He was probably raised under less-than-ideal conditions, he is from a major-chain pet store. He was skinny when I got him but I believe he was fully-grown. Shortly after I got him, I had a bump on the base of his tail checked out by a vet - she then took blood tests, x-ray, and removed the growth. All healed nicely since. Needed an antibiotic and he did get a small dose of a pain-killer for a few days as well.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? I /think/ right now he's in my 18 x 18 x 36 screen DIY (pic at bottom). 3 sides covered with a plastic to keep in humidity.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? 5.0 UVB changed a few months ago, 50 watt UVA/heat otherwise.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Digital thermometer, highest basking point is 82 degrees, overall temp of 70, low of 65 at night. 12 hours on, 12 hours off.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Hygrometer on side, it's a dry winter here so his humidity is always 50% with spikes up to 85% during mistings and after. I also have a humidifier in the room with distilled water to keep the humidity up.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? About 50/50 live/fake, only pothos with a plan to get a nice hibiscus going during spring.
Placement - Two feet off the ground in my closed room, low traffic - at night after lights-out I cover his cage with paper towel so it remains dark inside. a vent is about 6 feet kiddy-corner away, though there is a block so no direct air.
Location - Where are you geographically located? Nearby Detroit, MI.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about: Stated above.
Any vet recommendations for a fecal? A friend of mine says she has the proper microscope, is it possible it could be done at home?
Can't hurt to double-check, right?
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Xanth male, estimated 2 years (could be more) - will have been in my care a year as of next month.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I don't like to, but probably twice every two-three weeks or so. When I have to leave the room I will take him off of his free range and close his cage (if he is not in it).
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? He gets gut-loaded crickets, a cut-down amount of 3 medium/larges daily. They get a gutload that I alternate every week or so between a nice veggie mix to a veggie fruit mix, all taken from the gutloading basics. Probably around 20 ingredients total. Also a dry mix given in moderation with spirulina, fennel, sesame seed, flax seed...one more seed, can't think of it. Recently I got my hands on 5 or so horn worms, but right now he's only getting crickets and supers as a treat - it's too cold in Michigan to ship, temps will be up by the end of this month where he will get more horn worms, butter worms, hopefully dubia, etc...
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Rep-cal calcium w/ D3 on the 8th of every month, Rep-cal multivitamin on the 15th of every month, Repti-Calcium without D3 two days out of the week.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I have a 1-gallon dripper that takes a very long time to empty. If I am going anywhere, I make sure this is full. Otherwise I do 1-2-minute misting sessions 3-5 times out of the day. I see him drinking regularly from the dripper. On my off-days I will increase mistings to 8-10 minutes so I have time to change the paper towel afterwards. Still he will not drink while misting.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? I have talked to a breeder on this one -- even though he drinks a fair amount, his urate is always mostly orange and partially white (there is always at least some white). I have been told that this is probably due to kidney damage due to an antibiotic he needed after his growth-removal surgery in Sept. Poop always a firm ball. I plan on having a fecal done - just have to find a vet that can do one accurately. I'd like another opinion on the kidney damage, though. Never had a fecal.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you: He was probably raised under less-than-ideal conditions, he is from a major-chain pet store. He was skinny when I got him but I believe he was fully-grown. Shortly after I got him, I had a bump on the base of his tail checked out by a vet - she then took blood tests, x-ray, and removed the growth. All healed nicely since. Needed an antibiotic and he did get a small dose of a pain-killer for a few days as well.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? I /think/ right now he's in my 18 x 18 x 36 screen DIY (pic at bottom). 3 sides covered with a plastic to keep in humidity.
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? 5.0 UVB changed a few months ago, 50 watt UVA/heat otherwise.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Digital thermometer, highest basking point is 82 degrees, overall temp of 70, low of 65 at night. 12 hours on, 12 hours off.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Hygrometer on side, it's a dry winter here so his humidity is always 50% with spikes up to 85% during mistings and after. I also have a humidifier in the room with distilled water to keep the humidity up.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? About 50/50 live/fake, only pothos with a plan to get a nice hibiscus going during spring.
Placement - Two feet off the ground in my closed room, low traffic - at night after lights-out I cover his cage with paper towel so it remains dark inside. a vent is about 6 feet kiddy-corner away, though there is a block so no direct air.
Location - Where are you geographically located? Nearby Detroit, MI.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about: Stated above.
Any vet recommendations for a fecal? A friend of mine says she has the proper microscope, is it possible it could be done at home?
Prevents flooding though!
