Dark chameleon for days

[jaredphoward]

I just bought a male jacksons from a previous owner. When I picked it up from him it was really dark. Its been a couple days and he is still dark. He assures me it takes days for the chameleon to accustom to his new enclosure. I am afraid he sold me a sick chameleon. I expected him to return to a healthy bright green by now. I am getting worried.

 

[jamncristian]

fill out the ask for help form
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Olimpia]

Congrats on getting a Jacksons! They are fantastic little chameleons, and are typically very sweet-tempered.

However, if there is a problem we can't help you out if we don't know anything about how you're housing him and all that good stuff. If you could, fill out this as specifically as possible!

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?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[CNorton]

Hi Jared, we'd love to help you with your cham but can you please fill this out? The more complete and detailed answers you can give the better!

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?


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[jaredphoward]

He is a male Jackson's chameleon. The previous owner said he is a year old adult, but he seems pretty small for an adult. I have had it for three days. I have not handled it since I got it so it can get used to its enclosure. Its enclosure is a very large (aprox. 3 foot tall) cage with a dripper system and a hood (uv lamp and heat) on top. It has vines and branches, fake vine, a hibiscus plant, a fountain on the bottom with a coconut husk dirt substrate. I feed it gut-loaded medium sized crickets that I dust once a week. I have an adult female jacksons already in the enclosure that is doing well. I mist the enclosure often (5-6 times) a day.

 

[Olimpia]

OK well, he shouldn't be in with another chameleon right now. Firstly, because if he is sick you do not want her to catch it. Secondly, because chameleons are really very solitary, so just the sight of another chameleon in such close quarters could be stressing him out and causing his dark colors. Even if she is a female, but he could just be overwhelmed by everything.

What are the temperatures in the cage? From the warmest point in the cage to the bottom?

Waterfalls are not the best thing to have in an enclosure, because they get slimy and dirty very quickly. Unless you're washing it out every night it's not worth the risk of them getting sick drinking from it.

 

[jaredphoward]

Here are some pictures if it helps

Pictures of the enclosure, the male jacksons and the female.

 

[jaredphoward]

I had the fountain previously and cleaned it weekly, but didnt notice them drinking from it so I went out and got the dripper they are now drinking from the dripper nicely. Im not sure what the temperatures are. But its not too hot under the basking lite that they use to rev up and the cage is tall enough that they have various temperatures that they can thermoregulate.

 

[Dank241]

You need to separate them !!! He is stressed. Not all Chams like to be housed together even if it is male and female. I did this and I had way more branches and plants in my cage. He eventually died after about 3 weeks.
I felt absolutely TERRIBLE knowing it was my fault. I tried to force them to get along and not introduce them to see their reactions.. Don't make the same mistake I did.

There is no way you can monitor how much he is eating and drinking.

Your best bet is to go get another cage and separate them..

This is just my experience with my Jackson's

My female is still alive and doing great. I just wish the male was here too

 

[CNorton]

Jared, your husbandry needs a little help.

First, the cage will be of adequate size for just him. As others have stated, you need to keep your male alone for a host of reasons...especially now. The cage needs to be relocated. Putting it on the ground leave the chameleon feeling unsafe. When you walk up to a cham and you're looking down on it, it will be thinking "Okay, I'm done for! I'm gonna get eaten!" Always try to put the cage high enough that the cham can climb to eye level or higher. On top of a desk, work bench, dresser, shelf, these are all better choices.

Second, the cage needs to be more densely planted. More living plants if you can. Any Lowes, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, or OSH will have what you need...schefflera arboricola, pothos, or ficus benjamina. You can layer the cage to provide leaves at every level by using zip ties, flower stands, any reptile vine, twine, or twist ties from the produce section of your local grocery store. With more vegetation at every level in the cage, your cham can hide (feel more safe), drink easier by licking off all the leaves, hunt, and enjoy a higher humidity.

Third, lose the waterfall. It will become filled with bacteria and it doesn't do any good. Chams are not like dogs, they prefer to lick water off leaves.

Fourth, get a fecal. Any poop that you can be sure the new (unhappy) cham dropped, take straight to the vet and ask for a fecal. Shouldn't run you more than $30 and it will tell you if your cham has parasites or not. If so, your vet can prescribe meds to help get your dude back in the saddle.

Fifth, lose the substrate. There is no reason, other than aesthetics, to have a ground cover for an arboreal species. It'll be easier to clean and you won't have to worry about your chams accidentally ingesting anything.

Sixth, we need the information in the above post to help you further. We need to know your temperatures: basking spot temp, mid level temp, and low level temp. Also, a humidity reading would be useful.

Hope this was useful!

 

[Olimpia]

I know it might sound like we're being really critical, but we have your chameleons' interests at heart. We really want them to be healthy and happy!

A great trick to get more plant cover without having to get lots of plant stands (or rest all the plants on the bottom) is this - get something strong, like a bar of wood, that measures the width of the cage or a little more (if the cage is 23" then 23-24") and rest that on the top of the cage. Then get strong fishing line, tie it to the wood, thread it through the screen, and then attach it to your plants. This way you can get plants where ever you want and at whatever height you want.

 

[kinyonga]

For the future, when you get a new chameleon its important to quarantine it for at least 6 weeks before you put it in the room with any you already had. If it is sick, by now it could have passed whatever it had/has on to your female.