Dying? What should I look for?

I wanted to reach out here because I feel like a lot of the information I keep finding on chameleon death is due to sickness/poor husbandry and the symptoms are obvious bad things.

My sweet boy (veiled chameleon) is around 4.5 years old (got him September 2018, estimate he was about 2 months old at that point). Up to today, he's seemed fine - I feel sometimes like he has started sleeping in weird places, but my husband thinks I'm a worrywart. I've also noticed over the last few months that he isn't as apt to chase crickets as he was before (maybe around the beginning of this year). He's more content to sit and wait for them to climb the sides of the cage.

Today, I noticed he seemed especially slow. He isn't climbing around much. He's near his light, but not really in what I would call his favorite basking spot. Every time I walk by, he seems dark. He ate earlier, and he seemed as excited as usual about his hornworm treat, but he also didn't seem nearly as hungry. He ate and drank earlier, he was excited for his hornworm treat, but he didn't seem as hungry as I expected.

Is it possible these are signs his time is coming? His eyes aren't sunken in, his skin isn't saggy. His grip seems strong still. He still seems alert, just... not as active?

I feel like I see people talking about male veileds living to 7 years, and I feel like I've failed him. :(
 
Hey there... I would say 90% die to improper husbandry or illness due to improper husbandry. Sometimes they can slow down when temps in the house change as well. I have noticed this more and more with my male that will be 5 years old in June.

Typically when there is a decline you see it first with the eyes being more sunk in. They can even look like they lost weight practically over night. These are the common major signs that death is coming.

Do you want to post some pics of your boy?
 
I wanted to reach out here because I feel like a lot of the information I keep finding on chameleon death is due to sickness/poor husbandry and the symptoms are obvious bad things.

My sweet boy (veiled chameleon) is around 4.5 years old (got him September 2018, estimate he was about 2 months old at that point). Up to today, he's seemed fine - I feel sometimes like he has started sleeping in weird places, but my husband thinks I'm a worrywart. I've also noticed over the last few months that he isn't as apt to chase crickets as he was before (maybe around the beginning of this year). He's more content to sit and wait for them to climb the sides of the cage.

Today, I noticed he seemed especially slow. He isn't climbing around much. He's near his light, but not really in what I would call his favorite basking spot. Every time I walk by, he seems dark. He ate earlier, and he seemed as excited as usual about his hornworm treat, but he also didn't seem nearly as hungry. He ate and drank earlier, he was excited for his hornworm treat, but he didn't seem as hungry as I expected.

Is it possible these are signs his time is coming? His eyes aren't sunken in, his skin isn't saggy. His grip seems strong still. He still seems alert, just... not as active?

I feel like I see people talking about male veileds living to 7 years, and I feel like I've failed him. :(
My chameleon Squiggy actually died today, so my input may be valuable. I would say, if he starts to lose weight, worry. My guy went from 180 down to about 140 before I noticed, and then brought him to the vet. Multiple shots, meds, then hunger strikes and force feeding Carnivore Care, and now I have to find a box. It took about 4 months for the decline, so maybe if you can catch it now, you can save him. He also just might be eating less. I had two of them, about 2.5 years old, and both went to eating about twice a week. His brother, Lenny, is 222 grams and eats everything in his bowl.
 
"On a long enough time line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero."
Everything is poison, only the dosage changes.


But its pretty common to have a 2-3 month slow down every year. As others stated, mainly look for rapid weight loss and sunken eyes. They will have sunken eyes when they are sick/stressed, not just dehydrated or underweight.
 
@dunney52 …sorry you lost your chameleon. Keep it in your heart.

@AshesAshes …make veiled chameleons can easily live to be 7 years of age. Can you post some photos of yours now?

Is this Karma (Kepler) that you rescued that you’re talking about?
 
My chameleon Squiggy actually died today, so my input may be valuable. I would say, if he starts to lose weight, worry. My guy went from 180 down to about 140 before I noticed, and then brought him to the vet. Multiple shots, meds, then hunger strikes and force feeding Carnivore Care, and now I have to find a box. It took about 4 months for the decline, so maybe if you can catch it now, you can save him. He also just might be eating less. I had two of them, about 2.5 years old, and both went to eating about twice a week. His brother, Lenny, is 222 grams and eats everything in his bowl.
I’m so sorry for your loss!
 
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