Feeding Habits?

[CammieNLeno]

Hi chamforums! I promised i would do my best on not visiting this paticular section of the forums, however, i need some edumiciation!

My jacksons feeding habits are stumping me. I dont know what to do. I can post my husbandaries if needed, but here is my situation.

First few months cammie ate like there was no tomorrow. 4 crix a morning, 4+ for dinner, drinking tons of water (observed) and LOVED and i mean LOOOOVEEEDDDD silkworms. She couldnt get enough!! I would put 1 on each finger, and she would snipe all 4 in a matter of minutes. She loved eating from my hand, and now she wont even eat the 6 that have been in her cave for the last 6 days. She ate as if it was her favorite thing to do.

Lately, i cant figure her out. She will eat MABY 1-2 worms a week, (not this last week tho) and wont even touch crickets in her feeder cup. I will put 4 in her cup in the AM as im off to work, and find the same 4 in the cup when i get home. She WILL eat 1 crix a day the instant i tip the cup over and let em free range in her cage. The rest will sit there till i scoop em up and re-gutload em.

She has basiically reduced her food intake to pretty much 1 crix a day. This has remained consistant for the last 3 weeks. I feel embaressed to come here to ask for help, but i feel i cant wait any longer.

She looks health as can be. Super bright greens when crusin aroun the cage... nice colors when basking, but i just dont know whats up.

I havent handled her in about 2 weeks, and i am verous concious about stressing her out. I took these pics from my cell today in hopes i can show her health has remained consistant, strictly for this post.

My origional thought was that she was pregnant, and abot to burst, (shes a jackson) but now im not so convinced?

So is she just a sutubborn sun of a bitch or do i need to post my husbandaries to help troubleshoot?

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."My origional thought was that she was pregnant, and abot to burst, (shes a jackson) but now im not so convinced?"...I think you might be right. How long have you had her? Has she been basking more lately? Does she ever hang under the basking light on the roof of the cage (if she can reach it)?

 

[Stuey!]

just learned that jacksons give live brith. cool! never heard of a reptile that gives live birth. wierd.

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

My bet is with Kinyonga that your Jackson's is ready to either drop a load of slugs or maybe a batch of live ones. I saw the photos before I read the entire post and that's what came to mind. Her not wanting food, but otherwise looking and acting healthy along with being very plump would fit the scenerio of getting ready to drop babies (or slugs). How long have you had her? I'm assuming that she may have been exposed to a male before you got her and that might have been a month or so ago...

 

[Stuey!]

hmmmm, dont listen to me, i only own a veiled lol.

 

[funkycox]

I have a male jacksons that does the same thing but way more frequently. One week he eat well and then the next he just decides he wants to see me freek out and wont eat a thing even if you put it right in front of him.

 

[CammieNLeno]

You said..."My origional thought was that she was pregnant, and abot to burst, (shes a jackson) but now im not so convinced?"...I think you might be right. How long have you had her? Has she been basking more lately? Does she ever hang under the basking light on the roof of the cage (if she can reach it)?

I have had her for about 3 months now. Thats all she does is bask now- during the day she is glued to the same basking spot, and at night she cruzes over to her favorite limb on the plant. She does exactly what you are refering to, hangs upside down below the light most of the time- what does that mean? At first i thought she was just beeing silly but she loves it i guess.

Prior to me purchasing her from the local petstore, she was housed with multiple males. In my research phase when looking into these critters, i read that it is unwise for the petstores to house multiple males and females together, as they are constantly stressed. Thats how i have seen it at every petstore here in hawaii except for 1 - they will all have anywhere from 8-10 jacksons all in 1 large (and sometiems not large) cage. I do not know how long she was in that cage with the males, but yeah... she lived with i believe 4 other males.

 

[kinyonga]

I was asking about the basking and hanging upsidedown basking because that is what they do when they are gravid and getting near to having the babies. BTW, I think her color/pattern are indicating non-receptive/gravid too.

The babies will be born is a membrane and should break free of it once they are dropped out of the female.

There is a site that I came across that shows the process, but I can't find it right now. This site describes the process to some extent...
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/bot350/1996/Reyes/reyes.htm

I can't tell you when this event will take place...just don't be surprised to go to her cage and see a lot of little ones walking around....and try to watch for it so that if some of them don't get out of the sacs/membranes you might be able to help when you are sure they can't do it on their own. Generally it is thought that if they can't get out on their own they won't survive anyway.

Keep us posted!

 

[CammieNLeno]

thanks for your help and advice! i found a good page that talks about the birth process - intersting stuff!

http://www.geocities.com/chamjacksonii/breed.html

ill keep ya updated. unfortinatly i am away at work from 9-5, so i hope that me not beeing there to help doesnt cause any additional problems.

my cage setup is safe tho for any newborns, they wont be slipping through any cracks or getting stuck on stuff, so tahts good at least. mebbe i should toss some pinheads in there just in case!

 

[kinyonga]

That's the site I was looking for.

Just watch that you don't stress the female out when she's having the babies by letting her see you watching her.

The babies won't likely eat for a few hours after they are born...I usually just put one pinhead in so that they don't bother the chameleon, but there is something to show that they are eating. Once its gone you can feed them well.