Female panther will not eat.

[KramersChameleons]

I have tried everything, small,large crickets, super worms, dubia. How can I force feed her? She's so small and under weight compared to her sister. She's about a year old.

 

[kinyonga]

Please post photos of her and answer the questions in the how to ask for help thread at the top of the health forum.

 

[KramersChameleons]

The female shedding is hardly eating. She has gotten really skinny over the last month. Her sister is normal colors most the time, but she is always timid of me and colors are dark often. What do I do to spark her eating again, or force feed her? I force fed water today.

• Your Chameleon - Panther, Female, 1 year, in care 4 months. Nose Fale Female
• Handling - Every other week, she has been timid lately
• Feeding - Every other day, Crickets mostly, add dubia and superworms.
• Supplements - Calcium without d3 2 times a week
• Watering - Mist king 3 times per day at 30 sec each, also do a drip.
• Fecal Description - Normal white, a few times orange
• History - Just not that friendly compared to her sister. Seems to be offish

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Medium Reptibreeze
• Lighting - Reptisun 5 mini
• Temperature - 85 day, 80 night, southern CA, Camarillo
• Humidity - 50%-60%
• Plants - Had a Hibiscus in there for a while, but removed it two weeks ago and no change
• Placement - In the garage, crack garage door for breeze often.
• Location - Southern CA, Camarillo
  
  

 

[kinyonga]

Are they in separate cages?
Force feeding should be a last resort.
She looks like she's having a difficult shed too.

 

[KramersChameleons]

Yes, they are just basking together in the pictures.

 

[KramersChameleons]

Are they in separate cages?
Force feeding should be a last resort.
She looks like she's having a difficult shed too.

The shed just started. Ive tried hand feeding, and normal loose feeding, but I had to force water today with a syringe. Needed to get something in her, She is not growing as her sister is.

 

[kinyonga]

• Supplements - Calcium without d3 2 times a week...its recommended that you dust at almost every feeding with a phosphorous-free calcium powder. It's recommended that you dust twice a month with a phosphorous-free calcium/D3 powder but if the Chan is getting natural light often you can skip that. It's also recommended that you dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A. PrEformed sources can build up in the system and lead to health issues but prOformed source won't...so this is safe but leaves it up to you to decide if/when your chameleon needs prEformed. Skin issues can be due to a lack of vitamin A so your chameleon may need some.
• Watering - Mist king 3 times per day at 30 sec each, also do a drip. I would increase the length of the mistings if possible. Does she drink from the drip?
• Feeding/gutloading. It's important that you feed/gutload the insects well. For crickets, locusts, roaches, superworms I use a wide assortment of greens such as dandelion greens, kale, endive, escarole, collards, etc and veggies such as carrots, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, etc and a small amount of fruit such as melon, berries, apples, pears, etc.
• Lighting - Reptisun 5 mini ..not sure what that is. I use a Repti-sun 5.0 long linear tube UVB light.

 

[kinyonga]

Regarding force feeding...it should be a last resort. Have you tried dripping water on the end of her nose and once she starts drinking putting a cricket head first between her teeth so she bites down on it?
Can she see her sister all the time?

 

[KramersChameleons]

The sisters are next to each other. I have 5 screen cages lined together for the misting system lines. Should I have a barrier in between for no visual sight? What material do you recommend. The mist flows through the screen, so I would want some sort of material that does't soak, maybe a plastic sheet?

 

[kinyonga]

I use this type of stuff...
http://www.canadiandisplay.ca/18-x-...MIhM2-75Li1QIVAglpCh17rwgUEAQYAyABEgJRNvD_BwE

 

[NickTide]

Have you tried flying insects as feeders? My 4 month olds went nuts (2 days after they arrived) for a few pollinating flies (wild) then started eating dubias and crickets.