Female panther will not eat.

[HUBSonDUBS]

Heres whats happening, I have a 6-7 month old female panther who has been fine eating well for the last 4 months. I had to go home for the holidays and brought both my male and female home. Both are used to being inside but since I came to south florida I had them outside. Both stopped eating since I got home. A let a week go by and still none of them ate. I relized I usually cup feed my male and as soon as I put them in a cup he started back eating again. The female did not start. So I brought the female inside and have just a incandescent house light on her and bring her cage outside for a few hours now a day. Back in gainesville where they stay usually they have a 5.0 repti sun and a backing light. What should I do about this female she hasnt eaten for almost 2 weeks maybe, she looks healthy drinks water and poops but only runny white.

 

[kinyonga]

Does she have a place to dig to lay eggs in her cage? Has she been roaming the cage or on the floor of the cage?
Is her background color dark brown?

 

[HUBSonDUBS]

Yes she has a live plant, yea shes roaming around a little more than normal but not on the bottom. She doesnt look any diffrent in color.

 

[HUBSonDUBS]

Anyone else, she doesnt looks fatter then usual. shes just not eating its probly been 2 weeks, and ive seen her pass up crickets before but never superworms and she has both in her cage and they just crawl right past her I can see her look at them but never eats.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I would (and this is a reinforcement of Lynda's post) provide her with a laying bin.
It is not always clearly evident when females are cycling eggs and not eating is a definite indication.
Is she otherwise okay?
eyes open, etc.

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/breeding.html

-Brad

 

[HUBSonDUBS]

Yea, shes acting normal eyes open, nothing different.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

The traveling may have put her off her schedule.
I really would give her a place to lay eggs tho ... in addition to the potted plant.
It is much easier to make the conditions desirable in a designated container than to try and get the medium right in a pot that a plant is growing out of.
With a healthy animal I usually subscribe to the philosophy that they know what to do.
If she needs to eat, she will eat ... if she needs to lay eggs, she will know how to do that.
She looks good in the picture.
I hope everything gets back to normal with her soon ... I don't think a vet visit is required and I don't think you should force feed her.
I will be interested to know how she reacts to the laying bin. In this case (provided there is space) I would install it in her enclosure with a vine or branch leading down to the substrate from her basking spot.

-Brad

 

[Miss Lily]

Maybe your female has begun to cycle a clutch like others have said.

My female veiled's appetite dropped around the time she became receptive in August, and fluctuated up til the end of November when she stopped eating completely for 10 days - I couldn't even tempt her to eat a single waxworm, she just refused to eat anything I offered her (all other behaviour was normal and she was still drinking). When she eventually ate it was minimal - a waxworm or a few newly shed mealworms. I tried everything - even found a UK supplier of Silkworms. She wasn't overly impressed with those either!

Around the middle of December she was looking fatter and I could see and feel egg shapes and she finally laid her first clutch of 103 eggs on December 23rd! Lily has now regained her appetite and is eating like a little piggy again!! I don't remember the last time that she was so interested in food - to the point that her tongue is ready before I even open the viv to feed her!!

Tiff

 

[Shaner]

My Guess is stress from the move. As Brad said, provide her with a laying bin see if that works. However I thought that Panther Chameleons only lay eggs if they have been mated? And giving her age she should not have been mated as of yet. If there is no stool just urates she may be impacted?

Has she eaten anything weird lately that could have plugged her up? Maybe she ate some of the dirt from her plant? Could be alot of things. What are you feeding her? Chams go through a lot of hunger strikes if they are bored of their food maybe switch it up a little. If you are using crix, giver her some type of worm like silkworm, or hornworms, phoenix worms, or meal worms. Try that see how that works out.

Brad if you read this, I know you are an expert with Veild Chameleon's and I am not questioning your skills believe me you would be the first person I would ask as far as breeding goes. However I just want to know if I am right as far as Panthers only laying eggs if they have been mated. Thanks.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Brad if you read this, I know you are an expert with Veild Chameleon's and I am not questioning your skills believe me you would be the first person I would ask as far as breeding goes. However I just want to know if I am right as far as Panthers only laying eggs if they have been mated. Thanks.

Nope.

In fact Panthers are a species that (as far as I know) no one has been able to control the cycling of eggs with.

-Brad

 

[sandrachameleon]

Nope.

In fact Panthers are a species that (as far as I know) no one has been able to control the cycling of eggs with.

-Brad

Ya, that's been my experience. Regardless of temperatures,etc they will still often lay infertile clutches.

 

[kinyonga]

Oops...I overlooked this line..."What should I do about this female she hasnt eaten for almost 2 weeks maybe, she looks healthy drinks water and poops but only runny white."....wondering if she could be impacted (as was suggested by Shaner).

 

[HUBSonDUBS]

How would i know if she is impacted, and if she is what can i do about it. I have crickets and superworms in there.

 

[Shaner]

Warm water usually does it. So a nice long shower about 15-20 mins should do.

Even tho she may squirm and want to get out, don't let her. What I did with mine when he was impacted was I put him on a Perch so to say and just kept the water on him, after about 15 mins he pooped.

If she is impacted, this should work. Afterwards if she is impacted for a 2nd time, when you get the fecal from her, bring it to a vet for a fecal float she could have a parasite(coccidia or hook woms).

The shower head I had was removeable to I was able to bring the shower head close to him so the water wasn't on very high, I am assuming the pressure from the shower head can be a nuissance if not painful a little for them, they hate to be sprayed let alone showered lol.

This is important, make sure the water is luke warm otherwise you could burn her.

Give that a shot and let us know how things go.

 

[Paul R]

Panther chameleons go on long fasts without a problem, they are notorious for their fasts. Dont worry she will be fine. My stop eating lots, which is good cause i cant always afford their food ha ha