Flapneck-NOT EATING

[PoCahontas]

My flapneck chameleon hasn't been eating for a week and a half now. What can be the problem?

Happened a while ago and I took him to the vet. He didn't eat for 2 weeks and then ate for a week after that and now it's almost been 2 weeks again.

Any help please??

 

[reptoman]

Please put the information requested below so people can help give you informed advice. This could be a husbandry problem so the questions listed in the "how to ask for help" form provide most of the info needed to figure out most problems.

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.


Pictures are helpful

 

[Monzon]

Make sure your temps are solid. Offer flies.

 

[PoCahontas]

chameleon not eating...3 weeks

FLAPNECK CHAMELEON.Not fully grown when I got him end of Febr this yr.
Handle-2/3 times a week if not less
Max 4 crickets in summer.1 p/d when winter began. Don't like worms
Calcium powder. I try not to feed him to much calcium.I read that the white crystals in his nose is because of his body getting rid of the excess calcium/salt.
Spray twice a day
Last dropping was yellow and white.Took him to vet in April and he got a few anti-biotic injections.
Steel frame with shading net on 3 sides.Front is getting glass door this weekend
107cm height
51cm width
Reptiglo from reptile shop. 60w globe and 100 watt globe. On throughout the day and off during the night.Otherwise he doesn't sleep
Temp-22-24
Humidity-Don't know anything about this. Only spray him twice a day.
I bought a live plant from the nursery which they gave me
Cage in my room,no traffic,only at night & morning when I sleep or dress.No aircons or heaters. Windows closed
South Africa,Gauteng

 

[kinyonga]

Since the insects "always" have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus IMHO they always need dusting lightly with calcium. The white stuff that comes out of the nose is not calcium but other salts....so by not dusting all/almost all the crickets with calcium you are likely leaving the chameleon short of calcium. The salts can also build up because of dehydration...so you need to make sure that he drinks.

You said you are feeding him maximum 4 crickets in the summer...how often?

Is the UVB light a compact or spiral or long linear tube light? Does he keep his eyes open all day?

What's the temperature in the basking area? Your cage temperatures sound too cool and temperature plays a part in appetite....and nutrient absorption for that matter.

Why was he given antibiotics?

 

[Psi]

How old is the UVB light?

 

[thephotoprincess]

I have a flapneck that isn't eating well too. (I have two but one eats as much as i give her!)

I have found that my difficult eater likes his food small. I get small crickets just for him. I also try to tempt him with flies or silkworms.

He is also nervous with food wandering his cage - sometimes he'll hand feed but I'm trying cup feeding too.

Make sure he is well-hydrated and double check your temps and husbandry and hopefully he will start eating again!

 

[Cainschams]

Excessive handling is probably not helping it out either.

 

[PoCahontas]

Dear Kinyonga

Thank you for the info on the calcium.

He only eats 3-5 crickets max a day in summer.

The UVB is a spiral. REPTIGLO 26 watt 5 UVB.

The thermostat shows 22-25 degrees. I don't have a thermostat for the basking area.

The vet said that he got a virus so he's throat was red end he had a bit of gas. That's why he didn't eat.

I only handle him every Saturday morning when I take him downstairs to the garden to be in the sun the whole day and when I take him upstairs back to his cage.

It's possible that the crickets are too big. Because they are very big. They only sell crickets and "meelwurms". He doesn't like the worms. I don't put any food is his cage. I always hand feed him.

 

[PoCahontas]

...and his eyes are open during the day. He only closes them when I switch of the lights at night time, then he sleeps until I switch them on in the morning

 

[kinyonga]

If the urates are showing yellow/orange than the chameleon needs to be hydrated more.

I should have mentioned that the calcium should be just calcium (no phos., no D3, no vitamins) dusted on most feedings lightly.

Here is some information that I usually post that I hope will help explain some things....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

Since many of the feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.