Hasn’t eaten for A couple days

crosscutts

Chameleon Enthusiast
My boy hasn’t eaten crickets in a 5 days , cleaned the bottom of the cage to watch for poops . Didn’t come out this morning to go straight for basking , temperature guidelines all spot on top of the cage 79 humidity 49 to 50% basking spot 82 bottom 65° 88% humidity , all proper lighting in place . Will take Super worm wax worms and hornworm aggressively but is completely ignoring crickets and Dubias , no I do not feed him These but very rarely .. they are strictly A treat once a week or so . Just use them to see if he was still eating .. coloring and condition seem fine no physical signs of distress . Could this be a hunger strike ? How long without eating crickets should it be a concern ?
 

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Could this be a hunger strike ? How long without eating crickets should it be a concern ?
Possibly. My lizards occasionally try it, but they never last longer than 3-5 days before they'll cave.
However, if he's getting something else that he really likes better than crickets, he could definitely strike in hopes of getting the feeders he wants. This is fairly common with lizards who get too many superworms, a.k.a. 'superworm addiction'.
https://www.google.com/search?q=sup...HYQgCvYQrQIoBHoECAgQBQ&biw=1024&bih=625&dpr=1

How long depends on what else they're eating. Crickets are a decent staple (along with others for variety) but they can do fine with other feeders. So if it's just crickets he's refusing, almost indefinitely. If he's not eating anything, I'd be concerned at around a week.

Like us, they can survive longer without food than without water, so try to keep him hydrated as best you can.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how...HSpNAN0QrQIoBHoECDMQBQ&biw=1024&bih=625&dpr=1
 
Possibly. My lizards occasionally try it, but they never last longer than 3-5 days before they'll cave.
However, if he's getting something else that he really likes better than crickets, he could definitely strike in hopes of getting the feeders he wants. This is fairly common with lizards who get too many superworms, a.k.a. 'superworm addiction'.
https://www.google.com/search?q=sup...HYQgCvYQrQIoBHoECAgQBQ&biw=1024&bih=625&dpr=1

How long depends on what else they're eating. Crickets are a decent staple (along with others for variety) but they can do fine with other feeders. So if it's just crickets he's refusing, almost indefinitely. If he's not eating anything, I'd be concerned at around a week.

Like us, they can survive longer without food than without water, so try to keep him hydrated as best you can.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how...HSpNAN0QrQIoBHoECDMQBQ&biw=1024&bih=625&dpr=1


Thank you so much for the reply , yes I agree with you when it comes to super worms wax worms horned worms . I rarely feed him any of these . Mainly Crickets and whenever I can get Dubia roaches or his general staple . I only try the others to see if he would eat . And he went after them aggressively like he had been doing with crickets , The span was about six days , this morning since it’s Saturday I had him in front of the screen door as I do on the weekends to give him some sun . With a feeder cup on the floor he took two Dubia’s . Of course I posted this thread before . So what’s the minimum they can survive on ? He had been eating 10 to 15 a day . At this point to roaches in five days .. I offered him more a few minutes ago and he’s back to uninterested . Trying to catch a fresh stool sample at this point haven’t seen one for over a week .
 
Thank you so much for the reply , yes I agree with you when it comes to super worms wax worms horned worms . I rarely feed him any of these . Mainly Crickets and whenever I can get Dubia roaches or his general staple . I only try the others to see if he would eat . And he went after them aggressively like he had been doing with crickets , The span was about six days , this morning since it’s Saturday I had him in front of the screen door as I do on the weekends to give him some sun . With a feeder cup on the floor he took two Dubia’s . Of course I posted this thread before . So what’s the minimum they can survive on ? He had been eating 10 to 15 a day . At this point to roaches in five days .. I offered him more a few minutes ago and he’s back to uninterested . Trying to catch a fresh stool sample at this point haven’t seen one for over a week .
You were giving him 10-15 feeders daily? He looks pretty well grown and shouldn’t be needing so much food. He may be not hungry. I give all of my adults 3-4 feeders, 3 days a week (plus occasional treats). Try cutting down on his meals and see if that makes a difference.
 
You were giving him 10-15 feeders daily? He looks pretty well grown and shouldn’t be needing so much food. He may be not hungry. I give all of my adults 3-4 feeders, 3 days a week (plus occasional treats). Try cutting down on his meals and see if that makes a difference.

No I think you misread what I was saying when I first brought him home at five months he was eating 10 to 15 what’s happening now is he hasn’t eaten for a week .. he’s not pretty well grown in fact he’s very small he’s only seven months old , my concern is that he was eating regularly , When I would put in at this time only 2 to 3 maybe four crickets and Dubias he would actively go after them within a few minutes of feeding . No he’s not touching them . The irony is I posted this thread , and within an hour I put him on a plant in the sun and within a few minutes he ate to dubias . But I have yet to see a poop . For the last week which of course is going to tell me a lot . But thank you so much for your reply . It’s probably me just being over protective . I’m definitely going to start skipping a day in between feedings and see if that makes a difference ..
 
You were giving him 10-15 feeders daily? He looks pretty well grown and shouldn’t be needing so much food. He may be not hungry. I give all of my adults 3-4 feeders, 3 days a week (plus occasional treats). Try cutting down on his meals and see if that makes a difference.

Since I’ve got you on the reply line ❤️❤️ something I also noticed today , and of course my son informed me now that I’ve spoke of it but didn’t say anything before . Since I go to work at 5 o’clock in the morning I really don’t see him till I get home in the afternoon lights come on at six am so my observation is limited to weekends and from three to lights out at six pm , my son said he’s been climbing on the lid which I observed today.(which how he’s able to pull it off is nothing short of miraculous since everything is 6 to 8 inches below the ceiling of the habitat ) that leads me to believe that he’s been getting some over exposure to the UVB , he’s been in this closure a couple of weeks now . What effect does over exposure to UVB cause ? I’m pretty sure I fixed the problem i’ve mounted A small shroud around the light box opening which has no way for him to be able to grab onto it . I’m wondering if that might have something to do with The current situation
 

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Since I’ve got you on the reply line ❤️❤️ something I also noticed today , and of course my son informed me now that I’ve spoke of it but didn’t say anything before . Since I go to work at 5 o’clock in the morning I really don’t see him till I get home in the afternoon lights come on at six am so my observation is limited to weekends and from three to lights out at six pm , my son said he’s been climbing on the lid which I observed today.(which how he’s able to pull it off is nothing short of miraculous since everything is 6 to 8 inches below the ceiling of the habitat ) that leads me to believe that he’s been getting some over exposure to the UVB , he’s been in this closure a couple of weeks now . What effect does over exposure to UVB cause ? I’m pretty sure I fixed the problem i’ve mounted A small shroud around the light box opening which has no way for him to be able to grab onto it . I’m wondering if that might have something to do with The current situation
Hmm…I don’t think it would affect his appetite. The biggest risk from screen top walking is burns. Usually with cham’s that climb the screen tops, the best fix is to elevate the lights off of them by a couple of inches until they get too big to screen top walk. They get up to the top by climbing the sides...crafty little ones.
For the not pooping, give a couple of juicy hornworms, hold off on giving the superworms and see if that helps.
 
Six to eight months is the age my male panther began self-regulating from 10-15 feeders a day to 3-4 every other day. He wasn't full-grown yet (18 months), and I would have liked to see him eat a little more, but health-wise he was—and is—just fine.

They will ceiling walk—it's faster than plants & branches (depending on how branches are lid out), and he will figure out how to get around that shroud if/when he wants to.

The shroud is likely blocking UVB.

They can get too much UVB, but not from screen walking unless they're sitting on it for hours on end, or as MissSkittles noted, they get burned. Burns are more likely from basking lamps. The test is a little like testing baby formula; if you can keep the back of your hand on the screen below the lights indefinitely, it's fine. If it's too hot on your hand, I'd move the lights up an inch at a time until it's not.

I'd be surprised if the 💩s aren't there someplace. They can get good at hiding them. I find them in the plants, in the pots, on branches (from above)... If it's a constipation issue, that could explain not eating, but there are other possibilities. Sorry if this has been asked... is he well-hydrated?
 
Six to eight months is the age my male panther began self-regulating from 10-15 feeders a day to 3-4 every other day. He wasn't full-grown yet (18 months), and I would have liked to see him eat a little more, but health-wise he was—and is—just fine.

They will ceiling walk—it's faster than plants & branches (depending on how branches are lid out), and he will figure out how to get around that shroud if/when he wants to.

The shroud is likely blocking UVB.

They can get too much UVB, but not from screen walking unless they're sitting on it for hours on end, or as MissSkittles noted, they get burned. Burns are more likely from basking lamps. The test is a little like testing baby formula; if you can keep the back of your hand on the screen below the lights indefinitely, it's fine. If it's too hot on your hand, I'd move the lights up an inch at a time until it's not.

I'd be surprised if the 💩s aren't there someplace. They can get good at hiding them. I find them in the plants, in the pots, on branches (from above)... If it's a constipation issue, that could explain not eating, but there are other possibilities. Sorry if this has been asked... is he well-hydrated?

Perfect you literally answered every one of my questions and it all makes sense , there is nowhere he can get a physical burn , i’ve done the skin test by holding my hand on it to make sure it wouldn’t burn me for an extended amount of time at no point is it even remotely close to causing a burn , The shroud only hangs down about an inch and a quarter . Literally not disrupting any light from any of the basking areas , also the uvb is towards the front of the three bulbs . after watching him his extended reach barely reaches the opening where there’s a small ledge he can grab onto , The shroud will stop him from being able to do that . I hope. As far as hydration goes yes plenty of hydration recent checks of poops before the incident clearly showed urates tiny amount of orange mostly white and solids slightly moist . I am Just making sure I’m ahead of the game I know how quickly they can decline once you notice something . Outside of that issue he seems 100% fine coloration beautiful activity level fair to moderate A little slower getting up in the morning , But nighttime temperatures have only been getting down to about 67 to 64 . Basking 81° , daytime ambient add upper level 78 48% humidity, midsection 74 52% humidity, 70 80% humidity lower section Night time 68 top 95 to 100% humidity bottom 64 100% humidity. thank you so much for your time . I feel all my questions have been answered , and there’s no real concern ..😊
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger No Prob GIF
and glad to help.

after watching him his extended reach barely reaches the opening where there’s a small ledge he can grab onto , The shroud will stop him from being able to do that . I hope.
HAHAHA! 😆 We'll see! 😛 These little guys can do a pretty fair Stretch Armstrong impression when they want to...

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... but yours may be past that age/phase. I still have some pretty elastic tug-o-wars when I try to get Ol' GrumpyPants back home after a day on Missus plant table. 😄

Everything else looks fine. (y)
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger No Prob GIF
and glad to help.


HAHAHA! 😆 We'll see! 😛 These little guys can do a pretty fair Stretch Armstrong impression when they want to...

View attachment 319949

... but yours may be past that age/phase. I still have some pretty elastic tug-o-wars when I try to get Ol' GrumpyPants back home after a day on Missus plant table. 😄

Everything else looks fine. (y)

Oh I totally agree I was amazed that he could reach it in the first place 🤣🤣 and it was pretty crazy every time I would remove him from the screen he goes straight back up and climb up again. But every time he did the same thing so I’m hoping 🙄 again thanks for setting my mind at ease I appreciate it..
 
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