Help! Cleo ate perlite? Or fertilizer??

[cleothechameleon]

Im sitting with him outside, hes on a potted palm and just went for the dirt and ate one of the white things in it! I immediately grabbed a towel to cover the soil but now Im worried.

Heres a picture of what he ingested

It is crumbly and porous when broken in half. I have no clue if this is perlite or fertilizer (are they the same thing?? I have no clue)

 

[cleothechameleon]

Im sitting with him outside, hes on a potted palm and just went for the dirt and ate one of the white things in it! I immediately grabbed a towel to cover the soil but now Im worried.

Heres a picture of what he ingested
View attachment 261341View attachment 261343
It is crumbly and porous when broken in half. I have no clue if this is perlite or fertilizer (are they the same thing?? I have no clue). Please help!

 

[jamest0o0]

It's perlite. Should pass, hydrate well, lots of hornworms and silkworms. Keep an eye on poops and feeding just incase of impaction.

 

[cleothechameleon]

It's perlite. Should pass, hydrate well, lots of hornworms and silkworms. Keep an eye on poops and feeding just incase of impaction.

Thank you, will do!

 

[PabloTheCham]

Thank you, will do!

I had the same problem just 2 days ago. It passed just fine.

 

[Dbash44]

Im sitting with him outside, hes on a potted palm and just went for the dirt and ate one of the white things in it! I immediately grabbed a towel to cover the soil but now Im worried.

Heres a picture of what he ingested
View attachment 261341View attachment 261343
It is crumbly and porous when broken in half. I have no clue if this is perlite or fertilizer (are they the same thing?? I have no clue)

I haven't kept veiled chams, but, from my understanding, this is a behavior that chams exhibit when they're missing some sort of nutrient from their diet. I believe that might have been a theory, not sure about hard evidence on that. Not sure if that's relevant in your case.

Aside from that, you could always put large river rocks over the tops of the pots to hinder the cham from eating the soil.

 

[Tinytort]

I haven't kept veiled chams, but, from my understanding, this is a behavior that chams exhibit when they're missing some sort of nutrient from their diet. I believe that might have been a theory, not sure about hard evidence on that. Not sure if that's relevant in your case.

Aside from that, you could always put large river rocks over the tops of the pots to hinder the cham from eating the soil.

I that with torts when they start trying to eat rock and concrete they are usually missing nutrients.

 

[Dbash44]

I that with torts when they start trying to eat rock and concrete they are usually missing nutrients.

I mean it makes sense to me. I might start eating the paint off my walls when I'm hungry if we run out of food during this epidemic. haha jk

If OP is willing, we might take a look into the diet and supplementation of the cham to ensure cham is getting what it needs.

 

[Tinytort]

I mean it makes sense to me. I might start eating the paint off my walls when I'm hungry if we run out of food during this epidemic. haha jk

If OP is willing, we might take a look into the diet and supplementation of the cham to ensure cham is getting what it needs.

Are Chams opportunistic feeders like torts?

 

[cleothechameleon]

I mean it makes sense to me. I might start eating the paint off my walls when I'm hungry if we run out of food during this epidemic. haha jk

If OP is willing, we might take a look into the diet and supplementation of the cham to ensure cham is getting what it needs.

His diet consists of crickets and mealworms as staples, with a wax worm or two a day. He gets the occasional moth or fly if they manage to get into the house. Ive ordered spikes to introduce to his diet and will be varying his diet more from now on and moving away from mealworms in general. I finally found a supplier I like and my parents are okay with me getting feeders shipped in. He gets calcium without d3 every day, calcium with d3 every other week and vitamins every other week. D3 and vitamins are given on opposite weeks, not that the same time

 

[PabloTheCham]

His diet consists of crickets and mealworms as staples, with a wax worm or two a day. He gets the occasional moth or fly if they manage to get into the house. Ive ordered spikes to introduce to his diet and will be varying his diet more from now on and moving away from mealworms in general. I finally found a supplier I like and my parents are okay with me getting feeders shipped in. He gets calcium without d3 every day, calcium with d3 every other week and vitamins every other week. D3 and vitamins are given on opposite weeks, not that the same time

get rid of the mealworms, and especially the waxworms. They are like feeding mc donalds to your cham everyday... feed crix with the occasional super or horn

 

[cleothechameleon]

get rid of the mealworms, and especially the waxworms. They are like feeding mc donalds to your cham everyday... feed crix with the occasional super or horn

Will do! Just waiting on my new feeders to ship in and will be phasing them out

 

[PabloTheCham]

Will do! Just waiting on my new feeders to ship in and will be phasing them out

no. it really is a problem. It is like eating mc donalds every single day. Each waxworm picture it as a greasy burger.

 

[PabloTheCham]

no. it really is a problem. It is like eating mc donalds every single day. Picture each waxworm as a greasy burger with some greasy french fries. Just get a few crickets from petsmart if need be.

 

[cleothechameleon]

no. it really is a problem. It is like eating mc donalds every single day. Each waxworm picture it as a greasy burger.

I dont have wax worms any more so he’s been off them for a few days. My feeders will be shipping in on Thursday but with the lockdown Im not able to go get crickets, as Im immunocompromised and have lung damage so Im not willing to take the risk at the moment. For now mealworms will have to do and I will be switching out as soon as my feeders arrive, gonna turn my mealworms into fish chow haha

 

[PabloTheCham]

I dont have wax worms any more so he’s been off them for a few days. My feeders will be shipping in on Thursday but with the lockdown Im not able to go get crickets, as Im immunocompromised and have lung damage so Im not willing to take the risk at the moment. For now mealworms will have to do and I will be switching out as soon as my feeders arrive, gonna turn my mealworms into fish chow haha

even with the lockdown, you are allowed to go shopping and hiking.

 

[cleothechameleon]

even with the lockdown, you are allowed to go shopping and hiking.

Did you miss where I said I am immunocompromised and have lung damage? Im not taking the risk of getting new feeders when I have a whole shipment coming in tomorrow. Coronavirus could kill me. He will be fine with mealworms for one more day

 

[jamest0o0]

OP you are fine, waxworms are a nice treat for a couple times a month, but I wouldn't let it worry you right now. Your cham will be fine.

Fat is a good source of energy, that's why animals love fatty foods. If you have to rely on them for the time being just feed a few. One gram of fat is more than double the calories of 1 gram of protein, so a little goes a long way.

Nothing wrong with a greasy burger, that's the thinking of the past. Simple carbohydrates are the real garbage. Fries are carbs(and fat if made in oil), burger is protein/fat

 

[jamest0o0]

And of course, do not risk your life over your cham only having mealworms or waxworms!

 

[cleothechameleon]

And of course, do not risk your life over your cham only having mealworms or waxworms!

Luckily hes got some spikes and crickets coming in tomorrow, then I will be ordering some other goodies to see what he likes best!