Help My Chameleon isn’t eating.

Also I guess once I started putting calcium in the water it started leaving the stains on the glass and it’s upsetting but easily wipes off I just am trying to make sure he’s getting the nutrients he needs :(
 
My enclosure isn’t the greatest he’s getting a bigger one Christmas and he’s in the stress corner because I opened his cage for picture purposes, but otherwise it’s a fifty gallon crescent moon glass aquarium with mesh screen top and slits in the front and sides for ventilation. My boy wasn’t a fan of the mister recommended by pets mart so I built an irrigation system to make it rain consistently in there and he loves it. The waterfall on the left is made with the water filtration system I just hooked up the hose and arranged some wood pieces. The waterfall is unnecessary i know but he LOVES his waterfall every time I attempt to get rid of it for spacial purposes he’s grey and in his corner (stress corner) forever until I return it to the aquarium. It’s always 82-85 until bed time it’s around 65-70. His bulb is a three in one bulb. He also has a small heater I often plug in next to the aquarium to regulate heat and humidity during cold days. He also goes outside in his outside open branch area, when it’s warm. Poop wise his poop is normal. No smell no color, normal urine sack also. He’s still very active in his cage he climbs from all of his sticks goes behind his waterfall (which is why you see the cord for the filter holding the big stick by the waterfall) he drinks his water regularly. I’m not sure what other questions I’m missing. Oh! No live plants. He’s a veiled adult male and is about a year and a half now I’ve had him since he was about two inches including tail. I also read online it’s normal sometimes to not eat during winter but I need to know for sure I’ve been putting calcium in his water to make sure he atleast gets that during his starve session

I know you worked hard on his enclosure but it is just not right for a chameleon.

I can not stress enough the importance of getting rid of all the water in the bottom and the waterfall. These are arboreal reptiles. They literally are never down in water like this. If your recycling that water through your system it is recycling water that he is passing urates and fecals into. This is in turn means he is drinking bacteria loaded water.

The enclosure is way too small for him. Standard minimum size for a male Veiled is 2x2x4 feet tall.

The bulb your using if it is a 2 in 1 bulb is a mercury Vapor bulb or a compact bulb neither of these are suited for a chameleon in a cage. One is way too strong with an extremely high UVI exposure and heat and the other produces hardly any uvb at an appropriate basking level which then leads to Metabolic Bone Disease which disfigures them and kills them.
T5HO linear fixtures with the correct 5.0or 6% bulb is what we use for chameleons.

I know your saying that your going to get a new cage in December but it simply can not wait. I would be willing to bet he has stopped eating due to illness.
 
I know you worked hard on his enclosure but it is just not right for a chameleon.

I can not stress enough the importance of getting rid of all the water in the bottom and the waterfall. These are arboreal reptiles. They literally are never down in water like this. If your recycling that water through your system it is recycling water that he is passing urates and fecals into. This is in turn means he is drinking bacteria loaded water.

The enclosure is way too small for him. Standard minimum size for a male Veiled is 2x2x4 feet tall.

The bulb your using if it is a 2 in 1 bulb is a mercury Vapor bulb or a compact bulb neither of these are suited for a chameleon in a cage. One is way too strong with an extremely high UVI exposure and heat and the other produces hardly any uvb at an appropriate basking level which then leads to Metabolic Bone Disease which disfigures them and kills them.
T5HO linear fixtures with the correct 5.0or 6% bulb is what we use for chameleons.

I know your saying that your going to get a new cage in December but it simply can not wait. I would be willing to bet he has stopped eating due to illness.
Well he doesn’t drink the waterfall water he drinks the rain water from the tubing at the top which is fresh water 3 times daily and he’s gotten 3 new enclosures this year and I simply can’t afford anything whatsoever this moment so I have no choice but to get wait two weeks until December also his 3 in one bulb was the one they sold at the exotic veterinarian clinic I took him too last year and they were the ones who recommended it to me. Which is sad if it’s not a good bulb for him. I will definitely get one of the bulbs you said you use with his new enclosure and I had to work on his aquariums myself because he didn’t like the similar items at the store like the mister but the enclosure he will have in December is already half paid off on hold at the pet store is 36x36x48 will be paid off December 2 :( his last vet check up in august was good bone wise so hopefully that’s not the case either.
 
I know you worked hard on his enclosure but it is just not right for a chameleon.

I can not stress enough the importance of getting rid of all the water in the bottom and the waterfall. These are arboreal reptiles. They literally are never down in water like this. If your recycling that water through your system it is recycling water that he is passing urates and fecals into. This is in turn means he is drinking bacteria loaded water.

The enclosure is way too small for him. Standard minimum size for a male Veiled is 2x2x4 feet tall.

The bulb your using if it is a 2 in 1 bulb is a mercury Vapor bulb or a compact bulb neither of these are suited for a chameleon in a cage. One is way too strong with an extremely high UVI exposure and heat and the other produces hardly any uvb at an appropriate basking level which then leads to Metabolic Bone Disease which disfigures them and kills them.
T5HO linear fixtures with the correct 5.0or 6% bulb is what we use for chameleons.

I know your saying that your going to get a new cage in December but it simply can not wait. I would be willing to bet he has stopped eating due to illness.
Also,
Wow...how did I miss seeing the cage??!!
What does that mean ?
 
Well he doesn’t drink the waterfall water he drinks the rain water from the tubing at the top which is fresh water 3 times daily and he’s gotten 3 new enclosures this year and I simply can’t afford anything whatsoever this moment so I have no choice but to get wait two weeks until December also his 3 in one bulb was the one they sold at the exotic veterinarian clinic I took him too last year and they were the ones who recommended it to me. Which is sad if it’s not a good bulb for him. I will definitely get one of the bulbs you said you use with his new enclosure and I had to work on his aquariums myself because he didn’t like the similar items at the store like the mister but the enclosure he will have in December is already half paid off on hold at the pet store is 36x36x48 will be paid off December 2 :( his last vet check up in august was good bone wise so hopefully that’s not the case either.


This happens often. People are given entirely wrong husbandry information for their chams. I know it is frustrating as I too was once in your shoes. Spending 100's of dollars on all the wrong stuff. I know you want the best for him. Start reading through this link. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
It will speak directly to the enclosure and what you want to provide.

If you have any enclosures that are screen it would be better then what he is in. I know it is not what you want to hear. But I am trying to be as kind and as honest as possible without hurting your feelings. :( I want you to have the right information so he has everything he needs because I know that is what your wanting to provide him.

So here are all my enclosures. Your building out something that is arboreal. No water features unless it is a misting system. And it all must drain out with only fresh water coming in.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

Tons of live plants and branches.

Per him being upset when you removed the fountain in the cage. It was not that it was gone. He stressed because there was a change in his environment. Good or bad changes always receive the same stress response of "what is different?" when it comes to a chameleon. It can take a few days or a few weeks to adjust to changes for them.
 
This happens often. People are given entirely wrong husbandry information for their chams. I know it is frustrating as I too was once in your shoes. Spending 100's of dollars on all the wrong stuff. I know you want the best for him. Start reading through this link. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
It will speak directly to the enclosure and what you want to provide.

If you have any enclosures that are screen it would be better then what he is in. I know it is not what you want to hear. But I am trying to be as kind and as honest as possible without hurting your feelings. :( I want you to have the right information so he has everything he needs because I know that is what your wanting to provide him.

So here are all my enclosures. Your building out something that is arboreal. No water features unless it is a misting system. And it all must drain out with only fresh water coming in.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

Tons of live plants and branches.

Per him being upset when you removed the fountain in the cage. It was not that it was gone. He stressed because there was a change in his environment. Good or bad changes always receive the same stress response of "what is different?" when it comes to a chameleon. It can take a few days or a few weeks to adjust to changes for them.
The cage I have ordered is mostly glass as well only screen on the sides is that okay and I figured that much on the stressed out part but he goes under the waterfall every second he gets the opportunity and just lets the bottom splash on him like the sprinkles from the splash I guess he won’t drink it though he refuses only drinks the fresh water at top. I will definitely get rid of the waterfall if it’s bad for him though. I’ve honestly considered having one of the guys at the exotic pet store set up my enclosure because theirs look great? But I try to do as much to learn more on how to help him in every way that’s why I make as many trips to the vet for check ups so I can know early if something is wrong with him he’s also peeling right now so I’ve put that into consideration as well but the longest he’s gone without eating during a shed is three days
 
This happens often. People are given entirely wrong husbandry information for their chams. I know it is frustrating as I too was once in your shoes. Spending 100's of dollars on all the wrong stuff. I know you want the best for him. Start reading through this link. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
It will speak directly to the enclosure and what you want to provide.

If you have any enclosures that are screen it would be better then what he is in. I know it is not what you want to hear. But I am trying to be as kind and as honest as possible without hurting your feelings. :( I want you to have the right information so he has everything he needs because I know that is what your wanting to provide him.

So here are all my enclosures. Your building out something that is arboreal. No water features unless it is a misting system. And it all must drain out with only fresh water coming in.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

Tons of live plants and branches.

Per him being upset when you removed the fountain in the cage. It was not that it was gone. He stressed because there was a change in his environment. Good or bad changes always receive the same stress response of "what is different?" when it comes to a chameleon. It can take a few days or a few weeks to adjust to changes for them.
Also for the live plants I tried that and he loves them and eats them but I can’t keep them alive I’m terrible at that they live long enough for him to eat them then they die
 
The cage I have ordered is mostly glass as well only screen on the sides is that okay and I figured that much on the stressed out part but he goes under the waterfall every second he gets the opportunity and just lets the bottom splash on him like the sprinkles from the splash I guess he won’t drink it though he refuses only drinks the fresh water at top. I will definitely get rid of the waterfall if it’s bad for him though. I’ve honestly considered having one of the guys at the exotic pet store set up my enclosure because theirs look great? But I try to do as much to learn more on how to help him in every way that’s why I make as many trips to the vet for check ups so I can know early if something is wrong with him he’s also peeling right now so I’ve put that into consideration as well but the longest he’s gone without eating during a shed is three days
So it is not the glass hun. It is the water in the bottom. If your going to be doing a glass bottom enclosure you will want to have it bio active.
The link I gave you is full of accurate info. This is where you should start reading.

Can you get pics of the enclosure your getting? With exact dimensions?
 
Also for the live plants I tried that and he loves them and eats them but I can’t keep them alive I’m terrible at that they live long enough for him to eat them then they die
This is because the enclosure does not have the lighting that plants need. :(

It is normal for Veileds to eat their plants which is why we use Veiled tested plants at this link you will see the variety of veiled tested you can use
https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf
 
This is because the enclosure does not have the lighting that plants need. :(

It is normal for Veileds to eat their plants which is why we use Veiled tested plants at this link you will see the variety of veiled tested you can use
https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf
Yes!! I pull up that same link you very time I go to the nursery I try to give him a variety of plants and stuff whenever I clean out his cage and My mom said the plants die because I put them completely in the water? What if I redo his whole aquarium tomorrow and take out the water and waterfall ? That would add some space I just didn’t want to upset my boy
 
So it is not the glass hun. It is the water in the bottom. If your going to be doing a glass bottom enclosure you will want to have it bio active.
The link I gave you is full of accurate info. This is where you should start reading.

Can you get pics of the enclosure your getting? With exact dimensions?
I don’t have pics but I can take pics of it tomorrow the dimensions are 36Wx36Hx48H
 
I don’t have pics but I can take pics of it tomorrow the dimensions are 36Wx36Hx48H
So you want length, depth, and the height of it. :) 36x36x48 for me says it is a square 3 ft by 3 ft and 4 feet tall. Is this correct. It is an odd enclosure size which is why I am asking. Not something we see commercially available.
 
Yes!! I pull up that same link you very time I go to the nursery I try to give him a variety of plants and stuff whenever I clean out his cage and My mom said the plants die because I put them completely in the water? What if I redo his whole aquarium tomorrow and take out the water and waterfall ? That would add some space I just didn’t want to upset my boy
It will make him mad to have changes but it will be much better for him. All water would come out. You can use a spray bottle to spray down the leaves of his plant to drink.

You would be using the plants and branches instead.

See if your bulb has anything printed on the base of it tonight. I would love to know what type of bulb it is to help you further there.

And start reading through that husbandry program link I gave you. You will understand things much more clearly and then you can ask any questions about what you read.

:)
 
So I found the list describing all of the terrariums, the picture they have available on the website is not the one I am getting but very similar you were correct though the numbers I gave you were wrong I believe it says 48 is the length and 36 height and 18 width it’s in the chart but they have four options only in store and two of which have the screens on the side and top but the glass around the rest. The lightbulb says a0-7
 

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So I found the list describing all of the terrariums, the picture they have available on the website is not the one I am getting but very similar you were correct though the numbers I gave you were wrong I believe it says 48 is the length and 36 height and 18 width it’s in the chart but they have four options only in store and two of which have the screens on the side and top but the glass around the rest. The lightbulb says a0-7
Interesting... I am guessing you have already put money down on the enclosure? Find out which one you purchased 36 high is not bad if it is in fact 48 wide. 18 inch depth would be ok but no smaller.

Can you take a pic of the bulb for me? :)
 
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