Help! My chameleon won't eat!

IrohLover

IrohLover

New Member
Hello all! I am in need of help! I just received my sweet Ambilobe panther chameleon around a month ago, and as of the past two weeks, he just hasn’t been eating. I received him from FLChams.com and they didn’t specify his age, but I’d guess he’s around 4 months right now. It’s been really frustrating and scary. I know not to stress them out at all, and I’ve only handled him 3 times (each time letting him go on the stick, approaching him from below, then letting him climb around while I clean the cage). I’ve tried to feed him by grabbing the crickets with a tweezer and literally putting it in his face (I’d grab it with my hands but I’m not used to the bugs and they gross me out) and he will hide from me. It seems like he is truly terrified of me. I’ve only talked to him in a kind voice and I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on wrong? I keep his light on for 12 hours (10 am to 10 pm) because he gets sleepy at 10 pm. And I try to feed him as much as I can. Do any of you have any ideas? Also if it helps, he just shed all of his skin off a day ago.

Here’s what all I have for supplies;

16”x16”x30” Reptibreeze habitat
Fluker’s basking spotlight 75 watts
Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB fluorescent
Reptifogger
Zoo Med Little Dripper
Reptirain
Repti Calcium, ReptiVite (for dusting the crickets)
Fluker’s cricket feed (along with feeding them oranges, turnip greens, romaine etc.
I have been feeding him mealworms (I know I should be feeding him silk/superworms but there is a large shortage due to COVID and my package of super worms will be here in a week)
 
IrohLover said:
Hello all! I am in need of help! I just received my sweet Ambilobe panther chameleon around a month ago, and as of the past two weeks, he just hasn’t been eating. I received him from FLChams.com and they didn’t specify his age, but I’d guess he’s around 4 months right now. It’s been really frustrating and scary. I know not to stress them out at all, and I’ve only handled him 3 times (each time letting him go on the stick, approaching him from below, then letting him climb around while I clean the cage). I’ve tried to feed him by grabbing the crickets with a tweezer and literally putting it in his face (I’d grab it with my hands but I’m not used to the bugs and they gross me out) and he will hide from me. It seems like he is truly terrified of me. I’ve only talked to him in a kind voice and I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on wrong? I keep his light on for 12 hours (10 am to 10 pm) because he gets sleepy at 10 pm. And I try to feed him as much as I can. Do any of you have any ideas? Also if it helps, he just shed all of his skin off a day ago.

Here’s what all I have for supplies;

16”x16”x30” Reptibreeze habitat
Fluker’s basking spotlight 75 watts
Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB fluorescent
Reptifogger
Zoo Med Little Dripper
Reptirain
Repti Calcium, ReptiVite (for dusting the crickets)
Fluker’s cricket feed (along with feeding them oranges, turnip greens, romaine etc.
I have been feeding him mealworms (I know I should be feeding him silk/superworms but there is a large shortage due to COVID and my package of super worms will be here in a week)
Click to expand...
Hi there and welcome. please fill this out with detail and pictures of the entire enclosure lights down and of your baby.

Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


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.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
Do you dust with both of those everyday? And do they contain D3?

also a 10.0 reptisun may be to much for a panther.

may need a T5HO reptisun 5.0
 
Chameleon: Red Body Blue Bar Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, around 4 months, male, owned for a month, his name is Iroh.

Handling: Handled around 4 times during the times I’ve owned him (mainly to get him out so I can clean enclosure.

Feeding: Cup feeding, moving the clear cup above and lower in the enclosure. Feeding him small crickets. Gut loading them with Fluker’s high calcium cricket feed along with oranges, turnip greens, romaine, etc. Feeding him meal worms as well because there is a large shortage of silkworms and superworms. They should be delivered here in about a week. I’m filling the cup with about 8 crickets. I feed him early in the day so that he can bask in the light to properly digest.

Supplements: I dust the crickets every time because I know that he isn’t eating and I’m trying to give him as many nutrients as I can. I dust them with Repti Calcium, Reptivite.

Watering: I’m using the Reptifogger to keep it properly humid, I mist him multiple times a day, especially the leaves so that he may drink from the leaves. I’ve purchased the little dripper so that he may drink from it. I also have the Reptirain to mist him during the day. I’ve even purchased Zilla tropical mist. I have not seen him drink the water.

Fecal Description: The consistency of his droppings has been about every day at least. I don’t think he’s ever been tested for parasites. They look like long dark dark green poops with white on the end.

History: He just shed his skin yesterday



Cage Info: It’s the Reptibreeze screen cage 16x16x30

Lighting: I use the Fluker basking spotlight 75 watts and the Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB fluorescent light. I turn it on at 10 am and off at 10 pm

Temperature: The basking spot is usually around 90 degrees and the bottom of the cage is around 75 degrees.

Humidity: His humidity is around 60 percent and it spikes to around 80 percent.

Plants: I have fake plants and a bendy moss branch from PetCo. And a driftwood branch

Placement: My cage is located on my desk, not near any fans or air vents. I’m from Montana


In the pictures below I'm putting my phone up higher than the enclosure. Also he's usually a bit more colorful than that.
2-1.jpg
2-1.jpg
2-2.jpg
2.jpg
 
Bamajoker said:
Do you dust with both of those everyday? And do they contain D3?

also a 10.0 reptisun may be to much for a panther.

may need a T5HO reptisun 5.0
Click to expand...
Yes, I do dust with them every day. He doesn't usually eat them so I want to make sure that when he does, he's receiving vitamins. Yes they contain D3. What happens if they get too much UVB?
 
those supplements are not safe to feed everyday.

dust daily with plain calcium no d3 or vitamins.

then twice a month dust with a multivitamin with D3.

he may be overloaded on vitamins
 
Beman said:
Please post pictures of your supplements while I got over your form.
Click to expand...
Oh shoot, so I went and looked at them and the Repti Calcium does not have D3. I only have a trial size of the Reptivite. It says it has Dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride etc.
 
I am giving full feedback on everything now. If yall can give me a few minutes to go through everything....
 
@IrohLover This is going to be a ton of feedback. See my feedback and questions in red bold.

Chameleon: Red Body Blue Bar Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, around 4 months, male, owned for a month, his name is Iroh.

Handling: Handled around 4 times during the times I’ve owned him (mainly to get him out so I can clean enclosure.

Feeding: Cup feeding, moving the clear cup above and lower in the enclosure. Feeding him small crickets. Gut loading them with Fluker’s high calcium cricket feed along with oranges, turnip greens, romaine, etc. Feeding him meal worms as well because there is a large shortage of silkworms and superworms. They should be delivered here in about a week. I’m filling the cup with about 8 crickets. I feed him early in the day so that he can bask in the light to properly digest. So the cup need a permanant placement and to be at basking level where the feeders are easily seen. Gut load will not work see gutload sheet. Mealworms are a really poor source of nutrition but they also have a high chiten level so they can cause impaction. They should not be fed. At that age he should be eating 12 feeders every day.

Supplements: I dust the crickets every time because I know that he isn’t eating and I’m trying to give him as many nutrients as I can. I dust them with Repti Calcium, Reptivite. Ok with the repticalcium no D3 this is to be given at every feeding. Then two times a month you want to give reptivite with D3. This should be given every other week on one feeding. This one is the multivitamin and the calcium with D3. All feeders are lightly dusted and fed.

Watering: I’m using the Reptifogger to keep it properly humid, I mist him multiple times a day, especially the leaves so that he may drink from the leaves. I’ve purchased the little dripper so that he may drink from it. I also have the Reptirain to mist him during the day. I’ve even purchased Zilla tropical mist. I have not seen him drink the water. Are you running the fogger during the day? This should only be run at night. fogging into the cage during the day with the heat from the lights can give them respiratory infections.

Fecal Description: The consistency of his droppings has been about every day at least. I don’t think he’s ever been tested for parasites. They look like long dark dark green poops with white on the end. good that means he is eating something then. Have you gotten a fecal done to ensure he does not have parasites?

History: He just shed his skin yesterday



Cage Info: It’s the Reptibreeze screen cage 16x16x30 This will have to be upgraded to a 2x2x4 cage by the time he is 6-7 months old.

Lighting: I use the Fluker basking spotlight 75 watts and the Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB fluorescent light. I turn it on at 10 am and off at 10 pm You have to get a T5HO linear fixture with a 5.0 bulb and the distance should be 9 inches from the fixture sitting on the top of the cage to the closest basking branch for the correct UVI level. Compact bulbs product very little UVB lighting and the cham has to be dangerously close in most cases. These often result in chams developing MBD>

Temperature: The basking spot is usually around 90 degrees and the bottom of the cage is around 75 degrees. WAY too Hot! This needs to be 82 max. you can drop your bulb strength if it is in fact that hot at basking. If you are not using a wired probe gauge for basking you need to get one. Analog gauges are inaccurate.

Humidity: His humidity is around 60 percent and it spikes to around 80 percent. 50-60% daytime is fine for a Panther.

Plants: I have fake plants and a bendy moss branch from PetCo. And a driftwood branch You need live plants. All the moss vines are dangerous for them. Panthers will chew their branches. you want real branches from non sap producing tree. Here is a link to safe plants for chams. https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf

Placement: My cage is located on my desk, not near any fans or air vents. I’m from Montana

I think him not eating is a combination of not feeling safe in the cage, Lack of UVB lighting and supplementation, and temps that are far too hot. They will reduce eating when they are not getting what they need.

Accurate info and Product links for things I like:

https://chameleonacademy.com/

https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/NeptunetheChameleon?sub_confirmation=1

www.dragonstrand.com

https://tkchameleons.com/collections/accessories/products/shooting-gallery

chameleon-food(1).jpg
chameleon-gutload.jpg
 
I would add that you only need to mist in AM before lights come on and PM after lights off.
Drip during the day.

you can run your fogger a few hours during the night to keep humidity up at night
 
Beman said:
@IrohLover This is going to be a ton of feedback. See my feedback and questions in red bold.

Chameleon: Red Body Blue Bar Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, around 4 months, male, owned for a month, his name is Iroh.

Handling: Handled around 4 times during the times I’ve owned him (mainly to get him out so I can clean enclosure.

Feeding: Cup feeding, moving the clear cup above and lower in the enclosure. Feeding him small crickets. Gut loading them with Fluker’s high calcium cricket feed along with oranges, turnip greens, romaine, etc. Feeding him meal worms as well because there is a large shortage of silkworms and superworms. They should be delivered here in about a week. I’m filling the cup with about 8 crickets. I feed him early in the day so that he can bask in the light to properly digest. So the cup need a permanant placement and to be at basking level where the feeders are easily seen. Gut load will not work see gutload sheet. Mealworms are a really poor source of nutrition but they also have a high chiten level so they can cause impaction. They should not be fed. At that age he should be eating 12 feeders every day.

Supplements: I dust the crickets every time because I know that he isn’t eating and I’m trying to give him as many nutrients as I can. I dust them with Repti Calcium, Reptivite. Ok with the repticalcium no D3 this is to be given at every feeding. Then two times a month you want to give reptivite with D3. This should be given every other week on one feeding. This one is the multivitamin and the calcium with D3. All feeders are lightly dusted and fed.

Watering: I’m using the Reptifogger to keep it properly humid, I mist him multiple times a day, especially the leaves so that he may drink from the leaves. I’ve purchased the little dripper so that he may drink from it. I also have the Reptirain to mist him during the day. I’ve even purchased Zilla tropical mist. I have not seen him drink the water. Are you running the fogger during the day? This should only be run at night. fogging into the cage during the day with the heat from the lights can give them respiratory infections.

Fecal Description: The consistency of his droppings has been about every day at least. I don’t think he’s ever been tested for parasites. They look like long dark dark green poops with white on the end. good that means he is eating something then. Have you gotten a fecal done to ensure he does not have parasites?

History: He just shed his skin yesterday



Cage Info: It’s the Reptibreeze screen cage 16x16x30 This will have to be upgraded to a 2x2x4 cage by the time he is 6-7 months old.

Lighting: I use the Fluker basking spotlight 75 watts and the Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB fluorescent light. I turn it on at 10 am and off at 10 pm You have to get a T5HO linear fixture with a 5.0 bulb and the distance should be 9 inches from the fixture sitting on the top of the cage to the closest basking branch for the correct UVI level. Compact bulbs product very little UVB lighting and the cham has to be dangerously close in most cases. These often result in chams developing MBD>

Temperature: The basking spot is usually around 90 degrees and the bottom of the cage is around 75 degrees. WAY too Hot! This needs to be 82 max. you can drop your bulb strength if it is in fact that hot at basking. If you are not using a wired probe gauge for basking you need to get one. Analog gauges are inaccurate.

Humidity: His humidity is around 60 percent and it spikes to around 80 percent. 50-60% daytime is fine for a Panther.

Plants: I have fake plants and a bendy moss branch from PetCo. And a driftwood branch You need live plants. All the moss vines are dangerous for them. Panthers will chew their branches. you want real branches from non sap producing tree. Here is a link to safe plants for chams. https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf

Placement: My cage is located on my desk, not near any fans or air vents. I’m from Montana

I think him not eating is a combination of not feeling safe in the cage, Lack of UVB lighting and supplementation, and temps that are far too hot. They will reduce eating when they are not getting what they need.

Accurate info and Product links for things I like:

https://chameleonacademy.com/

https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/NeptunetheChameleon?sub_confirmation=1

www.dragonstrand.com

https://tkchameleons.com/collections/accessories/products/shooting-gallery

View attachment 271506View attachment 271507
Click to expand...






I moved his cup up higher in his enclosure. He only ate about 4-5 mealworms total (I don't think he liked them) so I’ll make sure to take those out of his diet. I’m waiting on some silkworms and super worms. But I should only feed him super worms as a treat. I’ll only run the fogger at night. I have not gotten a fecal done, many of the vet places are closed down due to COVID. As for the lighting should I just hang it higher above his enclosure and buy a different UVB bulb? I have been using the Zoo Med reptile terrarium thermometer humidity gauge. Is that quite accurate? I also read somewhere that Panther chameleons need around a 75 watt, are you suggesting a take it down to a 60 watt? As for plants, I thought it was good to have fake ones because real ones could rot and get moldy? Should I take out the moss vine immediately? Also, I have been feeding the crickets all of that stuff (mustard greens, turnip greens etc.) so what else do I need to do there?
 
I’m no expert but I have successfully raised Panthers, light bulb wattages for heat are irrelevant ( it is true that a higher wattage means a hotter lamp ) but it’s all based on location and shrubbery in your cage. That goes for your UVB lamps as well. If you have a linear type bulb for your UVB then you doing ok. If you have a compact fluorescent style ( has a base that’s screw type, like a regular light bulb ) then you should change it for a linear type ( long skinny type ). You can always raise or lower your lamps for more heat or UVB. I would invest in a temp gun just so you can truly know what your temps are through out your cage. In my personal setup I have a 90 watt heat lamp and Arcadia 12% UVB lamp. My heat lamp is setting directly on the top and my UVB lamp is 4” above my screen. As far as your new guy eating goes I always put WAY more feeders in my new guys and gals cages then they need, I also feed mostly crickets when they are young buts that’s just what seems to work for me. Iv always had the opinion that a few more is better than a few less lol. I have also been accused of having festively plump chams before!!! The main thing is give your guy plenty of branches and places to hide and feel comfortable. Also throw a few extra feeders in there and who cares if they crawl out of your feeder bowl your little guy will hunt them down. I’ve never had luck with a feeder bowl but lots of people on here have.
 
Clayton0520 said:
I’m no expert but I have successfully raised Panthers, light bulb wattages for heat are irrelevant ( it is true that a higher wattage means a hotter lamp ) but it’s all based on location and shrubbery in your cage. That goes for your UVB lamps as well. If you have a linear type bulb for your UVB then you doing ok. If you have a compact fluorescent style ( has a base that’s screw type, like a regular light bulb ) then you should change it for a linear type ( long skinny type ). You can always raise or lower your lamps for more heat or UVB. I would invest in a temp gun just so you can truly know what your temps are through out your cage. In my personal setup I have a 90 watt heat lamp and Arcadia 12% UVB lamp. My heat lamp is setting directly on the top and my UVB lamp is 4” above my screen. As far as your new guy eating goes I always put WAY more feeders in my new guys and gals cages then they need, I also feed mostly crickets when they are young buts that’s just what seems to work for me. Iv always had the opinion that a few more is better than a few less lol. I have also been accused of having festively plump chams before!!! The main thing is give your guy plenty of branches and places to hide and feel comfortable. Also throw a few extra feeders in there and who cares if they crawl out of your feeder bowl your little guy will hunt them down. I’ve never had luck with a feeder bowl but lots of people on here have.
Click to expand...


Thanks so much for the advice! I might try just throwing the crickets everywhere! Also, why are the linear fluorescents better than the bulbs?
 
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