help

[sccrstr870]

So i come home and look in my chams cage to find him on the bottom behind my hibiscuses pot all dark. i take him out which hes not really a fan of and he gets a light green color but when i put him back in i put him on one of his basking branches and he goes right back down. is this somethign i should worry about im getting kinda nervous

 

[kinyonga]

Unless the cage is too hot I would think there is something wrong. I would take it to the vets. Are you sure its a male?

 

[rachelk]

my male veiled is usually very dark when he is just sitting in his cage, but when i take him out he will turn a neon green almost and there is nothing wrong with him, i was told it's just there "calm" colors, but that is unusual that he was on the ground of the cage..

 

[rachelk]

...also, if he keeps going to the bottom it is probably too hot and he his moving to a cooler place,

 

[sccrstr870]

i just looked in again and i couldn't find him...he was on the bottom inside the half log i have. i took the log out and put him back up top

 

[rachelk]

how old is he and how hot is the basking temp and ambient temp. in the cage?

 

[jannb]

How to ask for help

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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.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and type 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?
Location - 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?

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.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

Pictures are helpful

 

[jojackson]

sounds like either temperature related (seeking warmer/cooler spot) or stress related maybe (wants to hide). Chams seem to be very private and secretive lizards, Do you have much dense froilage for it to hide in?
Is the cham in a room with more than light traffic?(folk/animals/noises etc)
I think if you keep handling it to move it you will only add to its stress.

No#1 rule of reptile Keeping: Check the enviroment first!

 

[Lizardlover]

jojackson said it perfectly, either he needs lower temps or a place to hide (needs more plants)

 

[kinyonga]

In another thread you said you were turning off the compact UVB light and the ceramic heater....you said you replaced the compact with a linear UVB light...did you replace the ceramic heater with an incandescent light to provide a basking area?

 

[sccrstr870]

right now his cage has a hibiscus on the bottom which is about a ft tall at the most about 7 fake plants one day bulb a florescent uvb bulb and 5 bend a vines. Im pretty sure he has enough hiding places... hes at the top right of the cage now so at least hes not on the bottom anymore

 

[kuskye25]

right now his cage has a hibiscus on the bottom which is about a ft tall at the most about 7 fake plants one day bulb a florescent uvb bulb and 5 bend a vines. Im pretty sure he has enough hiding places... hes at the top right of the cage now so at least hes not on the bottom anymore

seems kind of wierd i guess but it all depends on your enclosure and how its done up inside, uploading good quality pictures is always the easiest way to get quick help.

if the cage is small i wouldnt say going to the bottom is wierd or bad, black or dark colors usually indicate its worried/scared/mad/hiding, in your case id say it was hiding from you...

anyway is it eating and pooping regularly, are the urates white, is the poop dense or thin.

 

[sccrstr870]

just turned the lights off and hes still in the same spot. hes always on the screen for some reason and last night he slept on a lower branch for the first time

 

[kuskye25]

just turned the lights off and hes still in the same spot. hes always on the screen for some reason and last night he slept on a lower branch for the first time

k that stuff is normal

 

[sccrstr870]

im going to get a good picture of his cage and him today...hes shedding