Hibernating(?) Veiled Chameleon

[TJH]

My son's veiled chameleon has been hibernating for over 3 weeks now. Any research that I've done says to limit it to 2 weeks and to increase temp & humidity to "wake" him up. The temp is 19c @ night & 25c during the day. He still is almost dormant. He moves around to different perches with his eyes closed every other day or so. He is a year and a half old and this is his first hibernation.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Email: [email protected]

 

[kinyonga]

Are you meaning that the basking area is only 25C during the day??

Could you fill this out so we can get a better idea of what's going on please...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Sepioteuthis]

I could be wrong, but this does not sound like a hibernation/brumation to me. This sounds like a sick chameleon. Please list out the list of questions that Kinyonga linked to.

Kin, did your Ch. chameleon behave like this when brumating?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I could be wrong, but this does not sound like a hibernation/brumation to me. This sounds like a sick chameleon.

I agree.
My experience has been a "slow down" in food consumption and elimination, but eyes are always open during the day.
Basking area should stay constant even when the animal is experiencing brumation.

Basking spot should be 30 to 33 degrees c.

-Brad

 

[jannb]

My son's veiled chameleon has been hibernating for over 3 weeks now. Any research that I've done says to limit it to 2 weeks and to increase temp & humidity to "wake" him up. The temp is 19c @ night & 25c during the day. He still is almost dormant. He moves around to different perches with his eyes closed every other day or so. He is a year and a half old and this is his first hibernation.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Email: [email protected]

The eyes being closed is a sign that he is ill. I think a vet visit would be in order. Jann

 

[TJH]

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass "aquarium" 36"w X 12"d X 18" h - top of enclosure is 60" from the floor, coated wire mesh top
Lighting - Exo-terra 3 light hood with two 25W sunglo Neodymium daylight & one 13W reptiglo 10.0 UVB plus a separate glow light with a 75W Nightglo neodymium Lights are on for 14 hours a day 0700-2100h - Nightglo is on 24/7
Temperature - The temp is 19c @ night & 25c during the day at the cage floor. I bought the exo-terra digital thermometer with probe to measure when this problem started. At the basking branch the temp is 30c
Humidity - I am using an auto mister on one end of the enclosure and it sprays for 15sec every hour from 0700 - 2100h. I am not measuring humidity levels How do you do that?
Plants - No live plants all artificial and natural wood branches
Location - The cage is located in the kitchen. At the pet store they said to put it in a traffic area so the chameleon got used to everybody and did not become hostile. No fans or vents close by

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male Veiled chameleon the we have had for a year and a half and it is only a month or two older than that
Handling - we have the chameleon out of the cage 3-4 times a week it has never been hostile and will come to our hands when we lift the top of the cage
Feeding - feeding exlusively medium crickets dusted in calcium, he did not learn to take mealworms from a dish. occasionally feed the crickets spinach He was eating 8 a day before this and I put them in mid morning after the lights had been on for a couple of hours (gut-loading?)
Supplements - Bulk calcium from the local pet store and no supplements -dusting every feeding
Watering - as above - occasionally saw chameleon drink from drops on leaves
Fecal Description - Brown peanut sized droppings with a liquid slime on the outside and some runny white like bird droppings mixed in. Not been tested for parasites
History - The change was overnight, the cham was fine one day and then "sleeping all of the time" the next day. all of the info I have found on the web only talked about inducing this state so I was worried about the food in his stomache from the previous day as it mentioned that excess food could rot in the stomache
Current Problem - lethargic/sleeping all the time for 3+weeks.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

You might want to do some reading on these sites and double check some of your husbandry.
I agree that the chameleon should make a trip to the vet with a fresh fecal sample.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

-Brad

 

[TJH]

I was just browsing your site when you replied - very nice!

What type of light combination do you suggest?

Any tips on finding a vet in Vancouver, BC. (No recent droppings)

 

[panthercham]

It sounds like you are doing a great job but here are a few things to consider....

Misting - your cham would be better off with longer less frequent mistings. Its best to have the mister going for anywhere from 2 - 5 minutes 3 times a day and letting the cage get dry between mistings. The longer mistings will encourage him to drink.

Plants - take a look at the safe list here and get him some real plants they are great for some hiding and privacy and increase humidity and give him a place to get water as he can lick the leaves. I find the fake plants just absorb it and it doesnt run off to well.

Location- stupid pet shop. Chams like their privacy and he would probally be better in an area with less traffic, especially if he maybe unwell. I have a cham that tolerates people very well and he still likes his private home.

Feeding - are you only gutloading with spinach? Spinach is not a good gut load as it hinders the calcium absorption, try apples, oranges, collard greens, Kale, carrots.

I agree with Brad get him to the vet for a good check up and put your mind at rest. The raising Kitty blog is a great read... I have kept chams for about 5 years now and still pick up new stuff everytime I read it.

Keep us informed on how he goes...Good luck

 

[Julirs]

A year and a half old male chameleon in an aqaurium only 18" high must be miserable-no wonder he wants to come out. Additionally a 10.0 UVB on that height of a cage is too strong. Pet stores are idiots and they set you up with some crazy lighting-no night lights! Have you changed your UVB in a year? They need to be replaced at least every 9 months to a year. Your chameleons sounds extremely ill so I would get to the Vet ASAP.

 

[Sepioteuthis]

Ok.
Step 1. A vet visit is in order
Step 1b. Get him a bigger enclosure. And not an aquarium, a real terrarium (with proper ventilation) or a screen cage. His enclosure should be about 2x2x4 feet.

If you can't get him to the vet right away. I would start giving him water with an eyedropper if he doesn't drink on his own. Also try to get some food in him (I'm assuming here that he hasn't been eating). If you can get a cricket in his mouth he may just start chewing and eat it.

Good luck with the little guy!

 

[TJH]

Thank-you everyone for the time you have taken to reply.
In to see the vet tomorrow am.
Buddy took 1.5ml filtered water from an eyedropper in two sessions - 2 hours apart.
Hand fed him 3 big waxworms.
Out with the 10.0 UVB - in with a 5.0 UVB (the bulb was a year old)
I noticed more movement when returning him to his cage after the water. Maybe it helped (duh!!) maybe he just moved to a more comfortable spot.