Extensionofgreen
Chameleon Enthusiast
My pair of parsonii appear healthy, cleared their first vet check, and had their first clean fecal, and appear healthy in every way. The problem is that the male doesn't seem to be interested in anything I feed him. He loved superworm, so I stopped offering them, to encourage him to eat crickets, roaches, silkworms, BSF larva, hornworms, and so on. I bought housefly pupae to try, but after 4 days, at 85F, that have not hatched.
Both chams have been here for about 10 days.
His color appears good, he drinks and behaves normally, but he is noticeably thinner and refusing food.
The female eats with gusto.
Pictures of the enclosure can me seen in my album and the male is about 1' long.
I mist with heated water, via a MistKing for 2 30 min sessions and 1 15 min session, every day. Urates look good and he has defecated twice, consisting of 3, formed stools, one within his first 2 days and the other 2 a week later, on the same dayo. The basking temp is 85F-87F and ambients are between 75-78F, with a temp drop to 68F-70F at night. They have a reptisun 10.0 T5, shining through 30% sunblocking screen and I let them bask outdoors for 25-30min increments, a couple times a week, with no additional handling.
I use a makeup brush and dust about 1 dozen crickets daily and place roaches and a couple superworms and BSF larvae in feeder bowls, undusted. I feed the feeders a homemade gutload of greens, oranges, cantaloupe, grated winter squash, sweet potato, and hand picked wild greens. They have a dry gutload of spirulina, bee pollen, chia seed, blueberry powder, sunflower seeds, almonds, kelp powder, chlorella, almonds, less than 10% of high quality dog kibble, grain based cereals, and other dry ingredients.
I am concerned because the vet noted the tiniest amount of rubbery, but not mishaped jaw, and he indicated he should be just fine, once normal calcium was and plentiful food was introduced. If he isn't eating, he isn't getting that calcium.
Would you or should I force feed him a couple times a week or let him be and keep an eye on him? I've force fed chameleons before, so doing so isn't a problem, but I don't want to stress him out and if he isn't adjusting to new life, I'm sure handling him to force feed him won't speed that process up any.
Thanks in advanced.
Both chams have been here for about 10 days.
His color appears good, he drinks and behaves normally, but he is noticeably thinner and refusing food.
The female eats with gusto.
Pictures of the enclosure can me seen in my album and the male is about 1' long.
I mist with heated water, via a MistKing for 2 30 min sessions and 1 15 min session, every day. Urates look good and he has defecated twice, consisting of 3, formed stools, one within his first 2 days and the other 2 a week later, on the same dayo. The basking temp is 85F-87F and ambients are between 75-78F, with a temp drop to 68F-70F at night. They have a reptisun 10.0 T5, shining through 30% sunblocking screen and I let them bask outdoors for 25-30min increments, a couple times a week, with no additional handling.
I use a makeup brush and dust about 1 dozen crickets daily and place roaches and a couple superworms and BSF larvae in feeder bowls, undusted. I feed the feeders a homemade gutload of greens, oranges, cantaloupe, grated winter squash, sweet potato, and hand picked wild greens. They have a dry gutload of spirulina, bee pollen, chia seed, blueberry powder, sunflower seeds, almonds, kelp powder, chlorella, almonds, less than 10% of high quality dog kibble, grain based cereals, and other dry ingredients.
I am concerned because the vet noted the tiniest amount of rubbery, but not mishaped jaw, and he indicated he should be just fine, once normal calcium was and plentiful food was introduced. If he isn't eating, he isn't getting that calcium.
Would you or should I force feed him a couple times a week or let him be and keep an eye on him? I've force fed chameleons before, so doing so isn't a problem, but I don't want to stress him out and if he isn't adjusting to new life, I'm sure handling him to force feed him won't speed that process up any.
Thanks in advanced.