Hunger strike and enclosures

[opihiman]

A little Hx:

I have one male/one female jackson about 1 year old. about 3 weeks ago i switched their cages as he was in bigger cage and I wanter her to have more room. She is also gravid and she is moving into the period where I can expect babies soon.

Any way soon after moving, both chams seemed to have a big drop off in their appetite. Their diets consist of crickets, silkies, and the occ meal worm.

finally yeasterday I switched them back to their original cages with great results as they both started to eat again and were moving about the cage like normal.

My question is:

How many of the forum think that evironment (viv conditions) will play a part in creating a situation for Chams to go on Hunger strike?

OPI

 

[Lancecham]

How long were they in the new cages before being put back into the old cages. Switching a chameleon to a new cage can cause stress and feeding could be reduced until they are comfortable in their new surroundings and will start eating as usual.

 

[FOREVER ENDEAVOR]

How long were they in the new cages before being put back into the old cages. Switching a chameleon to a new cage can cause stress and feeding could be reduced until they are comfortable in their new surroundings and will start eating as usual.

I agree, if they werent left in thier new environment long enough to fully acclimate that could have been the problem...

 

[opihiman]

they were both in their new vivs for about 3 weeks.

Rather than mess around too much and create problems I switched them back to their old set ups....Problem solved...everyone was really happy after that..

Do you guys think that as a rule. Males require more area to roam than females?

Thanks for the replies

OPI

 

[BocaJan]

I believe males need more room. My male roams his environment a couple times a day. Up, down, up, down. He checks things out. I have all my habitats in front of my big sliding glass doors which gets warm sun every day. (No, not my source of UVA) and he always finds the sunny spot and watches out the window while sunning himself. The ladies stay up in the top of their habitat on branches in or close to leaves. They only come down if there is food on the bottom.

 

[opihiman]

I believe males need more room. My male roams his environment a couple times a day. Up, down, up, down. He checks things out. I have all my habitats in front of my big sliding glass doors which gets warm sun every day. (No, not my source of UVA) and he always finds the sunny spot and watches out the window while sunning himself. The ladies stay up in the top of their habitat on branches in or close to leaves. They only come down if there is food on the bottom.

Yeah... I would totally have to agree with this experience. Thanks for the info.

OPI

 

[ocdirtyjerz]

I actually have the female and male both that roam the same amount. They are less then a year old, while the female enjoys the direct sunlight for a while as the male only tends to enjoy it for less a time and then hides in the shadows. When they sleep, the male is usually hig and the female hides. They are housed in the same free roaming environment (NOT THE FINAL ENVIRONMENT). I agree whom ever is larger will need more room. Females about to have babies will decrease appetite (so I've read). One of my males does not eat much but is the largest. I try and study them as much as possible, but I alwys see the younger eating more.

 

[summoner12]

I agree with Lance. If they didn't get enough time to adjust and then were placed back into the older cage they were just relieved to see familiar territory and began to eat again.

When I first moved my Veileds to larger metal screen cages from their reptariums they didn't eat 'normal' for a few weeks. They were used to the plastic mesh that didn't allow them to see us. Once they got used to seeing my GF and I walking around at times they calmed down and would just watch us as we watch them. Fred even became VERY friendly and would come out of his cage with no persuasion. They are back to making adjustments now that the cages have been re-arranged a little from before. They now don't have huge pots holding dead plants... just over grown pothos and vines, so the cage must feel a little bare.

Just give them some time to adjust if you plan to change the cages again.