hydration problem...

[armando]

Chameleon Info:
7 month veiled chameleon.. I have had him since he was a baby
How much do I handle it? Only when he jumps on my hand, but I usually dont grab him.
Feeding - I have most crickets, some dubias, superworms, hoppers.. I gutload them with oranges, carrots, jam, dandelion, sandrachameleon´s dry gutload recipe
Supplements -
plain calcium: monday tuesday thursday friday
calcium plus: wednesday
repcal vitamin and calcium d3: I switch between them on sundays
Watering - I never see him drink.. he has 3 sessions of mistking mistings of 7 minutes each, and a big dripper dripping on leaves.
Fecal Description - they are not soft, and dont look hidrated
History - He used to eat a lot, and his feces looked really good when he was on the small cage... now he is on a bigger cage and he doesnt seems as hidrated as he used to be... maybe he had nowhere to run from the misting and was forced to drink, or something

Cage Info:
Cage Type - its the bigest reptibreeze ... I forgot the size..
Lighting - basking spot, reptisun 5.0, and a regular incandecent house bulb for aditional light... he is also next to an open window for some natural light.
the go on at 6 am and are down at 6 pm just like otside (winter)
Temperature - temperature is around 20C in the cold sides, and about 30C in the basking area... in night temperature drops to 16C
Humidity - its usually around 40... it goes up and down with the misting sessions.
Plants - I have two beatiful schefflera, and a Dracaena fragans
Placement - its in my room.. next to an open windon
Location - im located in Hermosillo, sonora mexico... right down the state of arizona
Current Problem

Hey everyone... Im having some problems here...
He has been on hunger strike for about a month...
He does eats, but Im having so much trouble doing it...
He only eats 2 bugs daily (2 circkets) .. or 1 cricket and roach... (He would go for all the superworms that I offer...) but I just give them every other day..
His urates doesnt look hydrated at all!!! urates are solid and color goes from light yellow to orange
Feces are solid and dryish too..
I have heard that veield chams dont eat much when they are not well hidrated.. Im guessing this could be a problem...
What else should I do to boost up hydration?? I have tried everything!!
He runs away from the mist and he doesnt seems to be using his dripper..
(note: water on the mist king reserviour is warm, so it doesnt comes out cold)

 

[dlegare]

I would try giving him and his cage a really good misting with a hand sprayer. Don't spray at him directly but in an upwards direction so the mist and droplets fall down on him.

See if that doesn't entice him to drink. Also after the good misting leave the room for a bit. Sometimes chams get shy about eating and drinking when the bit hairless apes are around.

If that doesn't work try putting his cage (if its small enough) or a large plant/tree in the shower. Aim the shower towards the side wall and run it for a good 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure the water is tepid and also make sure you don't flush the toilet or run any appliances that use hot water like the dishwasher, etc.

It that doesn't work then a trip to the vet is definitely in order. If you do go to the vet place a piece of wax paper on the cage floor the night before so you can collect a fecal sample if you're lucky. If you get one just pop it in a small zip-bag. and refrigerate till you go to the vet. (Same day for fecal sample is preferred but ask your vet to be sure)

Good luck

 

[armando]

Ok I will try that..
the only thing that im worried about.. is that tap water in here is not really safe for drinking...
I dont feel confortable about letting my cham drink tap water... =s

 

[Kate]

I would hold off giving superworms for a while. Chams can go on hunger strike for them. Yellow/orange urates = dehydration. Can you get silkworms. They are full of water and calcium. You could try dripping warm water from hand mister over his nose . That may stimulate drinking. You may have to stand there for 10-15 mins.

 

[armando]

yay!!!
I tried to offer water with a needleless syringe and it worked!!
He drank half of it... I tryied to offer more ... about 5 times more, but it didnt work... I will do this twice at day and see If I can get him to drink this way until I see he is really driking from dripper and mist
otherwise I will keep offering him with the syringe... I dont mind doing this al the time, as long as he keeps hydrated and healthy...
I really hope this also helps him get over the hunger strike...