I Need Help...Beyond My Level of Expertise...

[jheitz]

Hey everyone. I'am out of ideas on this one. My male Veiled Chameleon, Optimus Prime has seemed to stop eating and drinking. I recently moved him into a larger enclosure, 4ft by 2ft by 2ft on a 15in base to facilitate drainage. He has the same lamps and bulbs, an 18in Repti-Sun 5.0 UVB, a 100wat basking bulb in a deep dome hood, and a 40wat blue bulb for illumination. The drip system is new, but I have seen him drink from it, but only once. Basking temp is around high 80's. It is on a rheostat, so I have good control over the temp. Ambient air temp goes from 70-74 mid enclosure to 60-70 F bottom of the enclosure. The hibiscus and scheflerra plant are both new, but he seems to have taken a shine to them. Humidity hangs in the 30-40 range, 70-90 range after spraying.
This hunger strike has been going on for at least four days now. He has been raised on waxworms, mealworms and crickets, medium and large sizes. My only thought is that change in location has been a factor.
I am really getting concerned now. I have never had this big and issue with a veiled, but he is my third. The other two I had to sell before I left for Okinawa. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[mommycurzon]

Hmm...others will be a better help I'm sure.

My little guy is a snob about food, and if your's is like mine, you may want to try some different food types. House Flys and moths are my guys fav!!! Crickets are for him what brussel sprouts are to most kids. Hornworms and silkworms can get him excited too. He also like the Dubia roaches.

 

[Sang]

OK, well yes, moving him to a new enclosure will stress him for a few days, as long as he isn't a baby, a few days without food isn't a problem, he could go for as long as two weeks. try something different to spike his interest *don't use meal worms, superworms are far superior to meal worms*. things like flies, painted lady butterflies *be cautious with butterflies as some are toxic* Moths are also good *same deal with butterflies.

 

[jheitz]

The loss of appetite happened before the transfer. He just stopped eating. Here are photos of his current enclosure. Maybe I am missing something. New prey items are very scarce here. I live on an island with a mom and pop pet store. I've asked and all they can get are the prey items listed. I am currently browsing sites for better deals.

 

[jheitz]

http://91.photobucket.com/albums/vv276/jheitz/[/IMG]

 

[jheitz]

O.K. How do I post photos?

 

[Sang]

sorry man, no pics yet. maybe some of the fellow cham keepers that are locals can help you out with a change in cham diet?

You have to either upload them to the forums which has size restrictions OR you can make an account with photobucket.com and upload them their, Then when you upload on photobucket you can get the "direct link" and then post the link to the photo in tags that are like this LINK GOES HERE [/ img] Do not add the space were the / is. there is a button that looks like a mountain to do that.

Also, please use yoru edit button to avoid triple/double posts. unless someone has posted directly after yours.

 

[jheitz]

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I suck at life!!! I cannot, for the of me get my pics from photobucket on this post!!

 

[Sang]

can you post the direct link, just Highlight the URL and CTRL + C and then CTRL +V the link into the post field.

we should be able to view them that way.

 

[jheitz]

Last try....

 

[Sang]

Looks pretty good. TBH. add some more climbing vines around the top, kinda jungle gym style so he can choose to sit up top, also try to strech some coverage foliage so he is more comfertable while basking.


as for his food intake, he could just be on a food strike. best idea would be to try something new.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Not uncommon for a cage change to be a little upsetting, so could be prolonging a minor hunger strike. How old is he? he doesnt seem a real young one, so the four days without food isnt too concerning. Is he drinking?
He may also be bored with his diet. waxworms and mealworms are poor choices. Can you get different feeders sent by mail? Perhaps by a member here (check classifieds) or a site sponsor?

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."The loss of appetite happened before the transfer"...did anything change just before he stopped eating?

 

[jojackson]

Moving to a new cage can be enough to upset them for a week or so till they get used to their new surrounds. (personal experience). If you've seen it drink in the new cage, you dont really have a great concern at this point imo. Not eating for a week or even two wont harm it (assuming its good health) so long as it keeps hydrated.

Tips: try to arrange the new cage as similarly to the old as possible regards placement of plants, basking vine/perches lighting etc and dripper. Some familiarity may make the transistion easier/less stressful.
If your going to add new plants because the cage is bigger etc, then try to do so quickly, decide on placement and have done with it. The more you move things about, the longer the transition will take.
Keep an eye on hydration, thats no#1
best wishes

..."The loss of appetite happened before the transfer"

Do'h!.... given that another possibility is simply maturation. From all accounts, and from personal experience, as they get 6 months or so, they decrease their diet some. Not sure how old it is? 80f seems somewhat low for basking temp, (6 months onward) try upping that to 90f and see how it goes since this may also be a factor, compuonded by the move.

 

[jheitz]

Thanks for all the responses. To answer your questions:
I have the basking light on a rheostat- I keep it high 80's to low 90's, and gradually decrease the temp to stimulate natural enviromental changes. The hunger strike began about five days after moving his smaller cage to a more quite area of the house upstairs. Again, this is speculation, as he was upstairs and we were downstairs, we didn't always see him eat. Cricket and worm counts led me to believe he was eating very little if at all.
I want to put his age between 3-5 months old. He is about 7-8 inches long from nose to tail. I will upload more photos of him when I get home. I have noticed some weight loss, but he is not looking emaciated, and continues to drink according to my wife who is a stay at home mom and cares for him while I'am at work. I have made numerous changes to lighting, set up and water delivery systems based on reviews and research to provide a more comfortable and healthy life for him. Perhaps I'am worrying to much. It's just a punch in the gut!!! I've been raising reptiles for over 14 years and worked at my home towns zoo before I joined the military, and this little guy is kicking my butt!!!! But I guess, that's compassion for you!!!! Thanks again, and keep throwing advice my way, I need a more objective view.

 

[jojackson]

I have the basking light on a rheostat- I keep it high 80's to low 90's, and gradually decrease the temp to stimulate natural enviromental changes.

I must ask why? Are you doing this as a prelude to conditioning for breeding?
By how much, how often, how long?
Otherwise I see no point, especially if your intention is simply to try to make his enviroment more 'natural'. Its not natural in captivity anyway.
The idea of providing a thermal gradient, (warm at the top, cooler at the bottom, with a basking spot) is so you chameleon can do what it does best, thermoregulate itself.

Your lizard knows best what it needs in terms of thermoregulation, so altering temperatures (excepting a gradual seasonal decline as a prelude to winter cooling (IF thats effective for cham males)), will only make it more difficult for your lizard to regulate its IBT to optimal performance for digestion and general function.

EDit: Just read its age! Obviously my speculation is justified and its not for breeding pourpous. I think its just stressed by all the fuss/changes and temperature flucuations.

 

[Eric Adrignola]

How much was he eating before hand? Often hungerstrikes are a result of over feeding.

 

[PardalisGirl]

Three things.....

Three things come to my mind. One, the 18 inch 5.0 tube that you transferred from the old cage to this big new cage is way too small. Your boy is still pretty young and is still developing his bone structure. You need more UVB than an 18 inch 5.0 tube can give you. Looking at your pictures and the distance his perches are from the the 5.0 light I'm not sure the light is even penetrating that far down. Do one of two things. Buy a 5.0 tube that goes from one end of the cage top to the other end and move his basking spots further up towards the top or buy a 10.0 tube that goes from one end of the cage top to the other end and leave his basking/perching spots the same.

Two, don't play around with the reostat and his temperatures. That is a waste of time. Most of us have cages in the house and have constant temperature schemes. The basking light going off at night is enough of a drop to simulate nature. Keep it simple.

Three, the change to a new cage is stressful. It may take a week to make an adjustment and feel comfortable enough to eat and bask normally. Keep your fussing (other than lighting change) to a minimum and let him explore his new cage in private. Don't add to his stress. If you have the right light, temperature, properly placed plants/perches and misting/water he will settle in fine.

 

[jheitz]

Just came home from lunch and the worm count is down by three!!! My worries are alieviated!! Just a quick clarification on the rheostat--- i use it to control the temp due to the lack of central air / temperature fluctuations in our house. Our home is a POS, and his new set up is next to my sulcatta tortoise table in the kitchen, so it can get very hot if not monitored. I will look into better UVB, but like everyone else in this crummy economy, money is tight!! The Navy only pays so much LOL! Any other insights to his set up you guys have will be greatly appreciated!! Again, thanks for all your help..Semper Fi!! Semper Chameleons!!!!!!

 

[jojackson]

Can you move it away from the tortoise enclosure to resolve the heat issue? Steady temps are probly best. Perhaps consider raising the whole cage up on something so its higher. Arborial lizards feel more secure that way, even though it fits where it is so well.