In need of serious help****

[cantwell615]

Ok, so this is my first post. I found this site while searching Google to try to solve a problem. I just got my first chameleon one week ago. He's a panther. NOT my first reptile though, I currently have an iguana who I have had for 2 years and a red tail boa I've had about the same time.

The guy I got the chameleon from is a regular at the pet store I work at. He comes in there and talks to me so he knows how well I know reptiles. He is moving in with his girlfriend who doesn't want crickets in the house so he was trying to sell him but said since he knows I can care for him the right way he would give him to me with everything he had for him. He got him from chameleonsonly.com and got the big package deal that came with everything you need.

Well I picked him up and got him home safe. Set everything up but I did change one thing. The old owner had him on a 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. cycle and I changed it to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. because that is what my other animals are on. Anyways figured I would offer him food but didn't think he would eat do to stress. Well it's been a week and he still hasn't eaten.

The good news is the old owner trained him to drink straight from the spray bottle so he is getting fluids. After I give him water he does what I can only explain as "smacking his lips" haha. after all this time of not eating I felt I had no choice but to gently set some food in his mouth as he did this. He took that fine and ate quite a few but I know this can not be good.

He gets sprayed plenty throughout the day, has pooped and even climbed onto my hand at his own freewill while I was misting his. Plus I have tried all the different ways to feed him, tongs, by hand, in a cup, and just leaving them in the cage. He seems just fine BUT WON'T EAT! And one last weird thing he does is, climbs to the ground alot. Just seems strange to me.

So please somebody help me out. Thank you very much for your time.

 

[warpdrive]

can we get a photo of the panther please...

lack of eating in a healthy chameleon with the added effect of walking/climbing to the ground sounds like a gravid female looking to lay eggs to me and not a male. ( so a photo or at least your say so is needed to disregard this)

I'm also wondering what your room temps are? if it is way too high then climbing to the ground to excape the heat is normal.

if you can't provide a photo, can you tell us that the animal in question is at least as colorful as a rainbow, or does it look like it's a pinkish brown or redish brown? if it looks like a rainbow then it's a male, if it is pinkish brown, then it is a female.

if it's a female, then it needs a laying bin or bucket now.

Harry

 

[Robyrango]

Hi Welcome to the forum!
Probably the best way to get more replies and help is filling the form "how to ask for help" giving all the informations about the cham and your set up.
It's quiet normal for chameleons not to eat when you first get them. Some need more time than others to settle in. Give him plenty of water and make sure the temperature and humidity are right for him.

 

[Olimpia]

Just to back up what Harry said, here are photos of a female (not gravid (carrying eggs) and gravid) and a typical male. One stays mainly pinkish, tanish, with maybe some black, and the other clearly is colorful (besides peachy pinks).

Being able to confirm or not whether the chameleon is male or female will help tremendously. And then please fill out this: https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ In great detail, so we may help you better. Otherwise we're just shooting in the dark! Just copy and paste that into here and fill it out to the best of your knowledge.

 

[cantwell615]

Yes he's very colorful like a rainbow. I can try and post pictures tomorrow. I don't think its the room temp because i keep it in the 70's in there.

 

[Elizadolots]

Yes he's very colorful like a rainbow. I can try and post pictures tomorrow. I don't think its the room temp because i keep it in the 70's in there.

What are your basking temps? You're used to keeping reptiles that do well with much hotter basking spots than chameleons. He might be going down to get out of the heat.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum When did he last eat before you got him, how old is he? What foods are you offering?
They can go for a while without food when they are big and healthy, and will often take a while to settle into a new home.
Probably best to fill the whole 'how to ask for help' form out, in case there are some problems with the setup you were given -


Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful