Introducing Peter: poop issues

[liajimena]

Good morning! I have been reading this Forum for years. I am the owner of Peter my second veiled chameleon. He is now 4 years old. And as others have mentioned the Forum helped me a lot in many times when I am not sure about certain aspects. The reason I have registered is because I am worried about him. Peter haven't pooped in 1 week. I tried all the recommendations I found in the Forum. Bathing in warm water, increasing watering and misting, feeding with fruit, such as grapes. Gently massage his colon. Mineral oil 1 cc. I placed him in my backyard, outside with shade. We live in Miami, Florida. Weather is humid and warm, 85 to 90.degrees now. He was before inside the house with air conditioning , and his blue daylight bulb 60 w . I moved him because i thought maybe he needs more humidity. But nothing. Yesterday while he was in his third and last bathing, he ejaculated and showed out his hemipenis. Not sure if this could be the reason not pooping. He hadn't mate ever.
He had a respiratory infection 2 years ago, vet prescribed antibiotics. But his tongue stop working. So since then, I feed him manually. Crickets, meal.or super.worms, with vitamins.
He is walking normal, good color, eating normal. But I am.not sure if I should continue feeding him normally. I stopped feeding him 2 days ago, just water, because his belly is a little bit fat. I know I need to be careful with the
mineral oil. I gave him only twice. Saturday and Sunday. 3 drops per day.
Please I need advice.
Thanks!! And have a good day!

 

[liajimena]

 

[liajimena]

This is Peter wearing his Christmas hat

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Hi! Could you please fill out this husbandry review? It would be very helpful.

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.



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Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

Also, there is a lot of misinformation out there. I highly discourage you from bathing your chameleon in warm water, feeding him grapes, or supplementing him with mineral oil. All of this is most likely doing more harm than good. Hopefully once we review your husbandry we can locate the issue and resolve the pooping problem

 

[liajimena]

Thanks for your interest and your prompt response. I will send that information during the day.
Question: I am at work and my daughter is taking care of him. She is asking if she should feed him today with his regular meal: crickets and worms?
Thanks !!

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Thanks for your interest and your prompt response. I will send that information during the day.
Question: I am at work and my daughter is taking care of him. She is asking if she should feed him today with his regular meal: crickets and worms?
Thanks !!

Yup! Shouldn’t be a problem

 

[liajimena]

Thanks !!! Will do.

 

[liajimena]

Chameleon Info: PETER

• Veiled chameleon, Male, 4 year-old, under our care since he was 6 months.
• Little handling.
• Feeding - Crickets, meal worms. Every other day, 5 to 6 insects, afternoon, around 6 pm. Powder vitamin on the insects. Calcium 3 x week, Vitamin D-> 1 x week. Sometimes horn worms. as snacks, not always.
• Supplements -I don't have the brand now. I can send you the name later. We bought at PetSmart.
• Watering - Before his cage was outdoors, with shade, natural plants, soil and an electronic mister during the day. But he stopped climbing and spending more in the ground, so he developed dermatitis in his feet (probably too much humidity). So I needed to put him inside the house within another cage, no soil , and put antibiotic (as per the vet) in his feet. He healed, I treated him for about 2 and half months. So when he was inside I used to spray water manually, only when we were at home, before I leave to work at 7 :30 am and when I am back at 5:30 pm. I also give him water with a syringe (small amount) to make sure he is hydrated.
• Fecal Description - last poop was brown, hard, and seems kind of dry, not watery. Pee was last week was white, like regular. Parasites testing was a couple of years ago when he had the respiratory infection and the vet also prescribed medication for the parasites.
• History - Respiratory infection, 2 years ago- treated with antibiotic, prescribed by the vet. Tongue is not working anymore. I need to feed him manually. No mating.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type Screen cage. I will send the dimensions later, I am at work.
• Lighting - Used to be natural when outside, so he had indirect natural light. Inside the house, he has a lamp, I have no model here, we bought all in PetSmart, Bulb is Blue Light, 60 watts. Lamp turn on at 7 am and off at 7 pm. So he has light inside the house for 12 hours.
• Temperature - I don't measure the temp. At night there is no lamp. Inside the house, where the room he is at, temp is in 78 degrees. When outside Miami, Florida now is at between 80 and 90 degrees.
• Humidity -Outside: natural humidity is at 80%. Inside humidity is like 50% and I spray the cage. We have a device that measures the humidity.
• Plants - Cage outside, natural plants. Used to have a hibiscus. Inside - plastic plants.
• Placement - Outside: Backyard, on top a table. Inside: air vents are quite far, not that close to his cage. no traffic. Height from the floor: like a regular table size.
• Location -Miami, Florida.

Current Problem - Not pooping a week ago.
We moved him outside because we thought he needs more humidity. But at the same time we know he needs his bulb light. But he receives indirect natural light.
We also stopped feeding him, but he already confirmed that we can continue feeding him. We were afraid something happened to him because his belly is a little bit fat.

Thanks for your help !

 

[Bazelthechameleon]

Chameleon Info: PETER

• Veiled chameleon, Male, 4 year-old, under our care since he was 6 months.
• Little handling.
• Feeding - Crickets, meal worms. Every other day, 5 to 6 insects, afternoon, around 6 pm. Powder vitamin on the insects. Calcium 3 x week, Vitamin D-> 1 x week. Sometimes horn worms. as snacks, not always.
• Supplements -I don't have the brand now. I can send you the name later. We bought at PetSmart.
• Watering - Before his cage was outdoors, with shade, natural plants, soil and an electronic mister during the day. But he stopped climbing and spending more in the ground, so he developed dermatitis in his feet (probably too much humidity). So I needed to put him inside the house within another cage, no soil , and put antibiotic (as per the vet) in his feet. He healed, I treated him for about 2 and half months. So when he was inside I used to spray water manually, only when we were at home, before I leave to work at 7 :30 am and when I am back at 5:30 pm. I also give him water with a syringe (small amount) to make sure he is hydrated.
• Fecal Description - last poop was brown, hard, and seems kind of dry, not watery. Pee was last week was white, like regular. Parasites testing was a couple of years ago when he had the respiratory infection and the vet also prescribed medication for the parasites.
• History - Respiratory infection, 2 years ago- treated with antibiotic, prescribed by the vet. Tongue is not working anymore. I need to feed him manually. No mating.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type Screen cage. I will send the dimensions later, I am at work.
• Lighting - Used to be natural when outside, so he had indirect natural light. Inside the house, he has a lamp, I have no model here, we bought all in PetSmart, Bulb is Blue Light, 60 watts. Lamp turn on at 7 am and off at 7 pm. So he has light inside the house for 12 hours.
• Temperature - I don't measure the temp. At night there is no lamp. Inside the house, where the room he is at, temp is in 78 degrees. When outside Miami, Florida now is at between 80 and 90 degrees.
• Humidity -Outside: natural humidity is at 80%. Inside humidity is like 50% and I spray the cage. We have a device that measures the humidity.
• Plants - Cage outside, natural plants. Used to have a hibiscus. Inside - plastic plants.
• Placement - Outside: Backyard, on top a table. Inside: air vents are quite far, not that close to his cage. no traffic. Height from the floor: like a regular table size.
• Location -Miami, Florida.

Current Problem - Not pooping a week ago.
We moved him outside because we thought he needs more humidity. But at the same time we know he needs his bulb light. But he receives indirect natural light.
We also stopped feeding him, but he already confirmed that we can continue feeding him. We were afraid something happened to him because his belly is a little bit fat.

Thanks for your help !

So first of all you should be using calcium WITHOUT vitamin D3 at every feeding and dust the bugs with vitamin D3 once every 2 weeks. Improper supplementation can lead to many health issues.

I highly recommend you get a thermometer for the cage as it is very important to make sure it’s not getting too hot or too cold for your cham.

Something that stuck out to me that might be the cause of the pooping issue is the use of fake plants. Veiled chameleons like to nibble and eat the plants in their cage. This is very likely to cause impaction. This is a blockage in their intestines that can cause no poop to pass through and it may need surgery to resolve. I’d replace these with real chameleon-safe plants asap and get a vet visit with a reliable exotic vet. The members on here can help you find a trustworthy vet in your area. Hope this helps!

 

[liajimena]

Thanks again for your prompt response. But I wanted to clarify that the calcium I gave him by itself, not together with the Vitamin D, maybe I didn't explain it clear, I give him Calcium 3 times a week and the Vit D3. once a week. But I will change it as you mentioned Vit D3 every 2 weeks. Thanks !
I will buy the thermometer for the cage.
The fake plants are intact ,there is no signal that were eaten. But thanks for the advise I will remove them from his cage. Thanks for all your help !
Do you know if probably this changes can be because of mating season? I mentioned in my first message that yesterday he ejaculated. He never before had an issue with pooping.
Sorry to ask you this again. You mentioned that it is ok to continue feeding him even if he has not poop in a week and his belly is fat.
Another concern: What do you recommend: inside with his bulb/little humidity or outside, more humidity, indirect natural light?
Thanks!!

 

[Beman]

My concern is that you have given him all this stuff trying to remedy this... If he is showing swelling than you need to get him into a reptile vet. I know you said he did not eat his fake plants but impaction would be a risk here. A vet can xray him and see if he has an impaction.

 

[liajimena]

Thanks for your advise.