Jackson chameleon exhibiting strange behavior

[AlixC]

I have a female Jackson chameleon who is a little older than a year. She has been exhibiting extremely strange behavior for a few weeks now.

Her diet: large gut loaded crickets - she eats about 8 every two or so days. She also drinks fairly regularly.
She has been chewing/ trying to bite the rock I have in her cage - is she missing something in her diet?

When I handle her I can hear her take very deep breaths every few minutes.
She also opens her mouth sometimes but I read that if she is near a heat source she could just be releasing heat.
She doesn't have any sores or buildup around her eyes, nose, or mouth.

She is very active - always climbing all over the cage HOWEVER recently she has began slipping and falling from a few inches above the ground. She seems so much clumsier than usual - missing the leafs and the vines and the sides of the cage. She has also been climbing to the very top of the cage and pushing her head up against the ceiling as if she wants out. She has also been walking all over the floor of her cage. I have ZooMed approved wood chips on the floor of her cage because I never thought she would walk on it but now she is falling on to the ground from heights and walking across the floor. (Which I didn't think was normal?)
Whenever I open the cage door she reaches out for me. She loves to be out of the cage and enjoys sleeping in my hand sometimes. I handle her about every 2 days. She always stays green and active - never puffs up and rarely refuses to be held.

She rarely changes colors - she gets black spots when I mist the cage sometimes.
My dog comes into the room sometimes and my chameleon usually crawls to the ground and walks back and forth in the cage following my dogs nose. She also wiggles a little but never turns black or puffs up. I think she likes to play with her.
HOWEVER - Today she turned COMPLETELY BLACK. I think my dog must have jumped up and scared her this time. Could that be so? Because she turned back to green but it took about 15 minutes. She fell in the cage so I picked her up and she wanted to be out of the cage. So now she is perfectly normal and climbing around.

I just want some feed back to know if I should be worried about anything and if she is actually exhibiting normal behavior.

PLEASE AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

 

[SaintJimmy]

I did not read your entire post...

Sounded immediately like there was something very wrong.

Please take a picture of her and post it here.

Also fill out the "how to ask for help" form.

We need more information.

It would probably be best to get her to a vet.

Some of her issues sound mainly because she is not getting enough nutrients of a certain kind, it may be calcium, or vitamin A, or d3. Do you have a UVB light?

Fill this out and we will be able to help you better. She sounds in bad condition.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Mijah139]

As posted above, it sounds like it her behavior may be linked to a vitamin overdose or deficiency. How are you gutloading your feeders? How are you supplementing them? And are crickets the only feeder you use?

 

[AlixC]

Asking for help filled out

She looks perfectly normal to me - what do you think?


I think reading my entire post would have been beneficial. She doesn't have any sores or buildup around her eyes, nose, or mouth. She eats well and drinks regularly. She is also very active.
She does have a UVB light which I keep on for about 8 hours a day.

Your Chameleon - She is a Jackson chameleon, female, a little older than a year. She has been in my care for about five months now.
Handling - About every 2 - 3 days, which I know is more than most chameleons prefer but she climbs on to me when I reach in the cage so I never force her out.
Feeding - I feed her large gut loaded (by Orange cricket cubes) crickets. I keep roughly 4 to 6 crickets in her cage on a regular basis.
Supplements - I was told to only dust the crickets every two weeks.
Watering - I mist 5 - 6 times a day and have a dripper system and a shallow dish in her cage. I do see her drink the drops off the leafs.
Fecal Description - There is a solid brown pellet covered in a clear mucus with a white/ yellowish slime.
History - I rescued her from a pet store where she wasn't being taken care of very well.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - I have a screen cage with two of the sides blocked off with plastic wrap. The dimensions of the cage are 16 x 16 x 28 tall.
Lighting - I generally keep a heat lamp on all day and night to maintain a warm temperature. I also have a UVB light that I keep on for about 8 hours a day. I open my shades and let in natural light about once a week. I use ZooMed brands.
Temperature - 70- 80. Lowest overnight temperature is about 65. I measure the temperatures with a temperate gauge on the back middle screen of the cage.
Humidity - Lower than I would like but do to the fact that they didn't maintain very good levels at the pet store she is pretty used to low humidity. Its usually 20 to 80 right now. It has been more difficult to keep the levels up during the winter. I mist 5 to 6 times a day and let the dripper go for a few minutes at a time- usually she plays in the water and drinks while the dripper is on. She also gets in the water dish and wiggles around. I measure the humidity with a gauge also placed in the middle of the back screen.
Plants - Fake plants.
Placement - Her cage is on my dresser. The top of the cage is a little over 5 feet from the floor. Her cage is in my room where my boyfriend and I are mainly the only two in there.
Location - I am located in the Midwest.

 

[AlixC]

To Reply to Mijah139 :
I was told to only dust my crickets every 2 weeks so she didn't overdose. I feed the crickets the brand Orange - they're little cubes. Right now they are all I feed her. I used to keep dark greens in her cage but she never bothered with it - not even at the pet store.
I wouldn't doubt that she isn't getting enough calcium because I rarely dust them because I didn't want to overdo it. I think that is my problem - so how often should I dust them?

 

[RangoStar]

What it sounds like is she needs to lay eggs. Do you have a digging bin anywhere in the cage? It sounds like she is full of eggs and is in pain from not being able to lay them. She also looks as if she has eggs in here. If you don't give her anywhere to lay, she will become egg-bound. The response to your dog even further confirms my theory, as she is being protective of her eggs to an animal she considers friend.

 

[Seiryu]

What it sounds like is she needs to lay eggs. Do you have a digging bin anywhere in the cage? It sounds like she is full of eggs and is in pain from not being able to lay them. She also looks as if she has eggs in here. If you don't give her anywhere to lay, she will become egg-bound. The response to your dog even further confirms my theory, as she is being protective of her eggs to an animal she considers friend.

Oye. Jacksons give live birth. No laying bin needed.

She definitely seems to be acting odd. Looking at her enclosure. Its a little small. If shes gravid which she could be, she could be roaming her enclosure trying to find a good spot to start, but there are not enough foliage gor her liking.

What kind of uvb light? Also get rid of the substrate and that light that is shining in from the side.

 

[AlixC]

The light shinning in from the side is a heat lamp so I will not be getting rid of that.

 

[AlixC]

She has not be exposed to any males and although I know some chameleons will get pregnant still and just lay unfertilized eggs - what is she going to do if she will have a live birth...?

 

[AlixC]

Live Birth

She has not be exposed to any males and although I know some chameleons will get pregnant still and just lay unfertilized eggs - what is she going to do if she will have a live birth...?
What do I need to do to help her prepare for this?
How can I tell if she actually is pregnant?

Are you sure it isn't just due to calcium deficiency?

 

[AlixC]

Not pregnant

From what I have read now - She can not be pregnant if she has not been exposed to any males at this point. She wouldn't have been mature enough to get pregnant at the pet store and she has lived alone in her cage for the last 5 to 6 months at my house. Therefore, she is not pregnant.

Thanks for you attempt at helping me though.

 

[Seiryu]

That is incorrect. Jacksons CAN get gravid without breeding and gestation can take as long as 10 months, possibly longer. They will have what are called "slugs" which are yellow "blobs" that are infertile. You need to put her heat lamp on top. Not the side. Side lights cause glare. Her setup is not good at all. Remove the substrate too.

I am sorry to say that unless you make some of these changes things might not get better. And by the sound of it you don't seem willing to change anything.

 

[kplatvoet]

My baby's (who's now 8 month old) mother was bought at a pet store in December (a Christmas present) and gave birth to 11 babies the first week of
May. Jackson females can also drop slugs - unfertilized.

My Jackson is very sensitive to lights at night- she actually seems healthier when when the weather is cooler - In their natural habitat in Kenya the temps get quite cold (I know I lived in the country next door-Ethiopia in the early 70's) I am pretty much a newbie but I've read older (not in years but in experience) members saying that they actually do well with bigger drop in temps. (50's)
You might want to search "Olive" on the forum - She had problems with unfertilized slugs - It work out well after a lot of very fine work by her caregiver. You might be able to find something similar in how your girl is acting and get a better idea of if it's the problem. Don't panic- the people who had my girls mother were sure that she was very sick before and she perked right up after having the babies - if slugs or babys are the problem you'll have to look into better gut load - the orange stuff is pretty much crap- sort of like dinner at McDonalds every night -

 

[Action Jackson]

Hi, I would recommend reading and following the infomation provided here.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/
There is a care sheet for Jackson's there also.

Proper cage design and set up are crucial to maintaining a chameleon long term. You should not have a light on your chameleon at night! Your lights should go on and off with sunrise and sunset in you area. Jackson's prefer low night time temperatures at night. My Jackson's see nighttime temps in to the in the 50's,40's and even the 30's with no problem. Also a variety of feeders that are well gutloaded is very important.

Your Jackson's looks good. Make the needed changes and feed her better and she should do fine.

 

[jrath]

First off, get rid of the water dish and substrate, they will only cause problems.
The basking light needs to be at the top of the cage, chameleons like to bask from the highest spot available.
No lights at all during the night!!! They need complete darkness and she will be fine with the temp drop.
You definitely need more plants to make her feel comfortable, especially if she is trying to give birth, even if they are just slugs.
I don't see a UVB light in your pics, but she definitely needs one, even if she is by a window, most glass with block out the majority of UVB rays, they still like the sun coming in but get very little if any UVB from it.
The other symptoms of her falling sound like a supplement issue.
IMO, jacksons should get straight calcium 2x per week, calcium with D3 once a month and Multivitamin once a month.

EDIT, forgot to tell you that those orange cubes are garbage, find a good dry gutload like Cricket Crack and use fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

[AlixC]

New Issue

Now she isn't eating - the crickets are two or three inches in front of her and she's acknowledging them but not going for them...

She wasn't mature enough to get pregnant when she was at the pet store and she hasn't been exposed to any males so I know she is not pregnant with actual babies but I suppose she could still be trying to have slugs - which whether she is or isn't I will get more foliage. I'm not sure at all as to what I should now put on the bottom of her cage - considering this is what they used at the pet store and what I have been using since day one of having her.
The water dish catches the water from my dripper and I change it regularly - She also had one at the pet store that she would actually get into and wade in the water which I was told was not normal but they took her to the vet and she was in perfect shape (I worked at the pet store so I was able to watch her for months until I finally purchased her).
I was told that the temperature was more important than the darkness - and now I'm being told the opposite -so it's just a little confusing. I used to turn it off at night and she always seemed fine so I will start doing that again.
She always climbs to a spot on the upper side of the cage that the light is on and basks there. (Like in the picture I have attached.) Is that not ok?
The UVB light is at the top of the cage - I have always worried that it wasn't enough so any suggestions?
I definitely will start dusting my crickets more often and start feeding them potatoes and apples again like I used to.

As for SEIRYU and your accusations about my willingness to change what I'm doing to benefit my chameleon - I find that incredibly rude and insulting. I have been told so many different things by so many different people who claim to know what they're talking about so I have been doing my best and setting her cage up for what she seems to enjoy.

 

[AlixC]

Thank you very much for your response ACTION JACKSON. You were very polite and didn't immediately freak me out and make me worry. I have read the care sheet and have made the necessary changes.

 

[Mijah139]

Feeders should be dusted with plain calcium (no d3) every feeding, calcium + D3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month. Failing to do so can result in bone disease and vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Also, ive read that the orange cubes are bad for gutloading. Try using either cricket crack or repashy's bug burger (or both) for dry and wet gutload respectively. It is also VERY important that the feeders be gutloaded with fruits & veggies prior to being fed off, and you should look into offering a wider variety of insects as feeders.

 

[ridgebax1]

She does have a UVB light which I keep on for about 8 hours a day.

Your Chameleon - She is a Jackson chameleon, female, a little older than a year. She has been in my care for about five months now.
Handling - About every 2 - 3 days, which I know is more than most chameleons prefer but she climbs on to me when I reach in the cage so I never force her out.
Feeding - I feed her large gut loaded (by Orange cricket cubes) crickets. I keep roughly 4 to 6 crickets in her cage on a regular basis. You need to change your gutloading process. These orange cubes are not the best thing to use. Check out Sandrachameleon’s blog about gutloading with dry and wet foods such as fresh fruits and vegetablesSupplements - I was told to only dust the crickets every two weeks. Your supplementation is incorrect. You should use a plain calcium powder every time you feed her, calcium with D3 twice a month and a multivitamin twice a monthWatering - I mist 5 - 6 times a day and have a dripper system and a shallow dish in her cage. I do see her drink the drops off the leafs. Remove the dish and substrate. Chams will not drink standing water and it is a source for bacterial contaminationFecal Description - There is a solid brown pellet covered in a clear mucus with a white/ yellowish slime. Her urates should be a bright white. Check out the Poop 101 sticky in the health clinic.History - I rescued her from a pet store where she wasn't being taken care of very well.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - I have a screen cage with two of the sides blocked off with plastic wrap. The dimensions of the cage are 16 x 16 x 28 tall. I think this is on the smallish side.
Lighting - I generally keep a heat lamp on all day and night to maintain a warm temperature. I also have a UVB light that I keep on for about 8 hours a day. I open my shades and let in natural light about once a week. I use ZooMed brands. UVB light needs to be on 12 hours a day and off 12 hours a day. No lights at all at night. They need complete darkness to sleep properly and also need a temperature drop at night too. UVB light does not penetrate glass so natural light exposure like this has no benefit.Temperature - 70- 80. Lowest overnight temperature is about 65. I measure the temperatures with a temperate gauge on the back middle screen of the cage.
Humidity - Lower than I would like but do to the fact that they didn't maintain very good levels at the pet store she is pretty used to low humidity. Its usually 20 to 80 right now. It has been more difficult to keep the levels up during the winter. I mist 5 to 6 times a day and let the dripper go for a few minutes at a time- usually she plays in the water and drinks while the dripper is on. She also gets in the water dish and wiggles around. I measure the humidity with a gauge also placed in the middle of the back screen.
Plants - Fake plants. Live chameleon safe plants can help with humidity. Placement - Her cage is on my dresser. The top of the cage is a little over 5 feet from the floor. Her cage is in my room where my boyfriend and I are mainly the only two in there.
Location - I am located in the Midwest.
Her falling sounds like she could be having issues with MBD due to lack of calcium and UVB exposure. She also looks quite fat so she could be carrying “slugs”. Jackson’s give live birth and even though she has not mated she still develops infertile eggs. I am not really familiar with how this works with Jackson’s so hopefully someone with experience with this can chime in.

I know it can be hard to hear that even though you thought you were doing things correctly, your weren't. Don't take it personally. Understand that all the advice is meant to improve your chameleon's health and life expectancy. I went through the same thing with my first chameleon Pete and unfortunately he did not survive despite my best efforts to correct things. Chams are good at hiding illness until it is often too late. Please take the advice in the spirit in which it is given. I hope your girl gets better.

 

[ridgebax1]

Now she isn't eating - the crickets are two or three inches in front of her and she's acknowledging them but not going for them...

I'm not sure at all as to what I should now put on the bottom of her cage - considering this is what they used at the pet store and what I have been using since day one of having her.
The water dish catches the water from my dripper and I change it regularly - She also had one at the pet store that she would actually get into and wade in the water which I was told was not normal but they took her to the vet and she was in perfect shape (I worked at the pet store so I was able to watch her for months until I finally purchased her).
I was told that the temperature was more important than the darkness - and now I'm being told the opposite -so it's just a little confusing. I used to turn it off at night and she always seemed fine so I will start doing that again.

The UVB light is at the top of the cage - I have always worried that it wasn't enough so any suggestions?

I definitely will start dusting my crickets more often and start feeding them potatoes and apples again like I used to.

Lots of people use nothing in the bottom of the cage and just put down paper towels. A nice live plant like a ficus or schefflera could replace the bowl and catch the extra water.

Darkness is more important. Temperatures fluctuate in nature and are necessary for her to get the appropriate rest. As long as it doesn't get below 60F or so you should be fine. If you are concerned about temps, get a ceramic heat emitter. That will give you heat and no light.

I would still vary the gutload you are using for your feeders. Again Sandrachameleon's blogs are wonderful and full of great information. You may want to consider adding some different bugs to her diet. Horn, silk, butter, and phoenix worms are great feeders. Roaches are a good substitute for crickets, I use Dubia and Turkistan in addition to the aforementioned worms. Superworms, mealworms and wax worms are ok for an occasional treat. There is tons of info on the forums about various foods for chameleons.