Jackson won't grow

[Shawntea]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - jackson Xanth, male, over one year. In my care 11 months
Handling - Handled weekly during optimal weather for outdoor UV exposure
Feeding - Dubia cockroaches 7-12 daily, gutload with rephashy bug burger and water
Supplements - rep-cal calcium every other feeding, rep-cal vitamins once a month, and rep-cal calcium plus D once a month
Watering - 2-3 long mists a day plus dripper. Mistings around 3 minutes. Yes I see him drink daily
Fecal Description - droppings normal solid brown, urates white, tested and no parasites present
History - Did a 10 day series of reptaid two months ago and he shed once following this. Prior to that had only 2 sheds that I have seen


Cage Info:

Cage Type - acrylic/screen combo over 4 feet tall and set on a 2 foot rise
Lighting - reptiglo 5.0 UVb plus 60 watt basking light 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Temperature - floor around 62 degrees, top around 78 degrees with basking at 80. overnight temps drop to around 58-60 degrees digital thermometers
Humidity - humidity varies from 40% before mistings to 80% after mistings, monitored by digital hygrometers
Plants - China doll tree, pothos, and umbrella plant, plus vines, dowels, dried manzinita branches, and plastic leaves/vines wrapped about
Placement - Living room, no vents, no fans, from floor to ceiling entire set-up is over six feet tall
Location - Northern California


Current Problem - My little guy has barely grown since I bought him almost a year ago. He is about 6 inches long. I have researched and researched, contacted other xanth owners and members, tried everything that has been suggested, and still he doesn't grow! He also may be a red phase if that helps.

 

[Miss Lily]

I think as adults they can have basking temps up to about 85 so you might try upping the basking temp just a little. Jacksons don't get as big as Veileds or Panthers, but Xanths are the biggest of the 3 subspecies. Mine is a year old next week and he weighs 36g and is about 10cm snout to vent. I love the fact that he is almost grown up yet he is still small enough to sit on my finger! Do you have a photo of him that you could post?

 

[Shawntea]

So after looking at his picture from snout to vent he is only about 3 inches, and two horns are growing very slowly, but not the third.

 

[Shawntea]

along with the bug burger the roaches also get uncooked sunflower seeds, carrots, apples, and kale. I forgot to add that part. Anyone have any ideas? Am I preventing his growth with my care, or perhaps he's an oddball dwarf?

 

[Action Jackson]

Can you post more/better pictures of him?

 

[chromewolf7]

He seems very young, not much horn development at all. You sure its a xanth?

 

[DiF0r]

I think as adults they can have basking temps up to about 85 so you might try upping the basking temp just a little. Jacksons don't get as big as Veileds or Panthers, but Xanths are the biggest of the 3 subspecies. Mine is a year old next week and he weighs 36g and is about 10cm snout to vent. I love the fact that he is almost grown up yet he is still small enough to sit on my finger! Do you have a photo of him that you could post?

Little fella Mine Xanth is around 14months and was over 100g some time ago...

 

[Alexl]

Fecal Description - droppings normal solid brown, urates white, tested and no parasites present

How many fecals were tested 'til now?

Is there any opportunity to get the chameleon into real sunlight during summer?

 

[Shawntea]

He seems very young, not much horn development at all. You sure its a xanth?

Xanthoman on the forums said he is and that he appears to be a red phase.

 

[Shawntea]

How many fecals were tested 'til now?

Is there any opportunity to get the chameleon into real sunlight during summer?

2 tested plus I did a reptaid series in case. He gets around 20-30 minutes a day when the weather is good. My backyard is surrounded by trees, so he is out usually in the mornings. I have changed his bulb already in April...

 

[Shawntea]

More pictures if that helps...

 

[Action Jackson]

I'm kinda stumped on this one. His horns are not growing out the same on both sides and it looks like he might have a spine deformity. His coloration seems strange and I can't tell what sub species he is.

 

[Shawntea]

he eats and drinks well, fecals are normal, and he now has an attitude more common in older chams (puffing, hissing at me occasionally), but he just doesn't grow! He appears to be in good health by all accounts, and I have done years worth of research before and after owning him. I just want to be sure I am no the cause of his growth abnormality. Xanthoman on the forums here says he's a xanth. Occasionally I do see splotches of green and yellow, but mostly a red clay type coloring.

 

[Shawntea]

Bump

Anyone??

 

[Chamlo]

He has mouth rot starting on the side of his mouth

 

[Jac1582]

He has mouth rot starting on the side of his mouth

Both sides look like they have some rot near the hinge of his mouth...any senior members around to take a closer look at the pix?!?

 

[Shawntea]

I checked his mouth and no stringy, cheesy, or otherwise textured seepage. No blacked portions inside or out. Got a really good look inside with the aide of a q-tip and a dull toothpick. He is on his fourth day of a second round of reptaid (first was early June). He did reward my frightened mommy act with a nice little love bite tough. Ungrateful lil' things we have Perhaps just shadows or bad pictures, I will try for some better ones tomorrow as he is not thoroughly pissed with me and hiding while he hisses at me.

 

[Jac1582]

Haha ok good to hear! Yeah they're persnickety lil things at times. Hope he didn't bite ya too bad, I'm not sure how big Jackson's teeth are but I would not wana get bit by my panther cham he's got some chompers!

 

[Shawntea]

Haha ok good to hear! Yeah they're persnickety lil things at times. Hope he didn't bite ya too bad, I'm not sure how big Jackson's teeth are but I would not wana get bit by my panther cham he's got some chompers!

luckily his stunted growth helped a lot. I did fight the urge to pull my finger out and therefore just have a couple puncture spots, but no tears.

 

[coldbloodedAL]

??? First off, Looks like a female of either j. jacksonii(But appears too small) or female mt meru, dont see any bulge...

Certainly not a xanth, note the dorsal spikes all appear to be single in these pictures. xanths will have "doubled up" dorsal spikes.

For the record, there are no "red phase" xanths, although both male and females both display these colors when younger they tend to lose it all together upon reaching adulthood.