Lethargic and Skinny

[WinstonChrchll]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Panther, male, 11 months old and in my care for 7 months.
Handling - once every month to fully clean his cage
Feeding - Crickets and superworms. I give him about 10 at a time of crickets and about 6-8 supers when I'm not feeding crickets? He gets new food every morning a bit after lights on. Grapenuts, oranges, potato and some cricket diet occasionally.
Supplements - Cal every other day. Cal with d3 every 2 weeks and herptivite multi every other 2 weeks.
Watering - Misting system. Twice a day, once in the morning and again int he afternoon for about 5 minutes each time. Yes, he drinks readily.
Fecal Description - Brown, slight amount of mucus and his urates are white with a tiny bit of yellow on the tip.No never tested for parasites.
History - Nothing much that I know. Got him from Chameleon Company.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 2x2x4 screen cage.
Lighting - reptisun 5.0 and a zoo med 25watt basking bulb? Lights on at 6 and lights off at 6.
Temperature - Not sure of the lower temps but its 92f at his basking spot. 67f is the lowest night temp.Digital temp and humidity unit.
Humidity - 80% after misting that slowly degrades over time.Misting system
Plants - One umbrella plant..
Placement - It is in my bedroom, relatively quiet I'm not one of those crazy teenagers you hear about.) his basking spot is right about 6 feet.
Location - Miami florida.

Current Problem - Over the past few weeks he has stopped eating much, refusing to eat and only eating small amounts when he does. He has grown skinny and very lethargic Nothing in my husbandry has really changed, so I'm very very confused.

 

[laurie]

Most of us only feed adults every other day, and when I do it I feed 6 or 7 size appropriate crickets or 3 superworms. Also alternate those with roaches, and silkworms. If me were mine I would try some new food items, maybe hornworms as panther seen to take to them well and feed him less and less often. jmo

 

[WinstonChrchll]

Most of us only feed adults every other day, and when I do it I feed 6 or 7 size appropriate crickets or 3 superworms. Also alternate those with roaches, and silkworms. If me were mine I would try some new food items, maybe hornworms as panther seen to take to them well and feed him less and less often. jmo

I will definitely try some more variety. The thing is that he is eating maybe 2 crickets or one superworm at feedings.

 

[Julirs]

Sounds like a fecal may be in order. I also find it hard to beleive that a 25 watt bulb creates a 90 degree basking spot in that large of a cage. Do you have something else you can measure temps with? Not eating can also be caused by improper temps. Do you have a picture of him?

 

[WinstonChrchll]

Sounds like a fecal may be in order. I also find it hard to beleive that a 25 watt bulb creates a 90 degree basking spot in that large of a cage. Do you have something else you can measure temps with? Not eating can also be caused by improper temps. Do you have a picture of him?

It was actually the highest wattage I could put in the cage without it going over 95. It's in a dome fixture and the bulb is a basking type bulb with reflective coating on part of it. I'll see if I can get another temp probe and measure. I don't have any recent pictures, I'll see what I can do.

 

[Julirs]

I would be real suspicious of temps-get a digital thermometer with a probe and measure. Can you put your hand under it and keep it there? Does it feel 90?

 

[WinstonChrchll]

I would be real suspicious of temps-get a digital thermometer with a probe and measure. Can you put your hand under it and keep it there? Does it feel 90?

It is a digital therm but I'll get another. It feels pretty warm but I'm a horrible judge at that sort of thing.

 

[james L]

It might be time to replace your uvb bulb. Also natural sunlight helps with health problems sometimes.

 

[ataraxia]

if his temps are not right and he is not receiving proper lighting his appetite will fall off. cage set up, lighting, temps,hydration and supplements are equally important for successful chameleon keeping. also try other types of feeders (dubais, silkies, horn worms, mealworms, flies, butterflies) look in the Food section of these forums and you will find pretty good deals. my panther is not a real outgoing people person chameleon but if i have silk worms or hornworms in my hand he will tear through the cage like tarzan to me.

 

[chamelisa]

Hi,

If he's lethargic, the first thing I would do is increase his hydration by getting him to drink from a pipette. I've used clear Pedialyte to get them started then followed up with filtered water. This can help pass things through the GI tract and they get a little energy from the electrolytes.

You're feeding him quite a lot of food and as you know now it is better to provide more variety when possible. Less food and more variety.

If you can, get a fecal sample to your vet so it can be checked for parasitic infection.

I hope he gets better. Take care.