Male Jackson's not eating

[EKettunen]

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Male Jackson's Chameleon, not sure about age (6 months..?), had for about 2 months.
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - Feeding crickets and superworms, however he is not eating.
* Supplements - Reptivite w/ D3 every other week
* Watering - Misting twice daily heavy in morning, plastic cup on top for dripper, Reptifogger as needed.
* Fecal Description - Brown solid with white or orange urate
* History - Purchased as juvenile from Exotic Pet store in East Hartford CT


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Screen 24x24x48
* Lighting - Reptisun 5.0 18", 60 watt daylight blue bulb
* Temperature - 75 degrees at basking spot, mid 60s over night, measured with Rzilla digital temp/humidity guage
* Humidity - 50-60% most of the time 75% when misted
* Plants - Had a corn plant but it died, now dracaena
* Placement - Bedroom with low traffic sitting on desk about 3 feet of ground top of cage is almost at ceiling level
* Location - CT


Current Problem - He has not been eating for several days. Refuses to touch crickets. Will eat super worns ocassionally. I think I am having trouble keeping the cage warm enough during the day. Is there anything else that might be causing this.

 

[jackscham]

Everything looks good---except for your supplements. Are you dusting his crickets with calcium?

 

[kinyonga]

I think your temperature in the basking area should be close to 80F. It might be too cool for him and that's why he's not eating.

Also, IMHO you should be dusting the insects at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to make up for the usually poor ratio of calcium to phos. found in many of the feeder insects.

Its likely that you are overdoing the D3 as well...most people only dust lightly twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder.

You can also use a vitamin powder with a beta carotene source of vitamin A a couple of times a month lightly.

Did you wash the new plant well (both sides of the leaves) before putting it into the cage?

Do you gutload the crickets and other insects?

 

[ijmccollum]

several days ....meaning? I have read on other threads that it happens periodically but they resume eating when they get hungry. I also understand from forum reading and personal experience that you gotta watch 'em as they can go down hill fast if they have been masking symptoms.

Keep an eye on him, know or find a good vet before you need one.

 

[EKettunen]

Plants were all cleaned well before use. He seems to be a very picky eater lately he used to eat crickets all the time now he is boycotting them. He will eat superworms and mealworms. I know they are not all that nutritious but they have been gutloaded prior.

 

[Cainschams]

Can you get a pic of him and his cage? I agree with Kinyonga. The basking site should be closer to 80 if not between 80 to 85. That could very well be his problem. Is his poop fully digested? I would also suggest more drinking opportunities if the urate is orange in color. Also keeping the humidity more around 70% daytime and higher at night should help keep him hydrated.

How much do you feed him at a time. An adult jacksonii should be able to maintain a good body weight getting fed approx. 6 appropriate sized feeders, or equivalent to, every other day and even skipping 2 days here and there.

You can try getting him some blue bottle flies or house flies. I get mine from mantisplace.com. The BB flies are a lot larger than the house flies so I would get those unless he is really small. Ive also heard jacksonii being very fond of spiders. You can collect some around your house. I do not own jacksonii but I do own other smaller montane species who relish spiders. I have fed many spiders to animals ranging from newly hatched to adults. I have fed orb weavers, crab, jumping, daddy longleg, wolf etc etc spiders. I do stay away from the brown recluse and black widows for obvious reasons.

 

[EKettunen]

I have gotten his basking temp to range from 80-85 degrees. However his behavior has not really changed. Any ideas?

 

[EKettunen]

Here is a picture of his cage and him

 

[Texas Panther Man]

How often does he sit with eyes closed and lights on? Thats not a good thing. Those look to be stress colors in that photo also in addition to the eyes being closed. Are there any others reptiles or animals in close proximity to his cage that could be stressing him out? He looks like he needs to go get checked out. After re-reading your care info. I think he's probably dehydrated. I'd try a nice looong lukewarm not hot shower and see if he will drink for you. His eyes look sunken in that pic and you mentioned orange urates when he defecates. Thats a sure sign of dehydration. A little orange or yellow tip is ok but not more than that.

 

[ataraxia]

agree with everything texas said. i dont want to sound like a broken record but you better get him to a vet ASAP if you want him to live. you need to get a fecal done asap. im going to assume he is wild caught. they do go down hill fast and your guy does not look good at all.