Male Veiled Acting Weird

buddygilly

New Member
Hi everyone, I have a 2 year old male veiled chameleon, he is in a 2 x 2 x 4 foot reptibreeze, with a 22” reptisun UVB bulb and all live plants. Recently he’s been acting weird, his colours are staying dark green - brown, and he has stopped basking. He usually basks almost all day, but now he sometimes stays lower in hsi plants all day. Today he has been sitting in the dirt of a potted plant and isnt moving when i go near him or offer food. Does anyone know whats happening? Do you think he has a parasite? You cant see much but the picture is of him today sitting in the plant.
image.jpg
 
Hi everyone, I have a 2 year old male veiled chameleon, he is in a 2 x 2 x 4 foot reptibreeze, with a 22” reptisun UVB bulb and all live plants. Recently he’s been acting weird, his colours are staying dark green - brown, and he has stopped basking. He usually basks almost all day, but now he sometimes stays lower in hsi plants all day. Today he has been sitting in the dirt of a potted plant and isnt moving when i go near him or offer food. Does anyone know whats happening? Do you think he has a parasite? You cant see much but the picture is of him today sitting in the plant.View attachment 286168
Also, heres his entire cage
image.jpg
 
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.
 
  • Your Chameleon -
  • The species: Veiled
  • Sex: Male
  • age of your chameleon: almost 2 years old
  • How long has it been in your care: almost 2 years
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon: very rarely
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham: crickets as a staple, hornworms once a week, occasionally superworms, mealworms and waxworms
  • What amount: about 6-8 crickets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, one hornworm a week and very few waxworms, mealworms and superworms
  • How are you gut-loading your feeders: any vegetables i have around the house, usually peppers, carrots, cucumber or apple
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule: Monday and Wednesday is rep cal with out D3, Fridays rotate between herptivite multivitamin and calcium with D3
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use: Mistking
  • How often and how long to you mist: 5 times a day, 4:00 is a 10 minute mist and the rest are about a minute long
  • Do you see your chameleon drinking: No
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites: never tested for parasites, feces is a large dark brown portion, and urates are sometimes quite orange
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you: he was bought from Big Al’s aquarium in Canada when he was 3 months old

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions: 2 x 2 x 4 reptibreeze
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using: one 60 watt bulb for heat, one 22” 10.0 reptisun t5 ho and a sunblaster for plant growth
  • What is your daily lighting schedule: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot): cage floor is 68F, basking spot is about 85F
  • Lowest overnight temp: 65F
  • How do you measure these temps: a zoomed digital thermometer
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels: about 30 - 40%, spikes after misting
  • How are you creating and maintaining these levels: Mistking
  • What do you use to measure humidity: old hygrometer
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind: one large dracenea, a ficus and a large pothos, and a small bromeliad
  • Placement - Where is your cage located: in my bedroom, no fans or vents, and the top of the cage is about 5.5 feet off my floor
  • Location - Where are you geographically located: Near Toronto, Ontario

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about: He has been less active, darker colours, and stopped basking as much, and today he is in the pot of a plant and wont move or accept food.
 
He has been hiding all day, but here is
Anything new in his eye line? Have you added a mirror to the room? ANother cage? Another animal?

How long has then been going on?
no mirrors, but there are other animals in my room and there are hermit crabs next to him. There is also a leopard gecko, a chinchilla and an aquarium. Sometimes he sees the hermit crabs movement and tries to get at them, and when he does i just put a towel over the side of the hermit crabs cage.
 
no mirrors, but there are other animals in my room and there are hermit crabs next to him. There is also a leopard gecko, a chinchilla and an aquarium. Sometimes he sees the hermit crabs movement and tries to get at them, and when he does i just put a towel over the side of the hermit crabs cage.
Are any of the animals a new addition to the room?

Has he had any falls or scares lately?
 
no mirrors, but there are other animals in my room and there are hermit crabs next to him. There is also a leopard gecko, a chinchilla and an aquarium. Sometimes he sees the hermit crabs movement and tries to get at them, and when he does i just put a towel over the side of the hermit crabs cage.
Also, this has been going on for about a month with the colours and different basking behaviour but the sitting in the plant thing just happened today
 
No wheezing or gaping, appetite is normal except for today
Very odd. Nothing in your husbandry is off... Feeding a bit heavy for his age but he looks trim and healthy.

Sometimes if something startles them or a major change to the room can freak them out. They will do this. Hide when they would otherwise be out.
Hopefully others will chime in with ideas.
 
Very odd. Nothing in your husbandry is off... Feeding a bit heavy for his age but he looks trim and healthy.

Sometimes if something startles them or a major change to the room can freak them out. They will do this. Hide when they would otherwise be out.
Hopefully others will chime in with ideas.
Thanks! I was thinking about a vet visit to test for parasites since he has never been tested, do you think this is necessary?
 
Thanks! I was thinking about a vet visit to test for parasites since he has never been tested, do you think this is necessary?
Well if your noticing something off with the fecals... Like mucous or strong odor. And if he is also sluggish with loss or decline in appetite. Then it is a good thing to rule out.
 
Very odd. Nothing in your husbandry is off... Feeding a bit heavy for his age but he looks trim and healthy.

Sometimes if something startles them or a major change to the room can freak them out. They will do this. Hide when they would otherwise be out.
Hopefully others will chime in with ideas.
Can't add anything to what you've already said @Beman .
 
@Beman @kinyonga These might be dumb questions but...

Could the fact that he's shedding have something to do with it?
Is the T5 HO 10.0 UVB too much?
He might be hiding because of the shedding but the odd behaviour and dark colours have been happening for a while. And i double checked and its the 5.0 UVB not the 10.0, sorry
 
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