Meet Leo!

[blackbetty]

HES really cool betty and a beautiful specimen i believe that was the deal of the year when you got him you lucky ducky

Thank you.. and yEs the first thing on this thread is his enclosure..

Thank you and yes, I adore him..even when he tried to eat my face.

 

[summoner12]

He is sittong on a Shefflera plant with a wooden pole in it for stability next to his cage looking out the window. So technically, he would be free range at that moment, but I am 2 feet away on this computer. And he doesnt move, just stares until i put him back.

Are you trying to find issues to rag on me about

I don't need to try....

You should give jim a basking lamp for days when the sun isn't out. I would also add a horizontal branch for him to perch on.

 

[blackbetty]

I don't need to try....

You should give jim a basking lamp for days when the sun isn't out. I would also add a horizontal branch for him to perch on.

Not sure who Jim is so thinking I don't wanna give him anything

 

[blackbetty]

Leo

I like posting pics of Leo. Here he is last night in the shower. I didnt realize the humidity fogged my camera up. I pushed the shower off so that he was getting a "misting".. and he actually moved himself closer to the wall to get right under the splash.

And here he is basking. He got fired up when I put him on the plant last night to clean his cage.

 

[summoner12]

Not sure who Jim is so thinking I don't wanna give him anything

'Jim' is who my iPhone thinks 'him' is...

 

[blackbetty]

'Jim' is who my iPhone thinks 'him' is...

Now you got me thinking I wrote Jim instead of Him!?

 

[blackbetty]

More pics of Leo from today...

I got a new camera! A canon Rebel XT.. although I still dont know what any of the things mean..I have a program to teach me but that would require my children to leave me alone long enough to read a sentence! So.. I just used manual and shot away...

And this was Leo after I put him back in his cage. I moved all the plants Up to give him more hiding..He went to his usual basking corner, turned orange (his angry colors) and hung upside down..He is asleep normally now...but it rather freaked me out...

PS his sunken eyes are STRESS only from me being in his face.. He is completely healthy and active.

 

[blackbetty]

Nevermind, you arent worth it.

 

[blackbetty]

Concerned

Maybe this should go in the health column, but this thread is about my cham and so is this issue so Ill keep it here as Im sure there are 50 others topics similiarly within 3 threads of each other anyways.

Leo shed about 1.5 weeks ago. Since, he has only eaten 1 Hornworm. I keep Dubias and crickets on supply and he lets them crawl on him and stares at them, but no action. Well yesterday I changed his cage around. I moved saome vines down, moved some plants up. I was *advised* to hide the vines more to let him have privacy..I did that..here comes the concern.. He sits in a corner in his angry colors and sleeps.. sometimes even hanging upside down as pictured above. He opens his eyes if I mist or unzip the cage and moves if prompted..but this didnt happen until yesterday. Im wondering if he is stressed out witht he plant being right there. Could he have preferred it open? I only moved it because I was being harassed saying it needed to be done and now Im concerned it has caused my cham severe stress.. However this doesnt excuse that he hasnt eaten either. Other than that, nothing has changed. Temps good, cage good, ect ect.. Thanks.


PS, NO crappy responses please.. I dont need anymore DRAMA..Just helpful hints, tips, suggestions, ect.

And a vet visit is not out of the question, just want to make sure it would be serious enough as I would have to load up three kids and drive an hour to Nashville, but I will do it if its what is deemed needed. THANKS!

 

[kenya]

Maybe this should go in the health column, but this thread is about my cham and so is this issue so Ill keep it here as Im sure there are 50 others topics similiarly within 3 threads of each other anyways.

Leo shed about 1.5 weeks ago. Since, he has only eaten 1 Hornworm. I keep Dubias and crickets on supply and he lets them crawl on him and stares at them, but no action. Well yesterday I changed his cage around. I moved saome vines down, moved some plants up. I was *advised* to hide the vines more to let him have privacy..I did that..here comes the concern.. He sits in a corner in his angry colors and sleeps.. sometimes even hanging upside down as pictured above. He opens his eyes if I mist or unzip the cage and moves if prompted..but this didnt happen until yesterday. Im wondering if he is stressed out witht he plant being right there. Could he have preferred it open? I only moved it because I was being harassed saying it needed to be done and now Im concerned it has caused my cham severe stress.. However this doesnt excuse that he hasnt eaten either. Other than that, nothing has changed. Temps good, cage good, ect ect.. Thanks.


PS, NO crappy responses please.. I dont need anymore DRAMA..Just helpful hints, tips, suggestions, ect.

And a vet visit is not out of the question, just want to make sure it would be serious enough as I would have to load up three kids and drive an hour to Nashville, but I will do it if its what is deemed needed. THANKS!

Well, it could be that he doesn't like how you moved the cage around, but it doesn't seem likely that he would have such a severe response. I think a vet visit may be in order, but you should get input from some more experienced members. I think you should make a new thread about this and get some pics if you can as well as filling out the "How to ask for help" form.

Good luck.

 

[chambabysitter1]

Hope you can find him the help he needs without any rash decisions. Good luck to you and Leo, I hope it's just an environment shift that is causing it.

 

[chamelisa]

I wish I had a little more time to spend on this but look at his casque. He is losing hydration. Compare with your original pics. Something is wrong with his humidity or hydration set-up. That's my guess. I hope we can help you fix the problem. He is an amazing animal.

 

[Julirs]

It could be he is stressing from kids and Dogs-I don't beleive that Chris had either one so this is all new to him. I would double check temps with a good digital thermometer to make sure he is warm enough-low temps can cause them to stop eating as can dehydration. Over handling-I think he was kind of free ranging in a plant you mentioned, can also stress them. I would leave him in his cage in a low traffic area and see what happens.

 

[Cameron B]

I can't be certain as to what's wrong with Leo either, but my initial guess based on photos suggests dehydration. I was noticing that his fat pads look a bit depleted as well, and I would attribute that to his not eating. I definitely wouldn't consider this a lost cause, but it definitely needs the attention and help you are seeking. Have you tried messaging Chris to get some input from him?

 

[Eyal]

Well i know 3 things you need to change. You handle your chameleon way too much! Dont bother giving him the oppertunity sitting in the window. He doesnt move cause he is fritghtened. And i agree with summoner12 its bare in your mesh.

Get a misting bottle instead of putting him in theshower all the time. This stresses them out too.

Do you dust your feeders with calcium , vitamins ?

 

[summoner12]

Good luck!

I like posting pics of Leo. Here he is last night in the shower. I didnt realize the humidity fogged my camera up. I pushed the shower off so that he was getting a "misting".. and he actually moved himself closer to the wall to get right under the splash.

]

Above you had said that he moved closer to the wall to be closer to the splashing water, was he drinking while in the shower? Was it nice and warm? I think before we had suggested you give him some more heat since his color is so dark when he is out of his cage. If your water was nice and warm (say around 90*F) and his fat pads have been sinking maybe warmth and water are in need?

It would suck to lose another cham, maybe some minor changes can be made to correct the issue or a Vet visit might be in need?

I do agree that a new thread would be a good idea though.

Edit: I didn't read your concerns with a lot of attention to detail. I think he needs to be left alone and maybe even something to block him from seeing outside of his cage. Is this a WC from Chris? If so he is not used to the commotion of children, dogs and cats..... If you've only had him for 1.5 weeks he REALLY needs to have some alone time. When I moved my CB veileds to new cages they didn't eat for almost two weeks. I only changed the cages for them... and they were only about 7-8 months old. They did the same food strike when I moved to a new apt and had to make some changes to the cage... So if Leo is WC, seeing what he sees each day is a TOTAL shock from his home in mady.

 

[blackbetty]

Well i know 3 things you need to change. You handle your chameleon way too much! Dont bother giving him the oppertunity sitting in the window. He doesnt move cause he is fritghtened. And i agree with summoner12 its bare in your mesh.

Get a misting bottle instead of putting him in theshower all the time. This stresses them out too.

Do you dust your feeders with calcium , vitamins ?

Yea, I do all that.. I take the highest care possible.. and I moved all the plants UP to make it not bare as I was advised to do so..and this is a major change that he doesnt seem to care for.....I have OVER 12 plants in there to keep up the humidity.. Its not bare..I really dont get that point or why some people keep saying that!?

Summoner: You are on ignore so I dont even know what you said nor does it matter to me.

Cham: I PMS you my number, gimme a call when you can.


You know,. I moved him into the sunroom which is more traffic than my bedroom.. Maybe he is stressed.. That did happen around the shed and the stop eating.. I will move him back and hope for the best...

Eyal: I do not handle him but maybe 2xs a week to move him literally 12 inches to a plant if the weather permits. Leo bit me awhile back and since I have become quite leary and scared of him, but I adore him and only want the best for him. Ill move the cage right now and corss your fingers that his colors change back!

I do mist and VERy often..He does come down and drink incredibly well..then again, he is NOT eating so Im sure he is not getting all that he needs.

Thank You guys so much for not judging.. I do try my best, especially moreso after losing betty. Ill let you know and Elisa, I await your call.. (its 530am so I doubt you are awake...)

 

[Julirs]

Kevin has very good advice to give, and if he rubs people the wrong way it is only because he is passionate about the animals. I am the same way. The frustration in this forum lies in the fact that some people refuse to listen-I am not saying you refused to listen as you have take alot of well meaning advice-but other people just do the opposite of the tried and true and the frustration builds with dead chameleons-and that sometimes gets projected onto others.
Stress can take time to show on these animals. Some are no doubt stressed and almost never show it. I had a completely prolapsed Nosy that looked happy enough even though the poor guy had to be in intense pain-it was a hard decision to finally put him down. Younger children are no doubt stressful with their quick movements. Moving the cage is stressful, moving things in the cage is stressful. I think I mentioned the glass in the sunroom was potentially stressful. You just never know.
Then there is the factor that everything is 100% correct and something still goes wrong. I have had many emergency Vet trips. Eye issues, prolapses, infected toenails, eggbinding...the list goes on, and on, and on. Be prepared for the Vet visits. I for sure did not have the money or the time when my kids were younger, and with the Great Dane and the Chameleons, I have sunk myself into some expensive animal hobbies.
I am not sure your cham needs to go to the Vet quite yet, I would try to reduce his stress and see what happens.

 

[blackbetty]

Thank you Julirs...

Rubbed the wrong way is an understatement

I try hard to listen and do as suggested and I appreciate that it shows.

I spent the last hour and half moving him and readjusting. I moved the plant down a little to where he can access hiding but his normal vines skim across the top. He ran for the cage as soon as it was ready (I had him on my bed). He is moving around and eying the cup full of food I put in there. I closed the door. I know my kids/dogs/myself are stressful.. I just assumed by a window was best for the natural lighting..Never took into account the reflection or the busyness of the room and that was My mistake. Im keeping a close eye on him and Hope that he adjusts and goes back to himself. I will not handle him anymore unless its deemed absolutely necessary. Thank You SO much for taking the time to try to help.

 

[blackbetty]

Well i know 3 things you need to change. You handle your chameleon way too much! Dont bother giving him the oppertunity sitting in the window. He doesnt move cause he is fritghtened. And i agree with summoner12 its bare in your mesh.

Get a misting bottle instead of putting him in theshower all the time. This stresses them out too.

Do you dust your feeders with calcium , vitamins ?

Also, I only shower once every other week as I was suggested to do, so I dont see that as being too much. Its on a plant, lukewarm water hitting off the wall.. This is what i was TOLD to do.

Our town has also been on a shortage of Superworms so he hasnt had any and I know he likes these. I was told to limit them as they are fatty but if his fat pockets are looking thin (how do you even tell that!) then I will feed him afew extra as soon as I can get my hands on them. Ill go into the next town today and grab some. I know everyoen around here is out til Friday and Georgiabugs which i order from doesnt carry them.