MISSED TWO FEEDINGS AND NOW ACTING DIFFERENT - HELP

[jack_wardayyyy]

Hi everyone,

I’m having a bit of a nightmare.

A few of you have helped me over the last year or with Bruce and I was in full belief I had the art of chameleon ownership mastered!

However, the last two feedings Bruce hasn’t eaten. And then today I’ve come in to find him in this position

He is side on here - now I have just walked in with a big fellow from my wifi company which may have made him do this but just incase that wasn’t why I need some help if possible please.

I haven’t changed anything for 6 months and it’s been great - his temperatures and humidity have been great I even set up another thermometer and hydrometer today and I’ve come home to 30 degrees half way down with 50% humidity.

He hasn’t had his uvb light for a year yet so I can’t imagine that needs changing.

He doesn’t really drink maybe the odd week when I have him out he may drink but he normally gets all his water when he is asleep through the humidifier if not there are three times where the misters are on and spray water.

If someone can please help - I took him to the vets for a check up 2 months ago and they said he was absolutely fine

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

Update:

I have just offered him a silk worm and he ate it straight away. It appears he just isn’t eating the locust

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m glad he ate. If he’s still acting funny, I would advise taking him to a good vet and having some blood work done.

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

I’m glad he ate. If he’s still acting funny, I would advise taking him to a good vet and having some blood work done.

Gone back to been on his side

 

[Steve A]

Update:

I have just offered him a silk worm and he ate it straight away. It appears he just isn’t eating the locust

Good to hear.

Keep in mind these factors:

1) sometimes they get bored of feeders, or specifically have their hearts set on a specific feeder and WILL hold out for sometime before eating again if they don't get what they want.

2) sometimes they slow down eating temporarily and pick it right back up (shedding, change of seasons, etc.) from my personal experience.

He's probably just fine.

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

Good to hear.

Keep in mind these factors:

1) sometimes they get bored of feeders, or specifically have their hearts set on a specific feeder and WILL hold out for sometime before eating again if they don't get what they want.

2) sometimes they slow down eating temporarily and pick it right back up (shedding, change of seasons, etc.) from my personal experience.

He's probably just fine.

Thank you, this has eased me a bit I have been a panicker forever with him. He’s been to the vets 3 times for check ups and always been fine but now he’s resting like holding onto the branches side on, he’s not laid on anything just like leaning

 

[Steve A]

View attachment 347836
Gone back to been on his side

This just looks like hes catching UVB on that one side. Spike does this ALL the time. He will do this, switch sides, and/or stand straight.

 

[Steve A]

Thank you, this has eased me a bit I have been a panicker forever with him. He’s been to the vets 3 times for check ups and always been fine but now he’s resting like holding onto the branches side on, he’s not laid on anything just like leaning

Yeah I just replied to your pic but to me that isn't something to be concerned about. Not from what I see but maybe more experienced keepers can chime in.

Just to reiterate, Spike does this very often when basking under UVB to get that UVB on specific sides of his body. I believe this is perfectly normal, but again maybe someone else could see something that I don't.

 

[BryanP]

With the sun setting so early, the colder temps, and the dry wind we get here in Southern California my guy went on a food strike too this week.

He would eat 10 small/medium dubias a day as his staple diet and I went away for 3 days, put some in his feeder, and came back and they were all still in there.

Got crickets and he went after those (I hate crickets!)

Only thing I can recommend is get a dripper or a plastic cup with a hole drilled in the bottom to try to get him hydrated.

With winter the air is dryer anyways.

 

[Steve A]

I don't normally take pics of him in this position but here is one where he is on his side. Not extremely on his side but again, I believe he's just soaking up some UVB on that specific side.

Keep in mind he will sometimes do this completely flat. like parallel to those branches. This is just the best example I could find.

 

[Steve A]

I don't normally take pics of him in this position but here is one where he is on his side. Not extremely on his side but again, I believe he's just soaking up some UVB on that specific side.

Keep in mind he will sometimes do this completely flat. like parallel to those branches. This is just the best example I could find.

View attachment 347837

And this is live right now. He is on his other side (edit: actually I was dumb and tired. it's literally the same side lol)

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

honestly thank you everyone so much! I’m glad it seems like he’s just soaking the uvb - I was also worried about this as I put a new branch in last month and it’s in a shaded spot and it’s not his favourite spot and I was worried he wasn’t giving himself enough exposure

 

[Beman]

Hey there can you tell me are his eyes still that sunk in? Or was this just in response to you walking in the room with someone else?

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

Hey there can you tell me are his eyes still that sunk in? Or was this just in response to you walking in the room with someone else?

Hi Beman unfortunately I couldn’t he’s asleep now has been for the last 3 hours - I’ll see how he is tomorrow. I thought dehydration but his humidity is high at night and he has lots of opportunities to drink :/

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

Hi all,

When I turned Bruce’s lights on this morning he went straight back to the top and did the same again, I put silkworms in but he didn’t eat them not whilst I was there anyway.

I offered him water from the slow dripping/squirty bottle I use to water particular plants and he had quite a bit to drink.

I heavily monitored his humidity through the day and night yesterday and everything was spot on.

This was him this morning:

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

Also! I know there’s a lot of food in there; I have removed most of the locust as he hasn’t touched them but I put the rest of the silkworms in as he hasn’t eaten in 2/3 feedings and he had 1 yesterday from my hand - I am hoping he eats them.

 

[MzLaurie]

He may be going for the heat instead of the uvb. Also, since there is an eating issue and possible hydration issue i would have a fecal test done to make sure no parasites. Parasites can cause all of the above. as far as !ying on his side, mine does it all the time. Perhaps hehasfound a spot and posituon that is real comfy to him.

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP

@MissSkittles @Beman

I have just had my grandma check on him and this is how he was gaping - could he have drunk too much this morning? He’s not as black as the image suggests she said he is dull compared to normal but not dark dark. Please if someone could help ASAP i need to know whether to rush home and to the vets

 

[jack_wardayyyy]

 

[MissSkittles]

What is your basking temp? If it isn’t over 32c and he’s gaping from being too hot, then I would be taking him to the vet and getting blood work done.