Missing food (urgent help please)

[CarlTheChameleon]

Our veiled chameleon is only a few months and seems to be missing his food more regularly. We are looking after him and it may be that we aren't treating him in the same conditions as we should as the problem didn't occur when we first looked after him. He does get his intake of food but 2/3 times he misses even when the cricket is perfectly still. We're looking after it for a couple months and wanted to check he was in the right conditions. He was originally eating size 4 locusts but we have recently been feeding him crickets. His tank is sprayed at least 4 times a day to make a humid atmosphere. We have a dripping container and spray bottle he'll drink directly from usually once a day. He has a 60 watt bulb and 5.0 UVB we keep on all day and turn off at night. We let him out to exercise at least once every three days. The crickets are fed with a bit of lettuce or carrot. We coat one cricket a week in Nutrobal to give him the nutrients he needs. He did go through a mishap when he was very young when one of the shop assistants said nothing about him needing uv light and it did seem to affect one of his legs slightly (but he copes just fine now). We are just wanting to know while it's still not a major issue so it hopefully doesn't become permanent. (we are going to the vets as a precaution) I would like to know of everything that might have caused this so i can help him a.s.a.p.!

These are some pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95744779@N06/8738376256/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95744779@N06/8738377460/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95744779@N06/8737259405/

 

[Lukie Pookie]

I am no expert so I don't know how this could have happened, but as you said there are some things in his care that need adjusting. Your Cham needs to be eating about 15 or so crickets a day dusted with calcium everyday and calcium with d3 two days a month. He also needs multivitamins about twice a month only. You would also need to place that light bulb outside of the terrarium. Try to add more foliage to your terrarium and some more branches just for hiding spots. Hopefully a more knowledgable person than me will chime in.

-Luke

 

[thephotoprincess]

In the first photo his front leg is showing signs of MBD (it looks like he has an extra elbow.) Missing food is also a sign of that. I don't know what nutrobal is but you do need to give him calcium. Gutloading your crickets better would be helpful too. Greens like dandelion & mustard, sweet potatoes, squash, and some quality dry ingredients would be better than lettuce.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Our veiled chameleon is only a few months and seems to be missing his food more regularly. We are looking after him and it may be that we aren't treating him in the same conditions as we should as the problem didn't occur when we first looked after him. He does get his intake of food but 2/3 times he misses even when the cricket is perfectly still. We're looking after it for a couple months and wanted to check he was in the right conditions. He was originally eating size 4 locusts but we have recently been feeding him crickets. His tank is sprayed at least 4 times a day to make a humid atmosphere. We have a dripping container and spray bottle he'll drink directly from usually once a day. He has a 60 watt bulb and 5.0 UVB we keep on all day and turn off at night. We let him out to exercise at least once every three days. The crickets are fed with a bit of lettuce or carrot. We coat one cricket a week in Nutrobal to give him the nutrients he needs. He did go through a mishap when he was very young when one of the shop assistants said nothing about him needing uv light and it did seem to affect one of his legs slightly (but he copes just fine now). We are just wanting to know while it's still not a major issue so it hopefully doesn't become permanent. (we are going to the vets as a precaution) I would like to know of everything that might have caused this so i can help him a.s.a.p.!

These are some pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95744779@N06/8738376256/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95744779@N06/8738377460/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95744779@N06/8737259405/

Hi
Check out this link about tongue troubles:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/232-tongue-troubles.html

IMHO You need to gutload MUCH better and Nutrobol once a week is insufficient.
Info on gutloading:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/659-green-leafy-goodness-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/697-dry-gutload-mix-august-2012.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/722-sources-b-vitamins.html

In addition to the once a week Nutrobol, you will want to get a vitamin and phosphorous free calcium powder, which you will lightly dust on ALL crickets and locust. some types of prey do not need supplement dusting, but crickets and locust do - Crickets and locust have the wrong calcium to phosphorous ratio for the chameleons needs, hence the calcium dusting to adjust that balance. I like the Sticky Tongue Farms Mineral brand, but there are many to choose from.
Info on supplements:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html

If you are currently only offering locust and crickets, you'll want to add some prey variety as well. Info on feeders:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html

I would also suggest a change in the cage decoration. Add in horizontal and diagonal/vertical branches of varying widths, a vine or two, and a real plant. Your current set up looks more geared to a ground lizard than a tree lizard.