my chameleon down the cage

lil.babygio

New Member
hey everyone so I have a 5-month-old field chameleon and she has always been good she loves to eat. she doesn't like crickets which were weird so I feed her various types of worms and she loves them. but lately, my chameleon has been acting so weird. she is super antisocial and I was already aware of that so to feed her she has a cup in her cage and she goes straight to the cup and gets them. but lately, she hasn't been eating she has not eaten for 2 days and all she does is turn dark and goes to the bottom of the cage and huddles up, and just stays there for hours. I've tried to take her out and see and she came out and she was still dark nd as soon as I put her back in the cage she goes straight down and she has never done that before and was never like this. I was maybe thinking she's ready for her eggs. cus I heard females lay eggs but I don't know because I don't see them. in the pictures that's her on the bottom of the cage. what should I do?
 

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Can you take a couple of photos that are in more light so we can see all of her from the side please?

Has anything in the room changed?
 
Can you take a couple of photos that are in more light so we can see all of her from the side please?

Has anything in the room changed?
nothing in the room changed this just started happening out of nowhere
 

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We gotta see her tummy. Do you have a lay bin ready (with privacy)? What’s your supplement schedule? Cage size? Any fake plants that could’ve been eaten? Temperatures (night/day/basking)? Humidity (day/night)? Hydration methods? Cage elevation? Fecal exam? How does the poop and urates look?
 
this is her she is just black and goes to the bottom of the cage when I put her back but she doesn't hiss at me when I take her out or anything. i checked her stomach and I don't feel no eggs
 

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At her age she would be needing a lay bin setup soon, even if she doesn’t seem gravid yet she is at the reproductive age. I cannot say if she may be doing that from being uncomfortable due to temps/UV/too small or low cage/incorrect supplementation/lack of privacy/etc. From one of the pics it looks as if she might be slightly dehydrated but it’s hard to tell without seeing the urates. One pic looks like she’s lethargic and that would be a red flag to take her to the vet ASAP. Hope she gets better soon, please keep us posted.
 
Could you fill this out please
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.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - FEMALE VEILED CHAMELEON, AROUND 4-5 MONTHS
  • Handling - NOT VERY OFTEN SHE IS SUPER ANTISOCIAL SO I LEAVE HER ALONE
  • Feeding - FOR SOME REASON SHE IS NOT A BIG FAN OF CRICKETS SHE SPITS THEM OUT AND I HAVE TOOK HER TO THE VET FOR THAT BUT SHE LOOKED FINE I GUESS SHE JUST DOESN'T LIKE THEM: SO IN REPLACEMENT I FEED HER MEAL WORMS AND SOMETIMES HORNWORMS AND DUBIA ROACHES AND SHE EATS ALL OF THOSE
  • Supplements - I DUST THEM ALL WITH CALCIUM AND VITAMINS
  • Watering - I MIST HER EVERY COUPLE HOURS EVERY DAY
  • Fecal Description - HER POOP LOOKS FINE
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - ITS A SCREEN CAGE
  • Lighting - I DONT KNOW THE BRAND OF THE LIGHT BUT I TURN THE HEAT BULB AND THE UVB LIGHT ON TOGETHER OR SOMETIMES ONLY THE HEAT IT DEPENDS HOW SHES FEELINGS AND I TURN EVERYTHING OFF AT NIGHT
  • Humidity - I DONT REALLY MEASURE THE HUMANITY SHOULD I?
  • Plants - NO LIVE PLANTS
  • Placement - IT IS ON A DESK AND it's HIGH SHE IS LOCATED IN MY GUEST ROOM FOR HER
  • Location - USA
 
It will help to list the type and brand of your vitamins and how often these are dusted. Chameleons can act strange or become ill when they are getting too much of a particular vitamin, especially fat soluble vitamins. Mealworms are harder to digest so the dubias would make the better staple. Yes humidity matters too (I just bought a new Govee digital temperature/humidity gauge that I love-you can find here: https://caskabove.com/additional-needs) The type, brand, and strength of your UV and Heat bulbs will be important because they are all different, and the distance from the bulbs to your chameleons cask at basking spot will change the UV output A LOT, so that’s where pics are helpful. Your cage size isn’t listed and that will be a factor if it is less than 2x2x4. Fake plants are dangerous if your chameleon eats it and gets impacted it can be fatal.

I’m sure you will get other members feedback but this is what stands out to me the most ATM.
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - FEMALE VEILED CHAMELEON, AROUND 4-5 MONTHS
  • Handling - NOT VERY OFTEN SHE IS SUPER ANTISOCIAL SO I LEAVE HER ALONE
  • Feeding - FOR SOME REASON SHE IS NOT A BIG FAN OF CRICKETS SHE SPITS THEM OUT AND I HAVE TOOK HER TO THE VET FOR THAT BUT SHE LOOKED FINE I GUESS SHE JUST DOESN'T LIKE THEM: SO IN REPLACEMENT I FEED HER MEAL WORMS AND SOMETIMES HORNWORMS AND DUBIA ROACHES AND SHE EATS ALL OF THOSE. Do not feed mealworms. They have 0 nutrition and they are hard for chameleons stomachs. Hornworms are more for hydration and dubias are good feeders.
  • Supplements - I DUST THEM ALL WITH CALCIUM AND VITAMINS. What vitamins? You need to know what vitamins are tou using to be sure you are not overloading her with just one vitamin.
  • Watering - I MIST HER EVERY COUPLE HOURS EVERY DAY. 2-3 times per day are enough.
  • Fecal Description - HER POOP LOOKS FINE
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - ITS A SCREEN CAGE
  • Lighting - I DONT KNOW THE BRAND OF THE LIGHT BUT I TURN THE HEAT BULB AND THE UVB LIGHT ON TOGETHER OR SOMETIMES ONLY THE HEAT IT DEPENDS HOW SHES FEELINGS AND I TURN EVERYTHING OFF AT NIGHT. This is not good. You cant turn off the uvb light like that. Lights should be on for 12 hours a day and all off for 12 hours. Uvb needs to be on all 12 hours. She will get mbd if she doesnt have enogh uv light. You need to find out wich uvb light do you have because maybe its too strong.
  • Humidity - I DONT REALLY MEASURE THE HUMANITY SHOULD I? You can buy a hydrometer for few bucks and just place it down in the cage. It should be 30-50% with veiled chameleons. Nothing will happen if it gets like 20% for one day. But try to keep it at least 30%
  • Plants - NO LIVE PLANTS Get those
  • Placement - IT IS ON A DESK AND it's HIGH SHE IS LOCATED IN MY GUEST ROOM FOR HER Are there high traffic?
  • Location - USA

  • I hope i helped. Good luck!
 
if i were you i would leave her alone for a few days, it is probably because she is worried or scared because she is getting to much attention
 
yes there is, but you can look and see that the chameleon is also very stressed, my veiled chameleon did the same thing up until about a week after i got him, then he calmed down and i can hold him and hand feed him now
I agree but even if stressed the chameleon would not be all day at the bottom like that. At least when the person lefts the room it would go around the terrarium. It would be at the bottom like that all day long only if there are no leaves in enclosure to hide..
 
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