My chameleon might be sick!

[Guest743]

I got back from an expo yesterday, and ended up taking home a Skink and Chameleon. This is my first chameleon, and I feel like I wasn't prepared to own one. I already had a cage, and I have a million bulbs of all kinds of wattage since I wasn't sure what would work. I was using a Blue daylight bulb 60W in the day, and at night I used a 60W night bulb. The cage is a Large Reptibreeze cage. There are plants for him to climb with, but I'm buying more today since arent enough. My reason for this post is that when I got home after work, Instead of climbing he was sitting on the floor with his eyes closed.

I'm very concerned for his health, and I really want him to stay healthy. He hasn't eaten yet because I feel like he wasn't in the state to eat when I got back after work. At the expo, and before the show he was perfectly fine and moving around a lot. I'm not sure if hes just tired or any thing like that. Also there was this small bubble on his eye that would inflate and deflate when he closed his eyes. I've never owned a chameleon so once again I'm not too familiar with signs of sickness but I heard they stress a lot so I'm just watching out for every thing. Please respond and help soon!

 

[Lathis]

First off, he's exhausted. Chameleons need dark at night. Get rid of the night light entirely. Often new keepers are given incomplete or poor information for their chameleons, so we will help you get sorted out!

It's also not unusual for a chameleon to not eat for the first few days in his new place. Let him settle in for a few days, offer him food and water, but leave him alone so he doesn't feel threatened.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/

The link above will take you to the resources here on the Forum. These resources are trustworthy, and you may find incorrect or conflicting information from other places on the web.

Things you need to read about ASAP:

Temperature/humidity
Basking and UVB lights
Supplementation
Watering - dripping/misting
Gutloading

Chameleons are not difficult animals to care for, but they do require more attention and very specific care that is different from many other reptiles. The folks here on the forum are a wealth of knowledge and very friendly. Read the resources at the link above and get back with us with specific questions.

Can you post some photos of your chameleon?

 

[SJRG95]

Look up care sheets and such like the one just offered to you

I also took home a new chameleon my 4th one!
He did not eat for 4 days and now eats everything he sees. All I did was spray him frequently to get him to drink offer him a nice hiding spot in his plants and some light and heat AND i put a container with some crickets in it so he could snack if i was not home.

After 4 days- i looked in his cage and all the bugs and worms are gone!

Good luck and remember just to leave him be and spray !

 

[MarieMc44]

I got back from an expo yesterday, and ended up taking home a Skink and Chameleon. This is my first chameleon, and I feel like I wasn't prepared to own one. I already had a cage, and I have a million bulbs of all kinds of wattage since I wasn't sure what would work. I was using a Blue daylight bulb 60W in the day, and at night I used a 60W night bulb. The cage is a Large Reptibreeze cage. There are plants for him to climb with, but I'm buying more today since arent enough. My reason for this post is that when I got home after work, Instead of climbing he was sitting on the floor with his eyes closed.

I'm very concerned for his health, and I really want him to stay healthy. He hasn't eaten yet because I feel like he wasn't in the state to eat when I got back after work. At the expo, and before the show he was perfectly fine and moving around a lot. I'm not sure if hes just tired or any thing like that. Also there was this small bubble on his eye that would inflate and deflate when he closed his eyes. I've never owned a chameleon so once again I'm not too familiar with signs of sickness but I heard they stress a lot so I'm just watching out for every thing. Please respond and help soon!

FYI - Chameleons don't need night lights. They need to be in complete darkness at night or they may have disruptive sleep.

 

[Guest743]

How do they get heat at night then? I mean the bulb im using is a blue night bulb. I would use heat pads, but the chameleon is always in the branches or leaves so a heat pad would have no effect. My house hits 72 - 74 at night but ill turn off the night light tonight. And as for eating, He had 9ish crickets this morning ( Small size ).

 

[Vanjan]

They dont need heat at night. They slow down and fall asleep as soon as the lights turn off.
It is also in the caresheet: if you have a veiled cham:
"Nighttime temperatures can safely drop down to 50F (10C) so a night heat source should not be used unless temperatures are lower than this."

They have daily routines and sometimes searching for the perfect sleeping branch even before lights are off. I love to watch them prepare for sleeping

 

[guanagator]

Like other said kill the night light and give him some time. If you do find him on the bottom of the cage with his eyes closed again maybe something else wrong but he's prob just acclimating. The less you stress him the better some will adjust faster than others, get the lights and humidity dialed in free range some food for him to hunt and explore and he will settle in quick. If he is really skittish the shower curtain around his Viv for a few days may help.

 

[MamatoElvis]

My air conditioner cools my house to 68 at night. Chameleons need a nighttime drop in temp. 10 degree drop is fine. No light at night not even the red ones, nothing.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I got back from an expo yesterday, and ended up taking home a Skink and Chameleon. This is my first chameleon, and I feel like I wasn't prepared to own one. I already had a cage, and I have a million bulbs of all kinds of wattage since I wasn't sure what would work. I was using a Blue daylight bulb 60W in the day, and at night I used a 60W night bulb. The cage is a Large Reptibreeze cage. There are plants for him to climb with, but I'm buying more today since arent enough. My reason for this post is that when I got home after work, Instead of climbing he was sitting on the floor with his eyes closed.

I'm very concerned for his health, and I really want him to stay healthy. He hasn't eaten yet because I feel like he wasn't in the state to eat when I got back after work. At the expo, and before the show he was perfectly fine and moving around a lot. I'm not sure if hes just tired or any thing like that. Also there was this small bubble on his eye that would inflate and deflate when he closed his eyes. I've never owned a chameleon so once again I'm not too familiar with signs of sickness but I heard they stress a lot so I'm just watching out for every thing. Please respond and help soon!

What kind of a chameleon is it?

Closed eyes during the day is always a bad sign.

I don't understand what you mean by a small bubble on his eye. Do you have a good picture?

That he is on the floor with eyes closed is a huge warning sign that he is very sick. He is too sick, he's probably critically sick, for helpful advice from a forum to be of any use. He really should be seen by a reptile vet.

I suspect your temperatures are too high. Chameleons will dehydrate very quickly in temps that are too high. Hydration is critical for chameleons and they don't drink from bowls, so they need misting.

Read the care sheets for the species of chameleon you have. Make sure he has plenty of foliage to hide in. Stress makes sick chameleons a lot sicker and this one has been super stressed in the last few days.

Your description of what is wrong is just too vague for anyone to offer much help. Can you please fill in the care sheet at the top of the page? Photos of your animal and your set up really help.