My new baby Veiled isn't eating much.

[NolaGirl]

I received a baby Veiled from LLL Reptile last Wednesday. He has only been eating 1-5 crickets daily. I've read on this forum that other baby chams are devouring 10-20 crickets daily. I've done lots of research, spoke to a Herp Vet and read through this forum(which has been extremely helpful) before buying a chameleon. I know that owning one entails lots of special care. Please let me know if this is normal. I've also read that it takes a while for new chams to get acclimated to their new environments, and when they do, they will resume normal eating and drinking patterns. I just want to be sure that I'm doing everything possible to ensure my buddy's health. Please let me know if I'm doing everything right, but also PLEASE let me know if I'm doing something wrong so I can fix it.




Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - I have a male baby Veiled cham. I've been having him for a week.
Handling - I've handled him twice, very briefly. I handled him when I took him out of the box to put him in his enclosure. I held him again to rearrange a plant inside of his enclosure.
Feeding - I'm feeding him 1/4" crickets. I put 5 inside of a small cup at a time. I put the cup inside of his enclosure about an hour after I put the lighting on in the morning. I gut-load the feeders with dandelion greens, sweet potato, romaine, carrots, Fluker's High Calcium Cricket Diet and Calcium Fortified Cricket Quencher. I know that Fluker's gut-load isn't the best, so I ordered Cricket Crack. It should be in any day now.
Supplements -I lightly dust the crickets with Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3 at every feeding. I also have Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3 and Reptivite with D3. I have yet to use them. I've only had my cham for a week.
Watering - I mist the enclosure with a handheld mister/spray bottle containing warm spring water 3 times daily from 3-5 mins every time. I also use a little dripper. I witnessed my cham drink twice.
Fecal Description - His poop is dark brown and his urate is white.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Black Aluminum Screen Cage; Small - (16"L x 16"W x 20"H)
Lighting - 18" 15 watt Reptisun 5.0 UVB and a 60 watt Zoo Med Daylight Blue Reptile Bulb...I turn on the lighting at 7 a.m. and turn it off at 6 p.m.
Temperature - The cage floor is from 73-75 degrees and the basking spot is from 81-85 degrees. The lowest nighttime temp has been from 71-73 degrees. I use a temp gun.
Humidity - The humidity levels are in a range of 50%-70%. I mist the cage 3 times daily, use a dripper and water the plant inside of the enclosure to create humidity.
Plants - I have a live Ficus, a small reptile vine and some fake vining plants wrapped around the reptile vine. The vine is placed around the enclosure from 8" from the basking spot, through the Ficus plant in the middle, to the bottom. I also have 4 wooden rods that I purchased from a craft store positioned in the same fashion that are fastened in place with wooden tacks that are outside of the enclosure.
Placement - The cage is located on top of a vanity inside of my spare room. It is a low traffic area. I have the ac vent closed. The top of the cage reaches about 5 feet.
Location - I live in New Orleans, Louisiana


Current Problem - My baby Veiled isn't eating much.

 

[slinko9]

As soon as he is comfortable hes gunna eat,,,my 9 week old guy eats anywhere from 20 - 30 a day!!! but it took him a few days to get used to his cage!!!
Everthing you are doing is pretty bang on!!!

 

[ChameleonMom]

Going over your husbandry info I'd say that you've nailed it! I can't think of anything except in the 'cham info' you state you mist 3 times a day and I would add a dripper to be constantly providing access to water if your cham is thirsty. BUT...in the cage info section you mention you use a dripper, so I'm not certain if the dripper is going during the day or not? Either way, I can't see anything wrong with your set up, so I would have to deduce that your cham is stressed from the move - he was shipped? I've seen video's of people opening their shipped cham box and can't believe they survive that trip! I'd be stressed out too! Therefore, I am leaning toward stress and once he is more comfortable and feels secure and safe, he will eat!

Just a note though, it wouldn't hurt to take him to the vet for a quick once over, and a fecal exam. The fecal can be HUGE in determining the internal health of your new baby! Good luck!

 

[NolaGirl]

Going over your husbandry info I'd say that you've nailed it! I can't think of anything except in the 'cham info' you state you mist 3 times a day and I would add a dripper to be constantly providing access to water if your cham is thirsty. BUT...in the cage info section you mention you use a dripper, so I'm not certain if the dripper is going during the day or not? Either way, I can't see anything wrong with your set up, so I would have to deduce that your cham is stressed from the move - he was shipped? I've seen video's of people opening their shipped cham box and can't believe they survive that trip! I'd be stressed out too! Therefore, I am leaning toward stress and once he is more comfortable and feels secure and safe, he will eat!

Just a note though, it wouldn't hurt to take him to the vet for a quick once over, and a fecal exam. The fecal can be HUGE in determining the internal health of your new baby! Good luck!

I mist 3 times daily and use a dripper throughout the day, also. Yes, he was shipped. I would be a little traumatized if I were shipped across the country inside of a small plastic container. Poor baby. His poops look normal. They're not runny and the urate isn't yellow or orange. I'm going to bring him to the vet to give him a once over. Thank you for the help. I'll keep an eye on him. Hopefully, it's just stress.

 

[NolaGirl]

He's eating more! He ate 9 crickets today so far! I just put 2 small silkworms in his feeding cup. Hopefully, he eats those, too! I guess that he's adjusting to his new surroundings. Thank goodness!

 

[Decadancin]

Keep up the great work! Sounds like he's well on his way to eating you out of house and home!

 

[Captive Creations]

I am glad that he is eating for you! I am sure that he is just stressed a bit and needs some time to get use to you and his new home. I just wanted to add that you might want to get a muti vitamin that doesnt contain D3 in it. because he only needs D3 2 times a month and if its in the muti too you will be giving him too much. I would go with the plain Mutivitamin with no D3. also you can cut back on the calcium maybe a day or two out of the week if you are gut loading with calcium too. you dont want to give too much suppliment or too little but i am glad to see that you did your research before jumping into it. Its a much better way for both you and the chameleon to know how to care for them before you get them. I am sure you will be hopelessly addicted soon too. I started with one and now I have a 4 veileds, 2 nosy falys, 1 nosy mitsio, 2 jacksons and a whole lot of babies and even more on the way. There are more reptiles then people living in our house but thats the way our whole family loves it! good luck with him.

 

[NolaGirl]

I am glad that he is eating for you! I am sure that he is just stressed a bit and needs some time to get use to you and his new home. I just wanted to add that you might want to get a muti vitamin that doesnt contain D3 in it. because he only needs D3 2 times a month and if its in the muti too you will be giving him too much. I would go with the plain Mutivitamin with no D3. also you can cut back on the calcium maybe a day or two out of the week if you are gut loading with calcium too. you dont want to give too much suppliment or too little but i am glad to see that you did your research before jumping into it. Its a much better way for both you and the chameleon to know how to care for them before you get them. I am sure you will be hopelessly addicted soon too. I started with one and now I have a 4 veileds, 2 nosy falys, 1 nosy mitsio, 2 jacksons and a whole lot of babies and even more on the way. There are more reptiles then people living in our house but thats the way our whole family loves it! good luck with him.

He's settling in nicely. He ate even more crickets today and I witnessed him drink twice. I was a little paranoid. As loving stewards, we have an unspoken covenant with our pets that we will love them and care for them properly. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't doing anything wrong. I'm already attached to the little guy. Thanks for the advice. I did months of research before getting a cham. This forum has been the most helpful. I'm still trying to fine tune my little one's care. If I'm a little unsure, I ask questions. Everyone is so helpful. I am super appreciative. By the way, what is a better multivitamin? I've read that Reptivite isn't so great.