My vailed cham is not eating...

tgreuel

New Member
It started 3 days ago. He seemed fine. I saw him stretch out from a high branch down like he was hunting a cricket.. only very rapidly.. unusually. His tongue extended and did not look normal was dark almost black at the end and fat while the rest of it was very thin. i saw him do that twice. Would not eat that day or the next. he had a normal stool the first night. yesterday He had a runny one. then today i saw him take a big drink then throw up! and acted as if he was dry heaving.There was cricket in it so he had ate at some point in the last 48 hours? His mouth color is normal now.He is sleeping during the day. his color is good. He had been out of his en-closer the day before. I'm wonder if he could have ate a spider? :confused:
 
Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - veiled, male, i believe hes about 8 months old I've had him 3 months i was told he was about 5 months old when we ordered him from pet store.

Handling - we get him out about every other day for about half an hour.

Feeding - Crickets and supper worms. About 7 crickets a day and meal worms once a week. Morning and evening. gut-loading crickets with flukers high calcium diet and and the green soft moist squares plus fresh fruit and veges.

Supplements - We dust all his food each time with rep cal calcium with vit D 35 to 40% cal D3 400,000 iu/kg

Watering - We have a water fall with a pump at the top of this cage. it is so that no droppings get in it. we mist with a water bottle twice a day. Yes we see him drink.

Fecal Description - His stool is brown formed and urine is white with a small amount of yellow. until yesterday it was runny soft. No He has not been tested for parasites?

History - Has always seemed healthy till the last 3 days today being the 3rd.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - We took an old dresser cut out the drawers and the back so that just the sides and top are left and used screen on front and back. It's 32" tall 24"wide and 14 inches deep. wood chip flooring wood branches and two live plants.

Lighting - 60 watt red heat bulb stays on 24 7. Then a white coil uvb bulb that stays on from between 8 and 12 hours a day.

Temperature - is between 70 and 90 depending on location in en-closer.

Humidity - stays around 60% up to 70% have a dial for both temp and humidity.

Plants - one is an ivy the other is a palm type tree both are safe.

Placement- Cage is in the living room corner their are two ceiling fans that we run often. The top of the age is 48' from the ground.

Location - Southern Oklahoma

Current Problem - Not his self sleeping during the day not eating normally loose stool vomiting.
 
you are using WAY too much d3. Get a plain calcium and use that to dust your feeders with at every feeding. The calcium with d3 use that twice a month and get a multivitamin to use twice a month. Get rid of the red light. Do not need ANY light at night. Now get yourself a regular old white housebulb about a 60 watt or so and use that for a daytime basking bulb 12on 12 off. You want your basking temp to be about 85 degrees or so. I personally would not use a waterfall, even though you have it at the top of the cage, it can still breed bacteria unless you are diligent about changing out the water. These changes need to be made but your chameleon sounds sick and needs to see a vet. Do not wait. If he has a parasite he can go down hill very quickly and die. Also it is "enclosure" not "en-closer" !!!!
 
Chameleon Info: I added some suggestions for you after your description, hope this helps you

Your Chameleon - veiled, male, i believe hes about 8 months old I've had him 3 months i was told he was about 5 months old when we ordered him from pet store.

Handling - we get him out about every other day for about half an hour.

Feeding - Crickets and supper worms. About 7 crickets a day and meal worms once a week. Morning and evening. gut-loading crickets with flukers high calcium diet and and the green soft moist squares plus fresh fruit and veges.
You could use some more variety in feeders, adding maybe silkies, hornworms, dubia etc...
Supplements - We dust all his food each time with rep cal calcium with vit D 35 to 40% cal D3 400,000 iu/kg you should be using a phosphorous free calcium at every feeding one with vitamin d3 twice a month and a multi
vitamin once or twice a month

Watering - We have a water fall with a pump at the top of this cage. it is so that no droppings get in it. we mist with a water bottle twice a day. Yes we see him drink.
Waterfall is not a good idea it promotes bacteria
Fecal Description - His stool is brown formed and urine is white with a small amount of yellow. until yesterday it was runny soft. No He has not been tested for parasites?

History - Has always seemed healthy till the last 3 days today being the 3rd.

Cage Info:



Cage Type - We took an old dresser cut out the drawers and the back so that just the sides and top are left and used screen on front and back. It's 32" tall 24"wide and 14 inches deep. wood chip flooring wood branches and two live plants.
he could use a cage 48 inches high, now that he is approaching adulthood and remove the wood chips as they may be ingested by your chameleon and cause impaction
Lighting - 60 watt red heat bulb stays on 24 7. Then a white coil uvb bulb that stays on from between 8 and 12 hours a day.
red bulb is no good nor is having a light on all the time. A regular house bulb should do as long as your achieving the right temps. Lights should be on a 12 hr cycle, no lights on at night, if your temps drop below 60 at night you can use a ceramic heater
Temperature - is between 70 and 90 depending on location in en-closer.

Humidity - stays around 60% up to 70% have a dial for both temp and humidity.

Plants - one is an ivy the other is a palm type tree both are safe.

Placement- Cage is in the living room corner their are two ceiling fans that we run often. The top of the age is 48' from the ground.
I close off the fans that are right near the cage
Location - Southern Oklahoma

Current Problem - Not his self sleeping during the day not eating normally loose stool vomiting.


Here are some suggestions for you and like I stated above it sounds like parasites, I would get him to the vet and do a thorough cage cleaning. The best of luck to you:D
 
OK made him an appointment for tomorrow at 11 have not had him to the vet, but this one said they saw chameleons. Won't they test stool to find out about parasites? Will make the changes with the calcium. You hear so much about bone loss for these guys.. didn't realize i was over doing it. What is the best method for watering.. just misting? I'll start turning the light off at night.. i just didn't want it getting to cool for him. And yes your right it's enclosure not en closer lol I'm a bad speller and was using spell check:) Thank You so much for your help. Will write tomorrow after vet visit.
 
you have to take a stool sample in there. The fresher the better. They do not do a probe for the stool like they do dogs, just in case you did not know. If you get the sample put it in a baggie and a wet napkin or paper towel to keep it moist. You were not over doing it with the calcium, just the d3. You want to do the calcium every day. Did not mean to knock your spelling! I thought it was kinda cute actually:rolleyes: Not all of us are the best spellers! Good luck with your guy and so glad you are getting him into the vet. Let us know how it goes.
 
oh and also, misting is good but not all chams drink from mistings, mine being one of them!! I use a dripper throughout most of the day. If you are not around it is a good way to get hydration or get an automatic misting system if you are not available.
 
I am glad you made an appt. Keep us posted :) I forgot to mention that the coil lights are not recommended and in the past have been known to cause problems. Most here use the tube style reptisun. Good luck again :)
 
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