my veiled chameleon wont eat! please help

[chameleondave]

my veiled chameleon dave is just over a year old. And for the past 3 weeks he been actin funny...

first he would only eat if i hand fed him then when hand feedin his tounge would completely miss the food so i kept my eye on him and he would only focus on the food with 1 eye, then his tounge would only come out no more than an inch!. now he wont even eat at all only way i get him 2 eat is by sprayin him(he still drinkin fine) then when he opens his mouth i put a cricket there then he will eat
please help...

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

For everyone to better help you please answer the following

Cage Info:
Cage Type - What kind of cage are you using? What is the size?
Lighting - What kind of lighting are you using? How long do you keep the lights on during the day?
Temperature - What temperature range have you created? Basking spot temp? What is the temperature at night?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Location - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas?

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What kind of schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What are you dusting your feeders with and what kind of schedule do you use?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Greetings, and welcome to the forum. Glad you wrote. You are doing a good job of keeping him fed in spite of his condition. I admire your perseverance.

Several issues could cause such a condition, from lighting to calcium supplementation. Often it is a husbandry issue that can be corrected. Please answer these common forum husbandry questions so that folks here can give you an idea of what may be going on. If it is not something that can be corrected at home, you may need a trip to the vet.

Photos would be VERY helpful in determining overall condition. Please post photos if at all possible, and answer the questions which Ryan posted below:

 

[chameleondave]

also i 4got 2 mention wen he sheds his skin it dont all come off

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

These may all be related to husbandry issues. Sometimes when a chameleon is purchased the new owners are not given the best advice as far as cage/lighting/heat/food is concerned. If you answer those questions the folks here can help you tweak your set up. And photos, too, please. Especially since there is a shedding issue as well. But if you can't get to the photos right away, then just answer the questions Ryan provided as best you can. Once chameleons exhibit these initial problems they can go down hill fast.

 

[chameleondave]

Cage Info:
Cage Type - wooden enclosier- 2foot wide by 2 foot deep by 3 foot high.
Lighting - uvb lightin lamp, kept on for 12 hours a day.
Temperature - baskin temp. is 90. night i told 2 keep the same.
Humidity - sprayin tank twice a day not sure how 2 take a reading!
Plants - only artifial plants
Location -next 2 window, but live down a quite road

also he sometimes basks with mouth open and eye/s closed.

hope this is enough info

cheers

Your Chameleon - veiled, male, about a year old.
Feeding - feed crickets n a pinky once a week? a couple a day gut feed them with veg
Supplements - with vit and calcium suppliment-nutrobal dust on food daily if he feeds that is!
Watering - spray tank yes he drinks well
Fecal Description - can sometimes b yellow.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Thank you for providing the additional information. Unfortunately I don't have much time to reply now, but I will write what I can. Hopefully some others will chime in with their advice. Still need photos. They will help determine whether cham needs a vet. You have been given some husbandry advice that has resulted in your chams distress. You do need to answer a few questions more fully (see below). I also recommend you check this web site (http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/)and make the changes I outlined below. It looks as though your cham is being kept too hot, and perhaps too dry. And the lighting may need adjusting as well.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - wooden enclosier- 2foot wide by 2 foot deep by 3 foot high.
Are the walls of the enclosure screen or glass?

Lighting - uvb lightin lamp, kept on for 12 hours a day.
Please describe this lamp more clearly. Is it one lamp, for basking and UVB? Is the bulb a tube shaped bulb or coil (curly) shape?

Temperature - baskin temp. is 90. night i told 2 keep the same.
There should be no lamp for heating at night. It is very important for the cham to cool down significantly at night and fall into a deep sleep. Temperatures as low as the mid 60s are fine for him at night. Chameleons are not like other reptiles in this regard. Daytime temps can range from 90s at his basking spot, to low 70s at the base of his cage.

Humidity - sprayin tank twice a day not sure how 2 take a reading!
A humidity gauge can be purchased at a local pet store or hardware store. The stick on variety only costs a couple of dollars. You need to know the humidity as it is very critical to your cham's health.

Plants - only artifial plants
Real plants are best, and help retain humidity and are aslo better for the cham to lick his water off of. Ficus or schefflera do very well in chameleon enclosures. They can be purchased at Home Depot

Location -next 2 window, but live down a quite road
If he gets direct sunlight beaming in on him during the day you will need to be sure he has an area in his enclosure where he can hide in the shade, and also must be certain it is not getting too hot in there during the day. Ambient temps should be about 80 in the middle of his cage, to low 70s at base of cage.

also he sometimes basks with mouth open and eye/s closed.
I believe he is too warm and too dry. And not given a chance to cool down enough at night.

Your Chameleon - veiled, male, about a year old.
Feeding - feed crickets n a pinky once a week? a couple a day gut feed them with veg
Supplements - with vit and calcium suppliment-nutrobal dust on food daily if he feeds that is!
Watering - spray tank yes he drinks well
Fecal Description - can sometimes b yellow.