New baby health concerns

[Tswisdom]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Baby male veiled hardly a few months old.
Handling - A couple minutes a day for inspection, doesn't seem to be too against being handled.
Feeding - 4-5 small crickets every day, but he isn't eating them.
Supplements - Calcium powder every other day and multi vitamin once a week
Watering - Mist the cage twice a day and leave a dripper on above the vine half the day
Fecal Description - Unknown, haven't seen the poop
History - Was nearly done shedding when purchased, still has the same shed on its head that it had when it was purchased.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Screen cage, roughly 2+ feet high and 1+ft wide 1+ft deep. The bottom is covered in moss to help maintain humidity.
Lighting - I have a UVB 10% lamp on during the daytime hours and an ultraviolet basking light a foot above the cage on at night.
Temperature - The cage stays at approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit give or take 5 degrees from the bottom of the cage to the basking spot. At night it may drop 3-5 degrees. Measured with a mounted thermometer
Humidity - Humidity stays at around 60-70 at all times, maintained by misting the cage twice a day. Measured with a wall mounted hygrometer
Plants - We are using a single fake branch covered with fake leaves that spans from the bottom of one side of his cage to the top of the opposite side
Placement - The cage is located on a nightstand about 3.5 feet up in my room where it is typically left alone without any fans, just an open window very close by
Location - Vista, California.


Current Problem - The Chameleon will always be hanging upside down directly beneath the UVB lamp, and will not come down to eat or drink. Since getting him 2 days ago he has only eaten 2 crickets that I have fed him and I have not seen him drink any water and he shows no interest when I put either crickets or water by him. He seems to be losing a little weight and I'm afraid he will die if he doesn't start eating or drinking soon. I am sure he isn't eating because I find the crickets at the bottom of the cage. He doesn't have any mucus and is active and attentive when being held, but after being put back in his cage he will immediately go back underneath the UVB. What can I do to get him to eat and drink?

 

[DavidBuchan]

So far, I would suggest to keep on almost as you are. He doesn't need extra light or heat at night though, and he needs to sleep! So get rid of any night light, as long as its not below 60F at night there is no problem, veileds can even take a bit lower if they are healthy.
Make sure there are enough little branches and leaves to explore and hide in, so he feels comfortable.
Chams take time to get used to new homes even in the same room. Apparently moving house is even stressful to some people, so the first time a baby moves it can take a week to get settled. Don't panic, get some fruit flies and chances are he won't be able to resist them. Good luck with him
Oh, and welcome to the forum - stay on here if you want to do the best for him because there are some really well qualified people on here.

 

[carol5208]

Just a couple of changes I can see that need to be made. You need THREE supplements. Calcium without d3 to be used at every feeding, not every other day, calcium with d3 twice a month, and the multi do twice a month also. Get rid of the ultraviolet bulb. No lights on at night! You need a basking bulb on during the day in additon to your UVB so your cham can warm himself up and digest his food. A regular old housebulb around a 40 watt will do. Lay that right on the cage top. Does not need to go up a foot. But a basking branch or vine about 8 inches or so below.You want a basking temp in the low 80's and an ambient cage temp in the 70's ideally. Most of us use the Reptisun 5.0 tube bulbs. Not the 10.0, but some people do. Also, lose the moss at the bottom, breeding ground for bacteria with catching the water, place for feeders to hide out and most importantly, your chameleon can eat it and choke to death. Leave the cage floor bare and devise some type of drainage. Do not use anything deep, that your little cham can fall into and drown or not crawl out of if it did get into it. It can take time for your cham to settle in so give him a chance and I am sure he will start eating, drinking and not hanging upside down! Welcome to the forums and chameleon ownership! Oh and make sure crickets are small enough for him to eat!

 

[Tswisdom]

Thank you both of you for your advice I'll make sure to make the necessary changes and wait a week to see if his behaviour changes, I'm hoping for the best because I've already become very attached to the little guy and I'd hate to lose him because I'm doing something wrong.

 

[carol5208]

Glad you are going to make the changes and let us know how things are going. It is true, you, do get attached to these guys very quickly!!!!

 

[Justin Ward]

Just a couple of changes I can see that need to be made. You need THREE supplements. Calcium without d3 to be used at every feeding, not every other day, calcium with d3 twice a month, and the multi do twice a month also. Get rid of the ultraviolet bulb. No lights on at night! You need a basking bulb on during the day in additon to your UVB so your cham can warm himself up and digest his food. A regular old housebulb around a 40 watt will do. Lay that right on the cage top. Does not need to go up a foot. But a basking branch or vine about 8 inches or so below.You want a basking temp in the low 80's and an ambient cage temp in the 70's ideally. Most of us use the Reptisun 5.0 tube bulbs. Not the 10.0, but some people do. Also, lose the moss at the bottom, breeding ground for bacteria with catching the water, place for feeders to hide out and most importantly, your chameleon can eat it and choke to death. Leave the cage floor bare and devise some type of drainage. Do not use anything deep, that your little cham can fall into and drown or not crawl out of if it did get into it. It can take time for your cham to settle in so give him a chance and I am sure he will start eating, drinking and not hanging upside down! Welcome to the forums and chameleon ownership! Oh and make sure crickets are small enough for him to eat!

once again, carol has beat everyone to giving you all of the right info...do as she says and let us know how everything turns out