New Cham owner - worried!

[Jimena Labbe]

Hello all, I am a new chameleon owner - I recently bought a baby Jackson chameleon (probably around 2-3 months old).

He had been doing well for the first two weeks - eating (5-6 mealworms) and drinking regularly. I barely handle him - he has a large cage and has plenty of room to roam around.

He hasn’t been eating lately however and I’m kind of Worried (hasn’t eaten mealworms in 3 days). Temp in his cage ranges between 75-78 F during the day, 65 F at night.

He doesn’t seem sick - no sunken eyes and I don’t think he’s too skinny, he is alert snd active - AKA moving around his cage (but I’m also a new chameleon owner so I’m not entirely what i should be looking for when looking to see if my Cham is sick and/or dehydrated).

I have been checking on him more frequently - so I’m not sure if that is stressing him out. He usually eats in the morning.. I normally put his plate in the cage and he would eat them right away. Now he just opens his mouth ( as if he were hungry) but won’t eat at all.

What should I do? Should I be worried? Should I change food options? When should I force feed him? I’ve read crickets are best for chams..

Thanks!

 

[Bmjo]

Hello all, I am a new chameleon owner - I recently bought a baby Jackson chameleon (probably around 2-3 months old).

He had been doing well for the first two weeks - eating (5-6 mealworms) and drinking regularly. I barely handle him - he has a large cage and has plenty of room to roam around.

He hasn’t been eating lately however and I’m kind of Worried (hasn’t eaten mealworms in 3 days). Temp in his cage ranges between 75-78 F during the day, 65 F at night.

He doesn’t seem sick - no sunken eyes and I don’t think he’s too skinny, he is alert snd active - AKA moving around his cage (but I’m also a new chameleon owner so I’m not entirely what i should be looking for when looking to see if my Cham is sick and/or dehydrated).

I have been checking on him more frequently - so I’m not sure if that is stressing him out. He usually eats in the morning.. I normally put his plate in the cage and he would eat them right away. Now he just opens his mouth ( as if he were hungry) but won’t eat at all.

What should I do? Should I be worried? Should I change food options? When should I force feed him? I’ve read crickets are best for chams..

Thanks!

Sometimes they go on hunger strikes. I wouldn’t be worried yet. Also mealworms aren’t very good because they are harder to digest

 

[Remkon]

Stop feeding mealworms, they are hardly nutritious and can cause constipation, they are by no means a good staple feeder.
Try dubia roaches or crickets instead, there are more options so best just read the food and nutrition page on the resource section.
Try to also be diverse in what you offer him so he doesn't eat the same meal every time.

3days no food is nothing for a chameleon, forcefeeding is a last resort kind of thing and should not be attempted unless there's a very good reason for it.

 

[andrearamirezo91]

Are you supplementing his food with calcium and multivitamins?

Also, does he open his mouth or stick his tongue out? Doesn't an open mouth mean he's just angry or scared? From my understanding that's a defense mechanism. Maybe other members can answer this?

 

[andrearamirezo91]

If you fill this in, members will quickly be able to tell you if you're doing anything wrong

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[Bmjo]

Are you supplementing his food with calcium and multivitamins?

Also, does he open his mouth or stick his tongue out? Doesn't an open mouth mean he's just angry or scared? From my understanding that's a defense mechanism. Maybe other members can answer this?

Open mouth could mean a number of things