Rhyker Shay
New Member
I just got a veiled chameleon on dec 20th. I’ve been doing research for about a year so I not too worried about his health per say. However, I am kind of concerned about his eating habits.
He does not eat every day. He did not eat the first two days after I received him. Then he ate 8 crickets and some mustard greens for two days in a row. Now he is on day two of another round of not eating. Is this break in eating normal for a 3 months old?
Additionally, I am a little weirded out by his disinterest in food overall. He does not rush to his food bowl (a shallow deli cup with crickets) in the morning. He shows no interest when I try to hand feed him. He doesn’t puff up or turn brown. He just stares at me as if to say “why would I want your stupid cricket?” Even if he hasn’t eaten in days??? I’ve tried this with crickets and mealworms. Straight from my hand and using bamboo tweezers to give some distance. Nothing.
I have never seen him eat. I know he is eating because his crickets are kept in a deli cup so I can count when he eats them. But I’ve never seen him eat. He doesn’t eat on a schedule, and shows no interest when I give him food. I would like to be able to hand feed him and maybe take him out of the cage one day, but I’m not sure how I can do that when he shows no interest in the food I am trying to use to create a bond between us. Any advice?
Cham Info
Cage Info:
He does not eat every day. He did not eat the first two days after I received him. Then he ate 8 crickets and some mustard greens for two days in a row. Now he is on day two of another round of not eating. Is this break in eating normal for a 3 months old?
Additionally, I am a little weirded out by his disinterest in food overall. He does not rush to his food bowl (a shallow deli cup with crickets) in the morning. He shows no interest when I try to hand feed him. He doesn’t puff up or turn brown. He just stares at me as if to say “why would I want your stupid cricket?” Even if he hasn’t eaten in days??? I’ve tried this with crickets and mealworms. Straight from my hand and using bamboo tweezers to give some distance. Nothing.
I have never seen him eat. I know he is eating because his crickets are kept in a deli cup so I can count when he eats them. But I’ve never seen him eat. He doesn’t eat on a schedule, and shows no interest when I give him food. I would like to be able to hand feed him and maybe take him out of the cage one day, but I’m not sure how I can do that when he shows no interest in the food I am trying to use to create a bond between us. Any advice?
Cham Info
- Your Chameleon - Veiled, Male, 3 months
- Handling - haven’t attempted, he slowly backs into leaves if I get close, he hissed once while I was spraying his cage
- Feeding - Crickets 6-10 every day, gut loaded with fluckers orange cube and mustard greens (but he doesn’t always eat them)
- Supplements - zoomed Repti-Calcium w/o D3 every feeding, calcium w/ D3 once a month, multi vitamin once a month
- Watering - Plant Minster Bottle 4-5 times a day (2 min each), I’ve seen him drink and clean his eyes
- History - received him from FLChams on Dec. 20, 2018
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - Mesh 16 x 16 x 20 inch (gonna upgrade soon)
- Lighting
- Daylight White 40 watt
- Repti Sun 5.0 UVB linear bulb 18”
- 12 hr on/ 12 off
- Temperature - 85 basking, 72-75 ambient. I use a digital thermometer
- Humidity - 40-60 % I have an humidifier in my room + misting. I use a humidity gauge
- Plants - all plastic plants from Petco. Ordered a pothos but it is not in yet.
- Placement - It is located in the corner of my room away from vents Cage is 4 feet off ground.
- Location - Arkansas, USA