Non feeding veiled chameleon

alfiealbino

New Member
Hello, i have an almost one year old male veiled chameleon, he hasnt fed for almost 2 weeks now. I have tried him with mealworms, crickets and waxworms and i have only seen him eat one mealworm, he did take a waxworm but i sort of force fed this by waiting till he gaped then placed it into his mouth. If you need to know more specifics to make a better judgement then please ask.

Thanks in advance, Ben
 
Yep... we'll need more specifics. Try filling out all the details as described in this sticky: https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Sometimes Veileds do go on a bit of a hunger strike, and they usually come out of it. But it also could be a symptom of something more serious. Without knowing exactly what factors could be affecting the cham, it'll be hard for anyone to say.

Has he continued to drink? Had he been leaving regular, healthy-looking droppings prior to stopping eating? And since?
 
cage type: 38 gallon exo terra flexarium
lighting: UVB strip light, 60 watt spotlight bulb, 12-13 hours per day
Temperature: basking spot around 90f, night temps of 20celcius
Humidity: around 50% sprayed twice a day
planting: Rubber plant
Cage location: quiet, no traffic, no fans, no air vents, no direct sunlight

Chameleon: Veiled, male, 10-11 months
Feeding: Mealworms and crickets, 10 every day sometimes every other, gutloaded on bran and tropical fish food flakes.
Supplements: Nutrobal about 4 times per week
Watering:mist spraying and dripper, seen lapping up droplets
Faeces: Black and white, with held one for about 1 week a while ago, recently small slightly watery, black and white.
History: Fine, no problems before.
Problem: As described in my first post.
 
Firstly, a 38-gallon flexarium is way too small for a fully grown adult, which is almost what your cham is. That size is suitable only for babies really. By now you should be moving him into a 175 gallon one.
And although it's a small cage, if all you've got in there is a rubber plant, it might be a bit sparsely planted.
See here for some examples of suitable set-ups: http://www.chameleonsdish.com/habitat/setup.htm

What UVB light are you using? (2.0, 5.0, 10.0... what brand?)
Your temps sound fine.

Your gutloading is not adequate. Bran and fish flakes are not suitable gutloads. Gutloading is not about keeping the insect alive - it's about passing essential nutrients on to your cham. You need to be gutloading using a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables (carrots, squash, oranges, etc.) as well as nutritious leafy greens (like kale, collard greens, dandelion greens). In addition to that, you could use a well formulated gutload mix, such as those available commercially, or a home-made one like the James / Wells / Lopéz Gutload
For more about gutloading, read Gutloading Basics

Nutrobal contains vitamin D3 (as well as other vitamins) along with the calcium. Chameleons can overdose on Vitamin D3. You should be using a calcium supplement that does not contain any D3 at most feedings, and only use the one with vit D3 one or twice a month (depending on how much natural unfiltered sunlight he gets exposed to - less D3 the more sunlight he gets).

These issues may be contributing to a general lethargy in your cham which may be responsible for his reduced appetite.
What are his activity levels like nowadays? Are his eyes open and alert throughout the day?

When last did you take him for a vet check up or have a fecal test for parasites done? (parasites could cause watery/mucousy stools - but that could also just be from the fact that he is not eating and only drinking).
 
Back
Top Bottom