Not Active and Skinny

[JayJay]

Hi everyone, I have loved chameleons my whole life and finally own one. Ater getting her I am starting to worry.

I have a two-horned chameleon, female, guessing approximately 5 months old, I handle her every other day, and feed her every day with calcium dusting, usually crickets I buy from the local pet shop (haven't had the chance to set up for my own cricket), and soon getting dubia feeders to give to her, and I have tired to feed her meal worms but she wont take to them. But then again she started to not eat after a week of having her when I introduced the meal worms and now she is barley eating at all. Only one cricket today, from having 12 crickets a day. Have posted a picture, and as you can tell you can she her bones. She was eating and very active the first two days I had her and now she is barely eating and not very active anymore.

She has a farely decent cage size, considering her size for the time being. Have posted pictures. I must four times daily, which brings humidity up to 80% for about a hour or so, when dry humidity is at 50%. I have a Zoo-Med 75watt light for day, and a 50 watt night light (12/12 schedule).

 

[perry123]

I don't know a lot about these guys but usually chameleons don't need heat at night. And i think holding her every other day is kinda a lot. We used to hold our male rudis some times for fun but one time we did and he went on a hunger strike for a couple of days. Just my opinion hopefully someone will have more info on her

 

[ChameleonNerd]

uh, well i didn't read what you said. but the first picture. does anybody else think it looks like her back leg is bowing?

 

[BeBoSON]

Hi everyone, I have loved chameleons my whole life and finally own one. Ater getting her I am starting to worry.

I have a two-horned chameleon, female, guessing approximately 5 months old, I handle her every other day, and feed her every day with calcium dusting, usually crickets I buy from the local pet shop (haven't had the chance to set up for my own cricket), and soon getting dubia feeders to give to her, and I have tired to feed her meal worms but she wont take to them. But then again she started to not eat after a week of having her when I introduced the meal worms and now she is barley eating at all. Only one cricket today, from having 12 crickets a day. Have posted a picture, and as you can tell you can she her bones. She was eating and very active the first two days I had her and now she is barely eating and not very active anymore.

She has a farely decent cage size, considering her size for the time being. Have posted pictures. I must four times daily, which brings humidity up to 80% for about a hour or so, when dry humidity is at 50%. I have a Zoo-Med 75watt light for day, and a 50 watt night light (12/12 schedule).

You say you have the basking lights, but do you have UVB tube also?
As far as the night light. Get a ceramic light, which puts off heat but doesn't put off any light.

 

[kinyonga]

Please answer the questions in the "how to ask for help" thread at the top of the Health forum so we can get a better idea of what's going on.

 

[JayJay]

I did answer question in how to ask for help, just they are in a paragrah form. No I do not have a uv light, just a 50 watt basking light and I have a heat light for night because it gets cold in our house at night around 72, which I think is too cold for her. I will defiantly stop holding her for as much, I do believe that she did go on a hunger strike. She finally ate one cricket last night and I see her looking for more food so I think shes getting better. I am getting ready to pick up some Dubia Feeders so hopefully they will catch her eye and olease her. Any help is very appreciated, and thank you to everyone who responded so far. Will keep everyone up to date on how she is doing.

Jennifer

 

[JayJay]

Chameleonnerd, what does it usually mean if her back leg is bowing? Is that a bad sign and what can I do about it?

 

[Dperez87]

I did answer question in how to ask for help, just they are in a paragrah form. No I do not have a uv light, just a 50 watt basking light and I have a heat light for night because it gets cold in our house at night around 72, which I think is too cold for her. I will defiantly stop holding her for as much, I do believe that she did go on a hunger strike. She finally ate one cricket last night and I see her looking for more food so I think shes getting better. I am getting ready to pick up some Dubia Feeders so hopefully they will catch her eye and olease her. Any help is very appreciated, and thank you to everyone who responded so far. Will keep everyone up to date on how she is doing.

Jennifer

You need to provide her with uvb light..

 

[Sticktongue]

72 is not to cold for her. I have a female of about the same age and size. i let her temps get down to 58 at night. they really like a night time drop. 72 is about what your ambient temp should be with your basking being about 82.. have you measured to see what her basking temp is?

 

[camimom]

Chameleonnerd, what does it usually mean if her back leg is bowing? Is that a bad sign and what can I do about it?

First welcome!
Now, you need a uvb bulb, and 72 at night for her is just fine. many chams can handle temps down into the low 60's at night.
If you area really concerned on heat, get a heat emitter, no lights at night.
12 on 12 off is good, but you need a basking AND uvb.
Now, the bowing of the leg could be MBD, Metabolic bone disease.
THis is a lack of calcium in the bones which can cause bowing, and breaking of the bones.
Are you supplmenting her with any thing?
I do not know what the schedule would be for a two horn, but you will need calcium without d3, calcium with d3, and a multivitamin.l hopefully someone who has knowledge of this kind can help with when to dust the feeders.

 

[yankfanthom]

You need a UVB light ASAP and I didn't see any D3 calcium at all? Dust with D3 twice a month. That could explain her being weak. Get those done ASAP!!!

Hi everyone, I have loved chameleons my whole life and finally own one. Ater getting her I am starting to worry.

I have a two-horned chameleon, female, guessing approximately 5 months old, I handle her every other day, and feed her every day with calcium dusting, usually crickets I buy from the local pet shop (haven't had the chance to set up for my own cricket), and soon getting dubia feeders to give to her, and I have tired to feed her meal worms but she wont take to them. But then again she started to not eat after a week of having her when I introduced the meal worms and now she is barley eating at all. Only one cricket today, from having 12 crickets a day. Have posted a picture, and as you can tell you can she her bones. She was eating and very active the first two days I had her and now she is barely eating and not very active anymore.

She has a farely decent cage size, considering her size for the time being. Have posted pictures. I must four times daily, which brings humidity up to 80% for about a hour or so, when dry humidity is at 50%. I have a Zoo-Med 75watt light for day, and a 50 watt night light (12/12 schedule).

 

[JayJay]

I dusted with D3 today after I got her some Dubia Feeders. Feed her six Dubias, she went after one with excitement and caught it. Started to eat it and then spit it out and walked away. Now all I have left to do is get her a UVB light and remember no lights at night, her basking light temp is 80 degrees. Thank u so much everyone, I hope she starts doing better.