Not Drinking

[gngorman]

I am having a little problem with my chameleon not drinking. I use a dripper and i mist him 3-4 times daily, i am getting really worried.

Your Chameleon - Veiled, Male, 3 months old. I have had it for 1 week.
Handling -Just to clean his cage.
Feeding -1/2 inch crickets, rep-cal calcium without D3 everyday and reptivite and rep-cal calcium with d3 every 2 weeks. I use fluker's high calcium cricket diet, fluker's H20 gel, and mustard greens, and kale
Watering -Coffe jug, drilled hole, 1/4 inch tubing with a shut off valve set to a slow drip about 1 drip per second, I mist 3 times a day for 5 mins a peice. I have not seen him drink yet.
Fecal Description -Brown and solid, urate has a little yellow just on the tip.
Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Yes by FL Chams
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. NONE

Cage Info: Fully Screened, 24x24x36, wood frame
Cage Type - Lighting - Reptisun 5.0 coil bulb(getting a linear next week), and a 60 wt house bulb for basking. I leave the basking bulb on for 12 hours per day and the uvb light for 8.
Temperature - 72-80, 85 bask. I have 2 digital thermometors.
Humidity - 35-60%, both thermometors are also dual hygrometers.
Plants - 3 Hanging golden pothos
Placement - Living room on a stand, top of cage to floor is 7 1/2 ft
Location - Claremont, North Carolina

 

[Leilaskeeper]

Give the cham some time. Continue to mist - he/she might be drinking but you're not seeing it. It will take them a bit of time to get used to the change of their surroundings. What about eating? .. also, use fresh veggies and fruit for gutload instead of what you've listed. Some examples are collards, apple, orange slices, sweet potatoe, pear .. whatever you have!

 

[pssh]

If the urate is white he is drinking, just not with you watching.

I've already told you what you should fix, and I suggest you do for the health of your chameleon.

 

[gngorman]

Sorry i took my homemade gutload out, and i am now using fluker's high calcium cricket diet, fluker's H20 gel, and mustard greens, and kale. I meant to change that.

 

[gngorman]

Also can someone show me a pic of a dehydrated cham urate please?

 

[Leilaskeeper]

Sorry i took my homemade gutload out, and i am now using fluker's high calcium cricket diet, fluker's H20 gel, and mustard greens, and kale. I meant to change that.

It's okay. No need to apologize. We all have to start somewhere, right?

 

[Leilaskeeper]

Also can someone show me a pic of a dehydrated cham urate please?

If a cham is dehydrated, it will be an orange colour. Hopefully someone has a pic of cham poop? lol Because I don't. If your cham was severely dehydrated, the eyes would be sunken in and would be quite weak.

 

[gngorman]

Yeah...do you think this is a good gutload

 

[Leilaskeeper]

Yeah...do you think this is a good gutload

Sure - just change it up a bit every so often. Use a variety of fruits/veggies. I don't know how to link properly but look at Sandra's blog. She lists the nutrional content in many different types of veggies and fruit. It gives some insight as to what you will be giving to your cham through gutloading bugs.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/members/sandrachameleon/

 

[pssh]

I dont like the flukers cricket diet and all those other petco diets because they aren't exactly the best for chameleons. I would suggest either doing research to make your own dry gutload or buying one like cricket crack.

 

[panthercham]

Also can someone show me a pic of a dehydrated cham urate please?

Look at reply #6....it will show you a normal and a dehydrated poop. Courtesy of The David Weldon

This should answer a lot of your questions.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/normal-poop-pee-35322/

 

[gngorman]

Look at reply #6....it will show you a normal and a dehydrated poop. Courtesy of The David Weldon

This should answer a lot of your questions.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/normal-poop-pee-35322/

Thanks so much, that helps alot mine just had a small peice of dark yellow just on the tip of the urate. The rest was solid white so the little guy must just be drinking behind my back lol...

 

[panthercham]

Mine took a good 5 - 6 weeks before I saw them drink. Some keepers hardly ever see their chams drink while other chams are more open about it. Just be patient, he is still very new to you and getting accustomed and secure in his enviroment.....just as you are getting used to him and his ways. Just watch the poops and the colour of his Urates and you will get a good indication of if he is drinking or not.

Welcome to the addiction.....the first cham is always the hardest with worrying and fussing that you are doing everything right etc, the 2nd, 3rd and beyond is always easier

 

[Elizadolots]

The first chameleon is a learning experience which is why people point us to the species that are the most forgiving of error.

Some people say they never see their chameleon drink...so, about all you have to go by is poop and the condition of the animal. If both are good, relax a bit and feel happy that you are a good chameleon parent.