Panther Chameleon keeps falling!

[alexhendrix]

I know i've seen a few posts with the same problem. Just wondering if anyone who had this problem got it solved??

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Blue bar Ambilobe, male, about 9 months old. I've had it since january so about 3 months.

Handling - I was taking him out about once a week. But now i he wants to come out all the time. If he falls or is about to fall I pick him up and he crawls up my arm and doesn't seem to want to get back in his cage.

Feeding - so far i'm just feeding him crickets. I'm going to start mixing it up soon. Dubia roaches and worms are next. He normally eats between 10 to 15 large crickets a day. I'm gut loading with a mix of collard greens, dandelion greens, potatoes and i put a dust that has all kinds of good stuff.

Supplements - I'm using Zoomed calcium without vit D everyday. Zoomed Multi-Vitamin every 2 weeks and Zoomed calcium + D every other week. Recently i've changed it. The last two weeks i've done calcium 5 out of 7 days a week. And calcium + D and the multi vitamin once a week each. The breeder I got him from said that was the schedule he followed. Wondering if that was over doing it? It's only been 2 weeks like that.

Watering - I have a mist king. I was using it a lot more before. It was going off 8 times a day for a total of 14 minutes. Now i changed it. It still goes off 8 times a day but for a total of 7 minutes! definitely not enough right now but I have to work on the drainage issue i was having. I rarely see him drink.

Fecal Description - Fecal looks good as far as I can tell. The urate is bright white or creamy white. He hasn't been tested for parasites yet.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen type, 24x24x48
Lighting - I have an eco terra dual top. It goes on from 7am to 8pm. Maybe a bit long. And a large exoterra basking light.

Temperature - I only have one thermometer. But he has a nice range. Temps are all normal

Humidity - This is really bad I know, but it usually gets as low as 16% between mistings. And up around 35-40% right after. I have and exo terra thermometer that measures the temperature and the humidity.

Plants - I have an umbrella tree that's about 2ft tall and pretty bushy. I'm going to get a golden pothos next.

Placement - My cage is in my bedroom. There's only me and my girlfriend going in and out usually and he likes both of us so i don't think that's a problem. The top of the cage is about 7ft from the ground

Location - I'm in toronto, ontario.

Current Problem - I noticed yesterday he wasn't eating very much. Today i didn't see him eat any. Yesterday he fell a couple times. Today he fell a lot. He has been climbing the walls of the cage more than ever the last few days. even walking on the bottom which i never saw before. But it seems he's having trouble grabbing the cage with his from claws. He never had a problem with that before. It almost seems like his front claws are wearing away! I can't be sure. I put towels along the edge of the cage so its a bit easier on the landing. I'm hopefully going to see a vet tomorrow. Just wanted to get an opinion from you guys. Has anyone had this problem and had it resolved? I know the supplements have to be worked on. And i need to mist more for sure. Any other ideas?

Sorry this was so long!
Alex

 

[Elizadolots]

Consider lining the inside of the cage with plastic pet mesh to give him something easier to grab onto. It's not uncommon for chameleon's that age to find themselves too heavy and large to comfortably climb the cage walls the way they were able to a few months or even weeks ago.

 

[BocaJan]

Is this a UVB lamp? His legs don't look quite right to me. When did you change your bulbs? Is it a linear bulb? Could we see a picture of the cage lighting? The UVB bulbs only last about 6 months and then need to be changed in order for your chameleon to get proper UVB's. I am concerned about his back legs and usually falling off branches means the chams grip is failing.

"Lighting - I have an eco terra dual top."

 

[alexhendrix]

Thanks, that might be work. He climbs his tree and fake vines no problem. Just the cage walls seem to be a problem. Where can I get that plastic cage mesh? I googled it but it's not coming up

 

[alexhendrix]

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/dual_top.php
I just got the light 3 months ago so all the bulbs should still be good.
It has 2 linear bulbs. (reptisun 5.0, UVB) With two small heat bulbs.
He's not falling off branches, only the cage walls. And its his from claws that seem too have the trouble. He has a good grip with the back ones
You think the legs look bad?

 

[Elizadolots]

Thanks, that might be work. He climbs his tree and fake vines no problem. Just the cage walls seem to be a problem. Where can I get that plastic cage mesh? I googled it but it's not coming up

Plastic mesh screen might be a better way to put it.

Here's a fish farm site that has it: http://www.fishfarmsupply.ca/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=FFS&Product_Code=N3235

Though, that's really expensive...I'll keep looking around.

**edited to add**

Okay, here you go: http://www.southernstates.com/catal...5-black.aspx?gclid=CIG8_oj1pq8CFcXc4AodTynaXg

Armed with that, you should be able to find it. I didn't check, but stores like ACE and Home Depot will usually ship to store for free if they have it in their online store. I don't think ACE requires you to pay until you pick it up at the store, which is a bonus.

 

[alexhendrix]

Thanks Elizadolots. I'll try that. it should help him grip a bit better. But I think it's something more then that. He hasn't been eating in the last couple of days. Something's up. I'm going to take him to the vet today. Any idea on how to transport him? It's about a 40 minute drive. Haven't had to take him there yet

 

[alexhendrix]

Hey Elizadolots, i could only find a plastic mesh that had 1/2" x 1/2" squares. I was wondering how tight to the cage i should tie it? If it's too tight will he just try and grab the cage mesh still? If it's too loose i think feeders could maybe get behind and that could be a problem too. Wouldn't want his tongue getting snagged. Any ideas? Or should i keep trying to find 1/4" squares?

 

[Elizadolots]

Maybe try the 1/2 by 1/2 on one side and see how it works out? I would make it as tight as you can.

Did you take him to the vet? I'm sorry I missed this earlier.

 

[alexhendrix]

Yeah i took him to the vet. He seemed to know what he's talking about. He said he looks healthy, he has a strong grip. No parasites. His nails are really short. Not broken. Just really short. Like they've been filed down somehow. I thought they were looking extra short. So i really think that's why he's had trouble gripping lately. As for the not eating, I brought him some wax worms and he went right for them. Maybe he was just sick of crickets. Now i'm afraid he won't go back to crickets so easily. Anyways, i'm going to give the 1/2" a try and see why happens. I just finished ordering the type you showed me on amazon. won't be here for a couple weeks though. I'll tie it up tight with fishing line. that should work out alright.