Senegal is lossing weight!

[Jeremiah]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Chamaeleo Senegalensis, male, age unknown, it has been in my care for about 3 weeks
Handling - once a week for cage cleaning.
Feeding - 1/4 to 1/2 inch crickets, four crickets are added to cricket cup daily, Saturday is the day of fast. Crickets are gut-loaded on Fluker's orange cube gut-load.
Supplements - Herptivite with beta carotene multivitamin and Reptivite calcium with D3. once ever other week.
Watering - Hand misting through the the cage. 2-3 times daily for about 30 seconds each time. I have seen my Chameleon drink on multiple occasions.
Fecal Description - It is brown with a whitish-yellowish urate. I have only seen it dried on leaves. Apparently he was tested for parasites at the facility he was bought from.
History - I bought him from Big Apple Herp. He didn't eat for a few days after arriving. He came as a bit of a surprise because we were expected a juvenile chameleon so the company lied about that.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - Screen 16 by 16 by 30 zoomed reptibreeze
Lighting - I have a Exo Terra Repti-glo compact florescent 26 watt 5.0 uvb bulb in an exo terra 7 inch dome that is supposed to increase uvb output by "100%"
Temperature - I haven't measured the bottom of the cage however the top through mid portions are about 80 F during the day and drop down to 75 F at night. I have measured these using the ever so simplistic analog Thermometer (I know it's bad)
Humidity - humidity ranges from about 40% to 60% this is created my manual misting. I measure this through an analog hydrometer.
Plants - I have an Umbrella tree, Neathe Bella Palm ( Chamaedorea elegans) and a pothos.
Placement - It is in the corner of my bed room. It is secluded with the door closed during the day. The top of the cage is about 4 and a half to 5 feet off the floor.
Location - I am geographically located in Northern Maryland.

Current Problem - My chameleon the dude is becoming quite thin with his ribs showing through his body. He was about 29 grams when I first got him and was 25 grams when he was measured today.

 

[kinyonga]

Has he been checked for parasites? Is he WC? Canyou post a photo with something in the photo to indicate size please?

 

[Jeremiah]

Pictures

Here are some pictures of The Dude as well as some of his enclosure.

 

[Jeremiah]

Some more pictures

Some More pictures. He is a wild caught and the people at Big Apple Herp said that they checked and treat for parasites at the facility although I have no way of knowing that they are lying to me.

 

[DanSB]

When I had my Senegal he didn't eat for the first week I had him until he got comfortable and was a picky eater for the rest of his life.

He probably does still have a parasite load with only a single treatment it would be a good idea even if you get him gaining to be retested every 6 months and treated as anything is found. I made the mistake of believing that already treated meant parasite free which can be a lethal mistake for the small cost of a float and a treatment it just isn't worth it.

To me he doesn't look underweight but I am not really an expert and only have had one Senegal but looked at tons of pictures...

Another thing to keep in mind is that those Flukers Orange cubes are crap and do nothing for gut loading. Try some oranges (especially the white rind stuff) greens, carrots, and other recommended veggies and other good gut loads. I noticed my senegal was very picky about what was gut loaded and would eat more for example if the crickets were eating a lot of orange peels...

Also you need A LOT more foliage. If you can see from any one side of the cage to another there isn't enough for a senegal. They like to be weaving through foliage and the only open spot should be a basking area around 90 degrees for a male right near the top (not so close that light will burn though.)

Watering: 80% RH plus lots of watering but enough of a breeze to keep the air from being stagnant. The only way I found to achieve that I found was to cover 3 sides of the cage plus all the foliage.

Senegals like to hide, they like to be moist, and they like warm basking areas. The very last is debatable but my personal observation is a happier Chameleon at 90 to 95 degree basking area than a 80 to 85 degree basking area.

Good luck! Senegals are awesome and have great personality I can't wait to get another.

 

[carol5208]

I believe I am seeing a basking bulb in cage behind the uvb right? I would take that and lower it to the screen and then add a horizontal branch about 8 inches below the bulb. You have nowhere from him to bask really. By raising the bulb so high you are heating the whole top of the cage. You want a more concentrated area for basking. Your branches are way too low and you do not have near enough walkways for your chameleon.. And personally I think he looks too thin.

 

[Jeremiah]

The problem I posted about was him being to thin. The bulb behind the uvb bulb is a ceramic heat emitter. I will definately be adding some more cage furnishings after this. I was thinking about establishing a Panchlora Nivea feeder colony. Does anyone know if a Senegal Chameleon is big enough to take these Roaches?

 

[carol5208]

The problem I posted about was him being to thin.

I understand that but there are things in your set up that need changing or you are going to have other problems.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

Temperature effects digestion.

 

[Jeremiah]

Thank you

Alright thank you for your help everyone I will post pictures of his updated cage when it has been completed.

 

[carol5208]

we are just trying to help you. We want your chameleon to live a healthy life. I would get rid of the heat emitter and change that out for a regular housebulb. You want to simulate the sun so they can bask and like I said you want to put a branch about 8 inches below so they can bask under the light. I am not sure about the nightime temps for Senegals. I know Veilds and Panthers can handle temps in the low 50's and no heat is required at night. If you are uncertain or skeptical of your chameleon being treated for parasites, I would take him to a vet. If you can get a fecal sample it would be beneficial so your vet can do a fecal float and check for parasites.