She acts like she is starving??

[CrazyChameleon5]

I am feeding my baby Veil about 25 crickets a day now and she acts like she is starving to death?? She roams around the cage going all the way to the bottom looking for more crickets about 30 min after i feed her? and if there isn't any in there she will try to eat the fake plants? Is she insane or what? Also i just seen her drink really weird i filled the cup up and she went guzziling for it and i know she has been drinking because she shoots her tounge at the top of the cage to catch the water. do you think there might be something wrong or is this normal? she is about 2-3 months i think. She also Dive bombs when i put the crikets in there like she hasn't eaten in weeks? Please tell me this is normal or is she just weird lol

 

[Justin Carl]

well chameleons are supposed to shot their tounges out to catch water drops. she is just a growing girl and needs to eat. 25 is a lot. if she grows to fast her bone structure cant keep up with her and may develop MBD so be carefull

 

[Orin]

Unless those are really tiny crickets she's an odd critter. An animal with an overactive appetite is not normally on the list of a keeper's concerns.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I think she's fine.
She's growing! And reptiles are incredible at converting food into body mass.
At this age you're going to see amazing things. She will seem to double in size on a daily basis.
With females I don't think controlling the food intake is too much of a concern until they reach 4 or 5 months old.
So...at this point I would say:
She's eating, she's drinking, she looks healthy.......DON"T worry so much!

-Brad

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

they are small crickets mostly pin heads and a little bigger? here are a few pics of her. also i was wondering she has a few bumps on her sides at the top you can see in the 3rd pic by her spine is that normal?

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

I think she's fine.
She's growing! And reptiles are incredible at converting food into body mass.
At this age you're going to see amazing things. She will seem to double in size on a daily basis.
With females I don't think controlling the food intake is too much of a concern until they reach 4 or 5 months old.
So...at this point I would say:
She's eating, she's drinking, she looks healthy.......DON"T worry so much!

-Brad

I know i am a worry wart lol. it just seems strange? o well guess it's normal. i really didn't think she would eat the fake plants? she likes the plastic ones not the silk haha so i spray her when she does it and she leaves them alone. I am still trying to find a live plant it is harder than i thought

 

[dodolah]

nope.. not weird at all.
I have told you that every chameleon is unique.
They have their own metabolic rate and their own growth rate.
"Chamy" my first chameleon (11 years ago) is a petite one.
He eats very little and seems to barely eat at all but somehow manage his weight and died of old age with no problem at all.

My second chameleon (Columbus -current) literally eats like a pig..
And funny thing is he eats the same amount if not more..
He eats 25 crix and 6 silkies.. He worries me so much, I contacted Kammers and Dr Tom Greek. So, I brought him to the vet to have him checked.

And he is as healthy as ever.. fecal flotation test came back negative.
After the considerations, we feel that he's just one of the chameleon that has an active metabolic rate.


If you still worry, than you can have her take a fecal test.
Check her weight progress...
I think your cham is almost ready to have another growth spurt... be ready for it. You'll need to shop around for a bigger cage pretty soon... and I mean SOON..

So far, my advise is to enjoy her healthy appetites.
When she grew up, you will start to see a decrease in her appetite. and comes the most dreaded period where she develop a way to stress you out. Hunger Strike...

 

[dodolah]

they are small crickets mostly pin heads and a little bigger? here are a few pics of her. also i was wondering she has a few bumps on her sides at the top you can see in the 3rd pic by her spine is that normal?

normal normal normal... and looked very healthy.
and yes it's a she!
Finally I see a nice picture of her back leg.

 

[VerteX]

She looks older than 3 months. You should be providing about 1/2 inch crickets instead of what she's being fed right now.

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

nope.. not weird at all.
I have told you that every chameleon is unique.
They have their own metabolic rate and their own growth rate.
"Chamy" my first chameleon (11 years ago) is a petite one.
He eats very little and seems to barely eat at all but somehow manage his weight and died of old age with no problem at all.

My second chameleon (Columbus -current) literally eats like a pig..
And funny thing is he eats the same amount if not more..
He eats 25 crix and 6 silkies.. He worries me so much, I contacted Kammers and Dr Tom Greek. So, I brought him to the vet to have him checked.

And he is as healthy as ever.. fecal flotation test came back negative.
After the considerations, we feel that he's just one of the chameleon that has an active metabolic rate.


If you still worry, than you can have her take a fecal test.
Check her weight progress...
I think your cham is almost ready to have another growth spurt... be ready for it. You'll need to shop around for a bigger cage pretty soon... and I mean SOON..

So far, my advise is to enjoy her healthy appetites.
When she grew up, you will start to see a decrease in her appetite. and comes the most dreaded period where she develop a way to stress you out. Hunger Strike...

Thanks everyone you made me feel better! she is crazy and so much fun to watch she kills me when she poops she sticks her tail straight out and hangs her butt over the branch she is on it's hillarious hahaha. yes i am sure when the hunger strike comes i will be back hahaha. i think she may be shedding to she has a few white flakes on her sides nothing major yet i am looking forward to sseing that

 

[dodolah]

I know i am a worry wart lol. it just seems strange? o well guess it's normal. i really didn't think she would eat the fake plants? she likes the plastic ones not the silk haha so i spray her when she does it and she leaves them alone. I am still trying to find a live plant it is harder than i thought

That is why you need live plants.
You can find the plants in Home Depot, Target, Walmart, Lowe's nurseries.
Or even local nursery of your area..
It shouldn't b hard at all.

Pothos is available all year around,
Schefflera and Ficus Benjamina are a bit hard in the winter.. (but, i just saw one in Home Depot)
Hibiscus are pretty much everywhere in my place.

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

She looks older than 3 months. You should be providing about 1/2 inch crickets instead of what she's being fed right now.

here is a pic on my fingers for size comparason it's in this thread page 2 post #13 they said she was 2 months where i got her but you never know?

https://www.chameleonforums.com/new-veild-chameleon-what-7737/index2.html

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

That is why you need live plants.
You can find the plants in Home Depot, Target, Walmart, Lowe's nurseries.
Or even local nursery of your area..
It shouldn't b hard at all.

Pothos is available all year around,
Schefflera and Ficus Benjamina are a bit hard in the winter.. (but, i just saw one in Home Depot)
Hibiscus are pretty much everywhere in my place.

I took that pic just for you lol. ya i went to walmart and home depot they didn't have any? home depot had a ficus but it was way to big for the cage so i will keep looking i am going to a local nursery this week

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Are hunger strikes common with FEMALE veileds???

-Brad

 

[dodolah]

I took that pic just for you lol. ya i went to walmart and home depot they didn't have any? home depot had a ficus but it was way to big for the cage so i will keep looking i am going to a local nursery this week

try target and lowe's..
off course, local nursery is probably better..

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I agree with Vertex on offering larger crickets.
The rule is: they should be the length of the distance between her eyes.
I will make no guess as to her actual age.

-Brad

 

[dodolah]

Are hunger strikes common with FEMALE veileds???

-Brad

i say male and female experience the same.
if not, female probably more common? idk..
isn't female stop eating when she's gravid/ laying eggs?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

If she's chewing on the fake plants, you should be offering her collard, dandelion, or romaine greens. I have also experienced young chameleons having a "thing" for canned green beans (please rinse them to reduce the sodium).

-Brad

 

[CrazyChameleon5]

I agree with Vertex on offering larger crickets.
The rule is: they should be the length of the distance between her eyes.
I will make no guess as to her actual age.

-Brad

well i would say it is about 1/2 and inch maybe a little less and that is about the size of crickets she eats lol