Sick cham??? Need some advice

[simple0936]

THE PROBLEM: My cham's appetite is pretty much gone. I usually feed him a few phoenix worms by hand 2 times per day, and let some crickets go in his cage. For the last week I'm lucky if he eats one worm per day. I haven't seen any poop in his cage this week. Tonight he was hanging out towards the bottom of the cage on some low branch and has decided to sleep there too (not normal). He hasn't appeared to be any weaker than normal... On the up side he is still drinking when I mist him.

THE CHAM: I have a male flap neck that is approximately 6-10 months old. I bought him at a local reptile shop in Jacksonvillle, Fl. I was told he was captive bred. His poop is usually normal (white and brown) and I usually see it a few times a week (not everyday). I feed him phoenix worms by hand and dust a few crickets w/calcium and let them go in the cage every few days. Lately he hasn't been eating the crickets so he hasn't been getting his supplements... just worms. I mist him 2 times a day (before & after work). I never really handle him in fear that he will stress out.

THE SET UP: I keep my cham in a small R-Zilla screened cage with a R-Zilla combo lamp for heating and rays (bulbs are fairly new). I keep the light on anywhere from 10-12 hrs per day. I live in FL and I don't have a thermometer b/c humidity and heat have never really been an issue... my guy usually sits up high (a few inches from the lamp) and hangs out. I keep a ficus and pothos plant in the cage w/a couple fake vines for him to hang out on. My cage sits in my dinning room next to a wall that separates my apartment from the outside.

NOTES: The temperature has dropped very low here in Florida and I have been moving my cage into another room at night and keeping a towel over the cage. I don't see any signs of MBD in my cham, but I'm a newbie so who knows... I'll do what it takes to keep my cham happy and healthy so I appreciate any info that will help out.

 

[Sang]

OK, not to be a pain.

lets go ahead and fill this out.

Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
* Location - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
* Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.



i know you answered some of that, but as much detail as possible will help, if you can post photos that will help to. if you need to handle him inspect his body and mouth.. also when he drinks if you can try to check out his tongue if you can, maybe he injured it?

uh the light, thats a combo UV/heat bulb, i think those arn't the greatest.

 

[Rocky]

how is his grip?

does the calcium you feed him have d3 or no?

 

[simple0936]

no d3 (i'm getting some tomorrow as I read these post). grip is good and his arms and legs only bend where they are supposed to bend.

Just a few extras as i read through some other posts:

I recently Recently traded out the plants in my cage b/c the others leaves were dropping off like crazy. Also, I fed my guy some silkworms last week and let a few stay in the cage overnight b/c he didn't eat them. Could he have gotten sick from those? I ended up taking them out after a few days...

 

[simple0936]

* Cage Type -R-Zilla – all screen cage. 18"wide, 20" tall and 12" deep
* Lighting – R-Zilla Combo Lamp. 35W halogen bulb for heat and the white circle UV bulb. I leave the lamp on for 10-12 hrs per day.
* Temperature – not sure/no gauge
* Humidity – not sure/no gauge
* Plants – ficus & pothos. both have been changed out recently. nothing at the botton of the cage. the cage gets cleaned often.
* Location – It's in my dinning room next to a wall that separates my apartment from the outside. I would consider this room a low traffic area but is susceptible to outside temps. The temps here in Jacksonville FL have dropped pretty low this week... I have been bringing my guy into another room at nights.


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon – Male flapneck 6-12 months old. I've had him for about 4 months. The Reptile shop where I purchased him said he was captive bred.
* Handling - rarely
* Feeding – I feed my cham phoenix worms, by hand, everyday (2-5) I also dust some crickets w/calcium every few days. last week I fed him some silk worms but he didn't eat very many of them...
* Supplements – I only use calcium a few times per week w/crickets.
* Watering – I mist my cham two times per day for short sessions. He immediately licks the water from the leaves.
* Fecal Description – never been tested for parasites. Poop is white and brown a few times per week. (none this week)
* History – seemed pretty health and had a good appetite until this week.
* Current Problem – see above post. Not eating and today has been hanging out in low branches. doesn't seem to have MBD

 

[Sang]

hmmmm



* Plants – ficus & pothos. both have been changed out recently. nothing at the botton of the cage. the cage gets cleaned often.

did you repot these? could he have consumed any vermiculite or anything in the potter, did you clean the leaves, maybe there was left over residue from something?

have you tried anything else other then phoenix worms? i don't think they are all that great. maybe try something intrested, flies or horn worms, roaches.

maybe he is on a hunger strike.

just in case try to post some photos.

Definatly get a fecal check done, it may definatly be time for a vet visit.
you never know if he was WC or CB.

 

[kinyonga]

If your chameleon is down low in the cage from being too warm all you need to do is lower the temperature. Is it possible that its too hot?

If he's low in the cage for another reason its likely not good. Are you sure its a male?

Can you please post some pictures?

 

[dodolah]

I think it is in your best interest to try to get a thermometer and hygrometer.
This will enable you to accurately tell whether your cage is too cold or too hot.
Temp is definitely one of the elements that can affect your cham's appetite.
There is affordable digital thermometer with a hygrometer built in available for purchase at lowes and walmart around 12 bucks the last time i purchased.

I used one of this:

a Pic of your chameleon will help.

 

[Dave Weldon]

...Lighting – R-Zilla Combo Lamp. 35W halogen bulb for heat and the white circle UV bulb. I leave the lamp on for 10-12 hrs per day.

Howdy,

I'm just going to focus on one issue which may or may not be a big part of the problem. R-Zilla produced a series of UVB lights that were actually deadly. Your circular one may be one of them but it is hard to tell without special testing. My recommendation is to replace it with an 18" ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 linear tube even if it means replacing your entire lighting setup . I've seen the damage that those original R-Zilla lights can do. Here is where the circular ones are mentioned and that there hasn't been testing of that specific model but that they all seemed to be using the same phosphor.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/UVB_Meter_Owners/message/5556
R-Zilla has been re-formulating their phosphor but the data still isn't available yet to show that they are safe and effective. Don't risk it.

The Desert Series 50 is mentioned here. The Series 25 is also very dangerous. http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

In R-Zilla's own words: http://www.zilla-rules.com/assets/006/13278.pdf