Cypress
New Member
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem:
Cypress is showing some odd signs. Biggest problem right now is lack of interest in food because of some tongue problems.
But I'll start with what I noticed a while ago. He typically sheds once every 2-3 months. Then the shed in May (normal), again in June (confused me), and then this week his tail shed. His shedding has been very slow so I don't know yet if his tail shedding is part of a new shed that's starting this week or the end of the last one. Will update.
I noticed probably a month or 2 ago that his shots seemed soft. I noticed when I was either hand feeding or holding a cup up for him. His aim was great, but he didn't his like he used to. It was slow and gentle. I didn't know if this was abnormal or if he just knew "OK I don't have to trey super hard for these ones" and just knew how far away they were. His eating was sporadic, which I assumed was because of all the shedding. When I would go to feed, he just wanted out and acted aggressive, not interested in food, even his mealworm treats weren't catching his attention sometimes.
When I started getting concerned about the amount he was eating, the store started carrying hornworms. He did eat those, and I felt a little better thinking that one big meal is better than nothing with his weird behavior. I have given him 3 of these in probably the last month and a half. (Once was because the store and I were out of crickets, so that was to hold him over.)
The big issue:
Yesterday morning I tried changing his schedule of feeding in the late afternoons (there are usually a cricket or two roaming during the day) to trying in the morning. He shot into the cup 6 times and couldn't "reach" the crickets with his tongue. He was interested, but couldn't get them. He was not interested in eating from my hand. I released about a dozen into the tank in hopes that he could snag some during the day but realized that we have a real problem.
When I got home last night, I tried by hand again and got him to eat three. I think he tried, but his tongue didn't really come out of his mouth. He ate three, but I had to let him basically eat them from my fingertips. I do not use tweezers to feed.
His tongue looks fine, does not look swollen or like he is swallowing it. No weird coughing or sneezing. Full of energy when he wants to be grumpy, and still has a vice grip with his feet.
I don't know if this is a temporary issue where he hurt his tongue shooting at something in the tank and just needs time. His eating less has me concerned as well, but I didn't know if all of the shedding was messing with his comfort and appetite.
Any insight or experience with this would be incredibly helpful.
- Your Chameleon - Male Veiled, 1.5 years old, in my care for 1 year. Named Cypress.
- Handling - As often as he wants to come out of the cage - ranges from 1-3 times a week.
- Feeding - Large crickets fed fruits and Flukers High-Calcium feed. When he is eating normally he will eat 10-20 crickets daily, with the occasional disinterest when looking for a female friend or shedding. He will eat from hand, from cup, and from roaming crickets. However - as I will mention below due to his lack of eating I have given him a hornworm a couple of times recently.
- Supplements - Flukers Calcium with D3, Rep-Cal Herpavite with Beta Carotene Multi. Calcium couple times a week, vitamin 1 time about every other week.
- Watering - I spray the tank 2-3 times a day. I only see him go to drink the water if it got particularly dry in there, which I could count on one hand. But when I spray him directly he will lick his lips. Leave droplets hanging from top screen and on foliage in tank.
- Fecal Description - Never been tested, poop brown, white and yellow urate.
- History - Got him at we are guessing 6 months, could be closer to 8. From a pet store that did not take great care of him. As a young adult he hated people and wouldn't eat if we were in the room. Long road to build trust as usual, but we are buds now unless he is having a particularly feisty day. We moved from an apartment to a house in April.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - 2x2x3 foot reptibreeze
- Lighting - 12hrs on, 12 hrs off, UVB and regular heat bulb. Changed the UVB to a new one a month ago as recommended when the other UVB reached about the 6 month mark.
- Temperature - Thermometer in tank is placed at the top. Seasons adjust the room temp a bit. Top of his tank right now in the summer is about 73F at night and in the high 80's to during the day. Basking spot is warmer.
- Humidity - 60 at night when dry. Fluctuates during the day around misting.
- Plants - Live and fake, live are large-in-law's tongue, small pothos, small wax. He has a ficus he gets on when he comes out.
- Placement - In a room by himself, second floor of a house, near a closed window and closed vent. Very low traffic. He only sees us when we come and say hi or feed him. Cage is about 2 feet off the floor.
- Location - Cincinnati, Ohio
Current Problem:
Cypress is showing some odd signs. Biggest problem right now is lack of interest in food because of some tongue problems.
But I'll start with what I noticed a while ago. He typically sheds once every 2-3 months. Then the shed in May (normal), again in June (confused me), and then this week his tail shed. His shedding has been very slow so I don't know yet if his tail shedding is part of a new shed that's starting this week or the end of the last one. Will update.
I noticed probably a month or 2 ago that his shots seemed soft. I noticed when I was either hand feeding or holding a cup up for him. His aim was great, but he didn't his like he used to. It was slow and gentle. I didn't know if this was abnormal or if he just knew "OK I don't have to trey super hard for these ones" and just knew how far away they were. His eating was sporadic, which I assumed was because of all the shedding. When I would go to feed, he just wanted out and acted aggressive, not interested in food, even his mealworm treats weren't catching his attention sometimes.
When I started getting concerned about the amount he was eating, the store started carrying hornworms. He did eat those, and I felt a little better thinking that one big meal is better than nothing with his weird behavior. I have given him 3 of these in probably the last month and a half. (Once was because the store and I were out of crickets, so that was to hold him over.)
The big issue:
Yesterday morning I tried changing his schedule of feeding in the late afternoons (there are usually a cricket or two roaming during the day) to trying in the morning. He shot into the cup 6 times and couldn't "reach" the crickets with his tongue. He was interested, but couldn't get them. He was not interested in eating from my hand. I released about a dozen into the tank in hopes that he could snag some during the day but realized that we have a real problem.
When I got home last night, I tried by hand again and got him to eat three. I think he tried, but his tongue didn't really come out of his mouth. He ate three, but I had to let him basically eat them from my fingertips. I do not use tweezers to feed.
His tongue looks fine, does not look swollen or like he is swallowing it. No weird coughing or sneezing. Full of energy when he wants to be grumpy, and still has a vice grip with his feet.
I don't know if this is a temporary issue where he hurt his tongue shooting at something in the tank and just needs time. His eating less has me concerned as well, but I didn't know if all of the shedding was messing with his comfort and appetite.
Any insight or experience with this would be incredibly helpful.
