i have a 6 months old male jacksons chameleon in a FOR NOW 29 gallon tank because his cage isnt 100% done. the temps are normal, i have a low wattage heat bulb on him 12 hours a day, and misting 2 to 3 times a day. i've only had him for a month and he was doing good and now its slowly getting bad, now hes not eating? please someone help
Sleeping?
- Thread starter Ben0918
- Start date
HerbsForMyChameleon
Member
Is there only a heat light? No UVB bulb??
HerbsForMyChameleon
Member
Some more information on the chameleon and his habitat is needed for someone to help. you should fill out the help form
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
so he has no uvb source if you have to keep the window down then? You need to get a proper uvb light for his enclosure. He should not be kept in a tank. We are trying to tell someone else this on another thread the same thing and they do not want to listen. What are normal temps? Do you know what the proper temps and humidity are for a Jacksons?. Improper housing and set up will lead to illness. They might do fine for awhile and then sooner or later it is all going to take its toll on the animal.
chamlover98
New Member
unless the window is open all the time I would not suggest this as well, as if the glass enclosure is made especially for UVB absorption it will not work. I suggest an 18 inch fixture and a bulb link: http://lightyourreptiles.com/d3rela18fall.html
that fixture tube bulb will last atleast a year.
I honestly choose these over the exo-terra China made ones.
http://lightyourreptiles.com/d3rela18fall.html are made in europe.
Like I said his screen cage isn't fully done its about 95% done I just have to add locks and branches and stuff and his temps now are about in the tank 68 to 71 degrees F and basking about 80. I have him on a 40 watt bulb and also I'm new to the site and know nothing of it so where's this help forum? I can't find it.
chamlover98
New Member
my opinion the daytime temperature gradient of about 70-80 F (21-26.5 C) should be provided, with a basking spot up to a maximum of 85 F (29 C). At night, they should have a temperature drop of about 10-15 F (5-10 C), so heating at night may not be required if your home doesnt fall below 65-70 F (18-21 C).
The help form is stickied at the top of this forum. Here is the link. https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
we are trying to help you. Keeping a chameleon in a tank is not recomended and may be causing your chameleon to fall ill. It does not appear to me that you have provided a proper uvb source for your chameleon. A thought just came to me...if you are opening the window but letting the sun shine in your tank then your chameleon has been getting NO UVb as uvb rays to not penetrate glass. If this is so, this could be leading to your chameleons illness. Have you been supplementing with calcium with d3, without, a multivitamin, do you see your chameleon drink?. are his eyes sunken in? Has he seen a vet? has he been tested for parasites? how are you measuring your temps? Are you gutloading your feeders? there are alot of unanswered questions here.
There are no supplements I use. I do gutload my staple diet of dubai roaches. His eyes are NOT sunken in. His colors are his normal nice greens. He moves around not as much though. He is 6 months old. I got him from a breeder at a reptile expo and i don't know if he was brought to a vet before I got him and I don't know if he has parasites. I did see him drink but I haven't since I noticed his decrese in eating and wondering around. And my house hold temp is 70 so his tank is about 69 to 71
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
The reason I was asking about the parasites is because they can bring a chamelelon down and cause them to become lethargic and not eat. Again, if you have only been providing your chameleon uvb throught the window, you have not been providing it at all if you have him in a glass tank. They need UVB to survive. They will die without it. I suggest you get him a uvb light asap and in the mean time get him outside for some natural sunlight if your weather permits. They need to be supplemented with calcium also. The Jacksons not quite as much as the other commonly owned chameleons such as the panthers and veilds. I am not sure of the supplementing schedule of them but you should have been dusting his feeders atleast several times a week over the past month. Calcium supplements and uvb are crucial components to your chameleons care and you have been providing neither since you got him. your chameleon can develop metabolic bone disease. I don't know how much damage if any in regards to this has been done in a month. Can you please post some pictures of him and your set up so we can look him over?
chamlover98
New Member
My Supplement Chart:
I recommend, Next to the Supplement is the times of use.
This is my recommendation supplement that I use and go by.
1-Miner-All O ( 1x A Week)
1-Rep-Cal Calcium (3x A Week)
1-Rep-Cal Calcium WITH D3 (1x A Week)
1-Rep-Cal Herptivite (2x A Month when Older can be reduced to 1x A Month)
Ok well I figured besides the UVB light, is my Senegal was getting dehydrated and not enough heat so I have him on a 40 watt and a drip system so he's doing a lot better and eating. Now I put a lamp on my Jackson and he's now basking but his eyes are still shut? So now by Wednesday I will go and get a UVB light for him thank you everyone for your help 
. I'll put a new post up in about a week for an update for everyone. Thanks again
. I'll put a new post up in about a week for an update for everyone. Thanks again
sorry if they are upside down i took them with my ipod touch. but i just put him in a 30in L x 24in W x 48in H screen cage. His eyes are closed but he'll open them like slightly but then shut them quick. He still shows his nice color? so now i have him in a screen cage a UVB light should help my problem? Also, should a use a 5.0 or 10.0 UVB bulb for my jackson?
chameleonkev
New Member
to be honest your doing a couple of things wrong, 1 glass tanks arnt the best for jacksons chams, they hold the heat to much and dont allow for much air flow, jacksons like cool temps so i would recomend changing soon as posible to a mesh viv,try reptibreeze.also you should be dusting with calcium every feed and use a multivitamin two or 3 times a month and calcium with d3 two or three times a month.also make sure you have good humid conditions you may want to consider geting a fogger.with chams there health can drop so fast when young an they die before you have the chance to fix the problem so keep a close eye on him,make sure hes drinking regularly and i would bet a critical care kit that you use and just shoot it into there mouth.they are very good when they arnt eating
chameleonkev
New Member
and get the cham a proper uvb light soon as posible and get him away from the window thats causing more harm than good,i dont place any of mine near windows or live plants outside the viv,if you do that they will constanly be trying to escape from there viv and will run them selves down
jaglon53
Member
So you have him in the screen cage now right? Do you have a thermometer where his basking branch is? If not grab one when you grab your UVB bulb. Use a 5.0 zoo med reptisun tube light not the compact one or if they don't have zoo med grab the exo Terra 5.0. Just doing this will not be enough to get him to open his eyes. Mist his cage to see if he will drink also make sure you have his temps right 80-85 at basking spot. If your really serious on making this work invest $25 and get some Reptaid from one of our site sponsors. I know Bruce from chameleonparadise.net has some for sale. Good luck and keep posting your progress you have come to the right place
