Soooo Frustrated!

nhblond

New Member
Okay, here's the story. I tried to find the "ask for help" thing and couldn't find it.....
So...
I have a veiled that I believe is about 2-3 months old (probably measures about 2 & 1/2 inches without tail).
She is currently in a 10 gallon tank with a screen top ( I am finishing the screen enclosure that I am building).
She has a basking lamp and a UVB. I mist her tank 3-5 times a day. She has a live Pothos and a branch (I baked it), and a fake vine with leaves.
The temps are roughly 90 on basking end and about 75ish on cool end of tank. Well, the problem is she is not eating the way that I believe she should. When I bought her the pet store informed me that she was eating 3-4 crickets a day. On here I learned through reading and posting that she should eat more like 10-15 per day. Well, she is not eating well. The crickets don't get eaten, they hide under the paper towels, etc. I just tried putting them in a small clear bowl, but she didn't seem to get the hang of it...
Oh and when I have put a small dish with veggies in the tank she completely ignores it.
Otherwise she seems healthy to me. Is somewhat active, stays a light green, etc.
Any and all suggestions to get her to eat better would be greatly appreciated!
 
Small clear bowl isn't the best stategy for cup feeding. Try a small half gallon milk jug with the front cut out and some screen glued inside. See pic below.

90 may be a bit high. You can go lower to 80-85. Try using a 40-60w regular incadescent light bulb to try to reach that basking temp.

How big are the crickets that you are trying to feed? 1/4 inch is recommended for a young cham.

And lastly, how long have you had your cham? They tend to take time adjusting and can go without food for days.

IMG_0694.jpg
 
Actually I think I did raise up the basking light so that it is more like 85. I just bought a shipment of crickets that are 1/2". But some are a little smaller than others. I try to watch out and not feed the bigger ones. I also know about the rule of no bigger than the space between the eyes. I might try making a cricket cup like the one you have posted. They don't just jump out of there?
 
in addition to the info I already posted

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled, believe female, think 2-3 months old, only had about 3-4 weeks.
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Only when cleaning cage, about once or twice a week
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
crickets, can only get her to eat 3-4 a day if that. Gut load crickets with fruit and veggies
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
plain calcium every day, with D3 once or twice a month, multi-vitamin twice a week
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
mist cage 3-5 time a day. See her open and close her mouth
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
do see a bit of yellow on and off
* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and types 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?
* Placement - 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?
* Location - Where are you geographically located?


Current Problem
 
I like wide tubs better. It let's them hunt and it's easy for me to clean. :) maybe go get a plastic (opaque) storage container/food container and use that. She may also want other foods. Try house flies. Chameleons go crazy for them. (buy them though, don't catch them.)
 
Everyone else will probably chime in on the other stuff.

I have a couple of simpler thoughts-

You might mist less often at this age- that often may be disturbing her often enough during the day that she may not be as confident about eating. By this age, her water is better provided by misting 1x or 2x per day and setting up a drip cup and catch bowl (poke a hole in a plastic dixie cup so water drips about 1x per second, put cup on top of cage so it drips onto a leaf and from the leaf into the catch bowl, clean bowl daily) 1x per day- immediately after misting in the morning works well.

The other simple thought- veggies-
Shred your veggies very fine- like shredded coleslaw so they are easily picked up on the tongue. Put them in the bottom of your feeding bowl and then add your insects on top of the veggies. Some will be picked up accidentally at first along with the insects. Some will be picked up on purpose/accidentally when insects crawl into the shredded veggies and make them move and your chameleon sees the movement. Eventually the chameleon will develop a desire to eat the veggies alone.

As for not figuring out the bowl- try to place the bowl so she sees it from above, rather than the side. Should help her figure it out.
 
Last edited:
Everyone else will probably chime in on the other stuff.

I have a couple of simpler thoughts-

You might mist less often at this age- that often may be disturbing her often enough during the day that she may not be as confident about eating. By this age, her water is better provided by misting 1x or 2x per day and setting up a drip cup and catch bowl (poke a hole in a plastic dixie cup so water drips about 1x per second, put cup on top of cage so it drips onto a leaf and from the leaf into the catch bowl, clean bowl daily) 1x per day- immediately after misting in the morning works well.

The other simple thought- veggies-
Shred your veggies very fine- like shredded coleslaw so they are easily picked up on the tongue. Put them in the bottom of your feeding bowl and then add your insects on top of the veggies. Some will be picked up accidentally at first along with the insects. Some will be picked up on purpose/accidentally when insects crawl into the shredded veggies and make them move and your chameleon sees the movement. Eventually the chameleon will develop a desire to eat the veggies alone.


I just love your veggie idea. I have tried for years and never! got a cham to eat veggies. Maybe with my next small one I will finally get one of mine to get with the program. Thanks ever so much.
 
Everyone else will probably chime in on the other stuff.

I have a couple of simpler thoughts-

You might mist less often at this age- that often may be disturbing her often enough during the day that she may not be as confident about eating. By this age, her water is better provided by misting 1x or 2x per day and setting up a drip cup and catch bowl (poke a hole in a plastic dixie cup so water drips about 1x per second, put cup on top of cage so it drips onto a leaf and from the leaf into the catch bowl, clean bowl daily) 1x per day- immediately after misting in the morning works well.

The other simple thought- veggies-
Shred your veggies very fine- like shredded coleslaw so they are easily picked up on the tongue. Put them in the bottom of your feeding bowl and then add your insects on top of the veggies. Some will be picked up accidentally at first along with the insects. Some will be picked up on purpose/accidentally when insects crawl into the shredded veggies and make them move and your chameleon sees the movement. Eventually the chameleon will develop a desire to eat the veggies alone.

As for not figuring out the bowl- try to place the bowl so she sees it from above, rather than the side. Should help her figure it out.

great idea...next time a get a veiled or any other veggie eating species..this is what i plan to do...awsome
 
Hey thanks!
Yeah the veggies idea really works. I've had adult female veileds especially that will wolf down salad when they are fed like that from a young age.
 
Small clear bowl isn't the best stategy for cup feeding. Try a small half gallon milk jug with the front cut out and some screen glued inside. See pic below.

90 may be a bit high. You can go lower to 80-85. Try using a 40-60w regular incadescent light bulb to try to reach that basking temp.

How big are the crickets that you are trying to feed? 1/4 inch is recommended for a young cham.

And lastly, how long have you had your cham? They tend to take time adjusting and can go without food for days.

IMG_0694.jpg

sorryn im not a big fan of this idea looks crappy and to many areas where a cham could catch their tounge or accidently eat some of that glue. if you really like that jug idea i would put the mesh on from the outside then there is nothing in the jug ( edges & glue ) just my opinion
 
Thanks for the idea with the veggies. As far as her seeing the bowl I was using from above, she can. Her vine is above it, and at one point she was perched above the bowl. I think I am going to switch containers though. The bowl takes up too much of the limited space I have. I have an empty plastic peanut container that is more upright. I will cut it in half, put the finely shredded veggies in the bottom and the crickets on top of that. Think I will leave her be for tonight since it's already 5:00, and do it when I clean her cage tomorrow morning. Thanks for the great advice.
 
Grrrr!!!! Pics added

Okay, so if I can figure it out I am going to post pics of Stitch's new cage that she moved into yesterday...
Same issue I was having before, but now in new cage. I can't figure out the best way to get her to eat. In the pics you can see the deli container that I put veggies and crickets into. It was originally hanging on the back middle support, right next to the plant that hangs down. She is hiding in that plant. Well, she still didn't seem to figure it out so this is what I did.
I let the four crickets in there loose in the cage. Well, it is a homemade cage, and not without it's glitches. The bottom tray doesn't fit tight to the side/front & back frame. So before I let the crickets loose I used some foam (like a kid's pool noodle) to put in between the tray and the sides of the cage to block crickets from going under the tray (the bottom is screened). Of course they still found there way down there, and a couple climbed up the sides of the cage on the screen. That was ok, because I figured she would see them climbing the screen and go after them. Then I took and moved the container to where it is now, hanging from the branch so that she could look down in it. Well, she hasn't seemed to move from the plant, and don't think she is eating....
I am throwing my hands up at this point and not sure what to do???????
 

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I don't have anything else to suggest for the feeding, but I want to say the cage looks really nice! The only thing is I think it is too bare at the top and you have plenty of room for some taller plants. You have everything at the bottom except that one basking branch. They like to be high up, not at the bottom of the cage! Just a suggestion from my observation! Good luck with the feeding!!!
 
Get some more vines. Grape vines work or you can buy the bendable ones. Even plastic coated wiring works as highways. She def needs more live plants.
Her basking bransh should be about 6" from her basking light and able to obtain uvb also while basking so aim your basking bulb at an angle so she can bask and get uvb at the same time. Nice homemade cage for a first timer.
 
I just love your veggie idea. I have tried for years and never! got a cham to eat veggies. Maybe with my next small one I will finally get one of mine to get with the program. Thanks ever so much.

stupid kids, they never eat their veggies...oh, you ment chameleons?:eek:

Harry
 
Thanks for the suggestions about the cage. I am planning on getting more big plants.... just haven't had a chance and she just moved in there yesterday. She actually isn't too far off from the 6" from the basking light if she went to that top branch. I can't get it too close to the top of the cage because I don't want to chance melting the screen. I can try to angle it so that she gets the UVB and basking at the same time. I actually have some grapevine wire. It is wire that is wrapped with grapevine material. Never really thought about using it for climbing. Hope it's not too narrow or unstable.... but I guess it would be alright. I am still not sure what to do about the not eating situation though...... any helpful suggestions on what I can do differently??????????
 
A few thoughts-

First, it looks like she is shyly hanging out in the plant for security maybe? If so, you may need to lower your feeding container as it is near the top of the plant- she will have to give up her secure location to get into it, and may not do that.

Second, maybe you should start with a shallow container until she is used to feeding. Easier to get into and the crickets will seem more exposed.

Third, maybe you just need to give her a chance to settle in. Get yourself some tall foliage as planned, make the changes with the branches and then don't mess with her or her cage for a while, outside of routine maintenance, feeding/watering, etc. Give her a chance to get settled in and feel secure - unless she is thin already she can go quite a while without eating- a day or two will not harm her. At this age, she probably won't go quite a while - a day or two and once she settles in and feels comfortable she will get hungry and want to eat. Messing with her too much may make her more insecure.

Fourth- I love the name stitch! Good choice!
 
try using a larger container to put the crix in so they can move around more and get his attention. I wouldnt use a transparent container either as they can shoot at the sides and possibly hurt their tongue.
 
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