Strange behavior (bitting stuff)

Stanly

New Member
Hey all, I have a 4-5 month old male panther chameleon. Any way today I caught him doing something odd, first he bit his fake vines (I was thinking maybe he was just hungry because I had to skip his 2nd Feeding yesterday due to traveling), anyway after I fed and sprayed him he drank some then bit the spray nozzle!

so my question is, is bitting non food items normal? Or what could this mean? I don't think he's under fed, as I feed him 8- 15 medium crickets a day (as manny as he wants really)
 
Sounds normal to me. They sometimes go through a weird phase where they bite things like branches. Be sure nothing that can impact him will come off of anything in the enclosure.
 
I've had a few chams "trained" to drink from eyedroppers, and each has occasionally attempted to chomp the tip of the dropper while drinking. I also have a slightly confused panther who has a decided interest in munching twigs, the chain links on the porch swing and other patently non-food items. As pssh said, as long as he can't swallow something that would choke or otherwise damage him (and so long as he isn't allowed to damage his teeth trying to chow down on hard objects), he should be okay.
 
Lol

Yeah that's normal my veiled cham is obsessed with eating dead leaves and one of my panther females chomped my finger one time D:
 
Ok thanks just wanted to make sure as I've never seen him do this before, unless he bites a leaf/twig off I don't think any thing else will come off.
 
Hey all, I have a 4-5 month old male panther chameleon. Any way today I caught him doing something odd, first he bit his fake vines (I was thinking maybe he was just hungry because I had to skip his 2nd Feeding yesterday due to traveling), anyway after I fed and sprayed him he drank some then bit the spray nozzle!

so my question is, is bitting non food items normal? Or what could this mean? I don't think he's under fed, as I feed him 8- 15 medium crickets a day (as manny as he wants really)

Why do you feed him twice a day? Or how late do you feed him?
 
it could just be my imagination going wild here but i personally think they chew on plants and such from a lack of vitamins. try some green leaf lettuce. also what are you using for a multivitamin and how often are you using it?
 
Why do you feed him twice a day? Or how late do you feed him?

I've been off work so I've been feeding him when I first get up (what ever he will eat till her turns his nose up at it) then a again (try to be before 4pm). I figure he's young and growing. I know you can over feed them but didn't think it is a issue at this age?
 
it could just be my imagination going wild here but i personally think they chew on plants and such from a lack of vitamins. try some green leaf lettuce. also what are you using for a multivitamin and how often are you using it?

Yeah I was wondering this to, I supp what is most commonly suggested on the forums. calcium with out d3 every feeding except 4 per month (2 of which get calcium with d3, and 2 get herptivite alternating from week to week)

As for greens, I knew veileds eat them but didn't think panthers would, will they?

The only other thing I could think was, maybe he thought the vine was a worm? I have no clue what he might have been thinking when he bit the spray nozzle... Maybe it's a teenage thing?

Any way thanks everyone for the in put, I guess for now I'll just keep a eye out for anything loose he might bite off.
 
few have posted on here that there chameleons could not transform beta carotenes to retinol. herptivite has beta carotenes which is great if your animal can transform this to retinol. basically your animals body will use what it wants and thats it (no problems with overdosing vitA). now with the ones that cant transform there is multi's that have retinol already in it. make sure you use accordingly as they can overdose.

yes they will eat greens.

i dont think your cham thought the vine was a worm. IMO i think his body is lacking vitamins and is looking for sources.

feeders-i would try mealworms, superworms, hornworms, silkworms (mine absolutely loves these), blue bottle flies, dubai roaches. make sure you gutload these guys to before you feed.
 
Wait, are you suggesting that some chameleons can convert proformed vit A into preformed vit A and others cannot?

It is unclear if a lack of vitamins causes such behavior. One of my panthers insists on eating soil/sand regardless of how well I'm gutloading and supplementing.
 
Ummm

I would t say every cham biting stuff is a lack of calcium although I'n some cases it could be.
 
Hey all, I have a 4-5 month old male panther chameleon. Any way today I caught him doing something odd, first he bit his fake vines (I was thinking maybe he was just hungry because I had to skip his 2nd Feeding yesterday due to traveling), anyway after I fed and sprayed him he drank some then bit the spray nozzle!

so my question is, is bitting non food items normal? Or what could this mean? I don't think he's under fed, as I feed him 8- 15 medium crickets a day (as manny as he wants really)

Mine is doing the same exact thing!!., I came online to post about it... you beat me to it lol Now I can stop worrying.:cool:
 
Wait, are you suggesting that some chameleons can convert proformed vit A into preformed vit A and others cannot?

It is unclear if a lack of vitamins causes such behavior. One of my panthers insists on eating soil/sand regardless of how well I'm gutloading and supplementing.

Vitamin A found in foods that come from animals is called preformed vitamin A. It is absorbed in the form of retinol, one of the most usable (active) forms of vitamin A.

Vitamin A that is found in colorful fruits and vegetables is called provitamin A carotenoid. They can be made into retinol in the body.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/vitamin-deficiency-andrews-diary-53472/

we can only speculate whats going on. animals are a lot smarter than humans give them credit for. the will to live and make shift dietary needs to whats available. even though it might kill them, they have to try and make it. here is an article about children that have iron deficiency that will eat dirt and such. i can go on with more supporting researched and studied findings. although i have never studied this animal in the wild... i personally dont think bark or soil is on the menu in a wild chameleon. he/she will get what they need from eatting insects that get gutloaded the way they should. im sure they eat some plant material but bark or soil? something isnt right IMO. if this were my animal i would be looking further than just saying its normal.

http://www.drgreene.com/azguide/iron-deficiency
 
he was probably biting the vine either because he was curious, hungry, or thirsty. with chameleon instinct, they try to eat plants to get the water out of them
 
Alrighty then, tell me what is wrong with my gutload and supplements:

Gutload greens - kale, collards, endive, escarole, turnip greens, dandelion greens, mulberry leaves, etc.
Gutload veggies - sweet potatoes, yams, sweet peppers, carrots, squash (both winter and summer,) sunflower sprouts, etc.
Gutload fruits - papaya, oranges, apples, raspberries, blue berries, strawberries, other berries, etc.
Dry gutload - pearled barley, yellow split peas, pink/white beans, ground nuts, brewers yeast, oats, rice, bee pollen, spirulina, raw sunflower seeds, millet, black eyed peas, grape nuts, black beans, etc.

Supplements are generally:
Ca w/o vit D3 every feeding
Ca w/ D3 2-6 times every 1.5 months depending on brand
Multivitamin w/o D3 once every 1-1.5 months
Source of preformed vit A is given every 4-5 months just in case.
 
They are Eliza, veileds do. What must be kept in mind is that in the wild they probably dont do it as much as in captivity. Generally insectivorous, they get moisture from food, and from dew, ( rain, dripping water after). I would suggest that resorting to munching plants might be an adaption to drier seasons when rain is less frequent.
Never studied annual rainfall patterns of yemen, but it may yield a clue. :)
 
How is there an assumption that they are insectivores?

I ask because I have a Fischers now who chomps on his pothos. He has access to insects. I keep it humid and always have a dripper.

I've put greens in for him and I know that others have for their chameleons. I sort of have to think they are omnivores who prefer insects.
 
Is that the right term? Omnivore? I always thought that referee to meat/vegetative matter.

Anywho, he did say "generally insectivorous," not that they are exclusive insectivores. I certainly know mine eat leaves and stuff occasionally. The mellers even eats hibiscus flowers when held to his mouth.
 
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