Too skinny pygmy???

[blubudgie]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Pygmy Chameleon, Male, about one month
Handling - Only twice total
Feeding - 1/4" crickets, feed 4-5 everyday. Gutloaded
Supplements - Dusted with calcium without D3 everyday.
With D3 and Multivitamins twice a month
Watering - Misting in the morning when light comes on and at night when light goes off
Fecal Description - Only found a few poops,
Brown in color some white maybe? Not too sure


Cage Info:
Cage Type - 12x12x18" exo terra tall
Lighting - UVB 5.0 reptisun bulb. 10 hours daylight
Temperature - Mid-low 70's and then high 60 at night.
Humidity - using misting to make humidity,
Highest is usually 80%
Plants - two live plants one fake plant. A fig and a croton
Placement - on a table in the corner, not near vent, maybe a couple feet from the window?
Location - California

Current Problem - I noticed my chameleon was very skinny today, I could see his ribs. When I went to go pick him up to get a closer look he got bigger and went back to normal size. This is normal?
I've never seen him eat or drink but I find poop so I was told not to worry about it since PYGMies are shy.
I will post pictures later today.

 

[blubudgie]

Here are pics

After I tried to get him on my hand

 

[blubudgie]

When he was skinny

 

[johnnyev]

Yes quite normal. Have a look at him when he's asleep on a branch/twig. Will most likely look much more plump.
Quite common to not see them drink, but should get used to feeding in front of you after he settles in.
I just recently got one of mine to hand feed, but it took a lot of perseverance.
Good luck with him.

 

[blubudgie]

Yes quite normal. Have a look at him when he's asleep on a branch/twig. Will most likely look much more plump.
Quite common to not see them drink, but should get used to feeding in front of you after he settles in.
I just recently got one of mine to hand feed, but it took a lot of perseverance.
Good luck with him.

Okay thanks! I just keep worrying because he looks so small and fragile. Yeah normally he looks plump, so I was worried when I saw those ribs. Why do they look so skinny sometimes? O___o do they suck their belly in or something?

How did you get yours to hand feed?

 

[johnnyev]

I honestly don't know why they look so skinny? Maybe its all to do with camouflage? Makes them look more like a twig being all skinny like. Seems to only be when they are in hunting mode, that they go all thin looking.
Regards the hand feeding, i just did as i would with the larger species. Just get them well settled in & comfortable with your presence/fingers/hands in tank. Once they are ok feeding in front of you.Then just keep offering food via small tongs & then your fingers. At the end of the day there is no guarantee that any will take food from your hand. I have in fact been trying to get a female temporalis to hand feed for the past year, but she's having none of it. I think you have more chance with brevicaudatus though. They just seem so much more relaxed in captivity than any other species of pygmy that i have kept.