Veiled chameleon not growing

Zevil

Avid Member
Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Veiled chameleon, male, 8 months old. He's with me since December 2018, so 6 months.

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
I don't handle much at all. He doesn't really show aggression when my hands went into the enclosure to adjust the plants. He just watch me until my hands are too near and he'll move away slowly.

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Small crickets, red runner nymphs, hydei flightless fruit flies. He is not interested in dubia or bsfl.

What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I alternate crickets and red runners and feed the fruit flies for a few days per month. I feed in the morning after the early morning misting. I gutload the crickets and red runner with my own custom mix, oatmeal, barley, wheat, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and oranges/carrots/potatoes once a week.

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Repashy calcium plus lod. Dusting every time.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? I'm using MistKing, I have two nozzles spraying to the left and right side of the enclosure from the font. 5mins in the morning at 7.30am and 5mins at 5.30pm in the afternoon.

Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Yes a few times, I saw him washing his eyes and opening and closing his mouth during misting.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings.
Brownish black and white urates. Looks solid.

Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
No.

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I got it from a seller, he got it from a breeder. The breeder said he was the second smallest one from his clutch of eggs.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Back and front glass, side and top screen ( glass/screen combo). 2x2 feet and 4 feet tall.


Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Exo Terra daylight basking spot. Reptisun T8 5.0. 7am to 7pm.


Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)?
Ambient temperature 28℃. Enclosure bottom about 27℃. Basking spot around 30℃.

Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
26℃.


Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
I live in a tropical region. 60-80% humidity.

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Yes. Umbrella tree, dracaena, pothos, wandering jew, begonia rex, fittonia, pink earth star, coleus, succulent, 3 types of tillandsia.

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? My room. I'm out working during the day. Nobody else goes in my room. Not near any fans, air vents or traffic.

At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
It's 1.2m above the floor.


Location - Where are you geographically located?
South East Asia.

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
I had him for 6 months and he only shed twice from what I seen and grew slightly larger. I seen him eating everyday. A few people I know told me that it could be that the breeder sold me an unhealthy one with a genetic problem. Remember, he's the second smallest of his batch.
 

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Your telling me you’ve had him for 6 months and he’s still that tiny? My boy is about 10 moths and way bigger then that. Maybe a blood test and fecal test? @GoodKarma19 any ideas why he’s so tiny at 8 months?

He's about 6 inches now from nose to tip of tail. And I watch him eat almost everyday. Not sure how much he eat though. Maybe parasites? Or he is a really slow grower?
 
That's extremely abnormal - physically, he looks to be 3-4 months tops! While I wouldn't completely rule out genetic abnormalities, i'd definitely get at least a fecal sample checked, possibly bloodwork. My rescue veiled boy, Karma, was ~6 months old and very stunted (less than a 3rd of what he was supposed to weigh, and about half the size), and he was diagnosed with an extremely high parasite load that had severely damaged his GI tract and ability to absorb nutrients.

Your husbandry looks solid, otherwise. I'd suspect some form of parasite, and I'd get that checked and treated sooner rather than later.

I actually have an appointment with an exotic vet on the 8th June for my hedgehog annual general health checkup. I figured I should bring my chameleon too.

Call your vet and ask for a double appointment of possible, first. From experience, I can say vets dislike it when you bring an unannounced pet to another pet's appointment and start asking them questions! Bring a poop sample regardless; drop off fecal exams are permissible and considered "polite" haha! (y)
 
He's about 6 inches now from nose to tip of tail. And I watch him eat almost everyday. Not sure how much he eat though. Maybe parasites? Or he is a really slow grower?
Are these pictures current? Can you take pictures of back of back feet too please? I'd also consider getting a dehumidifier. 60-80% is much too high for Yemen chameleon during the day. Your homemade gutload could be an issue as well. I'm attaching some care sheets for you and also a picture of a 3month and a 6 month old veiled chameleon male. Your guy looks like he's 3 months old or younger.
chameleon-gutload.jpg
20190406_185935.jpg
 
That's extremely abnormal - physically, he looks to be 3-4 months tops! While I wouldn't completely rule out genetic abnormalities, i'd definitely get at least a fecal sample checked, possibly bloodwork. My rescue veiled boy, Karma, was ~6 months old and very stunted (less than a 3rd of what he was supposed to weigh, and about half the size), and he was diagnosed with an extremely high parasite load that had severely damaged his GI tract and ability to absorb nutrients.

Your husbandry looks solid, otherwise. I'd suspect some form of parasite, and I'd get that checked and treated sooner rather than later.



Call your vet and ask for a double appointment of possible, first. From experience, I can say vets dislike it when you bring an unannounced pet to another pet's appointment and start asking them questions! Bring a poop sample regardless; drop off fecal exams are permissible and considered "polite" haha! (y)

Thank you. I will call the vet as soon as possible.
 
Are these pictures current? Can you take pictures of back of back feet too please? I'd also consider getting a dehumidifier. 60-80% is much too high for Yemen chameleon during the day. Your homemade gutload could be an issue as well. I'm attaching some care sheets for you and also a picture of a 3month and a 6 month old veiled chameleon male. Your guy looks like he's 3 months old or younger.
View attachment 233782View attachment 233783

You thinking maybe it's a female instead?

The average humidity when it's not raining is 65%. Is that too high? My friends' chameleon looks a lot mor normal compared to mine. We live in the same region.

May I understand what's wrong with my gutload?
 
Sorry for the double post but here's an update.

I called my vet and I'm required to bring a fecal sample that has been passed out not more than 2 hrs. I told her that would be quite impossible, I never seem to find a fresh piece of poop of his. So I was told that I can provide stale poop but it might not be as inaccurate.
 
Sorry for the double post but here's an update.

I called my vet and I'm required to bring a fecal sample that has been passed out not more than 2 hrs. I told her that would be quite impossible, I never seem to find a fresh piece of poop of his. So I was told that I can provide stale poop but it might not be as inaccurate.
Fecal should be good for 24 hours in a ziplock bag and keep it in the fridge to keep it nice and fresh
 
You thinking maybe it's a female instead?

The average humidity when it's not raining is 65%. Is that too high? My friends' chameleon looks a lot mor normal compared to mine. We live in the same region.

May I understand what's wrong with my gutload?
Possibly but I can't tell with his back foot the way it is. Need to see his spurs. Still wouldn't explain the small size. Even a female Yemen is larger than that at that age. The gutload is lacking nutrition. I'd suggest adding bee pollen and a quality commercial gutload instead of the oatmeal and sunflower seeds.
 
Possibly but I can't tell with his back foot the way it is. Need to see his spurs. Still wouldn't explain the small size. Even a female Yemen is larger than that at that age. The gutload is lacking nutrition. I'd suggest adding bee pollen and a quality commercial gutload instead of the oatmeal and sunflower seeds.

Do I get bee pollen granules or powder?
 
Your post says you alternate and feed crickets, red runner nymphs and fruit flies a few days per month? Am I misunderstanding that? At that size I would be feeding him every day. He looks like he is two months old!
 
Your post says you alternate and feed crickets, red runner nymphs and fruit flies a few days per month? Am I misunderstanding that? At that size I would be feeding him every day. He looks like he is two months old!
No he is saying he alternates red runner and crickets as his staple. The fruit flies sounds like a special snack here and there
 
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