Veiled not eating

[TheGentleman]

Hey, my Veiled of about 1.5 yrs has been running around its cage for a while now; about two weeks. He was eating healthily for the two weeks until about three days ago when he stopped. Now the only thing he seems interested in when I open the cage door is trying to escape. He literally will grab his food bowl and start climbing up my arm (I hold the food bowl), which has left my arm with multiple scratch wounds. So I started putting his food bowl (of Dubias) in his cage. Still no eating. So then I starting placing the Dubias right in his sight and made them run around. Still nothing. He doesn't look sickly, and he moves around a lot, so I don't really know what to make of this. Anyone have any suggestions?

-Anthony

 

[carol5208]

Are Dubias the only thing you offering him? Maybe he is tired of eating the same old thing. Have you tried, supers, silks, hornworms?

 

[TheGentleman]

Yeah, I tried feeding him superworms. I am gonna get some waxworms this weekend though, maybe that will entice him. Any other suggestions?

-Anthony

 

[carol5208]

My chamelon was getting very fussy and quit eating crickets altogether. I did not want to go the route of starving him into eating crickets, so at the time I was feeding supers also. I cannot stand the site of the roaches so I don't feed them to my cham. I got some silkworms and he just loved them and I have been feeding them to him ever since. Those and hornworms too. there are locusts and some people feed moths, but I don't even know where you get locusts. Just try and be patient and hopefully he will come around. I know it is frustrating. I went thought that with the crickets and ended up setting about 400 of them free! If the non eating persists for too long you might want to get a fecal done just to make sure he does not have a parasite of some sort that could be affecting his appetite. I wouldn't worry about that just yet and try to introduce some other feeders and take it from there. One other thing, is he drinking and are his urates white? just wondering...Good luck anyways!

 

[TheGentleman]

He is actually drinking right now as I type this. I thought the same thing about his urates. I cleaned his cage just now so I can easily see what is going on with his digestion.

 

[carol5208]

Well that is a good sign that he is drinking. You have to worry about the dehydration part more than you do the eating. There was a guy awhile back on here who did not feed his chameleon for three weeks plus because he did not want to give into him because he would not eat crickets and was refusing to feed him anything else! the cham was still alive and kicking after three weeks!!! (Not saying this is wise to do or something I would do) You're only on three days!!!

 

[TheGentleman]

Good advice. I'll keep at it and come back if his condition starts to degrade. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[carol5208]

your welcome! I am sure that everything will work out and he is probably going through a phase. Keep us posted!