Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Male, and I've had it for 8 months.
Handling - Never/Rarely.
Feeding - Chameleon is fed gutloaded(high calcium grain, potato, carrot, collard/mustard/turnip greens) and phoenix worms. It refuses to eat anything but this, and I have tried.
Supplements - Repcal Multivitamin once a month and Herpcare Calcium+D3 once a week.
Watering - Sprayed heavily 4+ times a day; at least 2 minutes of spraying each time. Has a dripper.
Fecal Description - Stool is normal, but I have been working on reducing dehydration(orange urate) for some time. We had a dry winter.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen, 36x18x18
Lighting - Repti-Glo 5.0 UVB, replaced at 6 months. 100 watt basking light(soon to be changed to 60 once temps stabilize here). No night heat.
Temperature - Basking is ~90f. Lowest it gets at night would be 70f. I have used a temp probe thermometer to check this.
Humidity - Slightly higher than average, but around 50%.
Plants - Dracanae, purchased today(......)
Placement - My room. Low traffic.
Location - Michigan.
Current Problem - Occasionally, less than 5%, my Chameleon will not hook the cricket. This is not good, but considering I've been fighting against dehydration, and he's doing better than a few months ago, I accept this *can* happen, especially with larger crickets. However, today I purchased an Anita(?) Dracanae, after checking the safe plant list, and moved it into his cage. I watched him go about his business, and saw him try and catch a cricket. He didn't latch, but then proceeded to do this strange movement with his jaw and extend his tongue outward. It was almost as if he was vomiting out his tongue. This was strange. He sat for a few minutes, then tried another cricket, missed, and then did the exact same thing. I have *never* seen anything like this before with him. He has had some problems in the past, but I have not seen him fail to latch a cricket/worm in over 2 months. He is a good eater, too, as I put in at least six 3/4'' crickets" 5 phoenix worms a day. He never eats them all, but I offer them.
What is this? Is this cause to be alarmed? Is this plant poisonous? Am I overreacting? He's a very, *very* shy lizard, and I know he's stressed today as this was the only time I've ever picked him up(had to to add the plant and clean the cage out). Please help, as I'm a nervous wreck.
(I'm going to work soon, so will be unable to respond until later).
Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon, Male, and I've had it for 8 months.
Handling - Never/Rarely.
Feeding - Chameleon is fed gutloaded(high calcium grain, potato, carrot, collard/mustard/turnip greens) and phoenix worms. It refuses to eat anything but this, and I have tried.
Supplements - Repcal Multivitamin once a month and Herpcare Calcium+D3 once a week.
Watering - Sprayed heavily 4+ times a day; at least 2 minutes of spraying each time. Has a dripper.
Fecal Description - Stool is normal, but I have been working on reducing dehydration(orange urate) for some time. We had a dry winter.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen, 36x18x18
Lighting - Repti-Glo 5.0 UVB, replaced at 6 months. 100 watt basking light(soon to be changed to 60 once temps stabilize here). No night heat.
Temperature - Basking is ~90f. Lowest it gets at night would be 70f. I have used a temp probe thermometer to check this.
Humidity - Slightly higher than average, but around 50%.
Plants - Dracanae, purchased today(......)
Placement - My room. Low traffic.
Location - Michigan.
Current Problem - Occasionally, less than 5%, my Chameleon will not hook the cricket. This is not good, but considering I've been fighting against dehydration, and he's doing better than a few months ago, I accept this *can* happen, especially with larger crickets. However, today I purchased an Anita(?) Dracanae, after checking the safe plant list, and moved it into his cage. I watched him go about his business, and saw him try and catch a cricket. He didn't latch, but then proceeded to do this strange movement with his jaw and extend his tongue outward. It was almost as if he was vomiting out his tongue. This was strange. He sat for a few minutes, then tried another cricket, missed, and then did the exact same thing. I have *never* seen anything like this before with him. He has had some problems in the past, but I have not seen him fail to latch a cricket/worm in over 2 months. He is a good eater, too, as I put in at least six 3/4'' crickets" 5 phoenix worms a day. He never eats them all, but I offer them.
What is this? Is this cause to be alarmed? Is this plant poisonous? Am I overreacting? He's a very, *very* shy lizard, and I know he's stressed today as this was the only time I've ever picked him up(had to to add the plant and clean the cage out). Please help, as I'm a nervous wreck.
(I'm going to work soon, so will be unable to respond until later).
