Won't eat

[Charliz]

Hi,
I have had Charlie, my Veiled chameleon for about three weeks. He has grown a lot and has always had a very healthy appetite. We let crickets loose in his cage and feed worms (butter and meal) by hand with great success. Usually he will eat 3 or 4 meal worms, or 1 or 2 butter worms plus 4 or 5 gut loaded + supplement sprinkled crickets per day. He has stopped eating the crickets though. Today he only ate 1 butterworm and the crickets are just hanging out a couple of inches from his face. He is also a much darker colour than usual and is much less active, just sitting under his heat lamp.

He is in a 72 gallon aquarium with a metal grate top. He has a hybiscus and pothos plant (which he also used to eat) and some fake plants. There is also a pond and waterfall. We have a 75w heat lamp and a 5.0 UVB bulb (I think). I know he shouldn't be in an aquarium, but we set it up before doing enough research The lady at the pet store seemed very knowledgable and said it should be ok for 1year - 1.5 years, and then we should get a larger screen cage.

My question is this: Is this a normal 'hunger strike' or is there something we should be doing differently? (Is a hunger strike normal?)

Thanks

 

[Nicodemayo]

post a picture of him so we can properly tell his age. Some juvies and adults will strike but this sounds like more of an illness from the way your setup sounds. As for the aquarium, waterfall, and pond thats a major red flag and a screen cage with a dripper should be used. The pond, aquarium, and waterfall is a breeding ground for bacteria. Also, you need to KNOW what bulb you have because without uvb exposure your cham is just counting the days he has left. Post a pic of him and everything you have setup. To me it sounds like this woman didn't know what she was talking about.

 

[Charliz]

I will tonight as soon as I get home.
Thanks for the quick reply

 

[nottscami]

i had a veiled that had this problem a few years back, i took her to the vets and the x-rayed her. It turns out she was constipated, they gave her some laxitive and within a few days her blockage had shifted and she was eatin fine again!! Im not sayin this is the problem with yours it is mearly a suggestion but if you are worried then my advice would be take it to the vets.

 

[Charliz]

Photos of Charlie







Here is the set up I have for Charlie. It is definitely a 36" UVB bulb and 75W sunglo in the heat lamp.

I was already suspicious of the pond/fountain and producing harmful bacteria as we put some small fish in it. The pet store assured us this would be OK. Charlie however does not go near the water or the fountain and gets his water from a home made drip above one of the plants, and I mist at least twice a day.

What do you think??

 

[jannb]

Is that water in the bottom of the tank?

 

[Julirs]

That is the ultimate bacteria breeding ground set up. You need to get him out of there ASAP. You really should completely redo that tank. Empty the water. All you will need in there is the cham, the plants, and the vines. Remove everything else. If those are little rocks that is a huge danger to impaction. The best way to go is simply a bare tank bottom. My immediate concern would be that he may have an upper respiratory infection being in that extremely high humidity.
My guy went into a 24X24X48 screen cage at 4.5 months-they are nearly full grown at 6-9 months so for someone to say a year to a year and 1/2 is interesting.
This is just another reason that pet stores make me crazy.

 

[Charliz]

Yup, water.

Thanks for all your help. We will overhaul his tank today.

 

[Dave Weldon]

...We will overhaul his tank today.

Howdy,

It was hard to tell if there is any plastic or glass between the surface of the UVB light and your chameleon or not? Also what brand is it?

What part of the world are you located? I sometimes have loaner screen enclosures for local pickup ...

 

[Charliz]

There is only a metal grate top between the UVB and the tank. I have taken Charlie out of the tank and put him in a plant by the window and he seems much happier (is a nice light green) but is laying on top of the bookshelf beside the plant by the heat lamp I set up there. I find this to be abnormal behaviour.

I am in Montreal, Quebec. A loner screen cage would be great. I have one but it is only 1 x 1 x 2 and I am worried that it will be too small even temporarily and will stress him out. We had him in it for a bit and he turned black and stuck to the side (didn't even go on the plants we had in there).

I will try and get a proper enclosure built as soon as possible. In the mean time, can I just leave him in my house plants? (non-toxic of course)

 

[Charliz]

I am happy to say that Charlie just ate 4 meal worms and started shedding! (first time in our care) I think this was the reason for his cranky listless behaviour and odd colouring. All this panic however gave us the kick in the pants that we needed to get Charlie a proper home.

 

[Charliz]

Charlie's new home







Here is Charlie's new living space. We have decided to go with a 'free range' as this is where he seemed most comfortable. I still have to hide the wires and hope (one day) to get some kind of automated misting system, but so far I am happy with how this all turned out.

I am so glad I found this fantastic site. If it wasn't for all this readily available information, and all of your quick responses, Charlie would still be rotting in his aquarium in the basement. Thankyou

 

[summoner12]

WOW the difference is like night and day between those two setups! It looks great. Just be careful of him wondering off from time to time. I hope you do not have any other pets that might like him as a tasty treat