Advice on Alfred's appetite

[Alexander1]

• Your Chameleon - male veiled chameleon, about a little over 1 year old, I've had its since it was 3 months
• Handling - On the weekends he goes out for some sun about 2 times a week et for about 1 hour a a time, winter never really handle
• Feeding - crickets,super worms, butter worms, silk worms, horn worms,bsf, hawk moths, super worms, stick insects, leaf insects. Gut loading with cricket crack, bug burger, Dino fuel, repashy super load, alternate with dandelion leaves, carrots, kale, mustard greens, oranges, blueberries, mango, papaya,etc.
• Supplements - Reptical without d3 every feeding, with d3 2 times a month, HERPTIVITE 2 times a month
• Watering - hand spray in the morning and untill he starts to drink, repti rain the 3 times a day for 1minute interval
• Fecal Description - droppings when he does eat look ok, urates usually white, but sometimes have some orange tips or little chunks, I adjust watering for that.. Has been treated for pinworms and cleared about 4 months ago.
• History - pretty picky eater, used to eat everything on the menu but he is notorious for going on strikes..

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - 24x24x48 screen cage
• Lighting - reptisun 5.0 linear flourecent bulb, zoomed LED lighting, household bulb for basking, 2 flourecent bulbs for lighting
• Temperature- 80-90*f basking area, 72-75*f ambient
• Humidity - 40-80% with repti rain and cool most humidifier measures with 2 humidity/temp probes
• Plants - Artificial
• Placement - Living room corner, on a table about 1 1/2 tall. Low traffic, family is always out of the house.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Chicago

Current Problem - has stopped eating for about a little over a week, he was eating a batch of horn worms the last week he ate, but I haven't seen him eat since, he seems to be acting normal drinking water everyday, he's lost about 5g since I weighed him. He as 175g now he's 170g. Should I strut getting worried or give him a bit longer to get over his strike? He does seem to want to be out of his cage a lot recently, but I don't see anything that may be stressing him, everything is the same since he's been about 9 months old.

 

[Alexander1]

This is him now catching some sun, I'm trying to get a pic but he's slimming up and hiding behind a branch.

 

[Alexander1]

I called the vet and they want to do blood work and an x rays for a lump he had last visit that was ruled out a s just fat based on the visual exam

 

[Duma]

Hope everything turns out well!

 

[brownie64]

Good luck!

 

[Alexander1]

I had to re-schedule. He seems to be fine other wise. I hope this little guy doesn't have me spending all this money just being picky. I took him out for some sun today and he made a run for the bushes when I looked the other way, he had me chasing him all over, got all dirty...

 

[Alexander1]

Alfred popped today 2 little turds with the urate looking completely normal. Does that means he's eating when I'm not home? Poop=eating?
He seems completely normal other than not eating as much as before. I'm just worried I worry too much.. Ironic.
I don't blame the vets office for jumping on the opportunity to perform these test though. Any advice from any of our chameleon keeper gods?

 

[dtork]

I am actually having a similar problem with my Rudis... I have not seen him eat for like a week now, but he just pooped two big normal poops. He has also been hanging around in the cold bottom of the cage so I have been worrying. My female eats as soon as I put anything in there with her. He must be eating something right?

 

[Alexander1]

I hope so, there's some crickets missing from his feeder cup so I hope he ate them and they didn't jump out

 

[Alexander1]

Just got back from the vet, his blood work came out fine, mouth smear was fine, waiting on poop for a fecal.... He's eating randomly, 1-2 crickets, then back to food strike... I'm just going to give Alfred my money directly instead of dropping it off at the vets.. Geez.

 

[Alexander1]

 

[Alexander1]

1 day after coming back from the vet Alfred I eating like nothing was ever wrong, he ate about 5 crickets and Superworm . Smh.

 

[Alexander1]

Update, Alfred's appetite has "normalized" if that's the word. Nothing has changed in his care or set up except the ambient temperture, it's summer now in Chicago and the temps have soared to the mid 80's, so my guess is possible brumatiin period during the winter, makes sense to me, cooler weather may of simulated winter in the wild.. Thought I'd update this for future reference.

 

[Savedbygrace]

I'm having

I called the vet and they want to do blood work and an x rays for a lump he had last visit that was ruled out a s just fat based on the visual exam

a similar issue with my 7monrh old male. He seems to be pooping as normal but as he's gone into a bigger vivarium I can't tell if he's eating. He seems fine in himself but before he always took worms from from my palms and used to come down real quick when I ok locusts in. Now he's just sat there watching them crawl around him like he's not bothered. I changed his food up a little tried fruit and meal worms horned worms etc but 1 or two and then back to not eating again.. I know u booked Alfred in with the vets do you think I should wait b4 I go taking him? When should I be worried?

 

[oneillchameleons]

After they are about a year old I find my male chams especially slow down on their food intake. It seems they just know when there growth spurt is over. Looks great and healthy though!

 

[Alexander1]

I'm having

a similar issue with my 7monrh old male. He seems to be pooping as normal but as he's gone into a bigger vivarium I can't tell if he's eating. He seems fine in himself but before he always took worms from from my palms and used to come down real quick when I ok locusts in. Now he's just sat there watching them crawl around him like he's not bothered. I changed his food up a little tried fruit and meal worms horned worms etc but 1 or two and then back to not eating again.. I know u booked Alfred in with the vets do you think I should wait b4 I go taking him? When should I be worried?

A couple things you should take in to account

His/her weight, no more that 10% drop in weight

Are they drinking water and have normal urates

Has the behavior changed

They're strength/grip

I waited about 2 weeks, his weight was steady, he did it look or act sick, his urates where nice and white, behavior was almost exactly the same. Fecals and check ups should be done on a regular basis.

 

[LindsayG]

View attachment 157483

I'm pretty sure Alfred is flipping you off! I'm glad he's doing better now. He's a very handsome boy