Baby cham still not eating nor drinking much

[Skeeter_Boy]

My chameleon:
Hes a ambilobe panther chameleon. Male. I've had him for b days and he is a juvenile, (is what the breeders told me) so I'm assuming a few months old.

Handling:
I try not to even touch him much. I had to move his cage so I had to handle him during that. I've probably only touched him the day I got him, (putting him in his cage and making sure he looks fine). The day after and yesterday.

Feeding:
I'm placing about 8 crickets in his cage. Supplementing them with calcium no d3 for 5 days, calcium with d3 for one and a multivitamin for one, once a month. Although he hasent eating much. The brands are zoo meds repti calcium no d3, rep-cal calcium with d3, rep-cal multivitamins. I have some free roaming, and some in a home-made feeder thing where they climb up. I also place some on branches where he is near. They are small crickets, smaller than the width between his eyes.


Watering:
I mist for 3 minuets in the morning before i leave. during the day i mist one minuet every three hours in the evnings and at night, then another 3 minuets before he goes to bed

Fecal:
The urates are now more of a creme color with a bit of yellow at the end. He has not been tested. There are no reptile vets near me that I know of.

History:
nothing that i know of

Cage:
It's a screen reptibreeze large cage, 18 x 18 x 36.

Lighting:
I use a reptile basking bulb for heating, and a reptisun t5 HO 5.0 15w ubv light I have him on for 12 and off for 12

Tempature:
It's usually 65-61 at the bottom, and near 84 at the top I use two thermometers, one bottom and one top and a digital humidity gauge. I also have a thermostat for the head bulb set to 83-84
The lowest overnight temp is 60-55.
i try to keep it in the mid 70s in the middle of the cage

Plants:
I'm not able to use live plants, I use fake ones. I am planning to save up and upgrade his cage to a much bigger one and get live plants.

Placement:
My cage is in my room with a small curtain over the door so he doesn't see me. It's not by a fan and it's on top of my dresser, so high up. I have to use a stool to get to it.

Location:
I'm located in Utah.

Problem:
He ate 3 crickets the 9th day i had him. That's the only time he ate, and i had to put the crickets in front of him or he wouldnt be interested. The legs were ripped off so they couldn't move, because he gets scared when they move (as in literally goes the opposite way they're crawling). The same day i saw him drinking more water, so i was assuming he was getting better. Its now been 2 days since then and i dont think he's eaten at all. When i got home from school he was a ligher brown, but now he's a bit dark.

 

[Ridick]

He is probably in shock from a new place, new cage, new environment, you could make it warmer at the bottom in like 70s and make the basking spot warmer. It's hard to say anything without pictures, but call the breeder, ask him what he used to eat, he may be used to dubias, discoids bean beetles, etc. and now wouldn't be the best time trying to switch him to another feeder. If he is healthy, he won't die hungry, try feeding every other day, make sure he sees you when you put his food in feeder, and count them, then you will only know if he ate for sure. I know I'm trying myself to not supplement, or as little as possible, but my case is different. Being you, in the middle of the winter in Utah, not sure how far from window I would use the d3calcium almost every feed, and because you have heat on inside the house, apt. it is dry for him. Increase the misting to every hour if you can.

 

[Ridick]

Ah, and your temps are fine, It's just me thinking if he is sick, or just adjusting, warmer is always better. You got the good gradient so he will find his sweet spot where he want's to be. Good luck and let us know how you made up.

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

The breeders said they fed them crickets and meal worms. They also told me to double check my temps- He was doing really well a few days ago, and i haven't handled him at all in between, so it might just be from shock as you mentioned. I do hope he eats soon, as i don't want him to die though. I'm gonna order different bugs just in case, but I'd have to order them online and that might take a week. He often is just staring at the crickets in the feeder when i get home. Any suggestions as to what bugs i should order for him?


His cage isnt placed by the window, and ill start dusting the crickets with d3 more often. I'm now misting every hour for about a minuet (is the most my mister will allow me to do, the 3 minuets in the morning and night was me repeating the minuet setting manually.)

 

[Ridick]

well if they did crickets don't change it right away, he is getting used to the place and that was the food he is used to, so keep it that way. Put higher temps, do a lot more misting, and that should be ok, the d3 every other week is actually ok, see what temps and misting can do. Good luck.

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

I'll raise the temps and watch just in case for over heating. Ill update if anything happens.

 

[ERKleRose]

Welcome to the forums! Like @Ridick said, it could just be an adjustment period for your new guy! Could you post some pics of him and his cage, please? I also have some feedback, and it’ll be in red.

My chameleon:
Hes a ambilobe panther chameleon. Male. I've had him for b days and he is a juvenile, (is what the breeders told me) so I'm assuming a few months old.

Handling:
I try not to even touch him much. I had to move his cage so I had to handle him during that. I've probably only touched him the day I got him, (putting him in his cage and making sure he looks fine). The day after and yesterday.

Feeding:
I'm placing about 8 crickets in his cage. Supplementing them with calcium no d3 for 5 days, calcium with d3 for one and a multivitamin for one, once a month. Although he hasent eating much. The brands are zoo meds repti calcium no d3, rep-cal calcium with d3, rep-cal multivitamins. I have some free roaming, and some in a home-made feeder thing where they climb up. I also place some on branches where he is near. They are small crickets, smaller than the width between his eyes. His supplement schedule should be phosphorus-and-D3-free calcium every feeding, phosphorus-free calcium with D3 twice a month, and multivitamin without D3 twice a month for the supplements you have. You also need to either get a multivitamin with pre-formed Vitamin A in it or gel capsules of pre-formed Vitamin A. To make it easier, you could just get Zoo Med Reptivite with D3, and use it twice a month, with your Zoo Med Repticalcium without D3 on all other feedings. If you want to use the gel capsules, place a dot of the liquid from inside the capsule onto the back of a feeder once or twice a month. If you go the capsule route, use the schedule in my first sentence and add the capsule routine in with it. What do you gutload your feeders with?


Watering:
I mist for 3 minuets in the morning before i leave. during the day i mist one minuet every three hours in the evnings and at night, then another 3 minuets before he goes to bed

Fecal:
The urates are now more of a creme color with a bit of yellow at the end. He has not been tested. There are no reptile vets near me that I know of. I’d definitely get a fecal done on him, along with x-rays, bloodwork, etc. from an experienced chameleon vet. What city do you live in? This will help us find a vet for you.

History:
nothing that i know of

Cage:
It's a screen reptibreeze large cage, 18 x 18 x 36. He’ll eventually need a bigger cage as an adult. A minimum size of 2’ x 2’ x4’ tall, but preferably bigger.

Lighting:
I use a reptile basking bulb for heating, and a reptisun t5 HO 5.0 15w ubv light I have him on for 12 and off for 12 How far away are his basking and UVB bulbs from his basking branch?

Tempature:
It's usually 65-61 at the bottom, and near 84 at the top I use two thermometers, one bottom and one top and a digital humidity gauge. I also have a thermostat for the head bulb set to 83-84
The lowest overnight temp is 60-55.
i try to keep it in the mid 70s in the middle of the cage His temps could be a degree or two high depending on his age, I wouldn’t raise it. What are the daytime and nighttime humidity levels?

Plants:
I'm not able to use live plants, I use fake ones. I am planning to save up and upgrade his cage to a much bigger one and get live plants. The more live plants, the better! Just make sure you prepare them properly before putting them in the cage (cleaning them and putting rocks too big for your chameleon to eat over the soil in the pots).

Placement:
My cage is in my room with a small curtain over the door so he doesn't see me. It's not by a fan and it's on top of my dresser, so high up. I have to use a stool to get to it.

Location:
I'm located in Utah.

Problem:
He ate 3 crickets the 9th day i had him. That's the only time he ate, and i had to put the crickets in front of him or he wouldnt be interested. The legs were ripped off so they couldn't move, because he gets scared when they move (as in literally goes the opposite way they're crawling). The same day i saw him drinking more water, so i was assuming he was getting better. Its now been 2 days since then and i dont think he's eaten at all. When i got home from school he was a ligher brown, but now he's a bit dark.

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

Welcome to the forums! Like @Ridick said, it could just be an adjustment period for your new guy! Could you post some pics of him and his cage, please? I also have some feedback, and it’ll be in red.

My chameleon:
Hes a ambilobe panther chameleon. Male. I've had him for b days and he is a juvenile, (is what the breeders told me) so I'm assuming a few months old.

Handling:
I try not to even touch him much. I had to move his cage so I had to handle him during that. I've probably only touched him the day I got him, (putting him in his cage and making sure he looks fine). The day after and yesterday.

Feeding:
I'm placing about 8 crickets in his cage. Supplementing them with calcium no d3 for 5 days, calcium with d3 for one and a multivitamin for one, once a month. Although he hasent eating much. The brands are zoo meds repti calcium no d3, rep-cal calcium with d3, rep-cal multivitamins. I have some free roaming, and some in a home-made feeder thing where they climb up. I also place some on branches where he is near. They are small crickets, smaller than the width between his eyes. His supplement schedule should be phosphorus-and-D3-free calcium every feeding, phosphorus-free calcium with D3 twice a month, and multivitamin without D3 twice a month for the supplements you have. You also need to either get a multivitamin with pre-formed Vitamin A in it or gel capsules of pre-formed Vitamin A. To make it easier, you could just get Zoo Med Reptivite with D3, and use it twice a month, with your Zoo Med Repticalcium without D3 on all other feedings. If you want to use the gel capsules, place a dot of the liquid from inside the capsule onto the back of a feeder once or twice a month. If you go the capsule route, use the schedule in my first sentence and add the capsule routine in with it. What do you gutload your feeders with?
I gutload the feeders with carrots and sometimes apples.ill buy the gel and place them on the crickets

Watering:
I mist for 3 minuets in the morning before i leave. during the day i mist one minuet every three hours in the evnings and at night, then another 3 minuets before he goes to bed

Fecal:
The urates are now more of a creme color with a bit of yellow at the end. He has not been tested. There are no reptile vets near me that I know of. I’d definitely get a fecal done on him, along with x-rays, bloodwork, etc. from an experienced chameleon vet. What city do you live in? This will help us find a vet for you.
I live In enoch utah. I know theres a vet about 3 hours away from me that does reptiles, so I'll ask my parents if we can make an appointment if he doesnt get any better. They've refused me asking for a vet before, so hopefully they'll say yes.

History:
nothing that i know of

Cage:
It's a screen reptibreeze large cage, 18 x 18 x 36. He’ll eventually need a bigger cage as an adult. A minimum size of 2’ x 2’ x4’ tall, but preferably bigger.
Yeah, I'm planning on upgrading it when he gets older.


Lighting:
I use a reptile basking bulb for heating, and a reptisun t5 HO 5.0 15w ubv light I have him on for 12 and off for 12 How far away are his basking and UVB bulbs from his basking branch?
The basking and ubv arent far from his basking branch.


Tempature:
It's usually 65-61 at the bottom, and near 84 at the top I use two thermometers, one bottom and one top and a digital humidity gauge. I also have a thermostat for the head bulb set to 83-84
The lowest overnight temp is 60-55.
i try to keep it in the mid 70s in the middle of the cage His temps could be a degree or two high depending on his age, I wouldn’t raise it. What are the daytime and nighttime humidity levels?
The humidity at night Is usually 55-68%, and 70-85 during the day.


Plants:
I'm not able to use live plants, I use fake ones. I am planning to save up and upgrade his cage to a much bigger one and get live plants. The more live plants, the better! Just make sure you prepare them properly before putting them in the cage (cleaning them and putting rocks too big for your chameleon to eat over the soil in the pots).
Will do!


Placement:
My cage is in my room with a small curtain over the door so he doesn't see me. It's not by a fan and it's on top of my dresser, so high up. I have to use a stool to get to it.

Location:
I'm located in Utah.

Problem:
He ate 3 crickets the 9th day i had him. That's the only time he ate, and i had to put the crickets in front of him or he wouldnt be interested. The legs were ripped off so they couldn't move, because he gets scared when they move (as in literally goes the opposite way they're crawling). The same day i saw him drinking more water, so i was assuming he was getting better. Its now been 2 days since then and i dont think he's eaten at all. When i got home from school he was a ligher brown, but now he's a bit dark.

 

[ERKleRose]

-You’ll need more gutload ingredients, I’ll attach a care image for feeders and gutload. Getting the gel sounds great!
-Definitely take a fresh fecal (or 2-3+ samples) to the vet, as well as your cham for a check-up, if possible. Hopefully your parents let you!
-How many inches away from the UVB bulb is his basking branch?
-If you could switch your daytime and nighttime humidity levels with each other, that’s be perfect!

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

-You’ll need more gutload ingredients, I’ll attach a care image for feeders and gutload. Getting the gel sounds great!
-Definitely take a fresh fecal (or 2-3+ samples) to the vet, as well as your cham for a check-up, if possible. Hopefully your parents let you!
-How many inches away from the UVB bulb is his basking branch?
-If you could switch your daytime and nighttime humidity levels with each other, that’s be perfect!

I'd say the highest point is 4 1/2 inches away from the ubv bulb, although he likes to climb some leaves that are even closer to the heatlamp sometimes. He usually doesnt go this close though, and stays in the lowest part of his basking branch, which is about 7 inches. (Just because the branch is curved). I'll go to the store n buy more fruits n veggies. And for the gel, would it be something like this, or would it be like made for reptiles

 

[ERKleRose]

I'd say the highest point is 4 1/2 inches away from the ubv bulb, although he likes to climb some leaves that are even closer to the heatlamp sometimes. He usually doesnt go this close though, and stays in the lowest part of his basking branch, which is about 7 inches. (Just because the branch is curved). I'll go to the store n buy more fruits n veggies. And for the gel, would it be something like this, or would it be like made for reptiles

That’s too close for his UVB bulb and fixture. For a T5 HO 5.0 bulb, you’ll want his basking to be around 8-9” away. Here is the pre-formed Vitamin A gel capsules that I use. I use dog/cat insulin needles to get it out.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HQLCYW2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

I'm gonna lower the stick and I'll buy the vitamins. Hopefully he eats more

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

Update: this morning I got him to eat 3 bugs when he woke up. Theres a forth one near him but hes just looking at it. I havent seen him drink today but he might when I'm at school. The bugs legs were ripped off so he could eat them, because when I put them on a stick infront of him and they start walking he gets scared-

 

[kinyonga]

How big are the crickets compared to the space between the chameleon's eyes?

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

How big are the crickets compared to the space between the chameleon's eyes?

The crickets are smaller with the acception of the one big one in the batch that's ththe size of the eyes.

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

Another update. He's only eaten one cricket since making the last update. He's not sleeping during the day, he seems active and is watching my put his bugs in his cages as well as a few near him. His urates are white so at least I know he's drinking some. He could totally be eating other crickets than the ones I've put infront of him, because when he poops theres always something, more times a lot than others.

 

[Mendez]

Good, if his urates are white then he is drinking. I haven't seen my cham drink in over a year, but he's still alive and kicking! Such is the joy of the chameleon hobby. We tend to freak out when we don't see our chameleon do something--but as you have learned, you took a look at his poop and could see that he is in fact drinking.

He seems like he is shy. And the fact that you don't have live plants probably doesn't help. Acclimating a chameleon takes some time, but putting in a live bushy plant will only speed up that acclimation period. Live plants help keep in the humidity while also doubling as a security blanket. Fake plants pose a challenge when trying to fill out a cage with places to hide.

It is paradoxical. When you provide places for your chameleon to hide behind, instead of hiding, your chameleon will become bolder as he will feel safer knowing that he can hide if he wants to.

 

[Skeeter_Boy]

Good, if his urates are white then he is drinking. I haven't seen my cham drink in over a year, but he's still alive and kicking! Such is the joy of the chameleon hobby. We tend to freak out when we don't see our chameleon do something--but as you have learned, you took a look at his poop and could see that he is in fact drinking.

He seems like he is shy. And the fact that you don't have live plants probably doesn't help. Acclimating a chameleon takes some time, but putting in a live bushy plant will only speed up that acclimation period. Live plants help keep in the humidity while also doubling as a security blanket. Fake plants pose a challenge when trying to fill out a cage with places to hide.

It is paradoxical. When you provide places for your chameleon to hide behind, instead of hiding, your chameleon will become bolder as he will feel safer knowing that he can hide if he wants to.

Yeah, I need to save up for a bunch of live plants, but the only problem is that the cage isn't by a window, so I'm not sure if they will stay alive. I'm planning to upgrade him to a much larger cage when he gets a bit bigger, so I'll probably add all live plants in there