Baby Panther not eating

[Xsunflowereyesx]

• The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Panther Cham, 3 months, male. Only been in our care for a week.
• Handling - How often do you handle him?
• Only handled him once
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• 10 small crickets every day in the morning, gut loading with carrots, apples and bananas.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Calcium without d3 every other day
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Mist every 2 hours for 60 seconds. Yes he drinks
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• First two days he had yellow urate but after he’s had normal, firm healthy poop with white urate.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Screen cage 16x16x36 I believe
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Reptibask 100w bulb and a reptisun 5.0 uvb
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Cage floor reads 70-75 and the top ranges from 90-95. Overnight time 70. Measured by digital thermometer.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Humidity stays around 50 ambient and 70+ after misting. Use a humidity gauge in the middle of the cage
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Yes we use live plants, gold shefflera and Brazil philodendron
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Hes located on a table about 3 feet off the ground. There is a fan on at night but he has a blanket over his cage at night. Medium traffic area. Top of the cage is around 7 feet off the ground.
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
• Midwestern Illinois
• At first our Cham (Roshi) was eating great. He ate 10 crickets the first three days. After that he’s stopped and hasn’t eaten for three days. Yesterday we fed him a wax form and he ate that no problem, but shows no interest in crickets anymore. I’m just wondering if there’s anything i could be doing to make him not want to eat.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Your basking temps are way too high, like 10 degrees too much. Try 80-85 degrees and see how how that works out. Your basking light is a very high wattage for such a small enclosure with your conditions, lower it to maybe a 60 or 75 watt standard incandescent that you can get at Target, make sure it is white. Happy Chameleon Keeping, and Happy Holidays!!!

 

[Squirrelington]

Hope he starts eating, my best wishes to your little guy. You could try some other foods too, my Cham is weird, he loves squished berries, and you might want to try other bugs like dubia cockroaches, I switched over last year from crickets, and they are much more filling. Hope something works!

 

[CJ's Exotics]

• The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Panther Cham, 3 months, male. Only been in our care for a week.
• Handling - How often do you handle him?
• Only handled him once
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• 10 small crickets every day in the morning, gut loading with carrots, apples and bananas.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Calcium without d3 every other day
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Mist every 2 hours for 60 seconds. Yes he drinks
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• First two days he had yellow urate but after he’s had normal, firm healthy poop with white urate.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Screen cage 16x16x36 I believe
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Reptibask 100w bulb and a reptisun 5.0 uvb
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Cage floor reads 70-75 and the top ranges from 90-95. Overnight time 70. Measured by digital thermometer.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Humidity stays around 50 ambient and 70+ after misting. Use a humidity gauge in the middle of the cage
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Yes we use live plants, gold shefflera and Brazil philodendron
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Hes located on a table about 3 feet off the ground. There is a fan on at night but he has a blanket over his cage at night. Medium traffic area. Top of the cage is around 7 feet off the ground.
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
• Midwestern Illinois
• At first our Cham (Roshi) was eating great. He ate 10 crickets the first three days. After that he’s stopped and hasn’t eaten for three days. Yesterday we fed him a wax form and he ate that no problem, but shows no interest in crickets anymore. I’m just wondering if there’s anything i could be doing to make him not want to eat.

I forgot to add this, but you should be feeding a variety of feeders.

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

Your basking temps are way too high, like 10 degrees too much. Try 80-85 degrees and see how how that works out. Your basking light is a very high wattage for such a small enclosure with your conditions, lower it to maybe a 60 or 75 watt standard incandescent that you can get at Target, make sure it is white. Happy Chameleon Keeping, and Happy Holidays!!!

Oh my goodness!! Thank you for letting me know. Going to the store now.

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

Hope he starts eating, my best wishes to your little guy. You could try some other foods too, my Cham is weird, he loves squished berries, and you might want to try other bugs like dubia cockroaches, I switched over last year from crickets, and they are much more filling. Hope something works!

We would be getting a variety of different foods, but our temps here in Illinois have been so cold that all the feeders anywhere in stores have died in shipment.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

We would be getting a variety of different foods, but our temps here in Illinois have been so cold that all the feeders anywhere in stores have died in shipment.

As long as he has food, he should be fine, but once the temps are better, nutritionally wise, it is better to have a variety of feeders.

 

[Flamegurl]

My Cham is only eating crickets, and doesn't touch the meal worms that are offered. Both crickets and worms are offered in same cup...the pet store representative mentioned waiting on giving the Dubai roaches as he is still young. He's 3-4 months now. Temps and water and humidity are fine. He came from the reptile store that was misting the cages instead of using drippers if that makes a difference. I am thinking he just doesn't want the worms.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

My Cham is only eating crickets, and doesn't touch the meal worms that are offered. Both crickets and worms are offered in same cup...the pet store representative mentioned waiting on giving the Dubai roaches as he is still young. He's 3-4 months now. Temps and water and humidity are fine. He came from the reptile store that was misting the cages instead of using drippers if that makes a difference. I am thinking he just doesn't want the worms.

You should not be feeding mealworms, they could cause impaction. Please don't post on other people's threads, it gets confusing.

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

As long as he has food, he should be fine, but once the temps are better, nutritionally wise, it is better to have a variety of feeders.

We’ve got him set up with a 75 watt incandescent bulb now. The basking temp is reading 82. I also went to the store and got super worms as that was the only food item besides crickets that haven’t died in shipment. Are those okay to try and feed as a staple food item?

 

[kinyonga]

I recommend that you dust the insects at almost every feeding with a phosphorus-free calcium powder...twice a month with a phosphorus-free calcium/D3 powder and twice a month with a vitamin powder.
I would recommend you add more different things to what you feed/gutload the insects with...dandelion greens, kale, endive, escarole, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, berries, melon, pears, etc.
This likely has nothing to do with the eating but it's important for the husbandry.

Thee phildendron may be poisonous too...check on line and remove it if it is.

Is the reptibask light white?

Lowering the baking temperatures might help the eating...not sure

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

I recommend that you dust the insects at almost every feeding with a phosphorus-free calcium powder...twice a month with a phosphorus-free calcium/D3 powder and twice a month with a vitamin powder.
I would recommend you add more different things to what you feed/gutload the insects with...dandelion greens, kale, endive, escarole, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, berries, melon, pears, etc.
This likely has nothing to do with the eating but it's important for the husbandry.

Thee phildendron may be poisonous too...check on line and remove it if it is.

Is the reptibask light white?

Lowering the baking temperatures might help the eating...not sure

I could not find anything about the philodendron plant. I’ll do more research and take out if I find anything. He seems pretty uninterested in it anyway, hasn’t touched it once. Our incandescent light is white. I’ll start feeding the insects with more variety. We’ve just started at this so we’ve been feeding with what we’ve had in the house. Our temps outside are expected to get -14 this week, so finding new insects to feed is almost impossible at the moment.
Unrelated question: HOW do you keep these pesky crickets contained?! I thought I’ve been doing a great job but somehow three have escaped and I’ve seen them roaming on the floor.

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

I recommend that you dust the insects at almost every feeding with a phosphorus-free calcium powder...twice a month with a phosphorus-free calcium/D3 powder and twice a month with a vitamin powder.
I would recommend you add more different things to what you feed/gutload the insects with...dandelion greens, kale, endive, escarole, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, berries, melon, pears, etc.
This likely has nothing to do with the eating but it's important for the husbandry.

Thee phildendron may be poisonous too...check on line and remove it if it is.

Is the reptibask light white?

Lowering the baking temperatures might help the eating...not sure

Also, with him not eating for several days, I fed him a wax worm and he seemed to like it. Today I fed him another one. I know they are fatty but I want to keep the weight on this little guy. He eats them so I am happy. Will try supers in the morning. Sorry to ask again but are they a good staple food item? He seems to have no interest in crickets right now.

 

[kinyonga]

Do you know the Latin name of the plant?

You said..."HOW do you keep these pesky crickets contained?! I thought I’ve been doing a great job but somehow three have escaped and I’ve seen them roaming on the floor"...welcome to the world of chameleons!!

It's ok to give it a couple of waxworms now and then. Some fat is good for vitamin a storage.
The superworms are ok too because they can be fed/gutloaded as easily as the crickets..but variety is still a good thing! Sometimes they get hooked on supers though and then done want the crickets.

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

Do you know the Latin name of the plant?

You said..."HOW do you keep these pesky crickets contained?! I thought I’ve been doing a great job but somehow three have escaped and I’ve seen them roaming on the floor"...welcome to the world of chameleons!!

It's ok to give it a couple of waxworms now and then. Some fat is good for vitamin a storage.
The superworms are ok too because they can be fed/gutloaded as easily as the crickets..but variety is still a good thing! Sometimes they get hooked on supers though and then done want the crickets.

No, I do not. I got it from a local greenhouse. I might take it out anyway because it’s just a good hiding spot for the crix.

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

Here he is, snoozin away. I’ll try the supers tomorrow, I hope I get some results!! I love the little fella. Just paranoid as I want him to be happy and healthy.

 

[kinyonga]

Many of the phiodendrons are toxic so it's likely best to remove it.

 

[Xsunflowereyesx]

Many of the phiodendrons are toxic so it's likely best to remove it.

It’s been removed!! Thank you!! Do you know of anything else that could be wrong with what I am doing? He’s eaten three super worms today so that’s a plus atleast!! How many should he be eating per day?

 

[hopps31]

He is so cute!!

You will find that they like their privacy to eat, are you free roam feeding or are you dish feeding?

It’s been removed!! Thank you!! Do you know of anything else that could be wrong with what I am doing? He’s eaten three super worms today so that’s a plus atleast!! How many should he be eating per day?

It depends how big are they?

 

[kinyonga]

Are the crickets the right size to fit in his mouth easily?
As hopps31 said...for the mealworms it depends on the size how many he'll eat.
This might help you...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/02MarDonoghue.html