Lindseyj66
New Member
just got a new baby cham and cant get it to eat. i dont know if its not used to cup feeding or what, any suggestions
cant get baby cham to eat
- Thread starter Lindseyj66
- Start date
reptoman
Avid Member
Need more info. It would be good to see pics of your setup. How old is your baby? You should fill in the how to ask for help form but the pics would be very helpful to determine if there is a problem and how to fix it.
Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
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?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
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?
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Pictures are helpful
Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
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?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
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?
Location - Where are you geographically located?
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
Pictures are helpful
JohnDoe
Established Member
How old is the baby, and it may not be use to cup feeding. What are you feed and are you following the size rule of not feeding any thing bigger then the distance between the eyes. Also fill this out it will help other people help you with the issue if you have already filled it out then nevermind.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
JohnDoe
Established Member
ReptileLove18
Established Member
once you fill out the form we will be able to help more 
if you just brought the baby cham home, dont stress too much. it can take a week or even a little bit more for it to settle in to its new enviroment and start eating regularly.
if you just brought the baby cham home, dont stress too much. it can take a week or even a little bit more for it to settle in to its new enviroment and start eating regularly.
Lindseyj66
New Member
Chameleon- Veiled, female, aprox. 2 months, 24 hrs
handling- when i bought her, and when i put her in her cage
feeding- crickets, 5, gutload grain mix, fruit
supplements- repcal calcium every other day, and repcal multivitamin twice month
watering- drip- use bottle with little hole in bottom because when you tighten or loosen the lid you can control the flow- misting- i watch the humidity levels and since most people say keep humidity above 50% i decided to spray twice daily for a few minutes and if everything dries up or humidity drops, i spray for about 30 seconds which works, have seen cham drink twice since bought yesterday, at 9pm yesterday and 3 pm today
Fecal- only had cham little over 24 hrs no fecal
History- I planned on getting my cham myself, Ive had my setup for a month or two without a live creature, but my dad surprised me with one yesterday. I was going to buy a male that was 6 months to a year. the one my father brought home was from petco (crappy place to buy any animal) a "male" and they didnt know how old. so no tarsal spurs, so female, about 2-3 inches big. my set up is 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot, to big, but i have A LOT of vines and branches so there are a lot of paths and she doesnt just sit in one place, she moves every where
As explained a little earlier
Cage Type- Wire Mesh, 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot tall
Lighting- I threw the boxes away but since my house has a temp around 75ish i got a 75 watt day bulb by exoterra and 75 watt night heatlamp by exoterra, i also have a uva uvb light, i go on a 12 hour schedual with the day&uva/uvb and then switch to the night bulb
Temperature- Lowest is 70 at cage floor, basking 95, lowest overnight 60, two thermometers
Humidity- 50-70% drip, mist and i have towels on two side of wire mesh cage, i have a thing that measures that and i cant recall what its called at the moment
plants- no live plants
placement- only i go where its placed but its placed by a tv, not a frequently used one though
Current problem
I just bought this chameleon, not me, my father really, and she wont eat, i heard its usually stress from the move but im still worried because she already is on the skinny side
handling- when i bought her, and when i put her in her cage
feeding- crickets, 5, gutload grain mix, fruit
supplements- repcal calcium every other day, and repcal multivitamin twice month
watering- drip- use bottle with little hole in bottom because when you tighten or loosen the lid you can control the flow- misting- i watch the humidity levels and since most people say keep humidity above 50% i decided to spray twice daily for a few minutes and if everything dries up or humidity drops, i spray for about 30 seconds which works, have seen cham drink twice since bought yesterday, at 9pm yesterday and 3 pm today
Fecal- only had cham little over 24 hrs no fecal
History- I planned on getting my cham myself, Ive had my setup for a month or two without a live creature, but my dad surprised me with one yesterday. I was going to buy a male that was 6 months to a year. the one my father brought home was from petco (crappy place to buy any animal) a "male" and they didnt know how old. so no tarsal spurs, so female, about 2-3 inches big. my set up is 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot, to big, but i have A LOT of vines and branches so there are a lot of paths and she doesnt just sit in one place, she moves every where
As explained a little earlier
Cage Type- Wire Mesh, 2 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot tall
Lighting- I threw the boxes away but since my house has a temp around 75ish i got a 75 watt day bulb by exoterra and 75 watt night heatlamp by exoterra, i also have a uva uvb light, i go on a 12 hour schedual with the day&uva/uvb and then switch to the night bulb
Temperature- Lowest is 70 at cage floor, basking 95, lowest overnight 60, two thermometers
Humidity- 50-70% drip, mist and i have towels on two side of wire mesh cage, i have a thing that measures that and i cant recall what its called at the moment
plants- no live plants
placement- only i go where its placed but its placed by a tv, not a frequently used one though
Current problem
I just bought this chameleon, not me, my father really, and she wont eat, i heard its usually stress from the move but im still worried because she already is on the skinny side
ReptileLove18
Established Member
dont stress about her not eating, she still needs some more time to adjust, she should start eating soon.
what size of crickets are you offering her? at her size she should be getting pinheads maybe 1/4 inch crickets. the rule of thumb is dont feed anything that is wider than the width of your chameleon's head in order to prevent choking.
does the repcal have d3 in it? too much d3 can cause oversupplementation. the recommended schedule is calcium without d3 at nearly every feeding, calcium with d3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month.
if the ambient temp at night is not dropping below 55 degrees fahrenheit, you do not need a heat source at night. any light at night will disturb her sleep!
what kind of uvb light are you using? 10.0 0r 5.0? coiled or linear?
her basking temp is too high for her age, it should be about 85 degrees. the ambient temp should be 72-80 degrees. you can adjust the ambient temp by pulling the basking bulb up a little bit higher from the cage and seeing how that works for ya.
all of the tips i gave you are also gone over in this caresheet for veileds. if you havent read it yet i highly recommend reading it as a new veiled owner! it is packed with accurate, crucial info on their care. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
what size of crickets are you offering her? at her size she should be getting pinheads maybe 1/4 inch crickets. the rule of thumb is dont feed anything that is wider than the width of your chameleon's head in order to prevent choking.
does the repcal have d3 in it? too much d3 can cause oversupplementation. the recommended schedule is calcium without d3 at nearly every feeding, calcium with d3 twice a month, and a multivitamin twice a month.
if the ambient temp at night is not dropping below 55 degrees fahrenheit, you do not need a heat source at night. any light at night will disturb her sleep!
what kind of uvb light are you using? 10.0 0r 5.0? coiled or linear?
her basking temp is too high for her age, it should be about 85 degrees. the ambient temp should be 72-80 degrees. you can adjust the ambient temp by pulling the basking bulb up a little bit higher from the cage and seeing how that works for ya.
all of the tips i gave you are also gone over in this caresheet for veileds. if you havent read it yet i highly recommend reading it as a new veiled owner! it is packed with accurate, crucial info on their care. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
JohnDoe
Established Member
Well first things first they do not need night lights the infared night light you can get rid of. Secondly i believe the basking area is to high for a small female. I have kept mine around 84-86 degrees for my female since she was 3months old.She needs to be feed small crickets like 1/4 inch or maybe even pin heads
Read this has alot of info in it. Then read it again, and again, and again. Once your done Read it AGAIN. You can never have to much knowledge on chameleons
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Read this has alot of info in it. Then read it again, and again, and again. Once your done Read it AGAIN. You can never have to much knowledge on chameleons
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/
Lindseyj66
New Member
thank you for tips for her age because i was prepared for older because i know they are easier to take care of, i didnt want one this young as my first chameleon and had her sprung on me. and the uv is 5.0, no d3, 1/4 inch is what i use. what i thought would be the basking spot and what she uses are different. the place she uses is the temperature you said it should be
Lindseyj66
New Member
Great thanks to you all of you Chameleon Forums forumers lol. I Was completely freaked out by getting my little girl since i had planned on getting an older male i knew i was doing a few things wrong taking care of her and you guys helped me a lot. I read that sheet before but only paid attention to the needs for males so i went back through it a reread and reread it lol so i feel much better and not so stressed about doing something wrong and why shes not eating, so thank you again
ReptileLove18
Established Member
i definitely understand where you're coming from! but you should be fine with your little girl
any questions you have we are here to help! sounds like you are off to a pretty good start! glad you reread the caresheet, there isnt a huge difference for males and females until she gets a little bigger then she will need a lay bing 24/7 so that if you miss the signs of her carrying eggs she will have the opportunity to lay, there are some differences in different ages so its good you reread it!
keep us updated on how she is doing! and when she starts eating
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