Cham not eating not sure where to post this

javsto

New Member
either in health clinic or feeders but My cham hasent been eating as much as I would like him to or as suggested here on this forum. I feed him gut loaded crickets up to 3/4 inch size, hornworms, wax worms, meal worms, supers and Ive tried dubias but he just completely ignores those. He will eat every once in a while but most likely he will just stare at them or allow them to walk over and around him.

Ive had him checked out by a vet and she didnt find anything wrong with him. She told me to give him more watering options so aside from the mister I also hand mist and use a little dripper and am thinking about getting him a fogger.

One reptile store owner told me that it maybe due to the time of year and that chams tend to eat less during the winter months, they can tell what time it is even if they arent next to or in line of sight of a window and the outside world. Is this true and will his appetite return once the weather starts to warm up. Any ideas or thoughts on this?
 
Assuming that the age that Iwas told he was when I first purchased him was correct(2 months) then I would say that he is about 9-10 months old and he is a veiled cham.

When my veiled was 8 months old, he wouldnt eat everyday.
so i switched to every other day.

now at a year old, he eats every other day to every 2 days.

so try skipping a day of feeding
 
Interesting, my meller is also about a year and eating once every 3 days or more, just how he rolls i guess, he has every kind of feeder available...

One thing to check is your ambient and basking temps, generally they will have a healthy appetite if you are keeping them warm enough
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? male vieled, approx 10 mnths old, had him since may, 2011
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? only when cleaning cage, once a week at most and only when I have to clean under the plant that I need to move him from plant to out of the cage to another plant.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? crix, waxworms, supers, hornworms, mealworms, gut loading crix with frozen fruit blended mix from video I found on youtube. also use flukkers high calcium cricket feed. leafy greens for supers and mealworms like lettuce, kale, parsley
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? reptical with and without D3 but most often dust either washes off with mister or dripper before he eats them, if that.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? monsoon mister 30 second mist every 2 hours plus lil dripper in between and occasional hand mist when im home.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? most often dark brown w/white tip, sometimes darkblue, probably from a hornworm. I took him to the vet back in late december and he came back normal in health.History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. no

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? reptibreeze 18x18x36
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? 5.0 uvb, 60, 75, 100 watt basking bulbs over the coarse of the winter, lights on @ 7am off @ 7pm
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? night time temps range from mid 60's to low 70's, basking spot around 85 degress, lower 70's on floor.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? 60-70% humidity with flaps closed, 40% when flaps open( by flaps I mean aquarium background attached to both sides of cage by velcro and taped to back with double sided tape. nothing on front or top
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? large shefferela plus a purple flukkers and a couple of potted organic soil pots on corners to soak up extra water from mister and dripper
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? bedroom, two feet off floor on a 18x18 wooden stand.
Location - Where are you geographically located? Islip NY

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
see above.
 
When my veiled was 8 months old, he wouldnt eat everyday.
so i switched to every other day.

now at a year old, he eats every other day to every 2 days.

so try skipping a day of feeding

I allow his crix to free range as well as the horn and superworms ( ive tried to cup feed them but they just crawl out, Ive had a few hornworms actually become moths but they died soon after). Ive seen him eat or rather heard the leaves move and see him chewing every once in a while but not to the amount as when he was younger. the last time I saw him eat a large thick hornworm took several minutes but also was a few months back.
 
you shoudl upgrade him to his adult cage now.
that might do it too.

I plan on buying him a larger cage soon but I was also considering getting a female. would that help him start to eat more, maybe try to coax him with the possiblity of some *nyuk nyuk nyuk?
 
I allow his crix to free range as well as the horn and superworms ( ive tried to cup feed them but they just crawl out, Ive had a few hornworms actually become moths but they died soon after). Ive seen him eat or rather heard the leaves move and see him chewing every once in a while but not to the amount as when he was younger. the last time I saw him eat a large thick hornworm took several minutes but also was a few months back.

I cup feed all bugs except horns, which i hand feed.

the large ones can take a few minutes for them to eat. but they do just fine.
if you didnt provide the hornmoths with sugar water, they will die.
as adults they dont eat as much as a younger cham, cuz theuy are growing more.

as long as he does eat at some point, and urates stay white, hes fine.

every once in a while my guy will go 3 days without food, simply cuz he doesnt fee like eating.

or if hes eaten a huge fat hornworm.
 
I plan on buying him a larger cage soon but I was also considering getting a female. would that help him start to eat more, maybe try to coax him with the possiblity of some *nyuk nyuk nyuk?

doubtful.

and i would make sure the female cant see him.. or it can start her to produce eggs.
 
My male wouldnt eat every day from that age too!! He left feeders when I fed every day, so as per advie on here I just feed every other day. Although apparently normal for them to go a few days without food. Just make sure you keep him hydrated n he should be fine.

They eat least as they become adults.

Just feed every other day.

My boy is actually refusing to eat at all at the moment!! He had en eye problem and kept missing, then I put locusts in when he recovered, which he ignored, now I have put a silk in their with him and he won't eat that either. STUBBORN little git!! LOL
 
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