Chameleon not eating any advice

[yamahar6wme]

My female 7-8 month old Yemen has stopped eating I feed her on wax worms, crickets and veg she hasn't eaten since yesterday I gave her a couple of wax worms in morning and she hasn't eaten her crickets I took them out last night and put them back in this morning and she has shown no interest in them. She normally loves her food and eats very well. Any advice

 

[camimom]

Shes getting fat on wax worms.
shes being a pestulant teen and wants dessert (waxworms) before dinner (crickets)
Stop feeding wax worms (as these are high in fat anyway) and only offer her crickets.

you can also try skipping a day of food and then try to offer bugs again.

 

[nightanole]

shes a female "of age". It might be time for every other or every 3rd day feeding. its also time for weight control, males you can over feed and they just get fat, females get egg binding etc.

 

[AngieL]

Hi! There are a few different reasons why a Cham won't eat. She may be looking for a bit more variety. Wax worms should be kept for treats only, they are high in fat and have a poor nutrition value. Some better choices are silkworms, roaches, locust, grasshoppers, butterworms, hornworms, Phoenix worms. Chameleons have been known to go on hunger strikes when fed too many treats, they'll hold out for more treats and refuse to eat anything else.

Another reason could be that she has eggs. A female of that age is capable of making eggs on her own and this will be more likely if she's been fed a lot of food and has higher range temperatures. Has she been going to the bottom of her enclosure lately? Do you have a laying bin in there for her?

Either way it would be helpful if you could post some pictures of her and fill out this form please, just copy and paste https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[yamahar6wme]

No she only goes to bottom to eat and I only give her wax worms 2 a week. She has been very bright coloured lately greens blues and orange dots

 

[mcbdz]

Hello, As mentioned above Filling out the questionnaire will help us help you. Also pictures of her would help. If she has changed her coloring?pattern there is the likely hood of her being gravid. Do you have a laying been for her? will post a link. Just one possibility though.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

 

[GabeCastro]

Sounds like a food strike.

My vet told me to stay away from waxworms, and to replace them with Phoenix worms. Phoenix worms are HIGH in calcium but they don't wiggle as much, so hand feeding them is key.

You cham is just patiently waiting for their waxworms, just don't give in! Eventually your cham will start to eat. This may take up to 3-4 days but you can always offer new feeder insects aswell. Anything with wings will drive them crazy.

Here's the feeders I'd suggest:

Phoenix Worms, Calcium Worms, & Repti-Worms are all the same thing
Crickets
Super Worms
WaxWorms (stay away)
Hornworms
Silkworms
Locust/grass hoppers
Mantids
Stick Bugs
Katydids
Moths
Bee's (recommend not to be fed, but people do. Freeze them for 10 minutes, take the stingers out then let them thaw out and come back to life )

Or she could be on the move to lay her eggs

 

[yamahar6wme]

Thanks for all the advice can't take pic of her as soon as I put my hands near her she goes mad she is blue,green,reds and orange and brown if she mad I have noticed a bigger belly i have never had a cham before been readying stuff up but all different advice

 

[kinyonga]

Sounds like she may be producing eggs. Does she have a place to dig in her cage?

 

[yamahar6wme]

No I am going to get a tub and sand tomorrow

 

[Coliosis]

Your girls colours sound just like my female veiled, and I've been told by people on here that those are gravid colours. Did you get her a lay bin today? I just put a lay bin in for my female, even though I haven't seen her going to the bottom much. Nothing yet though, I guess we'll have to wait and see....

 

[yamahar6wme]

Yes I got her 1 she has been going down to it but nothing as of yet she still hasn't eaten

 

[phylicia]

Rango Jr Dilemma

My Guy didnt eat for weeks..tried all different snacks even silk worms..had fecal tested ..was normal..if you can put him/her outside sun would help thats the only free cure I did and he seems to be getting better..he is shedding now and I still havent seen him eat but he just made a stool with out me forcefeeding him to get one. He started to shed today..I did put him on a no food strike for 3 days..seems to be normal again..looking better..keeping my fingers crossed..

 

[phylicia]

Rango Jr Dilemma

My Guy didnt eat for weeks..tried all different snacks even silk worms..had fecal tested ..was normal..if you can put him/her outside sun would help thats the only free cure I did and he seems to be getting better..he is shedding now and I still havent seen him eat but he just made a stool with out me forcefeeding him to get one. He started to shed today..I did put him on a no food strike for 3 days..seems to be normal again..looking better..keeping my fingers crossed..

 

[yamahar6wme]

I can't put her outside its too cold and she won't let me near her tries to bite me everything time I put my hand in

 

[yamahar6wme]

She finally ate today