Chameleon only eating from hand

[Cheesecake19]

Hello,

Hoping to get some help for my Jackson’s chameleon. She is around 4 months old. I work odd shifts and twice a week am gone from the house for a 24 hour period. The problem is that she seems to only eat when I feed her from my hand. When I leave mealworms or waxworms in her food dish there aren’t any missing when I return. She eats crickets and I recently got fruit flies. But the crickets don’t seem to last too long. I need a way to get her to eat while I’m gone. I’ve tried moving the food dish to different spots and still no luck. Thanks for any help!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

@JacksJill

 

[JacksJill]

The mealworms and the wax worms may be the problem they are very fatty and mealworms are a very poor feeder in general. What do you men when you say "the crickets don't seem to last too long"? I would rather see her on a mostly cricket diet rather than these worms. I would reserve them as occasional treats.
It would be best to go over your husbandry and see if there is something else going on affecting her appetite.
If you can fill this out we might be able to solve this issue.
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.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Cheesecake19]

Sure thing.
1. Jackson’s chameleon, female, 5 months about. She has been in my care since Thanksgiving, she was gifted to me unexpectedly and I’m not completely sure of her age.
2. I don’t handle her often. Maybe once a month. I don’t want to scare her and she doesn’t seem to like it. I was hoping by hand feeding her that she would start to walk out onto my hand but that hasn’t happened.
3.She won’t eat any more than 3 worms a day. She’ll eat 5 or so crickets a day. The fruit flies I throw in a few times a week. I don’t gut load? I can look into that.
4. I use the calcium product that was given to me I’m not sure the Name I can look when I get home.
5. I use a Big Dripper. It’s hanging at the top of the cage and drips onto a leaf. I’ve seen her drink from it. I spray the leaves once or twice a day when I’m home.
6. Her droppings are small and I guess a dark color, maybe brown/black? She has not been tested for parasites to my knowledge.

Cage
1. It’s a vertical standing all aluminum open cage. This is apparently what the pet store people that she was bought from recommended. I’m thinking of changing it due to the humidity issues I have. It’s the Reptibreeze one and is 24x24x48.
2. Zoo Med double light, one is a daylight blue heat light and the other is a uvb light. I have it set on a timer to turn on at 8am and off at 8pm.
3. There’s a temperature gauge in the cage. It stays around 72 during the day and 68 at night.
4. I have a humidifier that pours into the cage. That is another problem I have. I have wrapped the cage in plastic but I still can’t keep the humidity up over 40 if the humidifier isn’t on. So if I’m home I keep it on as long as I can and when I’m not home I fill it up.
5. I have two live plants. One is a pothos and the other I can’t remember the name. I’ll try to post a picture.
6. The cage is not near any vents. It’s in the corner of a small room. It sits on the floor. Should I get something to boost it up? There is a window about 3 feet away.
7. I’m in Virginia, middle of the state.
**these are the only pictures I have of a good shot in my phone. I can take more when I get home.

 

[JacksJill]

My replies in blue
1. Jackson’s chameleon, female, 5 months about. She has been in my care since Thanksgiving, she was gifted to me unexpectedly and I’m not completely sure of her age.
2. I don’t handle her often. Maybe once a month. I don’t want to scare her and she doesn’t seem to like it. I was hoping by hand feeding her that she would start to walk out onto my hand but that hasn’t happened.
3.She won’t eat any more than 3 worms a day. She’ll eat 5 or so crickets a day. The fruit flies I throw in a few times a week. I don’t gut load? I can look into that. As I said earlier I would ditch the mealworms they are more like eating fat stuffed fingernails than food. I would break up the crickets in her diet with dubia, black soldier fly larva and grown flies, silk worms and horn worms. The wax worms are of occasionally but obesity is a problem for these gals and waxworks are fatty. The occasional super worm is OK as a treat.
4. I use the calcium product that was given to me I’m not sure the Name I can look when I get home. What I really need to know that she is getting calcium without D3 2-3 times a week and D3 only once a month and a multivitamin once per month.
5. I use a Big Dripper. It’s hanging at the top of the cage and drips onto a leaf. I’ve seen her drink from it. I spray the leaves once or twice a day when I’m home.
6. Her droppings are small and I guess a dark color, maybe brown/black? She has not been tested for parasites to my knowledge.

Cage
1. It’s a vertical standing all aluminum open cage. This is apparently what the pet store people that she was bought from recommended. I’m thinking of changing it due to the humidity issues I have. It’s the Reptibreeze one and is 24x24x48.
2. Zoo Med double light, one is a daylight blue heat light and the other is a uvb light. I have it set on a timer to turn on at 8am and off at 8pm. That light has very low output for a cage that large it would be best to upgrade to a linear T5 fixture and 6% light
3. There’s a temperature gauge in the cage. It stays around 72 during the day and 68 at night. Night time temps can go lower to 60˚F
4. I have a humidifier that pours into the cage. That is another problem I have. I have wrapped the cage in plastic but I still can’t keep the humidity up over 40 if the humidifier isn’t on. So if I’m home I keep it on as long as I can and when I’m not home I fill it up. 40% is fine for the daytime but you want over 80% at night. Expect this to change as you run your heater less this spring.
5. I have two live plants. One is a pothos and the other I can’t remember the name. I’ll try to post a picture. Adding more live plants can help with humidity
6. The cage is not near any vents. It’s in the corner of a small room. It sits on the floor. Should I get something to boost it up? There is a window about 3 feet away. She will be happier if she is up higher they are tree dwellers.