Chameleon refusing food and actively climbing screens

[Ahab]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, Male, roughly 6 months old, in my care for almost two months
• Handling - once every week when I take it to sun bathing
• Feeding - my staples are mainly gutloaded (greens, carrots and oatmeal) large crickets and medium Dubia. Around 10-12 for banded crickets and dubia, or 6-8 for house crickets everyday. 1 or 2 hornworm as treat daily
• Supplements - Rep-cal Calsium without D3 daily; rep-cal multivitamin once every 7-10 days
• Watering - Ocassionally warm water mist with hand pumped sprayer; Auto misting system set for 40 seconds roughly every 2 hours when the lights are on, 8 times a day.
• Fecal Description - Feces: brown with a slight odor; urate: mostly white but pretty small in size. Hasn't been tested for parasites
• History - from a reliable breeder

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage 18*18*36
• Lighting - Reptisun T8 10.0 UVB; 75 watt heat lamp
• Temperature - 75-90F; Lowest overnight temp 65-70. Measured IR thermometer
• Humidity - Ambient humidity >50%, cage humidity maintained mainly by live plants and auto misting system.
• Plants - Live plants are used. Bromeliad and pathos.
• Placement - Cage in my bedroom, about 2 meter from the heating vent on the ceiling. Generally really quiet.
• Location - Northen California

Current Problem
My Cham has been acting differently since last week. He is losing interest in crickets and roaches, even Horn worms. He used to shoot them from my hand almost instantly when he saw them. And he has been ignoring crickets crawling on top of the cage and now I think he stops eating entirely. And, if I tried hand spraying, he would get on the screen and climb all the way up until he's hanging upside down on the top, even though I didn't spray at him. I also found him hanging out and crawling around on the screen more often lately, but he never did that before. He did a perfect full body shed two weeks ago, so his behavior changes should have nothing to do with preshed. As he has stopped eating and been acting abnormal energetic for the past two days, I'm worried but I don't want to put extra stress on him by taking him to the vet. Please help! Thanks!

 

[alphakenc]

Fecal test for parasites is highly recommend.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Panthers between the ages of 5 and 9 months of age often acts like this in my experience!

 

[ispeedonthe405]

At 5-6 months of age, all of my panther boys went through a period where they would spend about half their day doing gymnastics. The Cirque du Chameleon routine is, as far as I can tell, a normal part of adolescence.

Periodically going on strike against one or more types of feeders is also normal, and is not necessarily a sign of anything other than not wanting to eat that particular bug for a while. Now would be a good time to try mixing in different feeders to see if anything grabs his attention. Silkworms would be my first pick. Black Soldier Fly larva are also yummy (apparently) and can be found branded under various names (Repitworms, Calciworms, Phoenix worms).

Naturally if he refuses to eat anything at all no matter what you try, it's time to seek out a vet. But I would try some new foods first.

 

[phantomchameleon]

At 5-6 months of age, all of my panther boys went through a period where they would spend about half their day doing gymnastics. The Cirque du Chameleon routine is, as far as I can tell, a normal part of adolescence.

Periodically going on strike against one or more types of feeders is also normal, and is not necessarily a sign of anything other than not wanting to eat that particular bug for a while. Now would be a good time to try mixing in different feeders to see if anything grabs his attention. Silkworms would be my first pick. Black Soldier Fly larva are also yummy (apparently) and can be found branded under various names (Repitworms, Calciworms, Phoenix worms).

Naturally if he refuses to eat anything at all no matter what you try, it's time to seek out a vet. But I would try some new foods first.

Now imagine this is you will: You go into a circus. The tickets were expensive. 120 dollars. "It better be worth it" you mutter under your breath. You take a seat and wait impatiently. If half of this is waiting in the dark, you're out of there. You want to be impressed. With that want of yours, it ties in with impatience.
More waiting happens. Around 15 minutes. You want to get out of there now. You figure you can sell your ticket for at least half of what you paid for it to someone in the parking lot.
As you stand up, the lights go out, the spotlight directed towards the center. You sit back down and roll your eyes. Finally this thing started. You look where the spotlight is hitting... And there's... Nothing? Absolutely nothing. You look closer. Is that a... Chameleon? This chameleon is just standing there in the center of the stage, looking around with their cute independently moving eyes.
As a chameleon lover, you smile and chuckle a little. This must be a little joke that they have at the start of all of their shows.
Oh how you were wrong.
Tiny handle bars lower themselves from the ceiling, fit for the chameleons little alien karate chop hands.
"No..." You whisper "This isn't going to happen."
The chameleon latches onto the handle bars and they lift up off the ground. As soon as this happens the little guy starts flipping, jumping off and grabbing onto other handle bars. Some other chameleons joined in too! Jacksons, Pygmys, Veileds, Panthers, chameleons of all types were joining in on this professional circus event that was unfolding right before your eyes

It turns out you got really hyped up on some drugs given to you by a hobo and you just really loved chameleons and you hallucinated the whole thing.

 

[rminnis]

Probably time for a larger enclosure soon isnt it? That could explain the cage climbing.

 

[rminnis]

My veiled did the same thing until i moved him into a bigger place

 

[Ahab]

At 5-6 months of age, all of my panther boys went through a period where they would spend about half their day doing gymnastics. The Cirque du Chameleon routine is, as far as I can tell, a normal part of adolescence.

Periodically going on strike against one or more types of feeders is also normal, and is not necessarily a sign of anything other than not wanting to eat that particular bug for a while. Now would be a good time to try mixing in different feeders to see if anything grabs his attention. Silkworms would be my first pick. Black Soldier Fly larva are also yummy (apparently) and can be found branded under various names (Repitworms, Calciworms, Phoenix worms).

Naturally if he refuses to eat anything at all no matter what you try, it's time to seek out a vet. But I would try some new foods first.

Thanks! I just ordered some BSF larvae online. Hope he will take a bite

 

[Ahab]

My veiled did the same thing until i moved him into a bigger place

Thanks! I am searching for a larger one. Hope he will eat something though.

 

[alphakenc]

Generally every 6month for a vet check is always good for the cham,if a growing juvenile hasn't eating for longer then 1 week,then fecal test will be recommend,especially certain feeder like cricket can carry parasite , which will stop their appetite,its always better be safe than sorry unless u are sure your cham is 100 percent healthy.

 

[Ahab]

Generally every 6month for a vet check is always good for the cham,if a growing juvenile hasn't eating for longer then 1 week,then fecal test will be recommend,especially certain feeder like cricket can carry parasite , which will stop their appetite,its always better be safe than sorry unless u are sure your cham is 100 percent healthy.

Thanks! I called. Local vets won't be available until next month, but I did make an appointment though.

 

[alphakenc]

Ur welcome,in the mean time,try find his poop in the cage,if u can find the poops that means he is eating,just not in front of u.
There are 3 types of the main feeders u are offering,but he didn't get interested with any one of them,as the time goes on...it will raise a red flag for a growing 6month old,hopefully u can find the poops and see him eating soon.