chameleon stop drinking

[dodolah]

hey guys.
Since the fires, i no longer able to let my 3 months old cham bask in the sun.
Lately, he's been throwing tantrum.
But 2 days ago, he stop drinking altogether.
His eyes a bit sunken now.
I spray him directly (from a distance) and kinda forced him to drink.
He did gulp here and there but he hates to be sprayed and often run away.

He won't drink during the misting and he won't touch the dripper either.
But, he keep eating normally.

He hasn't been shedding at all actually (i got him from kammerflage when he's 2.5 months old).
I wonder if it is about time for him to shed (he has been growing quite well).
Is shedding cause him to drink less?

I'll post picture asap.
how to trick him into drinking? perhaps thru eating, since he's eating very well?


thks

 

[kinyonga]

Does he show any signs of breathing problems....mouth open, head raised?

Be careful when you are "forcing" him to drink by spraying him that he doesn't aspirate the water or that you don't shoot it at him hard right in the mouth.

You could drip water on him while he is eating....but, again, be careful that he can handle it.

 

[dodolah]

Does he show any signs of breathing problems....mouth open, head raised?

Be careful when you are "forcing" him to drink by spraying him that he doesn't aspirate the water or that you don't shoot it at him hard right in the mouth.

You could drip water on him while he is eating....but, again, be careful that he can handle it.

he never opened his mouth or raising his head.
I don't know why he just stop drinking but still eating voraciously.
but the eye looked a bit sunken.

I don't shoot him directly but i aim a little bit higher and let the mist drip on to him.
He kind of drink for a bit when the water fell into his mouth.
But, i can tell he doesn't like the spraying that much.

I try a fruit slice (strawberry).. but he just look at the slices and make a funny confused face and just ignore it later on.
Oh man.. he looked a bit better after the spraying..
I don't want to introduce shower to him as he is a bit too young.

 

[davider]

.
how to trick him into drinking? perhaps thru eating, since he's eating very well?


thks

i thought about this but i havent had the chance to do it yet...

get waxworms that are refridgerated bc they wont move get some sort of way for a shot or something to inject water into the waxworm..(or butterworm i just wouldnt do it to a worm thats moving bc i feel bad if they wiggle and feel it)
but give it a shot if you cham likes worms it will worm and it sounds pretyy good no?
goodluck
-David

 

[davider]

i thought about this but i havent had the chance to do it yet...

get waxworms that are refridgerated bc they wont move get some sort of way for a shot or something to inject water into the waxworm..(or butterworm i just wouldnt do it to a worm thats moving bc i feel bad if they wiggle and feel it)
but give it a shot if you cham likes worms it will worm and it sounds pretyy good no?
goodluck
-David

sorry it sounds like giberish...

shoot some water into a worm wax or butter

if you cham likes worms this will work its my theory just havent tried it yet

goodluck

-David

 

[dodolah]

sorry it sounds like giberish...

shoot some water into a worm wax or butter

if you cham likes worms this will work its my theory just havent tried it yet

goodluck

-David

hey that is a good idea...would the worm die though?
I haven't introduced worm yet to his diet..
i'll do it soon..
I wonder how do you get an injection needle in LA?
(I live in LA too)

 

[Dyesub Dave]

I generally don't see my chams drink at all !! I spray at least twice a day. Of course I generally don't sit and watch them for 1/2 and hour to see if they drink either. I assume that they're drinking because they're all still alive and if they weren't drinking I don't think that they'd last very long.

I feed silkworms as well as crickets. Silkworms are full of calcium - among other nutrients - and moisture. You can usually get silkworms in various sizes too. So I would definitely give that a try and then you know your cham is getting some moisture!

Dyesub Dave.

 

[dodolah]

guys this really concerns me..
i think i started to see his eyes sunken even more (but not to a point where there is no bulging anymore...)
I'll buy silkworm..
but i wonder where i can get it ASAP?
plus he's still a baby (3 months)
i don't want this thing to progress.
here are the photos..
Is it really bad?
if possible i would like to avoid visit to a vet..
but, if it is really necessary, i will go

 

[dodolah]

i think i might schedule a vet visit..
now my cham is definitely dehydrated..
sigh

 

[davider]

i think i might schedule a vet visit..
now my cham is definitely dehydrated..
sigh

thats a good idea but try the injection of water if you can find a shot by anychance
i dont know if i can find one in la like said above
goodluc
-David

 

[dodolah]

Now i am totally confused.
Why is that my chameleon eyes are sunken (dehydrated) but the poop is moist and slimy -just a moment ago?
arghhh

 

[kinyonga]

Eyes don't only become sunken if the chameleon is dehydrated....in fact the chameleon can become quite dehydrated before the eyes sink in. They can sink in because the chameleon is sick as well.

 

[dodolah]

yes... i think so..
Well, i am taking him to the vet at 11.30 am..
wish him luck guys..
thanks for all the replies..
i'll tell you guys what happened tomorrow

 

[dodolah]

yeah.. i think kinyonga is right... he might not b dehydrated at all but experience other sickness.
i am readying the large critter keeper with plants and food so he can go to the vet less stressful.

 

[dodolah]

Just went back from the vet.
She is also confused.
The eye is definitely sunken.
but the poop is moist and normal.

She analyze the feces (my cham poop at that moment)
and negative on the parasites.

She is now officially don't know what to do and told me to just go back and do the normal routine while waiting for a chameleon specialist to come on wednesday.

sighhhh..

 

[Brad Ramsey]

This is a young chameleon. I had periods with Kitty while he was growing up when the eyes seemed a bit sunken. I'm not entirely sure that this is not a result of them growing so fast during this period of their lives.
I think you should definetely keep a close eye on the situation and visit the specialist....but don't freak out too much yet.
Eyes are staying open during the day?
Eating okay?
droppings look good?
I believe you will answer yes to all the above questions...if so, don't panic.
Please let us know how the visit goes with the chameleon Dr.

-Brad

 

[dodolah]

This is a young chameleon. I had periods with Kitty while he was growing up when the eyes seemed a bit sunken. I'm not entirely sure that this is not a result of them growing so fast during this period of their lives.
I think you should definetely keep a close eye on the situation and visit the specialist....but don't freak out too much yet.
Eyes are staying open during the day?
Eating okay?
droppings look good?
I believe you will answer yes to all the above questions...if so, don't panic.
Please let us know how the visit goes with the chameleon Dr.

-Brad

you were right.. i do answer yes on all of the above.

In fact his appetite has been nothing but wonderful.. always finished his 20 small crickets. and lately has been very social to me (not to others).. when he's afraid of something, he always run to me. He's a bit afraid of my girlfriend ..

The funny thing, i only handle him once when i need to clean his entire cage.
I also set up the cage the same way per your advice.

(it's very weird, huh? is it ever happened to you? every 8 am in the morning, he will always come to the same spot and when he sees me, he always come to me asking for foods, i guess).

Thank you, Ramsey..
I am a bit calm now.
I will report again when Dr Tom Greek diagnose my cham.

 

[dodolah]

Today is the first time i saw my guy drinking.. he just went straight under the dripper and open his mouth and let the dripper do the job for him. after a few drops he went eating like crazy.

I also Just got back from the specialist.
my baby has got a clean bill of health.
He just shed yesterday and perhaps that's why the skin gets wrinkly and the eye appear sunken.
no parasites found.
Bone and jaw are in perfect condition.

he is 3 months old (a week less) and he weigh 10 gram

the only thing that the vet said is my cham has a bit of an attitude
he tried to bite the vet couple of times.
feel glad that this is over.

thanks all

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy Dodo,

Just to check on one thing... Many keepers often find that having the chameleon's enclosure placed above their eye level tends to give chameleons more of a sense of security. They tend to feel less threatened when they can look down on things (keepers) rather than things looking down on them .

 

[dodolah]

Howdy Dodo,

Just to check on one thing... Many keepers often find that having the chameleon's enclosure placed above their eye level tends to give chameleons more of a sense of security. They tend to feel less threatened when they can look down on things (keepers) rather than things looking down on them .

he's currently at the highest place possible in my bedroom..