Chameleon Won't Drink!!

[ocyr.05]

Hey all, so i've been struggling to get my chameleon to drink he pooped friday and his urate was half orange and white. His eyes are visibly sunken in and everyday since i've been trying to get him to drink. The day before that he had drank from my sink fossett and i've only seen him drink in his cage one other time. Since then i've been giving him showers with his plant and he just doesn't want to be there, he climbs all over me and just wants to walk around every time I try to get him to drink from the fossett or the shower. I know you can give them water through a syringe but I cannot find one anywhere I'm really worried about the little guy please help!

Chameleon Age: 1 1/2 Veiled Chameleon (I have had him for almost a month now).

Cage: extra-large reptibreeze screened cage ( I forget the measurements) three sides are covered in clear shower-liner to maintain humidity

Temp: 70 below his cage, 75 in the middle, and 85-90 in his basking spot.

Light: 160 watt uvb mercury bulb (It gets very cold in my apartment and drafty, I have not so great heat, so thats why I use a high watt bulb he seems to do fine with it and the humidity stays where it needs to be, It is getting warmer so I will be switching to a 100 watt).

Water: He has a dripper and I'm attempting to put two or three ice cubes around the cage to get him to drink as well.

Humidity: I have a humidifier that runs all day and night, in between mistings the humidity is around 40-45% and when I mist it goes to 80%

Location: He is in a corner in my living room not near any doors or drafty areas. Its not very loud in my apartment so hes not really disturbed.

Feed: Dusted crickets with Repashy calcium plus every other day they are size large. He doesn't seem interested in superworms or the greens I give him, he eats about 3-4 crickets on a good day, usually he'll eat two until they escape the cup and he'll go after them. I also cup feed.

 

[Andee]

How long are you misting for? Are you doing a fine mist? Warm water?

@kinyonga I think you are someone who also knows about mercury vapor bulbs and can help explain why NOT to use them. At the moment I am unable to explain it well.

 

[ocyr.05]

How long are you misting for? Are you doing a fine mist? Warm water?

@kinyonga I think you are someone who also knows about mercury vapor bulbs and can help explain why NOT to use them. At the moment I am unable to explain it well.

I mist for about a minute and yes I am doing a fine mist with lukewarm water

 

[Andee]

You might want to do a little bit heavier drops not too much, my panther likes it more like rain. And make sure it comes out warm when it hits him. And usually they won't be stimulated to drink for at least 2 minutes. If you can't mist him directly, mist above him so it falls on him. And occasionally mist him directly by just running over him for a second and then going back above him.

 

[kinyonga]

Sorry Andee I don't have a good answer for the mercury vapor bulbs.....but here's some information that might help people decide which lighting options are best...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/whatreptilesneed.htm

Please post a couple more recent photos so I can see him from the side. Thanks!

 

[Andee]

I will likely be able to do a more complete answer versus the lighting tomorrow, today my brain is not functioning on most topics well. So tired, the only ones that seem to be working are the usual ones like insects and simple answers like hydration

 

[ocyr.05]

Sorry I know this is a really crappy picture hes in his plant and he won't come to me. Now hes not eating and just stays in the same spot I did exactly as Andee said and nothing I'm really worried he seems more lethargic. I've already had a sick chameleon sold to me before and he was doing really well the first couple weeks i've had him.

Sorry Andee I don't have a good answer for the mercury vapor bulbs.....but here's some information that might help people decide which lighting options are best...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/whatreptilesneed.htm

Please post a couple more recent photos so I can see him from the side. Thanks!

 

[Bush baby]

I had a Veiled for approximately 7 years, and during those 7 years i NEVER saw him drink…not once. Now he was obvioulsy getting his hydration requirements met some how, or he would not have lived that long but my guess is that he was drinking minimally after i left, from the sprayed down leaves. I never owned a dripper/or mister, so he was either getting water by licking the leaves or by way of his food.

The advantage of having a Veilded is that they are sort of built like camels; their body is better equipped at meeting its water requirements through means other than straight water, unlike other chameleons.

Like i mentioned before, i never saw my Veiled drink. What i suspect is that he got all the fluid he needed by eating the fruits and veggies i made available to him; which he readily consumed right in front of me.

Orange and red bell pepper, collard, mustard and turnip greens, and blueberries were his favorites. He actually ate these more readily than he did insects. I would try leaving some of these food items in his enclosure and see if he rectifies his own hydration issues.

 

[Andee]

the picture once again is not helpful, sorry XD. Anyway, how long had it been since the current poop and the last one he had before it? Ok as far as your lighting goes, uvb combined with basking lights aren't good for chameleons, (not sure about other reptiles) they can easily tell the different between the light rays and will bask to get uvb, this is great in the sun since it can't burn them. But mercury vapor bulbs can easily burn especially in your size enclosure.

 

[MSMorgan]

You can also try hornworms to boost hydration. Get them big and fat on red, yellow or orange bell peppers and let him go for it! I've never had a cham that could pass up a hornworm.

 

[ocyr.05]

You can also try hornworms to boost hydration. Get them big and fat on red, yellow or orange bell peppers and let him go for it! I've never had a cham that could pass up a hornworm.

I will try those thank you! Where can I get hornworms?

 

[ocyr.05]

the picture once again is not helpful, sorry XD. Anyway, how long had it been since the current poop and the last one he had before it? Ok as far as your lighting goes, uvb combined with basking lights aren't good for chameleons, (not sure about other reptiles) they can easily tell the different between the light rays and will bask to get uvb, this is great in the sun since it can't burn them. But mercury vapor bulbs can easily burn especially in your size enclosure.

I posted some more pics from today and you can see a little bit there some excess skin and I tested it gently to see if it would go back to place and it didn't unless he puffs himself up, but he didn't like my phone so he scrunched himself up, so he is getting worse. Again I've been trying to encourage him to drink anyway I can, hes not eating now and just stays hidden in his plant won't move around his cage like he used to The last time he pooped was yesterday and the time before that was tuesday. Thanks for your advice on the lighting I will definitely look into better lighting!

 

[Andee]

What have you done to encourage him to drink?

 

[ocyr.05]

What have you done to encourage him to drink?

showers, drippers,ice cubes, warm water, i've tried holding him to the fossett drips and hes only drank from it once.

 

[Andee]

Have you tried... doing an oral syringe? I know you said you had issue finding those right? Well if you go on either ebay or amazon... both should have it. Look up, 1 CC syringe. You will want the oral syringe type, no needle. Anything from 25-50 would be useful at the moment, you shouldn't spend more than 10 dollars on that amount usually, and you might be able to get them to express ship it to you if you pay some extra cash.

I will advise you how to give him water with those once you get them.

Hornworms I get them from greatlakes hornworms (just google search it, it will pop up) buy a premade deli cup with medium/small sized worms, they will grow super fast and at the moment you should be feeding around 2 medium ones a day for like 2-3 days just to make sure he gets bumped up. Silkworms do well like this too.

With the syringe you can also do some pureed fruit or something, and that will add some sugar/electrolytes to the water which will help with any possible dehydration. I have dealt with severe dehydration before (worse than what your guy is shows) and it can be easy to get them back it just sometimes takes multiple back ups. There also may need to be a vet visit if he gets to the point he need IV fluids, but I am not sure that is necessary yet.

Are his eyes functioning?Like no signs of infection?

If you really really feel he's declining a vet check up wouldn't be bad in my opinion. If you can afford I am always all for being safe rather than sorry and I honestly can't see his day to day activity, so you would definitely know better.

 

[ocyr.05]

Have you tried... doing an oral syringe? I know you said you had issue finding those right? Well if you go on either ebay or amazon... both should have it. Look up, 1 CC syringe. You will want the oral syringe type, no needle. Anything from 25-50 would be useful at the moment, you shouldn't spend more than 10 dollars on that amount usually, and you might be able to get them to express ship it to you if you pay some extra cash.

I will advise you how to give him water with those once you get them.

Hornworms I get them from greatlakes hornworms (just google search it, it will pop up) buy a premade deli cup with medium/small sized worms, they will grow super fast and at the moment you should be feeding around 2 medium ones a day for like 2-3 days just to make sure he gets bumped up. Silkworms do well like this too.

With the syringe you can also do some pureed fruit or something, and that will add some sugar/electrolytes to the water which will help with any possible dehydration. I have dealt with severe dehydration before (worse than what your guy is shows) and it can be easy to get them back it just sometimes takes multiple back ups. There also may need to be a vet visit if he gets to the point he need IV fluids, but I am not sure that is necessary yet.

Are his eyes functioning?Like no signs of infection?

If you really really feel he's declining a vet check up wouldn't be bad in my opinion. If you can afford I am always all for being safe rather than sorry and I honestly can't see his day to day activity, so you would definitely know better.

Yah I don't think its too severe for right now I just ordered some syringes luckily I have amazon prime. I will defiantly try that and the hornworms. His eyes are functioning fine and there doesn't seem to be sign of infection so hopefully dehydration is his only problem. thanks so much for your help I appreciate it

 

[Andee]

Of course, I will link you to a thread I did to show how to give meds/force feed a chameleon safely. Honestly I have done it with small amounts of just water too and pureed fruits (I only every do like... .5 cc of water for an adult veiled at a time and then will come back maybe a couple hours later and do .2cc and then another .2cc in another couple hours... only do it three times a day... but usually once he gets rehydrated especially if it's the only issue he will start drinking and eating normally again)

 

[kinyonga]

Is this the chameleon that isn't eating too?

 

[Andee]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/medicating-chameleons-possibly-disturbing-pictures.156611/

I know forcing water on a chameleon sounds mean, but once they start drinking and getting rehydrated it will help a lot. And I have avoided IV fluids this way in emergency situations to make sure they are doing well before risking a vet visit. It honestly is less stressful in my opinion pushing some water into them every few hours by syringe, than getting stuck at the vet. Make sure the tip goes to the beginning of the throat.

@kinyonga And I don't think so, I think this guy's appetite dropped but there is a similar thread where the other one isn't opening her eyes?

 

[kinyonga]

This is the thread...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/chameleon-wont-eat.156893/#post-1342736

Op didn't come back to say whether the chameleon started eating or not...so it would be assumed that the issue was solved and no further replies were needed.