Concerned, Sleeping...

[blackbetty]

I tried to do a search, but I didnt get the answer I thought I would...so here goes..
Okay.. so after Leo had his hour in the sun, Im concerned. He has been sleeping now. I tap the cage and he wakes up. I have misted quite often and he drinks everytime except this last. Could he just be worn out from all the outside time? He hasnt eaten in afew days yet. Im wondering if he is going to shed soon. I took away his food 2 days ago in hopes that when I returned it today, it would spark his appetire. Nothing. I thought he was scared of the clear dish even though I have been using it, but maybe he grew some weird fear of it..so I replaced it with a ceramic and tucked it into the tree but within tongue shot. Nothing. He is eating crickets, supers, and Dubias, dusted. All the same amount are int here..the same amount I put in 2 days ago, still in there.. Sigh. I know the temps are changing/fluctuating here and Im doing my best to maintain them in his cage. Basking is about 82-86. Humidity is 48-64 when its just misted. His urates are good....Nothing else has changed except that I put a humidifier int here but its not in cage or even directly blowing at him. Its in the middle of the cage and its a cool mist but no mist comes out (Reli on).. I think thats it. UVB is only 2 months old if that, 60 watt bulb for basking..Did i miss anything?

Last time he slept, it was a high stress change. Nothing like that has happened.. He is left alone all day except today when I basked im outside.. could that just be it? He was stressed from being moved and me snapping pics? (Gosh I hope so!)

 

[Howdyco]

Did this happen right after him being out in direct sunlight for an hour?

Based on what has happened to my cham with UVB-over exposure, is that even a remote possibility for that length exposure? His symptoms sound similar to the one's Flash is battling.

Good Luck.

 

[blackbetty]

IT wasnt very hot though and the way he sat, he wasnt even int he direct light.. half-3/4 of his body was in the sun, but never all of it..And yes, he has been fine up until then..well not eating for a few days however..but drinking great...his eyes are a tad sunken though..

 

[Howdyco]

You said -the cham was - well not eating for a few days however..but drinking great...his eyes are a tad sunken though..

When did the non-eating stop relative to going outside?

 

[blackbetty]

Since I moved him back into the bedroom about 2 weeks ago, I have yet to actually see him eat. I know he has since things have been gone from the cup.. He will no longer hand feed..However, about 4 days ago, he hasnt touched his food, hence why I thought he might start a shed..but he was active, even coming out of his cage to roam around.. and then today he started sleeping AFTER i took him outside.. Here is apic from outside.Like I said, his eyes are a TAD sunken..here they are from stress of being outside and my kids who would not stop running around, but they are not as bad inside the cage, Which I dont get since he drinks great.

Any help with dehydration besides showering? He HATES that...(he bit me last time)

 

[blackbetty]

There ar emore pics in my Meet Leo thread under Gen Photography.

 

[kinyonga]

His head pads are not as full as they should be. You said he hasn't been eating for a few days...about how many??

 

[sandrachameleon]

are you sure he's eating what goes missing from the cup, rather than the bugs perhaps escaping? Could he be enticed with a waxworm or some other treat to eat?

 

[CleanLineChameleons]

How hot was it there? Was he in direct sun light? I know it has been around 80+ here the last couple days...that is too hot to leave a panther outside all day in direct light, even if there is a plant, it isn't the same as being in the shade. I would only suggest taking him out for an hour at a time and if it is 80 mist him once during that hour. Also, you may want to let things crawl in his cage, he was always eager to eat free roam feeders. He doesn't look bad, but he has lost a little eight. Try to let him be for a few days, just mist him feed him and give him some time alone.

But yea, it may have been too hot.

Chris

 

[summoner12]

Solitaire animals...

Try to let him be for a few days, just mist him feed him and give him some time alone.

But yea, it may have been too hot.

Amen! Time for some alone time.

 

[blackbetty]

Alright, I thought I posted the info, but maybe that was another thread..Probably Leos thread.. it reached a MAX of 75 if that.. He was in part shadea nd the plant was misted. He was out No more than 1 hour, if that as I was very freaked out he was gonna bolt so I sat there staring at him. LOL..

He wont eat. I dont have waxworms, I tried a hornworm and nothing..he used to grab em outta my hand but he wont anymore... Its been 5 days since i "thought" he last ate..I actually havent seen him eat since I moved him back into my bedroom 2 weeks ago...

His lights kicked on 30 min ago. I was giving him time to wake up. Gonna go check on him now..

 

[blackbetty]

OKay.. He still hasnt eaten and his eyes are pretty bad. I took a chance on losing fingers and force fed him.. Well, not really..just mad ehim angry enough that he opened a mouth and in went a hornworm..I misted and he is drinking (which is something that has been constant)...

Edit: After some much coaxing with a mirror, I gothim to open up again and got down 2 dusted dubias and a super (not all at once of course). He is sitting with the last Dubia in his mouth glaring at me.. he has remained his angry colors for about 5 min now until I was so intimidated I left the room..

But t least I got something in him..now Im just letting him be in hopes that it will revive his hunger and he will be merry again..

 

[haleybobl]

Have you tried any Reptaid yet? At this point, I would think he has got to be stressed out since being at your house. He has been moved twice (after being shipped), taken outside, fluctuating temps, showered, force fed, ect. Sounds like a lot of change for a poor cham, and that would cause much undue stress.

 

[blackbetty]

You know what..I *think* you people are trying to help..but to come at me and accuse me of basically abusing my chameleon is getting old.. I moved him because I thought it would HELP and when it didnt, I moved him back. People post pics up and down this site of their cham being outside, held, poked and prodded, and no one harasses them. I didnt force feed. I showed him his reflection (as people have done on this site and posted with pics and video recordings and what do they get? Hassled? No they get..Ooh pretty colors, nice cham, ect ect ect!!!) and he opened his mouth. I then put food in and he chewed. I didnt pry him mouth open or stick a syringe down his throat. I am so sick and tired of being told in around about way that I am inadequate to care for my chameleon.

I am done. People on here dont want to help, they want to make people feel lesser than they are.

Case closed. Leo and I will no longer be members of this site. What happened to offering advice or concern, Not telling me that everything I have done since "since he was in my care" is WRONG.. Geez...

 

[chamelisa]

Hey Amanda, I'm glad you got some food in him. It's just hard to know what is going on with him without actually seeing first hand. But you're describing things well.

I think when you (or anyone for that matter) ask for advice, too many responses from too many directions causes confusion. So take what you think applies to your situation and leave the rest.

If it was only 80 out and you were out there with him for the hour he was in the sun, and he was hiding in foliage AND looked like he was doing the normal basking, I highly doubt he overheated. He looked like he was basking normally in those photos.

But to me in the photos, he did look like he didn't have any food in his belly and he is a little dehydrated.

At this point you can correct any issues that could be wrong with his set-up.

I set my chameleons up with one tree that fills their cage. There are branches that go horizontally to allow for basking and cover. Depending on the chameleon, plants are trimmed to allow more or less sun exposure. Maybe you have too much going on in the cage.

I like to simplify my cages for easy cleaning and monitoring of feeder intake. Also, feeders aren't allowed to hang out in the cage for very long. I'm always afraid they will eat the chameleon at night. Those crickets can be quite nasty.

If it were up to me, I'd simplify your cage, put him kind of high so he has a way to perch higher than your eye sight. I'd also let feeders freeroam and only those which he will eat. If they are hiding in the plants, then he can't eat them.

I'll try to think of some other ways to help. Not sure if any of this helps at all, but just brainstorming and wanted to help.

OKay.. He still hasnt eaten and his eyes are pretty bad. I took a chance on losing fingers and force fed him.. Well, not really..just mad ehim angry enough that he opened a mouth and in went a hornworm..I misted and he is drinking (which is something that has been constant)...

Edit: After some much coaxing with a mirror, I gothim to open up again and got down 2 dusted dubias and a super (not all at once of course). He is sitting with the last Dubia in his mouth glaring at me.. he has remained his angry colors for about 5 min now until I was so intimidated I left the room..

But t least I got something in him..now Im just letting him be in hopes that it will revive his hunger and he will be merry again..

 

[chamelisa]

Amanda,

There are people here who do want to help. You have to ignore the rest.

 

[blackbetty]

I heart you, Elisa.

for those of you who dont think i am serious about taking care of Leo, he has a vet appt on Sat with Dr Corwin in Nashville.

Now Im off to clear his cage and just stick the giant shefflera I have int here in hopes that maybe that will relieve him.

THANK YOU ELISA.

 

[chamelisa]

It will just make figuring things out way easier for you.

Here's a picture of the second cage I ever built. I built it to house three dwarf panthers. They are a small species and this cage made it so hard to find them. Looked pretty nice but NOT the best idea I've ever had.

Keeping several chameleons as I do now, a cage like that would be ridiculous. It wasn't even practical back then. Simplicity in housing makes cleaning easier. You can see if there are uneaten bugs roaming around. You can see poops soon after they are left. Lots of reasons for simplicity.

Stick around, ok?

I heart you, Elisa.

for those of you who dont think i am serious about taking care of Leo, he has a vet appt on Sat with Dr Corwin in Nashville.

Now Im off to clear his cage and just stick the giant shefflera I have int here in hopes that maybe that will relieve him.

THANK YOU ELISA.

 

[blackbetty]

Update

He hasnt eaten but I havent tried feedig him since he ate a bit this morning. I have updated his cage and I hope its okay?

He spent 2 hours staring out the window while I did and was very happy.. Since in his cage, he slept about half in the shchefflera for an hour and then moved up to his normal basking. He is bright orange.. Not sure what to make of that. I think he is used to seeing everyone but he is rather hidden this way. I have lots of vines going in and out and all about. Temps are steady and humidity is great.

Thanks Again Elisa..

So, what temp is adequate to let him bask in the sun? Its going to get cold again here tonight but just for future reference. Its been about 72-75 the last few days.

 

[chamelisa]

I think every day that he can warm up in the sun is good. It has been pretty cold here for California. Mid 60s-ish. But the sun is warm when we're sitting in it.

You want as much light as possible getting through your cage so your chameleon can benefit from it.

Your new plant looks like it might be a topiary. I'm sorry to say, that's not such a good choice for a few reasons. No branches or foliage at the bottom, and it's a big bush on top blocking all of your UVB.

If you just bought that plant, take it back. Sorry. Get one that is bushy all over and you can thin it out. For a panther, you would want the tree with the thickest branches on it. Those ficus tend to be at least three years old but how can you know that at the nursery? Okay, just look for branches as thick as your fingers. You're a little thing so maybe as thick as your thumb at least.

If you are stuck with that plant, would you mind cutting away a bunch of the inside branches to clear some of the area out for your chameleon?

I wish I was there. I'd fix it for you. LOL