Do chams smell?

[fuzzhc]

Hi, just a quick question.

I have had a male veiled for the past 2 and a half years, firstly in a glass exo terra terrarium and then and exo flexarium and not once when he has done the toilet have I smelled anything at all.

Now, on the 29th June I purchased a female ambilobe at around a month old. Currently she is being housed in the veileds old tank (yes it has been disinfected) and every time she goes to the toilet it is really smelly, like soon as I open the tank doors I get hit with the smell.

I am wondering should I get a fecal sample done? Or is it normal for a chams urate to smell and my veiled was just an unsmelly one lol?

One thing I have done differently this time is feed the ambilobe as much as she can eat a few times a day as oppose to when I first got my veiled and was given 2 boxes of food and was told that would last 2weeks, in other words didnt feed him anywhere near enough the first while I had him.

 

[JeffJo]

I think stinky feces is a sign of parasites, and you should feed your chams as much as they will eat offering food several times a day.

 

[fuzzhc]

I think stinky feces is a sign of parasites, and you should feed your chams as much as they will eat offering food several times a day.

I suspected as much, just confirming.

I do lol learnt that about 2years ago a while after buying my first.

 

[Erwin]

So if its parasite, what should be done??

 

[Psychobunny]

I think "stinky" is too subjective. All poop smells bad!!
But if it's really rank, terrible, like you can smell it 8 feet away, then there is a problem.
First, you would need to collect a freash sample and do (or have someone do) a fecal float exam.
If it stinks THAT bad, the cham is probably loaded with them and you may even be able to see them yourself with proper preperation.

You can buy your own fecal float test kit that even comes with a cheap (but effective for the job) microscope for $18.00.

You can DIY

Making a positive ID on what you see is the hard part.

There are charts available that show what the common parasites look like and how to treat your cham.

If you dont know were to buy the kit, and want to DIY, I will PM you the info.

 

[Simon1986]

My two's poo smell like something's died and I had a fecal on them both 2 weeks ago and they were clear of parasites,

On the subject of whether they can smell I think they can, my male is well aware that there is a female in the same room, he can't see her but has seen her, he knows if she's been on me and crawled up my arm because his body language will differ because he will hump my arm, (not the most plesent experience as he rips my arms apart with his claws). So I'm guess he can smell her or a ferromone she releases.

 

[camimom]

I had my male veil tested because his poo seemed rank.

He had no parasites, and I had him tested again 2 months later, still clean.

So, while they do smell, if it seems obnoxiously so, its best to have a float done.

However- if you are keeping them in a glass cage, that can also have something to do with it. because the air doesn't flow as well.

 

[fuzzhc]

Thanks forbthe replys guys!

It does smell however I wouldnt say that it is rank, just a smell that over powers the tank. I was just a little worried because my veiled has never smelled even when in a glass tank.

Im thinking it could be down to the amount im feeding her as compared to the veiled or even because the majority of feeders are crickets, I did notice that when I had my beardies they would stink alot more when fed on crickets compared to locusts.

Suppose a float test would never hurt! I dont know of any shops that would stock them so would be easier getting one from a vets. Does anyone know how much roughly they cost?