Flan neck (Rango) doesn't want to eat!!!!

[Priscilla]

Good day.

I hope someone can help me, my flap neck doesn't want to eat.

I did fill out that questionare so that someone can help me please!!!!!!!

It was in the wild, but my brother-in-law took it captive about three to four months ago, and he did eat there. Now I have Rango for two days, and it doesn't want to eat!!!!

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon:Flap neck (Will load pic to verify)
Handling:Three times a day for about 5 mins
Feeding:I feed him small crickets, about ten a day, in the afternoon, i don't know what to gut-feed him (new to this)
Supplements:I only use calcium, don't know the brand name, but i know it is peach flavour, that is what the petshop gave me.
Watering:I mist his vains, and plants. I mist about every hour, for about 1 min. I don't see him drinking.
Fecal Description:I didn't look for any dropping, so i don't know. no, it haven't been tested for parasites.
History:He did live at my brother-in-law without correct lighting a terranium. He is living with me now with coorect lighting and terranium.

Cage Info:
Cage Type:It is a combo(glass and screen). Not sure about the dimension, will take it, but it is if i should think out of my head, it is about 1 m x 1 m
Lighting:My Uvb light is a Reptisun 5.0, my infrared is a 100W, not sure about the type. I put the UVB light on about 6:30 in the morning and switch it off at 5 in the afternoon, my infrared stays on day an night.
Temperature:In the day, i try to keep it between 25 degrees celcius and 29 degrees celcius, and at night at 21 - 23 degrees celcius. I measure it with a monitot that measures temperature and humidity.
Humidity:I try to keep it between 50 and 65. I create this by misting the cage
Plants:I don't have any live plants. Don't know what type of live plants to put in, would love to put in some live plants.
Placement:It is in my living room, near my sliding door, i put it therefor the morning sun that comes in there, if i open the other windows in the home, there is a nice draft coming through, we do live in a busy street. It is about 2 metres from the floor.
Location:I live in South Africa, Pretoria

Current Problem:Rango doesn't want to eat for two days now, and i don't see i drinking.

HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!

Moving it to a new location may have upset it enough that it won't eat. It might be upsetting it that you're handling it too.

Is it a male or female?

Was your brother-in-law feeding it WC insects? If so, I would think that it would have had enough nutrients but unless it was getting UVB it wouldn't likely be getting enough D3 to use the calcium.

I don't know what to tell you about plants except to make sure they are non-toxic and have been well washed...both sides of the leaves.

You could set up a dripper...just use a deli cup or plastic cup or bottle that has a tiny hole in the bottom of it so that it drips at the rate of one or two drips per second.

For a basking light you can use a regular incandescent household bulb in a hood. (The red is not a good idea.) If you need heat at night (and you shouldn't unless the temp. in your house goes below about 16C or 17C.

Here's some information that will explain supplements, gutloading and a few other things....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it. At that size you only need to feed it every two or three days. Feed it enough that it doesn't get fat (and, of course, doesn't get thin either).

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium). Not sure how to tell you to dust WC insects if that is what you will be doing.

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.

 

[Priscilla]

Welcome to the forum!

Moving it to a new location may have upset it enough that it won't eat. It might be upsetting it that you're handling it too.

Is it a male or female?

Was your brother-in-law feeding it WC insects? If so, I would think that it would have had enough nutrients but unless it was getting UVB it wouldn't likely be getting enough D3 to use the calcium.

I don't know what to tell you about plants except to make sure they are non-toxic and have been well washed...both sides of the leaves.

You could set up a dripper...just use a deli cup or plastic cup or bottle that has a tiny hole in the bottom of it so that it drips at the rate of one or two drips per second.

For a basking light you can use a regular incandescent household bulb in a hood. (The red is not a good idea.) If you need heat at night (and you shouldn't unless the temp. in your house goes below about 16C or 17C.

Here's some information that will explain supplements, gutloading and a few other things....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it. At that size you only need to feed it every two or three days. Feed it enough that it doesn't get fat (and, of course, doesn't get thin either).

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium). Not sure how to tell you to dust WC insects if that is what you will be doing.

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.

Hi Kinyonga,

Thanks for all the helpfull hints. You won't believe how much I appreciate it.

So what you are telling me, is that i must just leave it alone, it will eat eventually?

It is a female.

If I may ask, what is WC insects? Sorry for sounding stupid, but like i said, i am new to this stuff. My brother-in-law fed her crickets.

Thanks for the ideas for a dripper, because here in south africa drippers is really expensive.

I do have basking lights at home, but the petshop told me that it would dry out her skin. What do you mean by a incandescent household bulb in a hood? Why is the red light not a good idea, just for interest sake? My home is very cold, it ranges to 11 degrees celcius to lower. In the summer my home is just the right temperature.

When should i gutload Rango?

Oh, and another thing, i saw that she is sucking her eyes in sometimes when it is closed. Is that something to be worried about?

Thanks allot.

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."So what you are telling me, is that i must just leave it alone, it will eat eventually?"...not really. Most chameleons get stressed out from being handled and that can put their immune system down....so generally its best not to handle them much.

You said..."It is a female"...its a good idea to have a container in its cage where it can dig in case it needs to lay eggs. Some can lay eggs without being with a male. If you don't provide her with a place to dig to lay the eggs she could die eggbound if she does have eggs to lay.

WC means wild caught...caught outside. Did your brother-in-law get the crickets in a pet store? If so then its important to gutload/feed them a nutritious diet before feeding them to the chameleon. Its also important to dust them with the supplements. (BTW...you gutload the insects not the chameleon!)

You want to be careful that whatever you use as a basking light is not close enough to her to burn her....it can happen quite easily. They don't move away...just like people get sunburned and don't realize its happening.

What do you mean by a incandescent household bulb in a hood?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb
http://www.thereptileoutlet.com/light_hoods_44.html

You said..."Why is the red light not a good idea, just for interest sake?"...its said that they can see the light from them at night and that they don't look at it as a place to bask because its not like "white" like sunlight.

You said..."My home is very cold, it ranges to 11 degrees celcius to lower"...a ceramic "bulb" would be better to use at night then because it gives off no heat....
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/herpresources/ss/thermalgradient_5.htm

You said..."i saw that she is sucking her eyes in sometimes when it is closed. Is that something to be worried about?"...they do that as a normal part of cleaning the eyes...but it can sometimes be an indication that the eye is bothering them. Does she sit with her eyes shut during the day?

 

[Priscilla]

Sometimes she sit with her eyes closed during the day, but not the whole day.

Sorry about the gutloading thing, like i said, i am still new and stupid in this stuff......lol.

Where must i feed her, meaning, must a put the crickets in a container in her cage, or must i make a seperate place where i must feed her, or what?

My brother in law got the crickets from the petshop.

How big must they be before laying eggs?

Sorry for all the questions, but i just want to make sure of everything, don't want to do something wrong. And thanks for all the help

 

[kinyonga]

She should have her eyes open all day.

I let the insects loose in the cage (its more natural) but some people cup feed.

I can't really tell you a size she will have to be to lay eggs....it can vary.

Ask all the questions you want/need to! We all do our best on this forum to answer them!

 

[Priscilla]

Thank you again. Will go read the links that you have send me.

Can you maybe tell me what her humidity should be? I can't seem to find that info anywhere. And will she eat if i just leave her alone?

I have uploaded a photo, just to make sure that it is a flap neck

 

[kinyonga]

If you know where she came from you could check the humidity there. Its one of the problems with keeping dilepis...knowing what humidity to use since they come from such a wide range. Generally if she is well hydrated the humidity won't be as critical.

Here's an article that might help...
http://chameleonnews.com/06SepDeckers.html

If she's okay and her cage temps are okay, etc. she should eat if you leave her alone.

 

[Priscilla]

Thanks again.

Where must the dripper drip, on her plants or where?

 

[allencg101]

you should never handle a cham that many times in one day unless when he or she see's you they come directly to you.

also post a pic is the body type big with buldges on the sides i had this probelem with my first flap necks ended up she was a girl and gave me a bunch of eggs. post a pic so we can see her to help you out and give you the best info possible.

last flapnecks are awesome little chams i love their flaps when they get startled or trying to scare you off!!!

 

[Priscilla]

you should never handle a cham that many times in one day unless when he or she see's you they come directly to you.

also post a pic is the body type big with buldges on the sides i had this probelem with my first flap necks ended up she was a girl and gave me a bunch of eggs. post a pic so we can see her to help you out and give you the best info possible.

last flapnecks are awesome little chams i love their flaps when they get startled or trying to scare you off!!!

I did post a pic, you'll see my profile pic, where se is sitting on my fiance's head

 

[allencg101]

post it on here with a bigger pic and take some of the body when you go to post a reply look at the top of the block where to put your replys you see a paper clip then a window down the bottom will pop up for you to go from there to select a pic to upload hun

 

[Priscilla]

Ok, i did the best I could, i took a pic of the terranium as well











There is some more photo's

 

[Priscilla]

 

[Priscilla]

 

[kinyonga]

The dripper should drip onto a leaf/plant so she can lick up the drops.

Bodywise she looks healthy.

The compact light may be making her shut her eyes. Some compact UVB lights have been known to cause eye issues and other health issues with chameleons. One light that has not had any bad reports so far is the long linear fluorescent UVB Repti-Sun 5.0 tube light.

 

[Priscilla]

I do have the repti-sun 5.0. And the terranium? Is it ok? Still, what troubles me is the fact that she is not eating, and i don't see her drinking, and then i don't see any poo in her terranium.

 

[kinyonga]

Your cage photo shows a compact UVB light though....the one that is used most often is the Repti-sun 5.0 fluorescent long linear tube light.

I notice that you have substrate on the floor of the cage, could she have ingested some of it and its causing a blockage?

I'm not sure if she's old enough to lay eggs but has she ever done any digging in the cage?

 

[allencg101]

yeah i would get rid of the substrate on the bottom of her cage. and put in paper towels. also i wouldn't put the lights in the cage i'd get lamps for them and put them on top of cage. as also previously stated id put the dripper over the plastic plant so she can lick the water off of it. you might want her checked out to see if she has swallowed any of the flooring. best of luck with your little lady!!!

 

[Priscilla]

The substrate in the terranium, the people at the petshop told me that they also use it, and if the cham swalllows it, it will be easy for her to digest it. My brother-in-law was here yesterday to check her out, he said that when she was with him, sometime a week passes that she does not eat, and then afterthat she eats like hell, and soit goes on. Is that normal for them to do that? He told me when she does that, she is digesting the food. He also said that she looks healthy. But i will replacethat substrate today. Sorry for any spelling errors guys, and don't usually speak english. Thanks so much for all your help, i really appreciate it!!!!!!!!! About the egg laying thing, no, i've sever seen her digging in the substrate, in fact she is never on the ground,she is always on her vains and plants.