Getting Acquainted

[CGFlyer]

I realized, once my new arrival (Baby Blue Bar) was in his cage that it needed to be rearranged a little to better suit him and his size. When I slowly approached and opened his cage, he was very skiddish. When I tried to rearrange a few branches, he decided to abandon ship. He climbed out the open door and very acrobatically made it over to a fake ficus tree that I have next to the cage (a future free range project). Well, that was fine and all, as I was able to be a little more aggressive with the rearrangement while he chilled in the tree...he seemed pretty happy there. I really need to figure out a nice way to set-up a basking lamp and UV bulb so he can hang out there more often.

After about 15 revisions, I decided on the cage's current set-up. I went to get him from the tree and found out how mobile these guys are. Took me a good 10 minutes of slowly approaching him from underneath to get him on my hand....which he only did because he had no where else to go. At least he didn't hiss or gape, but I'm sure it wasn't pleasant for him. I made a short attempt of snapping a pic while he was on my hand, but quickly decided he wanted/needed to be off my hand sooner than later...and he DID NOT like the camera.

Anyway, now that I'm pretty satisfied with his cage set-up, I'm shifting my focus on trying to get him to eat. I know he's stressed, but I am concerned for him and want him to get some sustinance, since I know he hasn't eaten in 2-3 days. What is the best way to provide food at this point? Should I simply let a few (6-8) crickets loose in his cage and let him hunt? I tried a couple times, between last night and this morning, to present a few small mealworms in a glass cup, but he just ran away from them. Even after a few hours they're untouched...and they're pretty active buggers too. Just want to make sure that letting the crickets loose is the best method before I do so.
At what point should I be REALLY concerned that he hasn't eaten yet?

Thanks for any input.

I feel like a new concerned parent again...it's been a while since my two boys were this dependant.

 

[andy10869]

hi cgflyer. i have a veiled and suffered the same problems as you it seems they get do get stressed and dont eat for a while mine was the same i tried all sorts but with hind sight maybe i would have been better to just leave a few food items in a bowel 'none clear', in her cage and just dont mess. i view it like they have been moved from what they are familiar with and just need to settle in. place a few food items in a container i blue tack mine to the viv side near a branch. i can see what she eats then. time an patience.

 

[Syn]

You've made 15 revisions and then you handled him. Leave him alone for a while and let him settle in.
Put some CRICKETS in a deep bowl or cup and let him cup feed. Put the cup somewhere where he seems to spend some/most of his time.

Do not wait for him to eat, do not stand there and monitor him. Leave the room.

If he has eaten anything the crickets will disappear. It is not uncommon for chameleons to stop eating if they are stressed out.

 

[MK1]

New Cham

Im having some of the same issues. I wanted a friendly cham, but dont think i got one. I wouldnt try to handle him anymore. My baby blue bar is eating but not as much as he should. I started by cup feeding him. now he will only eat if I put a dusted cricket on a leaf close to him and only 1 at a time. I assume there are 10 crickets loose in his cage.. hiding. I also put some in a glass cup, the crickets cant climb out, and leave them in there maybe on a lower area so he can shoot down on them..

 

[The Chunk]

im sort of in the same boat got my cham 2, 3 days ago and he has eaten but today hes really not intrested hes not very old either only 5 months. also mine doesnt seem to be drinking so anyhelp you get will help me to

 

[mardithepanther]

Chameleons don't usually drink when you are around.

 

[Syn]

Anyone who has just gotten a new chameleon, READ THIS BLOG:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ryan-jarosek/119-new-arrival-bringing-home-new-chameleon.html

Im having some of the same issues. I wanted a friendly cham, but dont think i got one. I wouldnt try to handle him anymore. My baby blue bar is eating but not as much as he should. I started by cup feeding him. now he will only eat if I put a dusted cricket on a leaf close to him and only 1 at a time. I assume there are 10 crickets loose in his cage.. hiding. I also put some in a glass cup, the crickets cant climb out, and leave them in there maybe on a lower area so he can shoot down on them..

If you are looking for a friendly species, chameleons are not the best choice. Consider a crested gecko or a leopard gecko.

Sometimes chameleons do not learn to cup feed as easily as others. If that's the case, try showing the chameleon the crickets in the cup and hold it near him, then move it somewhere he can still see the crickets inside of the cup.

Don't use a clear cup. The chameleon will try to shoot at the glass and that could cause some problems..

im sort of in the same boat got my cham 2, 3 days ago and he has eaten but today hes really not intrested hes not very old either only 5 months. also mine doesnt seem to be drinking so anyhelp you get will help me to

Let him settle in.... you can't just jump right into chameleons expecting them to eat right away.

Chameleons don't usually drink when you are around.

Generally speaking, yup. I've had a chameleon that I would use a squirt bottle and basically hand-water him. I had to stop though because I didn't want him to be dependent on that method. If I had to leave for a day or two that may have been... not so great.

 

[The Chunk]

yesturday he attemepted to drink. he shot his tounge across the tank at the dripper pipe and hanged onto it.
think he got it stuck but other than that nothing.

think tomorrow ill leave him alone and leave some crickets in the cup and few locast walking and see what happenes

 

[CGFlyer]

hi cgflyer. i have a veiled and suffered the same problems as you it seems they get do get stressed and dont eat for a while mine was the same i tried all sorts but with hind sight maybe i would have been better to just leave a few food items in a bowel 'none clear', in her cage and just dont mess. i view it like they have been moved from what they are familiar with and just need to settle in. place a few food items in a container i blue tack mine to the viv side near a branch. i can see what she eats then. time an patience.

Well, I dusted a few large crickets and placed them in the cage a few hours ago. I put them in a clear glass bowl that they could ont escape from....is this bad? You said "none clear". He immediately took interest in the crickets. I watched him eat one. I left the room for a while. When I went back he'd eaten a total of 4 large crickets. I think we're on the right track at least.

 

[Cainschams]

I think just letting them loose in the cage and letting him hunt and act naturally is the best option. Those feeders hopping/moving around the cage should get his attention.

Some of my chams drink in front of me and some do not. If his urate is white then I would not worry about him drinking. For chams that are shy to drink a dripper is your best bet. Turn it on and leave the room.

You really need to give him peace right now. I dont agree with "taming" a chameleon. Again, for me a chameleon that acts naturally is much more interesting than one that sits by a cup all day etc.

 

[mardithepanther]

My cham drinks in front of me all of the time but generally speaking ive seen some that do and some that dont

 

[CGFlyer]

I set the remaining 4 crickets free. Hopefully he enjoys them.

I was spying on him from a different room, behind a door, to make sure he was doing OK. That sounds so ridiculous...lol. He was under the dripper with his mouth open catching the splash. It was pretty awesome to see.

I am a fan of keeping things natural. I don't want this to be a cuddle pet. He is a unique specimen. The minimal handling required to clean his cage, or transport from point A to B, is really just icing on the cake for me. I was able to snap a couple pictures of him with my phone when I set the crickets free. He was a little more receptive to these photos...though he's still not fond of the lens. He's pretty browninsh (stressed looking) right now...he's also just getting through with shedding. Though, when he was pissed last night he showed about every color in the rainbow. Bright blue bars, lots of red on his belly...with red on top of his blue bars and some oranges too. I can't wait for him to color up.

I still haven't heard back from FL Chams to confirm his age. He's easily 13 inches in total length.

 

[Cainschams]

I set the remaining 4 crickets free. Hopefully he enjoys them.

I was spying on him from a different room, behind a door, to make sure he was doing OK. That sounds so ridiculous...lol. He was under the dripper with his mouth open catching the splash. It was pretty awesome to see.

I am a fan of keeping things natural. I don't want this to be a cuddle pet. He is a unique specimen. The minimal handling required to clean his cage, or transport from point A to B, is really just icing on the cake for me. I was able to snap a couple pictures of him with my phone when I set the crickets free. He was a little more receptive to these photos...though he's still not fond of the lens. He's pretty browninsh (stressed looking) right now...he's also just getting through with shedding. Though, when he was pissed last night he showed about every color in the rainbow. Bright blue bars, lots of red on his belly...with red on top of his blue bars and some oranges too. I can't wait for him to color up.

I still haven't heard back from FL Chams to confirm his age. He's easily 13 inches in total length.

Nice looking young male!!! I will spy on my guys too LOL!! I like seeing what they are up too without the "big bad predator" (me) around

 

[CGFlyer]

Sorry for all the pesky questions...but it's tough learning on the fly.

He seems a lot more settled in now. I was oddly excited when he pooped today...I guess I view it as a sign of normalcy.

Lately though, for about the last hour he's been pacing non-stop around all sides of his cage...clinging to the screen as he walks around it, going up and down while he creeps around in a circle. He even got down on the very bottom of the cage and did a few laps before going back to doing laps. Is this normal? I figured he'd wanna pace on the provided branches...not the screen...

Hmmmmm.....makes me wonder if something is out of place.

 

[mardithepanther]

From what I understand this means he is ready to mate and is looking for a female

 

[Ace]

From what I understand this means he is ready to mate and is looking for a female

not really....some are just "roamers", could be uneasy stress, just wandering around, since he is getting settled it could be to know his surroundings...plus if he is 4 -5 months....idk about wanting to breed....you would need to find "sperm plugs" this indicates they are getting sexually mature....the earlist known is about 6 months of finding sperm plugs...but to actually breed..its recommended to wait when both male and female are over a year old...

 

[CGFlyer]

What do sperm plugs look like? He did leave a white deposit on the side of.the cage. I thought it was from his poop...though that was brownish.

 

[CGFlyer]

Yikes, I just looked up "sperm plug"...what I though was a poop yesterday, I now think was a plug. I've never seen a chameleon turd, first impression was that it looked like one. If it was a plug, it would help explain his size. I hope FL Chams calls me today. I didn't think he was 4 months old...much too large.