He wont drink.

JacksJill said:
Ha! No, not suicidal. He just isn't brave enough to drink or isn't recognizing the water source. I had a similar problem with one of mine that would only drink after a long drenching. I give her extra long mistings to get her going. She hides under a leaf but eventually drinks any way. Now I just do it a couple times a week and her urates have stayed white.
Click to expand...
Im worried because he wont eat too
 
Can you please fill out the following form in its entirety? Just copy/paste the text and fill in your answers. Since your chameleon is so new, providing us with all the information you can will greatly improve the chances of us being able to offer good advice! Pictures of the cham and cage would help, too.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
 
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - male veiled chameleon. Approx. 5months
  • Handling. Only if nessasary
  • Feeding - locusts mainly but i try to divesify his diet. I buy silkworms and waxworms.
  • Supplements - Week 1 calcium monday to saturday. No dusting on sunday
  • Week 2 mon to sat calcium sun:multivitamin and d3
  • Repeat week 1 and 2
  • Watering - misting and dripping.misting 3 times a day minimum. 250ml of water min each misting
  • Fecal Description - normal healthy poop but yellow or orange urates. Barely ever white but i have seen it white.
  • History - brought from a reputable store. Captive bred.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - screen
  • Lighting - 60w heat lamp and 12.0 arcadia t8.9am to 9pm
  • Temperature - basking. 85 to 87f
  • Ambient 76.3f
  • Humidity - 40% to 30% before mistings.after mistings its 70%
  • Plants - plastic plants and lots of them
  • Placement - medium traffic area. Very quiet usually and isolated from me.
  • Location - uk.

Current Problem - my chameleon is refusing to drink and is barely eating
 
I'm thinking it might be a good idea to see a vet and take in a fecal. Poor appetite in a juvenile with proper temperatures concerns me. At 7-8 mos their appetite can get finicky but combined with not drinking that's something more.
 
JacksJill said:
I'm thinking it might be a good idea to see a vet and take in a fecal. Poor appetite in a juvenile with proper temperatures concerns me. At 7-8 mos their appetite can get finicky but combined with not drinking that's something more.
Click to expand...
There are literally no reptile vets here
 
Curlytails said:
There are literally no reptile vets here
Click to expand...
He eats only things that resemble worms like silkworms and waxworms. He just stares at locusts and eats them only on occasion.he doesnt look like he lost any weight. I can check for parasites myself if needed but his stool looks fine. Proper digestion and no visual insect parts have been passed.it is changing seasons here do you think it can be a seasonal change and hes a picky eater and im mot misting enough.
 
Mine have gotten hooked on worms and would wait and not eat crickets or roaches waiting for the worms to come around again. Tracking his weight and doing a fecal might give you more information to work with. Hunger strikes where they don't loose weight do happen.
 
JacksJill said:
Mine have gotten hooked on worms and would wait and not eat crickets or roaches waiting for the worms to come around again. Tracking his weight and doing a fecal might give you more information to work with. Hunger strikes where they don't loose weight do happen.
Click to expand...
Sure doing the fecal will only take me about 5 mins but im sure its a hunger strike. I think i might be able to cure both problems with silkworms though because they are filled with water and theyre worms. Do i dust them though?


Currently waiting for my lil dude to lay a brick for the stool test. I currently have my microscopes at the ready:)
 
Curlytails said:
No white at all. Yellow or orange. I have seen plain white a couple of times
I want to make sure he is healthy. Is it possible that he is suicidal?
Click to expand...
Usually u won’t see them drink I’ve only seen mine drink out of a bowl which is strange haha maybe if you try that it will give him a chance to make up his mind before the water is gone if nothing works and he truely is not drinking use a dropper and drop water drops on his head by his mouth this has never failed you may see him sucking it up with his body as well
 
His eyes have swollen back up and he doesnt look dehydrated anymore. More misting was the way to go. Thanks guys
 
Chameleons are pretty prone to hunger strikes every now and again. I wouldn't be super worried if I were you, but obviously make sure to keep an eye on it.
Also, you shouldn't feed your chameleon meal worms. They have next to no nutritional value and are oftentimes a cause of impaction. While I understand your chameleon is being finicky right now, if you must feed worms, you should try superworms, silkworms, or hornworms instead
 
Syreptyon said:
Chameleons are pretty prone to hunger strikes every now and again. I wouldn't be super worried if I were you, but obviously make sure to keep an eye on it.
Also, you shouldn't feed your chameleon meal worms. They have next to no nutritional value and are oftentimes a cause of impaction. While I understand your chameleon is being finicky right now, if you must feed worms, you should try superworms, silkworms, or hornworms instead
Click to expand...
I know but have to get something in him im gonna preform a stool test as soon as he passes something.i think he might be on a hunger strike because he really loves silkworms and i offered it to him every day. He follows the crickets with his eyes but doesnt go for them. Do you know if i can get a license for hornworms in 5he uk?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
is my chameleon okay? what should i do?
Replies
14
Views
290
kinyonga
K
Orangejuiceman
I don’t think my boy is going to make it :(
Replies
7
Views
559
Lindasjackson
L
F
Sudden health issues
Replies
9
Views
223
jannb
jannb
C
Sanity check on new chameleon's daily routine
Replies
7
Views
138
Beman
Beman
BleuSaphir
Chameleon and their food preferences
Replies
17
Views
521
elizaann2
elizaann2
Back
Top Bottom