He won't eat crickets..possible MBD?

[Daybed]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - veiled male 2 1/2 month old, in my care 2months

Handling - rarely hoping to start

Feeding - cricketts 15-20 a day small, mealworms just a snack

Supplements - flukers cal/d3 1 times

Watering - pressured mister 1-2 minutes a day 4x a day

Fecal Description - daily brown and white

History - none

Cage - DIY aluminum screen

Cage dimensions - 18x18x30

Lighting - arcadia t5 6% and 60 watt basking bulb

Temperature - basking 85 room low 70's

Lowest overnight temp? 60

Humidity - 50-60

Plants - 1 potter plant (various fake plants vines )

traffic areas? -medium

Location - Los Angeles ca

Current Problem - my chameleon stopped eating crickets recently he used to go to town on them eating about 15-20(small) depending on the day but as of the last 2 days he's not been eating as well yesterday he ate 6 and 2 mealworms but today he will only eat mealworms I know I can't feed him these alone but is there anything I can do? is this a sign of MBD? Or can it be because the change in climate

 

[Kate]

He could be bored with what he is getting. Do I understand you got him at 2 weeks old? That is very young. Can you elaborate on your supplements please.

 

[carol5208]

That is quite young for him to be bored with crickets already, but it is possible. Not eating, is not a sign of MBD, so I don't think that is the issue here.

 

[Daybed]

1st of all thank you for the response ...Actually yeah I did get him really small it's been kinda crazy how he has grown...I've read about different feeders but I don't find a direc alternative to cricketts and locust are illegal in ca ... Is there anything I can do?

 

[Daybed]

Do you think it could have something to do with the drop in temperature?

 

[Kate]

You haven't told us about your supplements! What exactly do you use and how often?

 

[carol5208]

We need to know more about your set up, lighting, supplements, etc. Silkworms are a great feeder which are high in calcium and low fat. You can get them right there in CA either at Mulberry Farms or Coastal Silkworms. They both deliver. You have to pay the shipping of course.

 

[Daybed]

Apologies I only use the flukers calcium w/d3 1-2 times a week and for the lighting I use a arcadia 6% and a 60 watt halogen that sit on the screen his baskin spots are about 6" from the lights oh and they go on around 9am and off at 9pm honestly sometimes the ligh may come off around 930ish when I forget ...just being honest

 

[Kate]

Flickers anything is a poor choice I hear. Can't get it in uk. You need plain calcium without d3 daily, calcium with d3 twice a month and a multivitamin twice a month.

 

[Daybed]

Wow I was unaware of that :/ went with petcos advice I'll change that today when I get home from work, by the way someone should make an app for this website, do you think he is just craving the mealworms?

 

[Kate]

I'm really not surprised at Petcos advice. As Carol says try silkworms they are full of calcium and can be used a lot, not for a treat. Dubai roaches , stick inscects are good. Chams are very sensitive to d3, and he has been overdosed. Hopefully once you get the correct supplements he will get back to normal. Your temps seem ok. Do you have pics of your boy and his setup?

 

[hosh11]

Wow I was unaware of that :/ went with petcos advice I'll change that today when I get home from work, by the way someone should make an app for this website, do you think he is just craving the mealworms?

I thought the same thing about the app. It would be super convenient. I come to the site so often now that all I have to type is "c" into the search bar and click on the page haha.

 

[Kate]

Have you tried Tapatalk?

 

[Daybed]

So silkworms ok I'll definitely give it a shot and I don't know how to upload photos on my phone sorry I will as I get home I took pictures... So he'll definitely eat mealworms ...but just hisses at the crickets and turned his nose up to them...just need to get those silkworms

 

[Kate]

Check out pigglet79 blog on silks as they need looking after. They are time consuming but well worth it.

 

[Daybed]

I just wanted to update on this he started eating them after 1 day of a hunger strike IM SO RELIEVED he's always been active just sick of crickets I guess haha also I have gotten phoenix worms wax worms and waiting in my silk worms as well as I have changed my calcium supplements and started a different diet varying between crickets, silk worms and Phoenix worms thank you for the responses I want to post a pic can someone help me with that I can't figure that out haha