Help, my Panther chameleon hasn't pooped in almost 2 weeks!!!

[jdub0928]

Hey,

So my chameleon wasn't eating or pooping for about 8 days. I took him to a vet while he wasn't eating and the vet said he looked healthy and he didn't think anything was wrong. He eventually got interested in his food again and now he is eating consistently. It has been almost a week since he started eating again, but I can't find any proof that he has pooped yet. I have tried the shower method, and giving him a little bit of mineral oil but neither has done anything............should I be worried? Are there any other tricks to get him to poop, or should I see a vet again?


My Panther is about 20 months old now. I have been feeding him superworms and earthworms. I am trying to get my hands on some silkies or dubai roaches, but I have had trouble with the pet stores in my area (I live in West Lost Angeles for the time being).
I handle him maybe once a week at most. He gets misted two to three times a day, I use a spray bottle to get the leaves in his cage wet, and he also has a dripper that runs all the time. And his eyes don't look sunken in.

I have a screen cage. For lighting I have a Flukes 75W red light, 100W, a ReptiSun 5.0 tube light, and a ceramic heater when it gets really cold (but I don't use it very often). I usually only have one of the red lights on at a time. The tube fluorescent is on for 12 hours a day, and I leave the red one on for the same amount of time.
His cage is usually around 85 during the day and 70 at night. To measure the temperature I have a small thermometer near the top of the cage.

There is an umbrella plant in his enclosure, with a few sticks so he can get around easier. I use a paper towels as a substrate. He is in the corner of my bedroom, on a table. The top of the cage is around six feet off the ground.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[veildowner]

how long do you have your red light on for
the light and your flouresant both shud be on for 12hours daily

 

[draetish]

How old is your panther?

 

[veildowner]

also wot are you feeding your cham

 

[kongchi]

Try leaving him outside (if it is sunny outside), supervised or in a cage of course. Watch out for falcons. I think sunlight makes chams happy. Oh, and if you do bring him outside, He will turn dark, but don't worry thats normal.

 

[Miss Lily]

Time outside would pretty much guarantee a poop with my first female if she hadn't been for a few days. She loved the sun!

 

[jdub0928]

Time outside would pretty much guarantee a poop with my first female if she hadn't been for a few days. She loved the sun!

I have tried that as well....I left him outside for about 30 minutes to an hour at a time for a few days in a row....nothing.....I also tried putting him in an inch of warm water three days in a row because that was supposed to get a response....again nothing..

 

[draetish]

I have tried that as well....I left him outside for about 30 minutes to an hour at a time for a few days in a row....nothing.....I also tried putting him in an inch of warm water three days in a row because that was supposed to get a response....again nothing..

Not knowing how old he is or what kind and how much feeders you are giving him, I'd say 2 wks is not an extreme emergency for an adult panther. Now how old is he and what are you feeding him and how much?

 

[jdub0928]

Not knowing how old he is or what kind and how much feeders you are giving him, I'd say 2 wks is not an extreme emergency for an adult panther. Now how old is he and what are you feeding him and how much?

Could have sworn I mentioned that in the original post.... But anyways he is 20 months old, I am feeding him superworms and earthworms at the moment. I am trying to find roaches, silkworms, and hornworms but am having trouble finding somewhere in West LA to get them. I have been feeding him 2-3 supers a day, and I put around 8 earthworms in a little cup at the bottom of his enclosure daily (they are pretty small). I'm not sure if he eats the earthworms though (I haven't witnessed it, but they disappear somewhere), there will occasionally be a one or two dried up at the bottom of the dish.

The main reason I am concerned is that three weeks ago he was pooping every two to three days, so it is a lot less than usual.

 

[draetish]

You can order worms from Coastal Silkworms their on the west and east coast.

My male panther went almost 30 days without a poop and I tried everything under the sun. Hornworms, silkworms, warm showers, sun, you name it I tried it. Finally he pooped when outside and it was huge. He will go thru spurts like that and I just limit his intake of food or not feed him a day or two and then only give him a couple of worms until he poops. He has gotten back on a regular poop schedule now. Moral of the story is don't freak out and try to make it happen. Yes, be aware and watch for any other signs but the older they get the slower their metabolism is.

 

[draetish]

Could have sworn I mentioned that in the original post.... But anyways he is 20 months old, I am feeding him superworms and earthworms at the moment. I am trying to find roaches, silkworms, and hornworms but am having trouble finding somewhere in West LA to get them. I have been feeding him 2-3 supers a day, and I put around 8 earthworms in a little cup at the bottom of his enclosure daily (they are pretty small). I'm not sure if he eats the earthworms though (I haven't witnessed it, but they disappear somewhere), there will occasionally be a one or two dried up at the bottom of the dish.

The main reason I am concerned is that three weeks ago he was pooping every two to three days, so it is a lot less than usual.

You did and I missed it, so sorry about that!

 

[jdub0928]

You can order worms from Coastal Silkworms their on the west and east coast.

My male panther went almost 30 days without a poop and I tried everything under the sun. Hornworms, silkworms, warm showers, sun, you name it I tried it. Finally he pooped when outside and it was huge. He will go thru spurts like that and I just limit his intake of food or not feed him a day or two and then only give him a couple of worms until he poops. He has gotten back on a regular poop schedule now. Moral of the story is don't freak out and try to make it happen. Yes, be aware and watch for any other signs but the older they get the slower their metabolism is.

Thanks for your responses! I really appreciate it. I have only had him for a couple months (and he is my first chameleon) so I'm still learning how to take care of him. Do you think I should cut back on his feeding schedule until he poops? I know that if his eyes are sunken in or the top of his head looks sunken in those are two serious problems...What are some other signs that it might be a bigger problem?

 

[kinyonga]

Has he been producing the white urates and no poop or not producing either?

 

[draetish]

Thanks for your responses! I really appreciate it. I have only had him for a couple months (and he is my first chameleon) so I'm still learning how to take care of him. Do you think I should cut back on his feeding schedule until he poops? I know that if his eyes are sunken in or the top of his head looks sunken in those are two serious problems...What are some other signs that it might be a bigger problem?

How about posting a pic of your cham and set up? Then everyone can advise you on any tweaking that may be needed. Google "diseases in chameleons" and you will learn alot.

 

[jdub0928]

Has he been producing the white urates and no poop or not producing either?

He hasn't produced either, I see him drinking daily though.

 

[jdub0928]

 

[kongchi]

=O last pic looks like hes licking a lightsaber!

anywhoo just some possibilities here:

His cage might be too small and he might be stressed
He's eating soil and it causes impaction
He's pooping in one area (probably behind the plant) and you just cant see it
He's pooping in the tree so its hanging somewhere
He's a Jedi and Jedis' don't poop.

 

[allllllen]

yea, i agree with Kongchi.
For his age, i'd say that cage is too small. You need to get him his
adult cage asap. That might really change things up.

 

[jdub0928]

yea, i agree with Kongchi.
For his age, i'd say that cage is too small. You need to get him his
adult cage asap. That might really change things up.

I thought I had an adult cage....the dimensions are 12"x20"x24" i believe..how much bigger should it be?

 

[Jonasburns]

I thought I had an adult cage....the dimensions are 12"x20"x24" i believe..how much bigger should it be?

pretty sure that 24"x24"x48" is proper size for adult depending on species. but i would wait for someone with more experience to answer.

He's a Jedi and Jedis' don't poop.

Haha i thought jedi's did poo it just vaporized and smelled like space roses.