Jackson not eating or opening eyes...

[Ethan Grove]

Hi i'm new to chameleons and i need help immediately, my jackson chameleon (Jackson is his name) is not eating or opening his eyes much unless I encourage him to. He was fine a couple weeks ago but then about 2 - 3 weeks ago he just stopped eating. I thought it was hunger strikes so i got him some mealworms instead of crickets and he ate about 3 but then he stopped again and now he isn't opening his eyes much. Please help!!

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Hi i'm new to chameleons and i need help immediately, my jackson chameleon (Jackson is his name) is not eating or opening his eyes much unless I encourage him to. He was fine a couple weeks ago but then about 2 - 3 weeks ago he just stopped eating. I thought it was hunger strikes so i got him some mealworms instead of crickets and he ate about 3 but then he stopped again and now he isn't opening his eyes much. Please help!!

Post pictures of your enclosure, the chameleon and fill out the ask for help form. We can't help you without information.

 

[Ethan Grove]

 

[Ethan Grove]

he is only a couple months old and his light just burnt out today, that could have been why he had his eyes closed.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

That stuff in the basket is in the outside of the cage, right? He needs more foliage. Fill out the ask for help form.

 

[Ethan Grove]

I feel really bad about the whole situation.

 

[Ethan Grove]

yes

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Where did you purchase him?

 

[Ethan Grove]

i got him at a small local pet store, and they got him from a reptile show in Chicago.

 

[Ethan Grove]

where is the ask for help form that you mentioned earlier?

 

[CJ's Exotics]

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.
Here it is. Just copy and paste.

 

[JacksJill]

Now that you have your lights going again recheck your cage and basking spot temperatures.
"Baby/juvenile (<9 months): 70-75F (21-23C) ambient, 75-80F (23-26C) basking
Adult: 70-80F (21-26C) ambient, 82-85F (29C) basking"
Here is a link to the how to ask for help form. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
Cut and paste it here and insert your answers and we will try to spot any potential problems.

 

[Ethan Grove]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Jackson, male, a couple months. ive had him for 2 months.
• Handling - ever other day or so
• Feeding - crickets and mealworms 2 - 3 every other day when he was eating am using total bites natural bites
• Supplements - zoomed reptisafe whenever he eats
• Watering - A waterfall cantina. Almost never all the time
• Fecal Description -yellow and white like when I got him he has never been to the vet
• History - he was normal until a couple of weeks ago.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screen, 16 x 16 x 30
• Lighting - A zoomed 60 watt blue daylight bulb that stays on 24/7. And a zoomed 5 UVB light that goes on at 6AM and goes off at 6PM
• Temperature - 81 F at top and 65 F at bottom. I use a hanging thermometer.
• Humidity - I don't know
• Plants - None
• Placement - It is in the corner of the room and I am typically at the other end of the room at my desk 6 Ft above the floor
• Location - The Midwest, ND

 

[DarinD]

You definitely need to be monitoring and maintain proper humidity levels. Jackson's Chameleons are a montane species with humidity requirements like any other cham. Jacksons like to be kept around 70%. Also, you said you're using ReptiSafe as a supplement? Like the water conditioner ReptiSafe?

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Jackson, male, a couple months. ive had him for 2 months.
• Handling - ever other day or so
• Feeding - crickets and mealworms 2 - 3 every other day when he was eating am using total bites natural bites
• Supplements - zoomed reptisafe whenever he eats
• Watering - A waterfall cantina. Almost never all the time
• Fecal Description -yellow and white like when I got him he has never been to the vet
• History - he was normal until a couple of weeks ago.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screen, 16 x 16 x 30
• Lighting - A zoomed 60 watt blue daylight bulb that stays on 24/7. And a zoomed 5 UVB light that goes on at 6AM and goes off at 6PM
• Temperature - 81 F at top and 65 F at bottom. I use a hanging thermometer.
• Humidity - I don't know
• Plants - None
• Placement - It is in the corner of the room and I am typically at the other end of the room at my desk 6 Ft above the floor
• Location - The Midwest, ND

He should not be eating the mealworms, they can cause impaction with their high chitin levels. He needs actual supplements, I recommend for his age to do calcium without phosphorus or d3 every day, and multivitamin and calcium w/d3 every 2 weeks, with each week being a rotation, if this is confusing, just let me know. Waterfalls are bad, and they breed bacteria. His urates should be white to stay properly hydrated. He should not have that day bulb all the time, he needs complete darkness at night to sleep properly. The hot spot should be cooler, like 75-78 maybe. You need to be able to see the humidity to make sure that he is in the proper range. He should have some live plants, North Dakota is dry, and they retain humidity and rain drops well. Hope this helps, if you have any questions, just ask.

 

[Ethan Grove]

thanks but that doesn't really answer my question as to why he's not eating

 

[CJ's Exotics]

thanks but that doesn't really answer my question as to why he's not eating

Yes it does. All of these things could be causing it. The heat could, the food he's eating could, if you are using reptisafe it could, so you need to get us humidity, as Jackson's being a montane species, not having enough humidity is not good for them.

 

[DarinD]

thanks but that doesn't really answer my question as to why he's not eating

If his living conditions are improper, he won't be comfortable and under constant stress. If he isn't comfortable and under constant stress, he won't eat.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

If his living conditions are improper, he won't be comfortable and under constant stress. If he isn't comfortable and under constant stress, he won't eat.

Stress is a big factor. How often do you hold him? Stress in chameleons can be bad, they are display animals.

 

[kinyonga]

• Your Chameleon - Jackson, male, a couple months. ive had him for 2 months.
• Handling - ever other day or so
• Feeding - crickets and mealworms 2 - 3 every other day when he was eating am using total bites natural bites I would feed/gutload the crickets with dandelion greens, make, endive, escarole, collards, carrots, squash, zucchini, sweet red pepper, sweet potato, and a bit of fruit such as melon, berries, apples and pears. I would only use mealworms once in a long while. Try small silkworms, superworms, black soldier fly larvae, small roaches, etc.
• Supplements - zoomed reptisafe whenever he eats reotisafe is a water conditioner...I hope that's not what you are dusting on the insects?? You should be using a phosphorous-free calcium powder at almost every feeding and once a month a phosphorous-free calcium/D3 powder and once a month a vitamin powder. You should be feeding/gutloading the insects as I suggested above too.
• Watering - A waterfall cantina. Almost never all the time waterfalls are germ factories and I don't recommend them. You should be misting the cage several times a day and running a dripper.
• Fecal Description -yellow and white like when I got him he has never been to the vet there should be a fecal part...dark brown to what he produces. The white is urates and the yellow is a sign of dehydration usually.
• History - he was normal until a couple of weeks ago.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - screen, 16 x 16 x 30
• Lighting - A zoomed 60 watt blue daylight bulb that stays on 24/7. And a zoomed 5 UVB light that goes on at 6AM and goes off at 6PM I would replace the blue light with a regular white incandescent household bulb of a wattage that produces the proper basking temperature. There should be no light on at night.
• Temperature - 81 F at top and 65 F at bottom. I use a hanging thermometer.
• Humidity - I don't know
• Plants - None plants will help with humidity...make sure they are non toxic and well washed...both sides of the leaves.
• Placement - It is in the corner of the room and I am typically at the other end of the room at my desk 6 Ft above the floor
• Location - The Midwest, ND

These changes should be made ASAP...chameleons can crash quickly.