JACKSONS CHAMELEON-weight and shedding issues!!!

[Mylo124]

Hey. I am very new to this forum and my 11 month old male mt. Kenyan jacksons is shedding for the first time since in my care. I picked him up at the white plains, ny reptile expo. I am wondering what i can do to help him be more comfortable during the process. I have been misting him more and might try putting him and his plant in the shower.

Also, i am concerned for his weight. I only feed him crickets with calcium dusting on it (d3 as well) more than two times a month because i have never seen discharge or had any problems. I am thinking about giving him A waxworm a month to help fatten him up (hes really small) because sometimes when he stretches out or even when hes just walking ill see his ribs and his legs are really thin too(you can see his bones.) however, he wont eat mealworms . I am only 12 years old and have to pay for all of his crickets and supplies, so i dont have much extra money to spend on experiments that he wont eat. Thanks a lot guys!!

-Liz and Mylo the chameleon

 

[Seiryu]

Definitely increase the mistings. Showers can be good as long as the cham isn't getting super stressed out about it.

How often are you giving the d3 supplement? Once a month is the maximum I'd use it. Regular calcium (calcium carbonate) can be given every other feeding. You can order it online fairly cheaply and it will last a very long time (years)

I go with this brand myself - "NOW" Calcium Carbonate

He should also get a vitamin supplement like herptivite once a month as well. Again it's pretty cheap and will last years.

Crickets are decent when gut loaded. Mealworms, not so much. In my opinion one of the worst feeders out there. They are hard, and not very nutritional.

 

[pigglett79]

Hello,

Welcome to the forum. There are many great resources here that will help you learn more about your new chameleon.

Here is a great basic caresheet for Jackson's https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/

Be sure to go through the resources here. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/

Also please note that suppliments do have a shleft life. You cannot just keep them for years. Many state 6 months or so, so be sure to research the shelf life of any supplement you are using.

Also note that Jackson's require less supplementation than other chameleon species. Do not give D3 more than once or twice a month as you can overdose on D3. Also the multivitamin should be given once or twice a month. Your level of supplementation will depend on how well you gut load your feeders and what variety of feeders you are using.

Here is a link on gut loading
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

 

[Lovereps]

Welcome to the forum Liz and Mylo!

Jackson's are my favorite chameleon and they make really nice pets but you have to give them everything they need to keep them healthy.

You didn't say exactly how often you've been giving him D3 calcium but you have to stop giving him that immediately necause it has been more than 2x a month.
It will make him very sick if you don't stop.
He won't get any discharges.
The damage that gets done is inside his body and that's why it's so important to not keep giving the D3 more than 1x each month for a Jackson's.
Plain calcium with no D3 is the one to use most often--every other feeding is good.
1x a month a multivitamin powder should be used on feeders.
1x each month calcium with D3 for a Jackson's
Every feeder dusting should be light, rather than making the bugs look like ghosts.

Your local store might have Phoenixworms or Calciworms and these are typically very wiggly, high in natural calcium and many chams like them a lot.
Waxworms aren't horrible, they just have too much fat to be used more than a couple of times a week.

Your feeder insects should be fed nutritious vegetables and fruits so that they give the most vitamins and minerals to your cham when he eats them.
Pet stores sometimes give them nothing to eat or maybe a potato, if they're lucky.
This is a good shorter writeup about what to feed feeders:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ferretinmyshoes/446-basics-gutloading.html

Hopefully, you have been misting his cages for about 4 or 5 minutes each time at least 3 times a day.
This will help him to shed and to stay healthy.
If you use warm water in a spray bottle, chams often like it a lot better than if you use cold water.

Chams generally are not plump lizards and do look a bit skinny.
If you can post clear close up pictures of him, we should be able to tell if he is skinnier than he should be.

 

[Mylo124]

Thank you guys so much!!! I did not know that about how internal d3 problems can be. I only have calcium dusting with d3 that came with him from the expo. I did not buy him from guys who really knew about chams. They wont email me back when i have question, and sold him to me in a lunch bag . Also, i have been misting him A LOT today and put him in the shower for a couple minutes. Usually, he turns dark at the feeling of water (even warm water) but he stayed light green this time. My local pet store feeds their crickets potatos. Qnd, when i use d3 it is a very light dusting. In fact, this month, i only gave them a dusting once.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!
-Liz

 

[Lovereps]

You're very welcome!
Too many places that sell chams don't know what is needed to keep them healthy.
They might not have answered your questions because they don't know---though to just not reply is the height of rudeness.

This is a great forum because you can learn what really is best for your cham..

Calcium is extremely important, so you definitely need calcium without D3 for every other feeding.

Please be sure to stay your cham the whole shower time and not aim the shower at him.
It's better to have a plant that you put in the shower for him to stand on , aim the water at the wall and let it splash onto the plant.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/water/

 

[Mylo124]

Yeah. It actually wasnt like a full-out shower. I just held let him
Sit on my hand and stuck him in just before where the water was
Aimed so he got the mist. Thanks again! You keep helping me so much