Some of you may have read my earlier posts about my baby senegal which I took back to the pet store when I was worried he was dehyrated and going to die. After doing some more reading and research and went back and got him.
Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
This is baby WC Senegal. I originally purchased him last Monday, kept him for 3 days and then returned him when I realized he was dehydrated and not drinking. I did more reading and research and re-purchased him 2 days ago.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I am feeding him the smallest crickets I can buy from my local stores which are about 1/4" long. We are not on a set "schedule" yet. I offer him crickets 3-4 times a day. Yesterday he ate 3 1/4" crickets and 3 the day before that, although he was offered much more. He also ate a pinhead sized spider during outdoors time yesterday.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I have been misting and then dusting all of his crickets with Rep-Cal Phosphorus=Free Calcium with Vitiman D3. I know I need to get a calcium without Vitamin D for daily feedings.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I have a dripper in his cage and mist it down about 5 times a day because it dries out rather quickly. I am buying sphagnum moss today to increase the humidity levels so hopefully it won't dry out so fast and give him more opportortunity to drink. I have not seen him drink at all since bringing him home this time (he drank from a dripper once for me the first time I had him last week), and the pet store lady said she saw him drink from the leaves in his cage after misting. Who knows if that's accurate or not, though.
I offer him water from a dropper every time I offer him food (3-4 times a day) but he does not drink. I always put a drop or two on his head to let it roll down to his mouth but still no interest.
Last night I tried misting him lightly while he was sleeping as I read on a recent post that someone had luck getting their cham to drink this way, but I did not have any luck with this.
Today I put him on a perch in a hanging basket in the bathroom while I took a shower so he got nice a steamy which I was told would help with his hydration even if he wouldn't drink orally - is this true?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
He has not been tested for parasites. His stool usually contains a LOT of mucus which the supplier told the pet store was a symptom of parasites. It has had less mucus in it yesterday and today though. Today I noticed that his stools seem to contain pretty much completely undigested crickets. I would like everyone's opinion about if they think this is caused by parasites, basking temps that are too low or if they are just too big for him. Also please look at the urate and tell me how severe you think his dehydration is.
• 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?
• His cage is a Repti-breeze Medium, about 16X16X30.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Lighting is a 5.0 compact repti-glo UVB and a 60 watt incandescent (household bulb) They both go on at 8 am and off at 8PM.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? My thermometer just broke, and I am getting a new one day, but the ambient temp is about 70, basking temp about 85 and lowest overnight temp 68.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Humidity ranges from 50% in between mistings when the cage is dry to 70% right after a mist. I mist about 5 times a day. (also, a repeat from above - Last night I misted him while he was sleeping to see if he would have a drinking repines, but no luck :/
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• I have a big pothos I am in the process of replanting to put in his cage, but no live plants right now.
• 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? Cage is located on top of a 4' high dresser in a corner. It is free from drafts and it is quiet, very low-traffic room. The top of the cage is about 6 feet off the floor.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? North East Ohio.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
I'm concerned that he is not digesting his food and that this is leading to or worsening his weight and dehydration. I am going to try pinhead crickets and fruit flies, but would like your opinion on if this can be caused by parasites and/or if it's related to his dehydration in any way. Also if anyone has any ideas about getting him to drink that I haven't already mentioned I tried that would be wonderful!!
He still sleeps during the day when in his cage, but when I take him out in the sunshine he really wakes up and becomes active, which makes me think his sleeping during the day is more of a lighting/depression or boredum problem that a physical problem?
Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
This is baby WC Senegal. I originally purchased him last Monday, kept him for 3 days and then returned him when I realized he was dehydrated and not drinking. I did more reading and research and re-purchased him 2 days ago.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I am feeding him the smallest crickets I can buy from my local stores which are about 1/4" long. We are not on a set "schedule" yet. I offer him crickets 3-4 times a day. Yesterday he ate 3 1/4" crickets and 3 the day before that, although he was offered much more. He also ate a pinhead sized spider during outdoors time yesterday.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
I have been misting and then dusting all of his crickets with Rep-Cal Phosphorus=Free Calcium with Vitiman D3. I know I need to get a calcium without Vitamin D for daily feedings.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I have a dripper in his cage and mist it down about 5 times a day because it dries out rather quickly. I am buying sphagnum moss today to increase the humidity levels so hopefully it won't dry out so fast and give him more opportortunity to drink. I have not seen him drink at all since bringing him home this time (he drank from a dripper once for me the first time I had him last week), and the pet store lady said she saw him drink from the leaves in his cage after misting. Who knows if that's accurate or not, though.
I offer him water from a dropper every time I offer him food (3-4 times a day) but he does not drink. I always put a drop or two on his head to let it roll down to his mouth but still no interest.
Last night I tried misting him lightly while he was sleeping as I read on a recent post that someone had luck getting their cham to drink this way, but I did not have any luck with this.
Today I put him on a perch in a hanging basket in the bathroom while I took a shower so he got nice a steamy which I was told would help with his hydration even if he wouldn't drink orally - is this true?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
He has not been tested for parasites. His stool usually contains a LOT of mucus which the supplier told the pet store was a symptom of parasites. It has had less mucus in it yesterday and today though. Today I noticed that his stools seem to contain pretty much completely undigested crickets. I would like everyone's opinion about if they think this is caused by parasites, basking temps that are too low or if they are just too big for him. Also please look at the urate and tell me how severe you think his dehydration is.
• 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?
• His cage is a Repti-breeze Medium, about 16X16X30.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Lighting is a 5.0 compact repti-glo UVB and a 60 watt incandescent (household bulb) They both go on at 8 am and off at 8PM.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? My thermometer just broke, and I am getting a new one day, but the ambient temp is about 70, basking temp about 85 and lowest overnight temp 68.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Humidity ranges from 50% in between mistings when the cage is dry to 70% right after a mist. I mist about 5 times a day. (also, a repeat from above - Last night I misted him while he was sleeping to see if he would have a drinking repines, but no luck :/
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• I have a big pothos I am in the process of replanting to put in his cage, but no live plants right now.
• 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? Cage is located on top of a 4' high dresser in a corner. It is free from drafts and it is quiet, very low-traffic room. The top of the cage is about 6 feet off the floor.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? North East Ohio.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
I'm concerned that he is not digesting his food and that this is leading to or worsening his weight and dehydration. I am going to try pinhead crickets and fruit flies, but would like your opinion on if this can be caused by parasites and/or if it's related to his dehydration in any way. Also if anyone has any ideas about getting him to drink that I haven't already mentioned I tried that would be wonderful!!
He still sleeps during the day when in his cage, but when I take him out in the sunshine he really wakes up and becomes active, which makes me think his sleeping during the day is more of a lighting/depression or boredum problem that a physical problem?
