My baby veiled isn't eating his crickets!

[gwyneth]

Hi all!

I'm a new chameleon owner. I've had Gummi for a little less than a week and his breeder fed her clutches crickets and gave me some to feed him, but he hasn't touched them in almost four days. I'm really starting to get worried. Any tips?

I've tried hand-feeding, letting the crickets loose in his cage, and putting them in a bowl for him to find in his tree. Nothing seems to work!

But he's energetic, colors are developing quickly, and he's not shaky, so I'm not sure if I'm just over-reacting or not. He does eat at his tree a little bit. I don't want his growth to be stunted or for his legs to go crooked from calcium deficiency.

Thanks a mil! - Gwyneth


Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - male, 5 week old veiled baby, approximately 4" nose to tail, in my care for almost one week
Handling - about once a day, maybe twice (but I don't interrupt his basking)
Feeding - 2 week crickets, gut-loaded with fluker's high-calcium cricket diet, his bowl has about ten crickets in it and has for several days
Supplements - reptocal, but it has D3 in it and I was told to be careful of overdosing, so I dust them a couple times a week
Watering - I mist from the top of the cage onto his plant twice a day until plant is dripping, but I haven't seen him drink.
Fecal Description - Slightly white and brown...looks healthy (like bird droppings)
History - None yet!

Cage Info:
Cage Type - It's a reptoscreen size small (so about 18"x18"x24")...all screened
Lighting - He has light from about 9am until around 8:30pm...I turn his light off about half an hour after the sun has set...it's a UVB 5.0 heat lamp technically for desert climates (so actually 100º) but I keep it several inches from the cage to top from discourage possible burn wounds and to adjust the temperature to around 90º.
Temperature - I have a thermometer I check several times a day. At night it's about 75-80º...during the hottest part of the day, it's about 93º.
Humidity - I have a hygrometer. Humidity is at about 80-85%
Plants - I have a benjamina ficus.
Placement - The cage is located next to my bed in my room. No fans, natural air with the windows open nearby. He can see the tops of trees (second floor) and the top of his cage is about five feet off the ground.
Location - Southern California

 

[Audiboi08]

One of the things people don't realize is that a reptile is not a dog or cat that adapts rather quickly..Give him a week or two to adjust to his new surroundings... He probably is eating one or two youre just not noticing it... when I first got Mr Lilly he was grey barely ate... Now 3 months later we are on 22 crickets a day... what does your cage set up look like ?

 

[brooklynelizabeth]

He possibly just needs to settle in before he begins a regular routine, change in environment can cause a chameleon to stress, and the behavior patterns can change for a little while while they transition. Just make sure it stay hydrated and watch as you have been for any signs of weakness. If this continues for several more days you can then begin to worry. Some chams that are established to new homes will sometimes go on a hunger strike that lasts a week if something is changed in the environment they are used to, colors on the walls, scents in the air, etc... your young cham is awfully cute, i bet you will see some feeding soon

 

[gwyneth]

The ficus takes up about 1/2 the cage, then he has a twisty branch connected to a log on the ground that winds up to the tree. It holds his bowl at the top. I attached a photo

 

[brooklynelizabeth]

Love the setup

 

[gwyneth]

*whew* You guys make me feel a lot better I hope he destresses soon! I'll update the thread in a couple of days.

Thanks so much for your help~

Gwyn

 

[gwyneth]

thanks! It was a lot of fun to put together

 

[pbveiled]

You should get some calcium w/o d3 and a multi vitamin. The most recommended supplement schedule is:

Calcium w/o d3 at every feeding
Calcium w d3 twice a month
Multi vitamin twice a month

What are the temps in the basking area? The basking area should be kept around 80-85 and the rest of the tank lower. You may want to get a separate UVB bulb and use a standard household bulb for heat. You can use different wattage house bulbs to get the temp that you want.