My boy chameleon is not growing???

[pantherchameleon85]

I feed my panther chameleon about 15 ckrickets a day. I have a water drip system and I also spray three times a day. I have another panther chameleon that is a female and is doing great sheads about 2-4 times a months. But for some reason my male has only shed once since i got him about 2 months ago. His poop looks great with the white. He is almost four months old. I just noticed today when I went to feed him he would not stick out his tounge no more than a half inch, which now has me worried. Right now I do have them both cage together, but soon will be getting a new cage for my female that will last her for the rest of her life, just waiting for it to get here. I do dust my my chams food and but im lost to why he is not growing. Please help????

If this helps he about the size of two wooden baby blocks from head to tail.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - panther, male, and age 4 months. Been caring for two months
Handling - once to twice a week they get to go outside as well when it nice and warm outside and not so windy. If it nice but windy I let them crawl on our outdoor but inside.
Feeding - Feeding crickets with powder for calcium and vitames. about 15 and right around 8 every other day i gut load with potatoes carrots and and i do feed my crickets some other stuff but I dont know what it is called I got it from a show for gut loading them....
Supplements - Exo Terra powder. Multi Vitamin mid month and end of month. Calcium every other feed. Calcium +D3 twice a week.
Watering - drip and spray three time a day, yes i see him and her drink
Fecal Description - normal color poop

Cage Info:
Cage Type - screen cage both in a 28" x 16.5" x 30" cage
Lighting - 12 hour light is on for heat and UVB Zoo Med 75 Watt Basking and BulbExo Terra 24" Repti Glo 5.0 UVB Bulb
Temperature - 80-90
Humidity - humitity is around 60
Plants - not using live plants
Placement - the cage in in our bed room which is basically no traffic, the cage is about 2 feet above ground
Location - I live in CO

If I missed something or need to add more let me know please Ill add it

 

[camaleonte82]

i am having the same problem with mine. my panthers are so much smaller than the panthers that belong to the other members of this forum and are the same age or older. yours might be because they told you he was older than he actually was. thats what happened with our veiled

 

[pantherchameleon85]

hmm

but they were born at the same time???

 

[reptilover]

I see your supplements part of the form is blank.. does this indicate your not dusting ur crickets with anything. if u are dusting wats kinds and wat schedual are u on? I'd gutload with a little more.. check through some of sandrachameleons blogs. shes gutload queen.
Romaine lettuce, sweet potato, squashes, oranges, carrots, strawberries, blue berries, all good base gutloading foods.

 

[pantherchameleon85]

Dusting

oops sorry I dust my crickets with Exo Terra powder. Multi Vitamin mid month and end of month. Calcium every other feed. Calcium +D3 twice a week.

 

[Olimpia]

I think it's probably because he's competing against the female, who obviously is doing much better and is probably the dominant personality in the cage. Your cage is arriving, which is good, but I am willing to bet that this is the root of your problems. Unless you sit there counting every time one of them eats an insect, it's going to be tough to tell how much one is eating over the other. Or is she is letting him bask as often - maybe he stays towards the bottom of the cage, away from the heat, and isn't metabolizing as well.

You probably don't want to be using D3 that often. Most brands contain too much and are unsafe to use more than twice a month. Perhaps if someone is more familiar with your brand they can be more specific, but you may want to cut down how often you use it. Use the plain calcium more often instead.

Also, what brand is the UVB light?

Your gutloading definitely could be a little better. If you do not have the time or are forgetful, there are great commercial products out there that will provide excellent nutrition for insects (online, though. You are unlikely to find these in most pet stores). My favorite is Repashy Superload, but there is also Repashy Bugburger, and Cricket Crack. You can buy large bags of these online and they will last you weeks or months, depending on how many insects you buy. And then with just throwing a bit of veggie to give them moisture.

You are what you eat, so when your insects are healthy and well-fed so are your chameleons.

 

[reptilover]

I think it's probably because he's competing against the female, who obviously is doing much better and is probably the dominant personality in the cage. Your cage is arriving, which is good, but I am willing to bet that this is the root of your problems. Unless you sit there counting every time one of them eats an insect, it's going to be tough to tell how much one is eating over the other. Or is she is letting him bask as often - maybe he stays towards the bottom of the cage, away from the heat, and isn't metabolizing as well.

You probably don't want to be using D3 that often. Most brands contain too much and are unsafe to use more than twice a month. Perhaps if someone is more familiar with your brand they can be more specific, but you may want to cut down how often you use it. Use the plain calcium more often instead.

Also, what brand is the UVB light?

Your gutloading definitely could be a little better. If you do not have the time or are forgetful, there are great commercial products out there that will provide excellent nutrition for insects (online, though. You are unlikely to find these in most pet stores). My favorite is Repashy Superload, but there is also Repashy Bugburger, and Cricket Crack. You can buy large bags of these online and they will last you weeks or months, depending on how many insects you buy. And then with just throwing a bit of veggie to give them moisture.

You are what you eat, so when your insects are healthy and well-fed so are your chameleons.

^^^ this is good info here.
And specific brands on supps and bulbs would be great.
Plain calcium with no d3 most feeders daily if not all with a very light dusting
Calcium with d3 2.times a month. I think two times a week is to much,
And a multivit 2 times a month.

Personally I do plain calcium daily. D3 on first Sunday, vits second Sunday, d3 3rd Sunday, vits last Sunday. and so on and so forth.

And i agree a larger female can keep him In check to an unhealthy point.
I feel when u get a new cage u will.see a tramendous differnce

 

[pantherchameleon85]

more info

Zoo Med 75 Watt Basking Bulb
Exo Terra 24" Repti Glo 5.0 UVB Bulb
and i do feed my crickets some other stuff but I dont know what it is called I got it from a show for gut loading them....
I also let them outside as well when it nice and warm outside and not so windy. If it nice but windy I let them crawl on our outdoor but inside.

Sorry I was rushing through as quick as I could with info. I am just really worried. I did split him in a smaller cage right now bc I am worried to see if he eatting and to give him his space for now untill I get the cage for her to see if that helps thank you reptilover