My jackson is not eating.
- Thread starter splinter
- Start date
camimom
New Member
We just experience a storm here and he has not eat since. Could it be the temperature? I check this morning and it was around 65 and it usually goes around 90. Just in case I put a regular bulb to try to raise the temp a bit.
Thanks for any advise.
IT can be the temp. but it can also be because he isnt hungry. If he is an adult, or close to it, many people here only feed them every other day.
why are your temps so low?
splinter
New Member
Because of the Storm, it's been raining for 4 days and more that 20 inches of rain. Hopefully the bulb will help raising the temp a bit. He is around 8 to 11 month old ( don't know if that is close to adult) and he is finishing a shed.
camimom
New Member
Did you not have a basking bulb to begin with? or did your power go out which dropeped the temps?
He is close to adult age, so you may wnat to start feeding him every other day. My guy is only 7 months old, and he wont eat everyday.
Also, cuz hes finishing a shed, he may not want to eat anyway. My guy refuses to eat the day before, of and after a shed.
cocoanut
New Member
shed
My jackson normaly eats less while shedding as well don't worry if it continues switch up feeders or use something smaller go from large crickets to small but don't use pin heads those will be pointless for a jackson of ur age also keep the humidity up as high as u can to help the shedding
My jackson normaly eats less while shedding as well don't worry if it continues switch up feeders or use something smaller go from large crickets to small but don't use pin heads those will be pointless for a jackson of ur age also keep the humidity up as high as u can to help the shedding
splinter
New Member
No I don't use the basking bulb because of the high temps that we have here. It is usually in the low 90s and I keep him outside cause it is less hot than inside the house. Now that we have this problem with the storm I took him inside cause is warmer and put a basking light to raise the temp a bit just in case the sun comes out while I'm at work.
Yes I notice that when he started the shed process he stop eating too but it was for a day or two, today is the fourth. Hopefully he eat today.
At least he looks healthy and his droppings looks normal. I think he ate a lot on Saturday cause I feed him and then I took him to the front yard and he ate some bugs there too.
Yes I notice that when he started the shed process he stop eating too but it was for a day or two, today is the fourth. Hopefully he eat today.
At least he looks healthy and his droppings looks normal. I think he ate a lot on Saturday cause I feed him and then I took him to the front yard and he ate some bugs there too.
camimom
New Member
Ok just wondering.
As for the eating, chams can go on hunger strikes. not saying yours is, but its possible he just isnt hungry, or hes tired of your daily feeder.
how often were you feeding him an dhow much?
also how are you feeding him? free ranging, cup feeding, or hand feeding?
splinter
New Member
I usually hand feed him 1 or 2 medium size crickets in the morning and leave 1 or 2 on the cup so he can eat them during the day while I'm at work. sometimes he eat them all some times he doesn't.
camimom
New Member
Ok, that sounds a bit low on the number he should be eating, however, if he isnt eating at all id be dealing with that. i would try changing up what youa re feeding him, maybe jumpstart his appetite again,
splinter
New Member
I've been looking for some place that send other feeders to Puerto Rico but I haven't found one. Even the sponsors are asking me to risk some money cause they are not sure if customs will keep the package and they will only send eggs. So for the moment I only have crickets and the bugs he collect from the yard.
But I'm working hard on getting a site that will send me some other food for him. Will try e-bay but they send huge amounts and I only have one cham.
camimom
New Member
I've been looking for some place that send other feeders to Puerto Rico but I haven't found one. Even the sponsors are asking me to risk some money cause they are not sure if customs will keep the package and they will only send eggs. So for the moment I only have crickets and the bugs he collect from the yard.
Couldnt tell ya on that one. Will none of the US based companies ship because of customs?
xanthoman
Avid Member
jackson hunger strike
imo, always feeding crickets is not a good staple feeder, too exoskeletal and too low of a ca/p ratio.
it could be food boredom, or maybe hes just not feeling well,
it could be he is actually sick, it could be a supplementation issue.
it could be so many things, thats why it is always best to fill out the help form.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
it would be a good time to keep an extra sharp eye on his feces for anything unusual and start prepping his cage for fecal samples in the event you are not able to turn things around.
90* is pretty hot for a jackson, it could be stressful if his cage is not set up properly. because of the heat, i would keep his cage out of the sun, he will get plenty of uvb anyway .
even though the temps are high i would still provide uva basking using only a 15 watt incandescent bulb.
if the temps are that high then he should have misting in his cage several times a day, either manually, by a mist king, or since its an outdoor setup, you could just use a rain drip misting nozzle, pressure regulator and hose timer for probably all less than $50.
short term or nightime temps into the low 50s(f) are no problem for a healthy xanth, as long as they have daytime basking available.
xanths do occasionally go on harmless hunger strikes, but more often than not it is because something is amiss, so hunger strikes should always be viewed as a red flag and taken seriously. if feeders are a problem, then why not learn to raise house flies, blue or green bottle flies, or black soldior flies,(feeding flies may require cage modification depending on your current setup)
all three types are universally easy to raise and exist most everywhere that doesnt have ultra severe winters. i see no reason why they wouldnt let you import bottle flies, since they are probably already there anyway.
with raising bottle flies you can probably have 1st generation flies in less than 10 days. bottle/houseflies are one of a jacksons favorite foods, if that doesnt break his hunger strike, then i would say he has more serious issues.
also, why not start a roach colony, there are certainly native roaches in puerto rico. (bannana roaches maybe?)catch a dozen roaches, put them in a rubbermaid tub with some food, water, ventilation and egg crates, with temps like that you would have more roaches than you need in no time.
it could be a supplementation issue. if you are keeping him mostly outside, are you still giving him d3?, cause that would cause problems, maybe he is getting over-supplemented on his other supps? also, if youve got a $20 digital scale, it would probably be a good idea to weigh him 2x a week and keep a record of his weight. it could be because he is dehydrated, what do his urates look like?
whatever the problem is, i seriously doubt the storm has anything to do with it. probably be in your best interest to repost using the help form. jmo
imo, always feeding crickets is not a good staple feeder, too exoskeletal and too low of a ca/p ratio.
it could be food boredom, or maybe hes just not feeling well,
it could be he is actually sick, it could be a supplementation issue.
it could be so many things, thats why it is always best to fill out the help form.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
it would be a good time to keep an extra sharp eye on his feces for anything unusual and start prepping his cage for fecal samples in the event you are not able to turn things around.
90* is pretty hot for a jackson, it could be stressful if his cage is not set up properly. because of the heat, i would keep his cage out of the sun, he will get plenty of uvb anyway .
even though the temps are high i would still provide uva basking using only a 15 watt incandescent bulb.
if the temps are that high then he should have misting in his cage several times a day, either manually, by a mist king, or since its an outdoor setup, you could just use a rain drip misting nozzle, pressure regulator and hose timer for probably all less than $50.
short term or nightime temps into the low 50s(f) are no problem for a healthy xanth, as long as they have daytime basking available.
xanths do occasionally go on harmless hunger strikes, but more often than not it is because something is amiss, so hunger strikes should always be viewed as a red flag and taken seriously. if feeders are a problem, then why not learn to raise house flies, blue or green bottle flies, or black soldior flies,(feeding flies may require cage modification depending on your current setup)
all three types are universally easy to raise and exist most everywhere that doesnt have ultra severe winters. i see no reason why they wouldnt let you import bottle flies, since they are probably already there anyway.
with raising bottle flies you can probably have 1st generation flies in less than 10 days. bottle/houseflies are one of a jacksons favorite foods, if that doesnt break his hunger strike, then i would say he has more serious issues.
also, why not start a roach colony, there are certainly native roaches in puerto rico. (bannana roaches maybe?)catch a dozen roaches, put them in a rubbermaid tub with some food, water, ventilation and egg crates, with temps like that you would have more roaches than you need in no time.
it could be a supplementation issue. if you are keeping him mostly outside, are you still giving him d3?, cause that would cause problems, maybe he is getting over-supplemented on his other supps? also, if youve got a $20 digital scale, it would probably be a good idea to weigh him 2x a week and keep a record of his weight. it could be because he is dehydrated, what do his urates look like?
whatever the problem is, i seriously doubt the storm has anything to do with it. probably be in your best interest to repost using the help form. jmo
Last edited:
camimom
New Member
I believe it was something he ate on the yard. I found him dead this morning.
I don't think I'm going to get another one if the feeders are so difficult to get.
I feel really bad cause I try my best and couldn't do it right.
Oh my! I am so sorry. do you know what he ate?
splinter
New Member
No, he ate two or three things but whatever it was, it was very little cause I did not saw it and he swallow it pretty fast. Maybe a little butterfly or any other flying thing.
camimom
New Member
Thats horrible. I wonder if whatever he ate had pesticides on it, or if the bug itself was poisonous. Im very sorry you lost him.
splinter
New Member
Thank you!
Ragigur4
New Member
You shouldn't give up on chameleons so quickly i know its sad when you lose a pet but if you decide to buy another chameleon go to www.thereptilespot.com they sell super worms & meal worms & they have free in island shiping and i am really sorry for your loss
ataraxia
Avid Member
make sure he has shade during the afternoon hours or the hottest parts of the day..when keeping jacksons outside it is important to make sure you mist as much as possible.
65 night time and even early morning is just fine.
whats is your supplement schedule like?
how long has went without food?
what type of feeders have you been feeding?
how old is he?
is he wild caught or captive bred?
any pics? i would like to see him and a pic of his enclosure.
65 night time and even early morning is just fine.
whats is your supplement schedule like?
how long has went without food?
what type of feeders have you been feeding?
how old is he?
is he wild caught or captive bred?
any pics? i would like to see him and a pic of his enclosure.
