My Jackson Not Eating

[BKO Overdrive]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male Jackson
• Handling - So far since i got him only twice, once to put him in his new home and the second time to put him outside.
• Feeding - Currently just crickets, hes been in my care for two weeks now, I have been giving him small ones, and tried medium. Gutloaded with cricket crack and sweet potatoes.
• Supplements - Giving him calcium twice a week, vit once a month and cal w/d3 once a month.
• Watering - I mist for 2 min 4 times a day allowing it to dry between mistings, I do see him drink, he looks very hydrated and well.
• Fecal Description - Black with white urates, looks normal to me, however he hasnt had a movement from lack of eating
• History - I got him from a Petco, he was eating great with them, as i watched him for 2 weeks before i bought him, Ive seen him eat once in my life while in his cage and never more.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Repitbreeze medum cage 16x16x30 (will get a large once hes at that point in his life)
• Lighting - Currently have a dual lamp, 40w basking bulb and a 5.0 compact bulb.
• Temperature - Basking spot is 80deg and ambient is 72
• Humidity - I live in Louisiana and just in my house the humidity is 60% without any mistings, I have a ficus in his cage and when i mist it goes for 60 to 90 and stays around 75 until it mist again.
• Plants - Yes one Ficus in the cage that covers the whole cage
• Placement - Its located on top of a 3 foot cabinet, the height of the cage is over my head and im 5'9". Its in the living room but i currently live alone in my house and they only see me in the morning to feed them, by the time i get home its lights out for them to go to bed
• Location - Lafayette Louisiana

Current Problem - Ive never seen him eat except one time, i use a feeding cup purchased from nick barta, the vield LOVES the cup and usually hangs out by the cup in the morning waiting for me to feed her, if i dont she goes back. But my jackson, ill throw crickets in the cup and i know he sees them but he isnt worried by them and looks to not care. Ive seen him crawl OVER a cricket loose in his cage and just keep going. Since im using a feeding cup i see how many are left. I know it says to feed daily but he isnt eating so i leave them in there. I come home and all crickets are there, some dead from being there to long. I know they are picky and im seeing alot of members posting how there jacksons are not eating. Should i try worms? Ill have to order some.

 

[JacksJill]

Mine prefers dubia to crickets.

 

[BKO Overdrive]

Mine prefers dubia to crickets.

I also thought about trying dubia, its something ive never gotten before because i personally hate roachs but Ill do it if I have to, I can get dubia from my local pet shop.

 

[JacksJill]

I find them disturbing also. I just try to think of them as overgrown pill bugs.

I'm going to start silkworms because that is what his breeder recommended. They sound much more manageable. You just need to be very clean about how you raise them.

 

[BKO Overdrive]

So it still has been a few days since he had not eaten, Its to the point that the crickets are dying in his feeder cup. I wrapped him up in a towel yesterday and force fed him 5 crickets, I would only put them half way but then he would chomp on them and eat them, his tongue looked okay to me because i thought maybe he had tounge issues and needed vitamins. He ate all 5. When i put him back in his cage and kinda crawled up then looked strait up and slighty had his mouth open, he kept what looks like was swallowing to me then he closed his mouth and crawled all around then he got in his sleep corner and waited for the lights to turn off. He seemed fine this moning. Not sure what to do, Keep force feeding him? He only has had calcium one time in 2 weeks and no vitamins yet. I may need to force feed him some crickets with vitamins and he doesnt eat in 3 days

 

[BKO Overdrive]

Update: I got some silkworms in, my original thought was maybe his tongue was injured and he couldn't use it. But I put a silkworm in front of him, VERY slowly but surely he ate it and used his tongue, he ate three of them, then he went to sleep. The next day according to the care sheet he should be eating everyday. He just stares at them, whats weird is most of his day is spent crawling the screen door, he crawls all over the place, so i mean hes displaying energy and he doesn't look bad or show signs off dehydration, hes not skinny. But what worries me is his supplementation schedule is all messed up because hes not eating on time with what i give him. @Remkon i know you have a jackson, have you ever had these issues?

 

[Remkon]

My Jacksonii is terribly picky and stubborn at it.
He takes a silkworm every once in a while, then won't touch em for a few days. Same for any other feeder with the exception of crickets and flying stuff, he will take those almost every time.

I don't think 'messed up' supplementation schedule is a worry, supplementing is not an exact science, we likely over supplement most things just in case they don't get their supplements a few times.
If he ate he got a lot from gut loaded feeders too and silkworms are super healthy for em too!

Personally I feed my jax (1yo) every other day and supplement calcium without D3 on it.
He is no big eater and a lot of the calcium will wash off the feeders when misting too. Multivitamin (with d3) I do every 1st day of the month.

 

[BKO Overdrive]

Yeah thats what worries me, he ate three, Im not home to see him all the time and the long misting sessions take away the dustings that i do twice a week, the crickets just die in the cage from never being consumed. Its like after he eats a few things its immediate boredom. Ive seen him eat 3 crickets then ive never seen him touch one again. Then i fed him 3 silks and he ate those and now never again. I put 4 in his cage, came home and only saw 1 so the worms either died or got in his belly. Im worried the only one i can accurately give him his vitamins and calcium is by force. He doesnt struggle and his little grip is strong, the first time was bad but he kinda just accepts it. I just dont want him to develop any form of MBD. Some people struggle to supplement right which ive been blessed to be able to follow this and my female is super healthy, but it does help when they dont want to eat lol