My new panther chameleon is not eating

[Girca]

Update : so a hour or two after I plugged back the UVB light bulb. He started moving more, color changed to the lighter.
Then he was opening his mouth on and off with his face looking up. (What he was not doing before).
I kind of “force water “ him, used a small seringue and put drops on his nose as his mouth was closed. He sucked it (sometimes too a while) and he maybe got 10-12 drops. And I did force feed him a small cricket that he took a while to chew on but ate it. He just looks so weak.
Then went to the pet store to get the tube light UVB 6%.
He moved around a bit. More than this morning but he is not resting with his eye closed and his mouth opened. (Picture attached) And I was reading some articles that are not very hopeful
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-behavior-gaping/

I was getting more hopeful that he was moving more after couple of hours but now feeling scared again for that poor little guy.
I will go first thing in the morning at a vet

 

[elizaann2]

Turn off the light if he is doing that.

What are temps?

How many inches is the light from his branch? You want it to be 6-8 inches away?

 

[elizaann2]

You have a smaller enclosure so you want to raise that light up above the enclosure.

@MissSkittles what do yo think?

 

[elizaann2]

Update : so a hour or two after I plugged back the UVB light bulb. He started moving more, color changed to the lighter.
Then he was opening his mouth on and off with his face looking up. (What he was not doing before).
I kind of “force water “ him, used a small seringue and put drops on his nose as his mouth was closed. He sucked it (sometimes too a while) and he maybe got 10-12 drops. And I did force feed him a small cricket that he took a while to chew on but ate it. He just looks so weak.
Then went to the pet store to get the tube light UVB 6%.
He moved around a bit. More than this morning but he is not resting with his eye closed and his mouth opened. (Picture attached) And I was reading some articles that are not very hopeful
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-behavior-gaping/

I was getting more hopeful that he was moving more after couple of hours but now feeling scared again for that poor little guy.
I will go first thing in the morning at a vet

Ya he needs a vet asap.

 

[elizaann2]

Hi, this is my first post here.

I for a new panther chameleon and I’m really worry because he is barely eating 2-4 dubias/cricket a day. We got him a week ago now.
Here are some pictures of him now (dark color) and the white is the day we got him.
He seems to be more skinny and it’s stressing me out.
Let me post more pictures and details later about the setup and the care we had been doing so far.

I’m reading through this again in case I missed anything. The picture with baby sleeping, was that during the day?

 

[elizaann2]

Update : so a hour or two after I plugged back the UVB light bulb. He started moving more, color changed to the lighter.
Then he was opening his mouth on and off with his face looking up. (What he was not doing before).
I kind of “force water “ him, used a small seringue and put drops on his nose as his mouth was closed. He sucked it (sometimes too a while) and he maybe got 10-12 drops. And I did force feed him a small cricket that he took a while to chew on but ate it. He just looks so weak.
Then went to the pet store to get the tube light UVB 6%.
He moved around a bit. More than this morning but he is not resting with his eye closed and his mouth opened. (Picture attached) And I was reading some articles that are not very hopeful
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-behavior-gaping/

I was getting more hopeful that he was moving more after couple of hours but now feeling scared again for that poor little guy.
I will go first thing in the morning at a vet

Do you hear a popping sound when he breathes?

 

[Girca]

Ok so went back doing all that.
The photo was the current temperature.
The light was probably 3in away from him. Moved it to 7 in.
Also turned of the heat lamp.
Misted a little bit.
I did not hear a popping sound.
He closed his mouth after a few minutes and his color changed to darker

 

[elizaann2]

Ok so went back doing all that.
The photo was the current temperature.
The light was probably 3in away from him. Moved it to 7 in.
Also turned of the heat lamp.
Misted a little bit.
I did not hear a popping sound.
He closed his mouth after a few minutes and his color changed to darker

Ok if it was three inches away it was blasting him. The light needs to be elevated from the enclosure so the top of that branch is 6-8 inches away from that light.

 

[elizaann2]

The uvb is on correct?

 

[elizaann2]

I’m at the pet store now and they only have 7% or 12%.
Would you not recommend 7% at all?
What’s the percentage represent?

Sorry I’m still going over things. The percentage is how strong the UVB strength from the light. Chameleons need 3% from the basking branch. So if we put it 6-8 inches away from the basking branch, through the screen top of most enclosures you typically get 3%.

 

[Girca]

Yes this is correct. Am doing this correctly? Should I leave the heat light on? It was probably just the UVB blasting on to him

 

[elizaann2]

Can you share a pic?

 

[elizaann2]

You are in Cali right? At this point where it’s getting later in the day you want his enclosure to start cooling down for the night. I’d keep it off.

How long to you have his heat lamp in for during th day?

 

[Girca]

I was leaving it the same time than the lights : 12 hours.
Went to check on him, his mouth was now opened on and off. Heat lamp still off.
Here is the picture of how I raised the light (obviously temporarily). I will figure something better and not fire hazard
Also a picture of the supplement asked earlier.
I live on the coast of California near San Francisco. So it is mostly 60F and foggy. Today is 70F.

 

[elizaann2]

That’s the right calcium. Do you use any oth supplements?

Can you send me pics of his mouth open? He is either too hot or has an upper respiratory infection.

What are his exact temps in his enclosure right now? Top to bottom.

I wouldn’t keep the basking light on all day unless you can’t maintain an ambient temp in his enclosure from 78-72 degrees.

 

[Girca]

Went to check, as I was looking at him, he fell from a inch into the feeder. He was struggling to get on his feet and the bugs were bothering going above him. So I put him to the bottom branch, came back 20 minutes later and he is almost all black. He seems to be dead but I’m not sure I don’t want to touch him

I was hearing a clicking from his breathing the last time I checked on him

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m so very sorry…baby does indeed look to be gone. It is hard to tell with chameleons though. Place baby on a towel and under some gentle heat…he may still be alive but in the process of passing away.

 

[MissSkittles]

I only skimmed thru all your info and it appears that while your husbandry needed some corrections, you were set up to fail by whomever sold you this poor little baby. Baby chameleons are quite fragile, and should be at least 3-4 months before being sent off to new homes. You should have been told what size and type of feeders baby was eating and after a settling in period of a day or two, baby should have been eating much more than a few feeders.
After grieving, if you are thinking about trying again, we are more than happy to help you get set up for success. Due to risks of parasites, everything you have used for poor sweet baby will need to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and any plants will need to be replaced. There are some wonderful breeders that will also help and make sure that you are set up for success.
Again, I’m so very sorry that baby has passed and for all of your heartbreak.

 

[elizaann2]

I am so sorry @Girca. My heart goes out to you and your little one.

If, after this baby you decide you want another chameleon, I hope you stick around all of us here would love to see you successful at caring for one of these incredible creatures. We can support you while you get its home set up and running smoothly and help you find a well started juvenile from a reputable breeder.

 

[elizaann2]

I only skimmed thru all your info and it appears that while your husbandry needed some corrections, you were set up to fail by whomever sold you this poor little baby. Baby chameleons are quite fragile, and should be at least 3-4 months before being sent off to new homes. You should have been told what size and type of feeders baby was eating and after a settling in period of a day or two, baby should have been eating much more than a few feeders.
After grieving, if you are thinking about trying again, we are more than happy to help you get set up for success. Due to risks of parasites, everything you have used for poor sweet baby will need to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and any plants will need to be replaced. There are some wonderful breeders that will also help and make sure that you are set up for success.
Again, I’m so very sorry that baby has passed and for all of your heartbreak.

I agree with @MissSkittles, I do feel like you were set up for a struggle with how young you got him. Try not to be too hard on yourself.