New Chameleon Won't Eat

[Alexandra1525]

I recently was given a Jackson's Chameleon for christmas but I just got him two days ago. He is a male and roughly 7 or 8 inches from nose to tail. I tried to feed him crickets for the first time yesterday. He looked interested at first but would not eat them. I left three in his cage overnight but they were still there in the morning and when I tried again today he did not seem interested at all. I am worried because he looks skinny and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips to get him eating.

 

[gegeland]

If possible you could ask the previous owner what they were feeding it. If you dont know already, that may help to get him eating different things that he was used to eating. Your new chameleon may also just be going through a bit of shock caused by his new home and surroundings. My cham usually wont eat anything for a day if i rearrange his cage or something. Someone correect me if i am wrong.

 

[hallenhe]

My first chameleon was a Jackson's, and he took a couple of days after arrival to eat (adjusting to his new home?). A few things - what size are the crickets? - Too small and they might not catch his interest, too big and he may avoid them as well. If he's 7-8 inches from the tip of the nose (not counting horn) to the tip of the tail, he'd probably want small crickets - ~1 cm or half an inch. If you have access to other feeders, you might entice him with one of those - the first thing I saw my Jackson's eat was a waxworm. These are fatty and not good staple foods, but they'll provide energy, be a treat, and maybe get him to eat. He's probably a little small for superworms, but a small hornworm or silkworm could be another feeder to try.

Good luck!

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Just in case you haven't found this yet:

http://www.geocities.com/chamjacksonii/

and Welcome!

-Brad

 

[Alexandra1525]

Thank you!
I don't think he had a previous owner because my friends gave him too me a few days after the pet store got him in. I guess he is still stressed out from the process of moving so I will keep trying to feed him. Maybe I will get some smaller crickets because mine might be a little big.

 

[OntarioLizardman]

welcome alexandra! i love jacksons and best of luck to yours!

 

[jannb]

Try a silkworm or a superworm.

 

[kinyonga]

What is the temperature in the basking area?

 

[Alexandra1525]

Well the cage's overall temp is about 72 but it is nighttime right now. But I don't have a thermometer in the basking area

 

[dondeb562]

Are you keeping the humidity up? Jacksons need VERY high humidity. It also could be that he is stressed.Is he at least drinking?

 

[Alexandra1525]

The humidity is never ever below sixty and I have seen him drinking. He will even lick the water drops off the end of the spray bottle. I offered him a smaller cricket but he still did not seem intersted. I am leaving three in his cage overnight to see if he will eat any but no luck so far.

 

[mtaha]

Any Luck today?

 

[sharkey]

i would suggest that you make sure the temp is indeed in the 70s and not below. they become sluggish about eating if they are too cold.

i would mist more frequently than you feel is necessary b/c it is not eating. licking behavior (to me) means that they are very thirsty. it would be great to have that cham so well hydrated that it doesn't drink on a daily basis. water should pool at the bottom of the cage when you are done misting (clean up should require 1-3 paper towels to soak up all of the water).

my jax love silks. can you get any? where are you located?

 

[ciafardo 4]

dont leave crickets in the cage overnight they are not nocturnal they aren't going to eat anything at night and theres achance the crickets could nibble on him at night

 

[Alexandra1525]

VICTORY! haha
This afternoon I put two crickets in a cup in his cage and he ate one! It was the first time I saw him eat ever so I am so happy. I know it was only one but I am still relieved. Thanks so much for the advice guys. And I took the crickets out so they wouldn't be in there at night. I had no idea the crickets could hurt him!

 

[Fortyo]

my chameleon wuldnt eat crickets for 2 week. i had to rip the legs off to make them look like worms and now he eats them all the time

 

[Bush baby]

Had to comment on this thread;

I just got a Jackson's Cham who won't eat. I've had him for 3 days now and he hasn't eaten anything. I keep the cage misted and he drinks EVERY TIME i mist.

From experience i know that it may take some time for him to start eating, as i had another Jacksons many years ago and it took him almost a week to start eating.

 

[Cainschams]

Had to comment on this thread;

I just got a Jackson's Cham who won't eat. I've had him for 3 days now and he hasn't eaten anything. I keep the cage misted and he drinks EVERY TIME i mist.

From experience i know that it may take some time for him to start eating, as i had another Jacksons many years ago and it took him almost a week to start eating.

Please start your own thread and fill out the "how to ask for help" form in the health clinic forum. This will help your chances out to get more replies.