Not eating very much?

[CloudsMystique]

My new chameleon just arrived Wednesday morning. He only ate 5 crickets Wednesday and 2-3 crickets Thursday and Friday. Does he just need some time to settle in, or could there be something wrong with him? He's 4 months old, BTW.

 

[pssh]

He's probably fine. Just settling in.

 

[CloudsMystique]

Okay, good. I guess I was worrying too much.

 

[sharkey]

what species? how big? how old? make sure it is not dehydrated. reptiles do not need to eat every day, but they shouldn't be 'skinny' and they should always be hydrated. look for bulging eyeballs.

 

[CloudsMystique]

what species? how big? how old? make sure it is not dehydrated. reptiles do not need to eat every day, but they shouldn't be 'skinny' and they should always be hydrated. look for bulging eyeballs.

Panther, four months, about two inches... maybe two and a half (not including his tail).

He drinks a lot, but I'll post some pictures in a little bit so you can see if he looks skinny or dehydrated.


Also... He'll only eat if I hold the cup in my hand and let him sit on the edge of it. The second I set the cup back in the cage, he walks away. I can leave the cup sitting in the cage and he won't eat out of it all day long, but if I pick it up and put him on the edge of it, he starts eating immediately. Why is that?

 

[SS4Luck]

no idea why that is be be happy your cham will interact with you like that! There are alot of people on the forum that would kill for that king of interaction

 

[pssh]

He'll eat out of it when he's hungry enough, just give him a few days, if he doesn't eat for more than two or three days, you can give in but usually a little tough love does the trick.

 

[SRTtoZ]

It took my guy at 3 months about 1-2 weeks to settle in before he started eating a ton! Let him learn his new environment. As long as he's eating some, thats a good sign.

 

[CloudsMystique]

Alright, thanks guys : ]

 

[CloudsMystique]

Okay, here are the pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cloudsmystique/sets/72157622401189935/


Does he look skinny or dehydrated to you?

 

[panthercham]

As stated...give him time to settle in and adjust. Mine took about a week to adjust. As long as he is drinking as you say he will be fine. What are his poops like? Any orange tinge at all to the urates (the white bit)?

His photos look fine.....congratulations on your cham Is he your first? I was a nervous wreck with my first cham

 

[CloudsMystique]

As stated...give him time to settle in and adjust. Mine took about a week to adjust. As long as he is drinking as you say he will be fine. What are his poops like? Any orange tinge at all to the urates (the white bit)?

His photos look fine.....congratulations on your cham Is he your first? I was a nervous wreck with my first cham

The white part is white... no orange. Would that mean he was dehydrated or something?

And yeah, haha, he's my first one. The only other reptiles I've had are bearded dragons and I'd heard that they're much easier to take care of, so I'm really worried, haha. He can't be harder than a horse, though...

 

[panthercham]

The white part should be white..that is great! It means he is drinking and not dehydrated If the white part gets an orange tinge or goes orange then he is dehyrdated. So look out for that.

Horses are easier than chams

 

[CloudsMystique]

The white part should be white..that is great! It means he is drinking and not dehydrated If the white part gets an orange tinge or goes orange then he is dehyrdated. So look out for that.

Okay, thanks for the tip!

Horses are easier than chams

Haha, you think?