Not eating very much...

[Panthergirl11]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - male ambilobe panther chameleon. 5-6 months old. had him almost 2 months.
Handling - 2 times a week maybe
Feeding - crickets gut loaded with wet and dry gutload. i give him 10-15 a day.
Supplements - repashy calcium plus everyday.
Watering - i use a habba mist. it runs 1 min every 3 hours. i see him drink almost daily.
Fecal Description - dark brown with white.
History - no major history.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - screen 2x2x4.
Lighting - 60w incandescent bulb for basking, 5.0 uvb, 6.5k plant light i just added today.
Temperature - 73 ambient. 80 basking. 67 lowest temp at night. i have a digital temp/humi meter.
Humidity - humidity goes from 70s-40s. mostly 40-45.
Plants -have a ficus and a hibiscus.
Placement - his cage is in our living room. we walk past him a lot. his cage is on the floor.
Location - northern California


Current Problem - hes not eating very much. i offer him 10-15 crickets a day like he should be eating but he will maybe only eat 5. I just want to make sure hes ok.

 

[kuzitiso]

How big are the crickets you're feeding him? Have you fed him anything besides crickets? Also how are you feeding him? (in a cup, hand feeding?)

It may not be what's causing the problem, but I recommend you move the cage to a location with lower traffic and place him on a small stand so the cage is higher off the ground. Since they naturally live high in the trees, the more elevation you can give him, the better.

 

[camimom]

its also probably because your basking tempis too cold for him.

you shoudl try upping that to 85.

 

[Panthergirl11]

The crickets are 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. I've been trying to find a little table big enough to fit his cage. The table I had before wasn't wide enough. And I don't really have another place to keep him right now. Our house is too small.

 

[Panthergirl11]

I just measured his basking spot and it's actually 90 degrees. I changed his basking bulb yesterday and I hadn't measured the new one.

 

[camimom]

I just measured his basking spot and it's actually 90 degrees. I changed his basking bulb yesterday and I hadn't measured the new one.

nm then.

did you change anythnge lse in his cage?

 

[ChameleonFan1989]

If he's only crickets, he could simply be bored. My panther did the same as yours ate less crickets until he rufused them all together. I'd try him something else and give him so variety. Silkworms and Dubia are a good staple

 

[kuzitiso]

Also, how long has this been going on? And have you changed anything besides the lights recently?

 

[Panthergirl11]

If he's only crickets, he could simply be bored. My panther did the same as yours ate less crickets until he rufused them all together. I'd try him something else and give him so variety. Silkworms and Dubia are a good staple

Yea that could be the case. I gave him a couple wax worms a few weeks ago and that's when he started being a snob to crickets. I bet he would love silk worms. I wonder if my fiancé will let me have more bugs in the house lol.

 

[Panthergirl11]

Also, how long has this been going on? And have you changed anything besides the lights recently?

It's been going on for 2 weeks.

 

[camimom]

sounds like hes setting you up for a hunger strike.

more bugs.

 

[ChameleonFan1989]

At least silk worms don't ecspace just had to chase a huge ass cricket just now -_- before dad sees it LMAO

 

[Panthergirl11]

At least silk worms don't ecspace just had to chase a huge ass cricket just now -_- before dad sees it LMAO

Lol. We have 3 dogs that are good at hunting escapees so I don't worry so much when one gets away. I guess I'll have to order some silkies soon.

 

[camimom]

At least silk worms don't ecspace just had to chase a huge ass cricket just now -_- before dad sees it LMAO

Lol. We have 3 dogs that are good at hunting escapees so I don't worry so much when one gets away. I guess I'll have to order some silkies soon.

no one gets to complain.
I had 300+ crickets get loose in two days.

 

[Panthergirl11]

sounds like hes setting you up for a hunger strike.

more bugs.

Lol awesome! Chameleons can be such brats. I'm fine with more bugs. I used to love bugs as a kid. But it's just funny how they can be so picky. But I guess I'd get tired of eating the same thing every day too.

 

[Panthergirl11]

no one gets to complain.
I had 300+ crickets get loose in two days.

Lol that would suck... You need a herd of cats to hunt all those crickets!

 

[camimom]

Lol that would suck... You need a herd of cats to hunt all those crickets!

i have a cat and dog.
thye couldnt keep upm and cant kill/eat them all when they re on the ceiling.

 

[ChameleonFan1989]

no one gets to complain.
I had 300+ crickets get loose in two days.

OMG >.< how did that happen

 

[camimom]

OMG >.< how did that happen

the crickets discovered they could climb my rubbermaid tubs, and that the lids, though latched, did nto seal all the way around and they could fit through...