not pooping

[mowryrd]

Hey there, new to the forum. Just got a male veiled about a month ago.He eats like a champ, we see him drinking every now and then and he's had a good shed since we got him.

We went on vacation for 4 days and had some people watch him for use. When I came home there was four poops in the bottom of the cage (one for each day gone). Then no poop for 4 days, then 4 poops all at once (didn't see him do it but they were all in one spot and didn't see them the day before). It's now been 4 more days with no poop. He still eats and doesn't seem to be dehydrated.

My question is, is this normal or should I be worried? Thanks for your help.

 

[ReptileLove18]

Welcome to the forum! we are here to help as much as we can without more information on the husbandtry being used and the chameleon itself, its rather hard to know what could be causing this. please copy and paste this form into your reply, filling in your answers. this way we can better determine whats going on

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

 

[carol5208]

check the plants, sides of branches, vines, inside the potted plants etc. Poop has a way of hiding sometimes.

 

[mowryrd]

sorry about that.


Chameleon Info:Name- Milo

Your Chameleon - Male, Veiled, had him since the 16th of feb

Handling - After he was adjusted, eating, drinking and pooping we started hand feeding him.A few days latter he would come to the edge of his cage and reach for you. So we would take him out to feed once a day. now that he's having problems I leave him in his cage.

Feeding - He eats mostly crickets and the odd wax worm(only 5 since I got him). He ate a few meal worms but does't like them. He eats between 8-12 med sized crickets a day in two feeding sessions at 12:00 and 5:00

Gut Load-flex seed, sunflower seed, almonds, cat food, plain cheerios and a mix of whatever fruits and veggies I have around

Supplements- I dust with exo terra calcium (without D-3) for one feeding a day. Every two weeks I use Rep-cal herptivite multivitamins and Rep-cal calcium with D-3

Watering - I use a combination of misting with a pump-up spray bottle and a dripper. I mist him between 4-6 times a day for 30 sec to 1 min (as much as I can with-out completely soaking him and the cage) and run the dripper for a few hours a day.

Fecal Description -when he does poop it's normal brown feces and chalky white urinate. He's never been tested for parasites.

History - This is the first issue I've seen with him. other then not pooping he's a strong healthy growing chameleon.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 18"L 24"W 18"T glass, exo terra, vents under doors and screen top
Lighting - Lights come on at 8am and turn off at 8pm. I use a 2 foot reptiglow 5.0 and a 60 w exo terra sunglow spot lamp. If it's cold I turn on a 40w heat lamp
Temperature - I keep his basking spot at 85-90 with a background of about 80 and spots available in the low 70's
Humidity - before misting about 30 to 40%, after misting about 70 to 80%
Plants - No
Placement - I have a room where I Keep my reptiles (a red tail boa and a leopard gecko). The chameleon is in the corner between the two other cages (positioned so no one can see each other)
Location - east coat Canada

Current Problem - He has gone 4-6 days with out pooping

 

[carol5208]

did you check the cage really good? I thought my cham was not pooping and found it was hidden in between the river rocks in the potted plant. it could be dried up and hanging on a leaf or on the side of a branch too.

 

[mowryrd]

I have looked don't see anything but I think I'll take him out tomorrow and have a better look around to be sure

 

[ChamMan7]

Like carol said, it could just be hiding, but if not then you can try a couple things. Give him a nice warm shower and get him very well hydrated. you can try things like hornworms which are soft, easily digestible and full of water. Also, you could bring your basking temp up a few degrees. Around 90 to 93. This will help him digest things a little quicker. I have had things like that happen with my veileds before and showers and a warmer basking temp help a lot.

 

[carol5208]

when I spray my chameleons with warm water it is like an instant laxative.I have never done this for that purpose but just an observation that it works just about every time!! I put hot water in the spray bottle and it comes out warm and then I spray the cage basically, but sometimes I will spray them also and it does make them poop!!

 

[ChamMan7]

when I spray my chameleons with warm water it is like an instant laxative.I have never done this for that purpose but just an observation that it works just about every time!! I put hot water in the spray bottle and it comes out warm and then I spray the cage basically, but sometimes I will spray them also and it does make them poop!!

hahah it always seems that mine do this too after a warm shower, must be relaxing.

 

[mowryrd]

He used to do that too . He would run over and I would I think he wanted a drink but he would turn around and let'er fly lol, Or he wuold do it where his water drips. The warm shower sounds like a good Idea. I have an umbrela tree I could use.

 

[ReptileLove18]

all the advice you have been given is great, i would definitely try the warm shower, warm misting, and feed him some hornworms and let us know how that goes!!

your husbandry looks good, the only thing i see that could be changed is your feeding schedule. its recommended that feeding is done in the morning generally because chams need a good 4 hours of basking time to properly digest their food

 

[mowryrd]

Cool guys, thanks for the help. I'll give the shower a try up his basking temp by a few degrees and feed him early in the day. Thanks again, this fourm rocks !!!!!

 

[mowryrd]

So he went on his own without ant intervention on my part but only two urinates and 6 pices of poop. Think I'll still give him a shower his urinate had some orange in it, might be a little dehydrated. Thanks again for your help everybody