Panther eatring things it shouldn't?!

[joanne1920]

Hiya,

My panther who is nearly 6 months old has started chewing wood, plastic plants and even the thermostat prob... is this normal??!! He was up before the light were even on this morning and he was giving his plastic plant some grief, some of the leaves are even coming off ...

alsohe was sold as a boy, but how do i tell if he is a boy or a girl, hes a nosy be and is greeny blue in colour but gets dark bars when he's grumpy, infact he is grumpy quite alot.

Look forward to your replies

 

[chamguy]

most people dont recommend having fake plants in with your chameleon for this reason. I'd replace them with some non-toxic plants. Not sure why he's chewing on everything tho

 

[joanne1920]

he gets his bugs with calcium every day and multi vitamin once a week. i was worried he is lacking something, but he has just shed again, and appears to shed about once a month. but the chewing on the wood in his viv worried me as i dont want him to ingest anything?? could it be he he is being curious and being like a child and if it fits in his mouth he'll try and eat it??!!

What real plants can i get for him? I'm in the UK so might struggle to get safe plants... i have a feeling he will try and eat them!!

 

[Solid Snake]

He could be dehydrated, have a vitamin issue, or just be a chewer.
Please fill this out, and we can find out which it may be.
Pictures of the animal will show what sex it is. Pictures of its setup would also be nice to see.


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

 

[joanne1920]

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Ok, Levi is a Nosey Be Panther Chameleon. He was sold as male 2 months ago and we were told he was 3 to 4 months old then.

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
We try to handle him every day or at least every other day, he has recently started taking wax worms off the palms of our hands. He i s getting increasling grumpy, but is fine once he is out

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
He is fed daily as much as he can eat with 3rd size Locusts and standard sized silent crickets, a couple of time as week he has a couple of wax worms as a treat. He is fed every morning so he has all day to eat them. All feeders are gutloaded with either apple or carrot for a minimum of 24 hours


Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Exo Terra Calcium on every feed, Nutrabol once a week

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
He has a dripper thats on all day, i have seen him drink from the pipe this week, generally he licks the glass when he is thirsty and he gets misted twice a day, once in morning and once at night and again if we see him licking glass. He seems to drink quite alot.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Umm brown, quite firm with a tiny bit if orange then a white bit at the end. He has never been tested for parasites.

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Came from a wholesaler who has bought a batch from a local breeder.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Its a glass exo terra with a mesh screen on the top. 90cm x 45xm x 45cm
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
The canopy has 2 bulbs in it, one is a 5% and one is a 2% both are exo terra bulbs. The bulbs are on a timer and are on 12 hours and off 12 hours
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

Temp is controlled by a red exo terra heat glo lamp and a thermostat, the temp is set at 78 during the day and 72 over night

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Humidty varies between 60 - 70% and is measured by a digital hygrometer
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
No plastic and fabric

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?
The viv is on a large coffee table which sits approx 18" off the ground, its not near fans, air vents or high traffic areas but there is a window opposite.
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Cambridgeshire - UK


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

Please see above posts, but he is chewing wood and plants if the the thermostat prob, he goes wondering around daily and has been seen on the bottom of the viv walking about, but soon as he sees someone climbs back up on branches/vines.


Pictures are helpful[/QUOTE]

No pics of viv at present but here are some pics of him attached...

2 of him on his recent shed, he is approx 10" or so from nose to tail and another one taken before his shed showing his pretty colour and one of him taken about a month ago fast asleep ( we didnt realise they went so pale when asleep!)

 

[Solid Snake]

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Ok, Levi is a Nosey Be Panther Chameleon. He was sold as male 2 months ago and we were told he was 3 to 4 months old then.

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
We try to handle him every day or at least every other day, he has recently started taking wax worms off the palms of our hands. He i s getting increasling grumpy, but is fine once he is out
I would recomend not handling him that much. Maybe just 3 times a week.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
He is fed daily as much as he can eat with 3rd size Locusts and standard sized silent crickets, a couple of time as week he has a couple of wax worms as a treat. He is fed every morning so he has all day to eat them. All feeders are gutloaded with either apple or carrot for a minimum of 24 hours

Your gutoading NEEDS improvement. I will attach sandrachameleons gutloading blog at the bottom. She is the master.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Exo Terra Calcium on every feed, Nutrabol once a week
Im unfamiliar with nutabol, upon researching it, it seems fine but has D3 in it. Make sure the calcium you use everyday does not have D3. They need D3 tice a month only.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
He has a dripper thats on all day, i have seen him drink from the pipe this week, generally he licks the glass when he is thirsty and he gets misted twice a day, once in morning and once at night and again if we see him licking glass. He seems to drink quite alot.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Umm brown, quite firm with a tiny bit if orange then a white bit at the end. He has never been tested for parasites.
The color orange would indicate a hydration issue. As well as him drinking "alot". Does your dripper drip on to plants? It should drip onto as many leaves as possible. You need to mist more. At least 3 times a day. Until everything is wet and then some. It can take them awhile to decide that its "raining" and that they should drink.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Came from a wholesaler who has bought a batch from a local breeder.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Its a glass exo terra with a mesh screen on the top. 90cm x 45xm x 45cm
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
The canopy has 2 bulbs in it, one is a 5% and one is a 2% both are exo terra bulbs. The bulbs are on a timer and are on 12 hours and off 12 hours
Your lighting is wrong. You need one 5.0 uvb bulb, and one basking light. The red light should not be used for basking. Use a housebulb instead. It mimics a bright sun. Basking should be at 85ish. Panthers are a sun loving species. The red light can keep them awake. NO lights at nite period. You will not need to provide night time heat unless the room hes in goes below 50F. The thermostat isnt needed. Get a timer instead. Lights on for 12hrs, off for 12hrs.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

Temp is controlled by a red exo terra heat glo lamp and a thermostat, the temp is set at 78 during the day and 72 over night

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Humidty varies between 60 - 70% and is measured by a digital hygrometer
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
No plastic and fabric
Id highly recomend going and getting a small pothos and putting it in the bottom. It will help with humidity, it holds drinking water wonderfully, is dirt cheap, and hard to kill. It grows fast too, and all the vines give him more to climp on.
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?
The viv is on a large coffee table which sits approx 18" off the ground, its not near fans, air vents or high traffic areas but there is a window opposite.
He needs to be up higher! At least eye level(top of enclosure)
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Cambridgeshire - UK


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

Please see above posts, but he is chewing wood and plants if the the thermostat prob, he goes wondering around daily and has been seen on the bottom of the viv walking about, but soon as he sees someone climbs back up on branches/vines.



No pics of viv at present but here are some pics of him attached...

2 of him on his recent shed, he is approx 10" or so from nose to tail and another one taken before his shed showing his pretty colour and one of him taken about a month ago fast asleep ( we didnt realise they went so pale when asleep!)

He may need more things to climb on as well. Please post a picture of his house if at all possible. Here is THE gutloading info:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/
Please make these changes, and keep us updated.
I think he is probably going a little batty, and just wants more cover, and to be up higher. He probably feels defenseless. He looks Healthy in the pics!

 

[panicbess]

he needs more water..Thats how i figured out mine were thirsty!!

 

[kinyonga]

Can you post a photo please?
Are his head pads protruding rather than sunken in? Is his tail round without longitudinal ridges?

 

[gratefulj]

I would strongly recommend a new all breathable sided enclosure 2'X2'X3'to4'.

 

[gratefulj]

And position the cage up a lot higher, at least around eye level. Also, the lighting.. reptisun 5.0 uvb and a 75w basking bulb and I would be willing to bet he won't be such a "grumpy" guy anymore.

 

[joanne1920]

Thanks for all your replies, his heat lamp is now off over night and i make sure he is sprayed alot more.

As regards real plants - pothos? Please could you give me a latin name as im in the UK and the garden centre i went today had never heard of it?! she said i need a latin name so she can trace it.... thanks again

Ill upload some more photos soon, showing his head etc

 

[Solid Snake]

Epipremnum aureum

 

[joanne1920]

Thank you Just googled it...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epipremnum_aureum

it says its toxic to pets ????

 

[Solid Snake]

This:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/plants/
...and the fact that almost everyone uses pothos, would suggest otherwise. Didnt look at your link, but its safe for chameleons. 100%

 

[joanne1920]

ok thanks. sorry for being a pain ...

 

[Solid Snake]

Who said that?
Its always better to ask and be sure!
If I suggested that you were a pain, I do apologize for the misconception.