Please help Finn

[Finn123]

As I said; I've got my Chameleon two days ago and I'm very concerned. He changes colour constantly so I have no idea what his original colour is, sometimes he's light green sometimes he's dark green and sometimes he has black spots and other times he has yellow ones. He sleeps during day especially when he's on my hand, and I've heard that's not a good sign. To be honest, I didn't buy any UV light simply because I don't know from where to buy it, I've looked in several places. And I couldn't buy any crickets as well because they don't sell them where I live so I try to feed it flies and worms. Finn, my chameleon, hasn't eaten anything ever since I bought him nor drank any water. I dont know what to do.


He's a veiled Chameleon
I've handled him maybe 5 times the past two days for about 1 hour in total or maybe more I'm not sure
As I mentioned earlier I couldn't find any crickets in any store as they don't sell them where I live -I live in a small town in the middle east-
I keep on spraying his cage with water but none of my family have seen him drinking any water
Haven't seen him poop ever since i got him, and there's no poop in the bottom of his cage
I got hiim from a petstore, but I doubt the man working there is a professional
I placed him in a glass cage, with sand in the bottom and wood brunched with some leaves
As I said I didn't buy UV light yet but I do put him in the sun a lot
I think he's thin because you could see his rib cage

Any help will be appreciated

I've noticed that when ever I put him in his plastic box (the one i bought him with) he's colour is green but whenever i put him in his new cage with the tree branches he turns darker. is it camouflage or is he stresed out or WHAT?
By the way this is the first time I get a chameleon (or any reptile) as a pet so I'm totally new to this

 

[laurie]

I hope I can help. First putting Finn in the sun in a glass cage will cause him to overheat, and UVB doesn't pass through glass is it isn't helping him. Do you know what temperature Finn's cage is at? What are your outside temperatures during the day? He needs air flow that he is not getting in a glass cage.

Did the store you bought him at have food to feed him? Maybe you could go there and get food for him.

Finn should have 1 to 2 weeks to settle in before you attempt to hold him. His color changes are showing you he is stressed. He goes to sleep on your hand, as he is getting ready to be eaten. You are lots bigger than he is and he does not yet know he can trust you.

The first thinks you need to work on are getting him out of a glass enclosure, not holding him at all, he needs a dripper at all times, a cage made out of some kind of mesh so he gets air flow, and food.

There is a link to caring for him, just to the left of our messages. It is called care resources. It will help a lot. Let me know how Finn is doing. You need to make fast changes or you will lose him.

 

[Olimpia]

Here is the care resources link that Laurie is talking about: https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/
And the veiled-specific care-sheet: https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

I also think he's probably stressed from holding and/or how he's being housed. If the tank is getting too hot, for example, he may be stressed and dehydrated and that's why he's closing his eyes.

 

[Trace]

Considering Finn123's location the animal may be a wild caught specimen and/or a similar looking species to the Veiled like the Common Chameleon.

Here is an article on wild caught chameleons you might find helpful as well: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/trace/776-dealing-wild-caught-chameleon.html

Finn123, a few pictures of your chameleon and it's enclosure would help us a lot.

 

[symphonica]

First and foremost, get rid of the sand. They can very easily become impacted by it, or it can cause other GI problems. If there were a cricket on the sand and they shoot their tongue out for it, they certainly would be ingesting some that stick to their tongue. You should not have anything in the bottom of the tank. You can put paper towels down to wick up the puddling water, but they should be replaced daily since the moisture will turn it into a breeding ground for bacteria, which can make your cham very ill.

Secondly, although you can keep them in glass enclosures (I do), it's not recommended for beginners, primarily because of the concern that there is insufficient air flow and increased humidity, which can make them more prone to respiratory infections. The lack of airflow and constant moisture will also make it easier for bacteria to harvest.

You should not be handling your cham so much, especially with how new he is. He should be given a week or two to settle in, with minimal distractions. Start with very short sessions, and do not grab him from above - have him walk onto your hand. The stress from being handled can decrease their appetite.

You'll want to get an accurate thermometer and hydrometer to measure your temps and humidity levels. You'll also want a heat lamp and UVB bulb.

 

[symphonica]

Also, where are you located where you can't find UVB bulbs or crickets? Ordering online may be the solution. I recommend a ReptiSun 5.0 T8 tube for UVB.

 

[Finn123]

I HAVE GOOD NEWS
Finn didn't sleep at all at day time today, maybe he had been sleeping the previous two days in the daylight because it was very cloudy and dim and the sun only appeared for several minutes and the light in my house isn't very bright.
I took him outside today, and put him in my garden, he climbed branches and walked around, his colour was olive green though and it took me a while to be able to put him back to his cage, was that a bad decision? I mean to take him out and allow him to play between the plants?
I have also found poop in his cage today, never been for seeing poop as I did today.
Another thing, I noticed that his eye bulged out and he kept it closed for a while then it decreased back to it's normal size and he opened it again after misting his cage. should I be worried? or is it a normal thing?

The bad news though is he hasn't eaten anything today either, I got him mealworms but he didn't eat any.What should I do about it?should I give him more time to get used to us and to his new cage?

& thank you so much for your help, you cannot believe how much you've helped me guys! I would have died without you assistance.

 

[fleetwoodchams]

Doesn't the pet store where you bought him sell crickets?
Take him out of any glass aquarium or plastic box! He will die in there it's too hot and the reflection will stress him to death. He needs a screen cage. Buy one soon.
Also if you don't see him drinking you may gently! and NOT ON HIM use a spray bottle and mist the plants he is on so he gets hydration.
Sounds like you poor animal is stressed out to the max. If you don't do something soon you will lose him

 

[symphonica]

I'm glad to hear he's improving.

In terms of feeding him, throw a few crickets (like, 5) into his enclosure, no larger than the distance between his eyes, and leave him undisturbed. Don't even watch him. Leave the room, shut the door, come back in an hour or so. You should do this about an hour after the lights go on and he wakes up.

In terms of letting him play outside - As long as it's warm enough outside and you're keeping a close eye on him, getting sun natural sun and air is definitely a good thing. Just make sure that the plant is safe for chams. Some plants are pretty toxic to them.

It's hard to make a call about the eye without seeing it firsthand. I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say it bulges.

 

[MelissaB]

Sometimes they bulge their eyes out, and wiggle them around when they're cleaning them. Especially during a nice showering session.

 

[Finn123]

I don't know what to do? what do you suggest about making him less stressed out?
Please help, I don't want to lose him.
And no it doesn't but I ordered some online, they should arrive next week. Is it okay?

 

[symphonica]

Where is his cage located in your house? You want it to be in a low-traffic, quiet area. For a while, don't do anything more than necessary to keep him healthy - misting, turning lights on/off, etc. Don't handle him, don't stare at him for a long time, just leave him be. If he's in a somewhat active room, you can put the cage in a corner of a room and pin a sheet up so that he can't see what's going on beyond the cage. Just make sure the sheet isn't directly on the cage where it's limiting the air flow and retaining heat.

 

[fleetwoodchams]

I don't know what to do? what do you suggest about making him less stressed out?
Please help, I don't want to lose him.
And no it doesn't but I ordered some online, they should arrive next week. Is it okay?

Leave him be for a while. You are stressed and handling him or checking on him alot stresses him. It looks like you have made some good changes in his enviroment and food/water. Seems you are getting improvement .
Give each other a little space he'll get better
As far as the ordered online part, was that crickets? Do you have no crickets for him till next week?

 

[symphonica]

I find it bizarre that the pet store from where you bought him never carries crickets. Did you ask? Sometimes they keep them in the back, out of sight of customers, and you have to specifically ask for them.

 

[fleetwoodchams]

I find it bizarre that the pet store from where you bought him never carries crickets. Did you ask? Sometimes they keep them in the back, out of sight of customers, and you have to specifically ask for them.

So do! Bizarre !! Also what did they feed this cham before they sold him?

 

[MelissaB]

Do you have any bait shops by you? Sometimes bait shops carry crickets.

 

[symphonica]

What do they sell as feeders? If they sell dubia (highly doubtful if they don't even carry crickets), you don't need crickets.

 

[Lathis]

That was my suggestion - bait shop. Back when I got my very first skink... about 25 years ago (sheesh), no pet stores carried crickets, but the scary tatooed guys at the bait shop kept me hooked up with crickets and meal worms (actually, they were very guys and always asked how Kramer was doing when my mom brought me in...just very scary looking). Now we have a lot more feeder sources, but if you have a bait shop in town, it will hold your little guy over until your feeder-grade crickets arrive.

Don't forget that you can (and should) feed things besides crickets - your local pet stores or aquarium stores might be most likely to carry superworms and mealworms in little plastic tubs. Superworms are better, but mealworms will do in a pinch as a supplementary feeder. You can gut load them on fresh fruits and veggies just like crickets.

 

[Finn123]

They used to feed him Flies. And I'm trying to feed him flies as well but he's not eating. I found a shop out of the town that sells crickets, I am going there today. I keep on spraying water but I don't see him drinking what the hell shall I do? I know he's less stressful than he was when I brought him to my house. He doesn't turn black nor very dark green anymore. He doesn't sleep at day time either.
Someone here mentioned that chameleons bulge their eyes during a nice shower session ... I didn't know I'm supposed to spray him with water and give him a shower every now and then.
Also I see him opening and closing his mouth every while, does that mean he's hungry or thirsty?

 

[Finn123]

And what kind of fruits and veggies do chameleons eat?