Poop problems.

[Barye]

So, My cham was showing some issues with his feces recently.
He was dropping his feces regularly every day, but there were some problems with it:
his food part was usually a little bit more watery and light colored, while his water part was also very watery, or not crystalized at all
(I could just spot white stains on the Ficus's branches and the paper towel)
In order to get more info about his health, I took his samples to the vet (And I've actually found a more professional vet around me, far better equipped and acknowledged with multiple types of reptiles)
The vet told me his stool is alright and it looks healthy. The other problem I've noticed is that I couldn't notice him drinking the water I've been sprinkling over his enclosure.
If the cause of his water poop not looking properly could be somehow connected to the fact he's not drinking too much, I would appreciate any idea on how to hydrate him more. (I've got a working dripper, fogger working every night, and I'm also sprinkling the water each morning) Please remember that I've got no access to the hornworms, sadly

Here's my Jojo, casually sitting on my hand.

 

[Sonny13]

Did the vet also checked the feces for bacteria etc.? Or was it just visual check by vet? Looking at your hydration method, I can't recommend anything more, this just be sufficient. By watery would even indicate over hydrated, does he have a white (yellow/orange piece) part in the feces? What are you feeding him mainly?

Also checked this? https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/chameleon-poop-101.120171/ maybe this could provide an answer

 

[Barye]

Yeah, vet has checked his feces for bacterias and parasites, but they do seem clear. As goes for the yellow spots, they appeared sometimes, but there was never an orange one. I'm just wondering why are his urates so small if he's well hydrated (well, maybe part of it doesn't get crystalized) And I'm mostly feeding him with crickets and ocassionally superworms and cockroaches.

 

[Sonny13]

Yeah, vet has checked his feces for bacterias and parasites, but they do seem clear. As goes for the yellow spots, they appeared sometimes, but there was never an orange one. I'm just wondering why are his urates so small if he's well hydrated (well, maybe part of it doesn't get crystalized) And I'm mostly feeding him with crickets and ocassionally superworms and cockroaches.

That’s the good news, that he’s clean. No orange urate is also a good sign and indicates hydration is perfect. He has crystallized urates? That they’re smaller, is because he’s pooping more frequent. Do you have a picture of his feces?

 

[Barye]

That makes sense, I'll try to take a picture as soon as he makes one.

 

[Beman]

Are you saying his urates are more like water? Like liquid? If so you could be over hydrating him. This can be seen when fogging is done for too long at night. The urate ends up being pure liquid with no form.

 

[Barye]

Okay, I'll just lower down the fogging frequency, and check if his feces get more solid.

 

[MzLaurie11]

Also it could be a sperm plug. This will interfer with the normal urate. When mine had one urate was pure liquid with a bit of white in it,not formed more like a tortouis. Keep an eye on the vent. It will eventually bulge out

 

[Sonny13]

There could be one more reason when the urate doesn’t crystalize but, let’s hope it’s the over hydration or an interfering sperm plug. If things don’t change, I would advise to do some blood work on the kidney function.

 

[Barye]

I'm starting to think the issue is more serious He didn't drop a single piece of feces (both urates and food feces) since last friday.
He also tends to puff himself without any particular reason (I changed his heat bulb to 100 Wat instead of 150 lately, so I expect him to do it cause he feels a bit colder than before) I also heard this behavior could be caused by the chameleon feeling stressed, so despite the fact he had some hiding places already, I've replaced a large vine in his enclosure so he could hide behind it, but he still chooses to be exposed. He still eats normally, but as the last time, he still doesn't drink, he just ignores all the water that drops on the leaves Other than that, he looks completely healthy, but I'd rather have him defecate normally.

 

[Beman]

How often are you feeding him and how much? Are you sure the fecal is not ending up in the plants?

150watt would produce extremely hot temps. Even a 100 watt can be over kill for temps with a chameleon. How are you testing your basking temps? What temps are you getting?

Can you post a pic of the entire cage for me with the lights on top?

What supplements are you using and what is the schedule? Are you lightly dusting your feeders? They should not look like powdered donuts.

 

[Barye]

Back when I had the 150 Watt lamp it was hanged much higher, making it still around 30-32 Celcius right in the basking spot (it's around 20-30 centimeters below the ceiling)
, with the highest temperature notable being 34, right under the ceiling. I check the temperature with thermometer. As goes for the supplements, I mostly dust them lightly with calcium without d3- daily, I also feed him around 10-12 crickets a day, and when I'll run out of them, Cockroaches and Superworms become an emergency food. (around 2 superworms and around 10 small cockroaches) My cham is still only half a year old, so I'm still feeding him daily. As goes for the Vitamins, according to your recommendations, I use them only once a two weeks.

 

[Beman]

So you want a gauge with a probe on it to hook in right below the heat at the branch. Your looking for temps of 27-29 max at the branch. Because of where they rise up it will be hotter.

With the food intake amounts he should be passing fecals every few days. So more than likely your not finding them because they are getting stuck in the plant.
Make sure your putting ice cubes on top of the cage to melt. This way he is able to drink and not feel like he is being watched. Have them over the plant so they drip down on it.

Pull out any of that rope cording as well. That can cause issues if he tries to chew on it or if he gets his nails caught up in it.

 

[Barye]

Corrected, the temps should be fine by now. I also threw out both bamboo sticks, so the rope cording is no longer a problem. As goes for the feces, after a more detailed searching, I've found few of them actually hidden in plant's pot. The problem is they're suspiciously too small (like 1/5-8 of what it should measure normally)

 

[Beman]

Corrected, the temps should be fine by now. I also threw out both bamboo sticks, so the rope cording is no longer a problem. As goes for the feces, after a more detailed searching, I've found few of them actually hidden in plant's pot. The problem is they're suspiciously too small (like 1/5-8 of what it should measure normally)

So if he is eating regularly like this then fecals are going to be smaller. As they mature and it takes longer between fecals because of the reduced diet the fecal will be larger.

 

[Barye]

Update: Today, He has actually dropped a normally looking feces (If I have written correctly, something may be wrong with them if they're stinky)
Moreover, after hanging his lamp a bit higher, to match the required temperature, he often places himself directly nearby his enclosure's ceiling, and flattens himself like a solar panel. Does it mean he's too cold when being in normal position?

 

[Beman]

Update: Today, He has actually dropped a normally looking feces (If I have written correctly, something may be wrong with them if they're stinky)
Moreover, after hanging his lamp a bit higher, to match the required temperature, he often places himself directly nearby his enclosure's ceiling, and flattens himself like a solar panel. Does it mean he's too cold when being in normal position?

smelly fecal can indicate a parasite load.

Is he hanging on the ceiling to bask or just flattening and angling his body below the heat on the branch?

 

[Barye]

He's flattening his body on the branch just below the ceiling (not always, but that's still an unexpected behavior, if the proper temperature is provided)

 

[Beman]

He's flattening his body on the branch just below the ceiling (not always, but that's still an unexpected behavior, if the proper temperature is provided)

So try to get a picture. What you are describing sounds like normal basking behavior.