Refusing to eat......spit out cricket

[ethan99]

My veiled chameleon, (male, about 1 and a half years old) recently started to refuse to eat. He will drink water but he won't eat any crickets or meal worms. Today he tried to eat a cricket but all he did was chew it up and spit it out! Yesterday there was even a few crickets crawling around a few inches in front of his face but he just ignored them! Any suggestions on what I should do???

 

[luvbug237]

Chameleons like to get bored with their food so try to mix it up more. Maybe some Dubias, different worms... Maybe a different type of calcium or even different gutload so they taste different.

I'm having a rough patch with my panther right now becuase he will just not touch crickets. He loves his worms though!

Just my two little cents

 

[Garrett]

Spitting out food after chewing can be a sign of a mouth infection or
abscess (the chewing causes pain.) Chameleons normally won't shoot at a prey insect unless they intend to swallow it Try taking a look inside his mouth for any discoloration, puss, lumps, bumps, broken teeth etc. etc.
He could also just be sick of crickets, but it's worth a look.

 

[djfishygillz]

Fill this out so we can better help you and also please post clear pictures of the chameleon, your enclosure, and in this case the inside of mouth if you can manage to get the picture without stressing him out to much.


Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


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

 

[Psychobunny]

I agree, refusing and ignoring food is way different then taking the food, then spitting it out!!

You need to have his mouth inspected, see if you can find a vet in your area who knows about chams (most vets don't know much about them).

He may have an injury or infection in his mouth which is causing him some pain.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Spitting out food after chewing can be a sign of a mouth infection or
abscess (the chewing causes pain.) Chameleons normally won't shoot at a prey insect unless they intend to swallow it Try taking a look inside his mouth for any discoloration, puss, lumps, bumps, broken teeth etc. etc.
He could also just be sick of crickets, but it's worth a look.

agree - check inside mouth, or have vet do so

 

[rshewfel]

Today he tried to eat a cricket but all he did was chew it up and spit it out!

Did he actually catch the cricket or did you put it in his mouth? I don't remember the last time I saw a chameleon catch a cricket than spit it out. This is very common in force feeding. A trip to a good vet never hurts but I would offer something different to se what he does.

 

[ethan99]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled, Male. I got him about a month after he was born and I have had him for about 1 and a half years.
Handling - I handle him about once a week.
Feeding - I feed him crickets or mealworms.(about 5 a day until he stopped eating).
Supplements - I put potatoes in the cricket cage for them to eat and about once a month I dust the crickets with calcium and vitamin D powder (only the ones he is about to eat.
Watering - I give him water through "the little dripper" (If you don't know, it drips water through his cage). And I mist him and the cage a few times a day).
Fecal Description - Never been tested for parasites (that I know of).
History - He has been acting normal except that he won't eat.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen cage. 3ft tall 2ft wide.
Lighting - In the morning I turn on a UVB light and a heat light (a few inches above his cage). And a night I turn them off.
Temperature - Not sure.
Humidity - Spray the cage with a spray bottle a few times a day.
Plants - All fake.
Placement - In my room next to a window.
Location - Washington State

Current Problem - He is not eating!

 

[ridgebax1]

Your supplementation is not correct. He needs to have calcium (plain no D3) dusted on the crickets every time you feed them to him. In addition twice a month he needs the calcium with D3 and twice a month he needs a good multivitamin powder. Feeding the crickets just a potato is not an adequate gut load. Do a search of the forums for proper gutloading of your feeders. Sandrachameleon has a nice blog about how you should feed the feeders. Remember ultimately it is what you are feeding your chameleon.
He may also be bored with crickets and mealworms are sort of like McDonalds fries, tasty but not nutritious. You could try something different like butterworms, hornworms, silkworms, phoenix worms, some folks feed blue bottle flies.
What type of UVB light do you use? Is it a linear tube or a CFL? How old is it? They should be changed every 6 months at least.
You also need to get a thermometer and check the temperature of his basking spot. It is not enough to just put some heat there, it needs to be the correct temperature. For an adult male veiled chameleon it should be at 90F. They need the correct heat to properly digest the food you are giving him.
And like the others have said it is unusual for a cham to spit food out so if he took the cricket with his tongue and spit it out then that needs checked out. If he spit it out as it was force fed not so much. Adult chams also don't necessarily need to eat everyday. Omar my veiled will skip a day once in awhile.

 

[ethan99]

Your supplementation is not correct. He needs to have calcium (plain no D3) dusted on the crickets every time you feed them to him. In addition twice a month he needs the calcium with D3 and twice a month he needs a good multivitamin powder. Feeding the crickets just a potato is not an adequate gut load. Do a search of the forums for proper gutloading of your feeders. Sandrachameleon has a nice blog about how you should feed the feeders. Remember ultimately it is what you are feeding your chameleon.
He may also be bored with crickets and mealworms are sort of like McDonalds fries, tasty but not nutritious. You could try something different like butterworms, hornworms, silkworms, phoenix worms, some folks feed blue bottle flies.
What type of UVB light do you use? Is it a linear tube or a CFL? How old is it? They should be changed every 6 months at least.
You also need to get a thermometer and check the temperature of his basking spot. It is not enough to just put some heat there, it needs to be the correct temperature. For an adult male veiled chameleon it should be at 90F. They need the correct heat to properly digest the food you are giving him.
And like the others have said it is unusual for a cham to spit food out so if he took the cricket with his tongue and spit it out then that needs checked out. If he spit it out as it was force fed not so much. Adult chams also don't necessarily need to eat everyday. Omar my veiled will skip a day once in awhile.

Alright I will try your ideas!