She has STOPPED eating...
- Thread starter Incognito
- Start date
jojackson
New Member
Incognito, I know its confusing, but remember, peoples answers will be based on avail information. Its likely those who said 'take it outside' assumed it was a much older/bigger lizard that you had owned for some tme and would benefit from sunshine. 
Giving as much, and as detailed information when you first post your question helps a great deal in terms of what people will be able to tell you.
At the top of the health forum, is a thread called 'how to as for help', it list a whole bunch of specific questions you should answer as fully as possible, in order to give a better idea of what might be wrong, for those who will try to help you.
My advice is still, to stop panicing and checking your tiny lizard so much and allow it to acclimate to its new surrounds, however, I do have 2 tips for you.
1. If your tiny lizard is in a cage with lots of room, it may be that loose insects are hiding from it (I know I would) if you think for any reason, your lizard is having trouble catching/finding them, you might consider:
A. removing any substrate (floor covering material) or anything else except branches, plants, where its insects can hide.
B. Using a cup to feed. This is done often in such circumstances, any container you have avail, is hung/suspended, or otherwise rigged somewhere easily accessable to the lizard (near a basking perch works well), the insects are left iside, instead of alowed to crawl a will through the cage. This makes it easier for tiny or sick lizards to find their food.
This can be as easy as a small dixicup or margerine contianer . Crickets the size of those you are now feeding (very small) wont jump out, but you should ensure its not so deep that the lizard cannot reach (tongue) the bottom or fall in and not be able to climb out.
Without knowing the size, type of cage or details of whats inside, I cant know if this might be necessary. Generally, just ensure it gets plenty of water (actually driking) and it will eat when its ready.
You could bump your temp up to the low 80's (provided the rest of the cage stays cooler) and see if this improves its appetite.
Giving as much, and as detailed information when you first post your question helps a great deal in terms of what people will be able to tell you.
At the top of the health forum, is a thread called 'how to as for help', it list a whole bunch of specific questions you should answer as fully as possible, in order to give a better idea of what might be wrong, for those who will try to help you.
My advice is still, to stop panicing and checking your tiny lizard so much and allow it to acclimate to its new surrounds, however, I do have 2 tips for you.
1. If your tiny lizard is in a cage with lots of room, it may be that loose insects are hiding from it (I know I would
) if you think for any reason, your lizard is having trouble catching/finding them, you might consider: A. removing any substrate (floor covering material) or anything else except branches, plants, where its insects can hide.
B. Using a cup to feed. This is done often in such circumstances, any container you have avail, is hung/suspended, or otherwise rigged somewhere easily accessable to the lizard (near a basking perch works well), the insects are left iside, instead of alowed to crawl a will through the cage. This makes it easier for tiny or sick lizards to find their food.
This can be as easy as a small dixicup or margerine contianer . Crickets the size of those you are now feeding (very small) wont jump out, but you should ensure its not so deep that the lizard cannot reach (tongue) the bottom or fall in and not be able to climb out.
Without knowing the size, type of cage or details of whats inside, I cant know if this might be necessary. Generally, just ensure it gets plenty of water (actually driking) and it will eat when its ready.
You could bump your temp up to the low 80's (provided the rest of the cage stays cooler) and see if this improves its appetite.
Last edited:
Cainschams
New Member
Ahhhh. Sorry, I just read through your old threads to get a feel of your situation and advice you have already received.
The confusion is easy to find around here. Everyone has different ideas on how to keep the animals. You must really get a feel for how it will work for you. You also need to get a feel for who are noobs just tossing out ideas, parroting others etc. Also, MODS!!!!, this is where some kind of icon for those who give good sufficient advice would come in handy.
Here is what I would do.
Get your animals separated right now. For a temporary enclosure you can put your female into a plastic storage bin with some sticks and plants. I use clippings of over grown plants in mine but you can use stuff from the yard or fake plants. Make it so she can get adequate UV rays and basking site.
Letting them get natural sunshine is one of the best things for them. Young or old it doesnt matter. I dont know why people are opposed to youngsters living outside
In the warmer months all of my animals, newborns or adults, live outside day and night. You just need to watch a younger animal a little more closely because they can over heat easier. Provide the animals with plenty of shade. Mine get the morning to early afternoon sun to warm up in and then shade the rest of the day. If its hot out they get plenty of drinking opportunities. My opinion its best to be able to take the whole cage outside instead of pestering them by handling to go outside. They will feel more comfy in their cages. You live in Hawaii where jacksons live in the wild. If I were you I would house them outside year round if possible.The whole moving her into a different thing to eat is probably stressing her out. I really do not think that was good advice whoever said it, IMHO. Also the male is probably stressing her out too. Does she hide more than the male, is she basking or getting any UV? If she is not basking enough she might not be warming up enough to eat. Also the basking spot provides UVA which stimulates appetite.
As for food. Get her living by herself and she should perk up and want to eat. I would not cup feed. As jo said, if there is any substrate or other places the crickets can hide easily take it out. If not dont worry about it. IMO cup feeding leads to lazy lizards that sit at the cup all day waiting for food, at least for species that will over eat. Not to mention it can lead to "lazy tongue" and the lack of activity can lead to obesity. If there are no holes or gaps in your cage there is no reason to cup feed. If someone cant count the amount of crickets they toss into a cage, count the amount left over and figure out how much the lizard ate they shouldnt be keeping chameleons
Cup feeding roaches that hide real quick or worms that will not cling to the branches or screen is fine.Other feeders. Some people are scarred to feed off WC bugs. Another aspect of some keepers that I just cant grasp. Anyway, the important thing when feeding WC insects is to know what insect it is and to know it came from a pesticide free area. I feed various spider species, moths, butterflies and various hoppers. Catch some bugs, identify them and make sure they are not poisonous or eat a toxic plant and toss them in. Some will argue they can get parasites but they can get parasites from commercial insects also.
Does the other animal have much larger horns? Females of the xanth species can show tiny horn nubs but they wont be pronounced.
Edit: I also agree with Jo about the basking temp. 80 to 85 should be sufficient and not too hot.
jojackson
New Member
Whoa, your housing two or more together? I must have missed that!
To save reposting this information if you had another thread, a link to that thread is helpful.
It is more helpful to add to the original thread than start new ones. Multiple threads about the same lizard will confuse those trying to assist you.
Me said:
To save reposting this information if you had another thread, a link to that thread is helpful.
It is more helpful to add to the original thread than start new ones. Multiple threads about the same lizard will confuse those trying to assist you.
Incognito
New Member
The ones who told me to take them outside knew thier size, age, cage, lights, and that it was my 2nd day owning them - whole 9. Because I did fill out the How to ask a question ma-jig with all of thier information. They said because I lived in Hawaii and they thrieve in the conditions in the wild that it was recommended if I could move the whole cage - so thats what I had been doing each day for 20 mins. Partial sun, partial shade and today is the 6th maybe 7th day I have owned them. The Mesh cage is 3ft by 2 ft by 2ft. I do remove excess plants at the bottom when feeding. I have tried cup feeding and letting them hunt. The crickets do get out of my cage - I chase them with a dixie cup and toss them back in. Temp in cage averages 75-79 (75 toward bottom and 79 right under bulb) I have alos tried worms along with the crickets and flies. (flies were caught outside - worms from the petstore... Yes I have 1 male 6 months and 1 female 4 months. The male has MASSIVE horns, the female has little knubs or bumps but no horns. I am housing them together because the breeder I got them from encouraged it. In fact I went in to ONLY buy 1 male and he gave me the female for FREE because they had been raised together in the cage and the other females were picking on my female and he said this male I had chossen tolerated her hanging around him and they even slept together at times. This I have witnessed. She crawls atop his head and neither get irrated. Due to the overwhelming plea here to seperate them from members. I hired a contractor who is custom building me a lg cage with divider and drainage system and such that i designed after reading all the info here in the last week. $500.00 but if it gets them both what they need hey Im fine with that! Links to other threads reguarding problems I come across in my 1st week with these guys....
https://www.chameleonforums.com/new-owner-question-56759/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/upgrade-advice-56893/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/male-vs-female-56949/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/new-owner-question-56759/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/upgrade-advice-56893/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/male-vs-female-56949/
SarahChamlove
New Member
i'm having a similar problem with my veiled chameleon. I recently took them both of my chameleons to the vet and they both are 4 months. My girl (talula)weighs 28 grams and my boy (Earl) weighs 8 grams. My vet said that they look healthy but they are under weight. Which was a shock to me because I've had them for a month and Talula grew so fast. Earl i was concerned with because he would eat one or two a day and that was if he ate at all.
The Vet suggested that i stick with the cup method. Put up to 10-18 crickets in there at a time. allow your chameleon to perch somewhere near and let them have a feeding frenzy. And this may vary because you have a jackson, but talula should weight 48 to 57 grams and earl should weigh 28 to 37 grams.
and although there is not a set amount a baby cham will eat. you should allow him/her to eat as much as they want. thats why they say the cup method works so well
hope this helps
The Vet suggested that i stick with the cup method. Put up to 10-18 crickets in there at a time. allow your chameleon to perch somewhere near and let them have a feeding frenzy. And this may vary because you have a jackson, but talula should weight 48 to 57 grams and earl should weigh 28 to 37 grams.
and although there is not a set amount a baby cham will eat. you should allow him/her to eat as much as they want. thats why they say the cup method works so well
hope this helps
jojackson
New Member
Generally speaking, they are babies, they may well get on fine until they approach maturity, at which time you will need to separate them.
Because they're babies, lots of fiddling about with them, moving them about and general fussing, will only stress them and may well put them off food.
I stand by my advice to simpley back off and let them be (atleast till new cage is ready)
Ensure hydration (this is crucial regardless age sex or species.)
You could raise their temp to 82 or even 85 with no issues imo, and that should see an improvement in appetite.
The more you disturb tem, the more stress you cause them, will worsen any problems. As far as such tiny lizards are concerned, everything,
including you, means to make a Mchappy meal of them.
They look healthy and well hydrated in the pic. Provided they are eating something, they will be ok.
Again, smaller prey is generally a safer bet than bigger, youd be surprised what will intimidate a tiny cham.
Flys are an excellent inducement to eat (anything flying) and may be worth trying if they
prove a bit stubborn.
Im sorry for any confusion caused as I didnt read any earlier threads you may have made and went on what you said in this one.
Best wishes
Because they're babies, lots of fiddling about with them, moving them about and general fussing, will only stress them and may well put them off food.
I stand by my advice to simpley back off and let them be (atleast till new cage is ready)
Ensure hydration (this is crucial regardless age sex or species.)
You could raise their temp to 82 or even 85 with no issues imo, and that should see an improvement in appetite.
The more you disturb tem, the more stress you cause them, will worsen any problems. As far as such tiny lizards are concerned, everything,
including you, means to make a Mchappy meal of them.
They look healthy and well hydrated in the pic. Provided they are eating something, they will be ok.
Again, smaller prey is generally a safer bet than bigger, youd be surprised what will intimidate a tiny cham.
Flys are an excellent inducement to eat (anything flying) and may be worth trying if they
prove a bit stubborn.
Im sorry for any confusion caused as I didnt read any earlier threads you may have made and went on what you said in this one.
Best wishes
jojackson
New Member
Incognito, I found your info from an earlier thread....
Please note The bolded. In my earlier reply I said...
Its very Important to know what temperatures your lizards are subject to, I hope you have bought a reliable thermometer. I do note your living in Hawaii where jacksons have bred in the wild so your climate is freindly anyway, this is not a major concern if kept outdoors, but indoors where you may have air conditioning you will need to control temps. In either case the lizards still require a source of heat greater than their surrounds in order to successfully thermoregulate.
Please note The bolded. In my earlier reply I said...
me said:
Its very Important to know what temperatures your lizards are subject to, I hope you have bought a reliable thermometer. I do note your living in Hawaii where jacksons have bred in the wild so your climate is freindly anyway, this is not a major concern if kept outdoors, but indoors where you may have air conditioning you will need to control temps. In either case the lizards still require a source of heat greater than their surrounds in order to successfully thermoregulate.
sdheli420
Avid Member
looks like a healthy cham..maybe just going thorugh some stages, ive had chams that eat everyday, and some that eat alot for a few days then wait awhile befor they munch again..if yer cham is drinking still and there is food available, then it will be fine..just relax and keep doing what you are doing..
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