Sick male chameleon?
- Thread starter foskajs
- Start date
GrannyK
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi welcome to the forum! What supplements are you using and schedule? Pics are best of bottles, and what uvb light do you have? Common simple issues to fix are just a my initial thoughts. Maybe the husbandry form would give the best idea if you feel up to filling it out.
Welcome to the forum, hope you get this figured out easy!
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. long has it been in your care?How
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
Welcome to the forum, hope you get this figured out easy!
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. long has it been in your care?How
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
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. long has it been in your care?
Ambanja panther chameleon 1.8 months
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
once every 1-2 weeks
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Super worms Dubai roaches silk worms I assort his diet I give him 3-5 mixture of them everyday I use lettuce apples pears
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Repti calcium everyday and reptivite every week
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I spray him with a sprayer I spray him 5 times a day a minute at a time. I do not see him drinking
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Brown poop with slightly orange urates he hasn't
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
No
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Xl repti breeze
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I have him in the basement and it's cold so I use 3 lights 75 watt Phillips plant lights and uvb zoo med 10.0
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Basking spot 95-105 lowest cage temperature 75-80
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
30%-40% during day at night 90%-100%
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Hibcus
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?
no it's in the basement
Location - Where are you geographically located? Near philly
The current problem you are concerned about
A couple weeks ago I saw my male panther chameleons eyes closed and didn't open them until I talked. 2 days ago I noticed it again same thing. And today I noticed it again. His poop looks good and has no signs of respiratory infection he is eating very well his color is also dark and when I take him out his cage his color is way lighter. What should I do
It's not the d3 one it's the regular one. I would say 8-10 inches away and I'm not sure about the 3uvi I was thinking maybe he's dehydrated? Or needs more places to hide
You should adjust the diet. Roaches are o.k. but super worms and silk worms should only be fed from time to time (too much fat). Focus on crickets, grasshoppers and roaches.
Do the Phillips spots emit UV? People that bought some of my hatchlings recently told me of the chameleon sitting with closed eyes under the spotlight with eyes closed. After some experimenting we found out, that the UV output of the spotlight was so high, that it wasn't comfortable for the chameleon's eyes. The solution was to use spotlights emitting less UV or installing the spotlight higher above the cage.
Do the Phillips spots emit UV? People that bought some of my hatchlings recently told me of the chameleon sitting with closed eyes under the spotlight with eyes closed. After some experimenting we found out, that the UV output of the spotlight was so high, that it wasn't comfortable for the chameleon's eyes. The solution was to use spotlights emitting less UV or installing the spotlight higher above the cage.
Ghostbirb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Silkworms are actually amazing staple feeders, you will want to hold off on super worms and waxworms as they are like treat bugs
Here is chart on gut loading and good bugs to feed your Cham
@Ghostbirb: You're right, I mixed up silkworms and waxworms, sorry ;-) Interesting that you use silkworms as staple feeders, never saw those sold here in Germany, but I will have an eye on that.
Ghostbirb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ok I've put my feedback in bold. We usually talk a lot around here, so this will be long 
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. long has it been in your care?
Ambanja panther chameleon 1.8 months
What a cutie! Could you add some more clear full body pics of him?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
once every 1-2 weeks
Very good! Chameleons are not very friendly species and dont do well with being handled often, but its always good to try and earn some trust with them. Here is a good blog on how to earn trust with your cham, https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Super worms Dubai roaches silk worms I assort his diet I give him 3-5 mixture of them everyday I use lettuce apples pears
So chameleons are prone to obesity, I believe you said your chameleon was a year and 8 months old? By now you want to be feeling him every 2-3 days, or 3 times a week, that will keep him at a healthy weight. Your bug amount is correct, you just want to cut back on the frequency of feeding him. As I said above in another comment, Superworms should be fed in moderation, but dubia roaches and silkworms are amazing! Normally I would attach images on best bugs to feed and gut load but they are already posted above, so definitely check them out!
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Repti calcium everyday and reptivite every week
I see that @GrannyK replied about this above, using the repticalcium without d3 every day is perfect. As for the reptivite, I would agree that it needs to be fed only twice a month, for example on the 1st and 16th. D3 and A are both fat soluble vitamins they can be overdone and cause a lot of harm.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I spray him with a sprayer I spray him 5 times a day a minute at a time. I do not see him drinking
Chameleons are shy drinkers, so we often don't see them drinking. One way we usually keep an eye on their hydration levels is through their poop. You want the urates to be mostly white, as it shows your chameleon has good levels of hydration, a little orange is ok, but if the urate is almost all orange, then your chameleon is dehydrated. Also in case you don't know, they are also dry shedders, so when your boy sheds you don't have to spray him extra.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Brown poop with slightly orange urates he hasn't
As I said above, we can measure hydration of your chameleon through their poops, the more white the urate is the more hydrated he is. A little bit of orange is normal, but if the majority of the urate is orange, then he is dehydrated. Have you ever gotten a fecal before to check for parasites? If not, its always a good idea to get one to check just in case.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
No
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Xl repti breeze
Perfect size! From what I see in your enclosure you have a good amount of sticks so far. They act like a highway for your chameleon, so the more the better! There is a vine in it that I am concerned about, the fuzzy looking one wrapping along the right size to the back. I would suggest removing it as your chameleon can eat the material and become impacted, or it could get in his eye and irritate it. As for plants, you definitely need more as the coverage you have is a bit sparse. They give your chameleon security and make them feel safe, this could be one of the reasons he's closing his eyes as he could be very stressed with the lack of coverage. Pothos are an AMAZING plant to use, and I believe I see one in the back of the enclosure. As for attaching and putting more plants in the enclosure, I will try to summon @MissSkittles to tell you the awesome way she does it!
Here is an example of the plants in my enclosure
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I have him in the basement and it's cold so I use 3 lights 75 watt Phillips plant lights and uvb zoo med 10.0
For uvb, I'm not too familiar with zoo med 10.0, but hopefully this chart should help with where you should put the basking brank/uvb light. You might need to raise/lower the light for effective exposure.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Basking spot 95-105 lowest cage temperature 75-80
This is way too hot for your chameleon. The max you want the basking spot to be is 80 degrees fahrenheit, with the ambient temps being in the lower 70s.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
30%-40% during day at night 90%-100%
I'm pretty sure this is good for a panther, if not, i'm sure someone else will chime in
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Hibcus
As I said above, you definitely need more as plants are super important for your chameleon when it comes to feeling safe! Chameleon academy has a good section on what plants you can use in your enclosure. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
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?
no it's in the basement.
Good that it's in a low traffic area. For chameleons you want their enclosure off the ground, like on a table or something, it gives them security. They are arboreal species so height=safety
Location - Where are you geographically located? Near philly
The current problem you are concerned about
A couple weeks ago I saw my male panther chameleons eyes closed and didn't open them until I talked. 2 days ago I noticed it again same thing. And today I noticed it again. His poop looks good and has no signs of respiratory infection he is eating very well his color is also dark and when I take him out his cage his color is way lighter. What should I do
So eyes closed can be an indicator of a few things, some of the main things being stress or sickness. There are a few things in your husbandry that could lead to him being stressed, but its always a good idea to get him to a vet just in case for a checkup.
Here is our vet list if you want to check it out: https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachments/chameleon-forums-vet-list-2024-u-s-a-pdf.353934/
Also Neptune the chameleon on Youtube and https://chameleonacademy.com/ are great place to check out for more information
If i missed anything or messed up any of the facts im sure some other people will add in.
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. long has it been in your care?
Ambanja panther chameleon 1.8 months
What a cutie! Could you add some more clear full body pics of him?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
once every 1-2 weeks
Very good! Chameleons are not very friendly species and dont do well with being handled often, but its always good to try and earn some trust with them. Here is a good blog on how to earn trust with your cham, https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Super worms Dubai roaches silk worms I assort his diet I give him 3-5 mixture of them everyday I use lettuce apples pears
So chameleons are prone to obesity, I believe you said your chameleon was a year and 8 months old? By now you want to be feeling him every 2-3 days, or 3 times a week, that will keep him at a healthy weight. Your bug amount is correct, you just want to cut back on the frequency of feeding him. As I said above in another comment, Superworms should be fed in moderation, but dubia roaches and silkworms are amazing! Normally I would attach images on best bugs to feed and gut load but they are already posted above, so definitely check them out!
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Repti calcium everyday and reptivite every week
I see that @GrannyK replied about this above, using the repticalcium without d3 every day is perfect. As for the reptivite, I would agree that it needs to be fed only twice a month, for example on the 1st and 16th. D3 and A are both fat soluble vitamins they can be overdone and cause a lot of harm.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I spray him with a sprayer I spray him 5 times a day a minute at a time. I do not see him drinking
Chameleons are shy drinkers, so we often don't see them drinking. One way we usually keep an eye on their hydration levels is through their poop. You want the urates to be mostly white, as it shows your chameleon has good levels of hydration, a little orange is ok, but if the urate is almost all orange, then your chameleon is dehydrated. Also in case you don't know, they are also dry shedders, so when your boy sheds you don't have to spray him extra.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
Brown poop with slightly orange urates he hasn't
As I said above, we can measure hydration of your chameleon through their poops, the more white the urate is the more hydrated he is. A little bit of orange is normal, but if the majority of the urate is orange, then he is dehydrated. Have you ever gotten a fecal before to check for parasites? If not, its always a good idea to get one to check just in case.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
No
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Xl repti breeze
Perfect size! From what I see in your enclosure you have a good amount of sticks so far. They act like a highway for your chameleon, so the more the better! There is a vine in it that I am concerned about, the fuzzy looking one wrapping along the right size to the back. I would suggest removing it as your chameleon can eat the material and become impacted, or it could get in his eye and irritate it. As for plants, you definitely need more as the coverage you have is a bit sparse. They give your chameleon security and make them feel safe, this could be one of the reasons he's closing his eyes as he could be very stressed with the lack of coverage. Pothos are an AMAZING plant to use, and I believe I see one in the back of the enclosure. As for attaching and putting more plants in the enclosure, I will try to summon @MissSkittles to tell you the awesome way she does it!
Here is an example of the plants in my enclosure
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I have him in the basement and it's cold so I use 3 lights 75 watt Phillips plant lights and uvb zoo med 10.0
For uvb, I'm not too familiar with zoo med 10.0, but hopefully this chart should help with where you should put the basking brank/uvb light. You might need to raise/lower the light for effective exposure.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Basking spot 95-105 lowest cage temperature 75-80
This is way too hot for your chameleon. The max you want the basking spot to be is 80 degrees fahrenheit, with the ambient temps being in the lower 70s.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
30%-40% during day at night 90%-100%
I'm pretty sure this is good for a panther, if not, i'm sure someone else will chime in
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Hibcus
As I said above, you definitely need more as plants are super important for your chameleon when it comes to feeling safe! Chameleon academy has a good section on what plants you can use in your enclosure. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
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?
no it's in the basement.
Good that it's in a low traffic area. For chameleons you want their enclosure off the ground, like on a table or something, it gives them security. They are arboreal species so height=safety
Location - Where are you geographically located? Near philly
The current problem you are concerned about
A couple weeks ago I saw my male panther chameleons eyes closed and didn't open them until I talked. 2 days ago I noticed it again same thing. And today I noticed it again. His poop looks good and has no signs of respiratory infection he is eating very well his color is also dark and when I take him out his cage his color is way lighter. What should I do
So eyes closed can be an indicator of a few things, some of the main things being stress or sickness. There are a few things in your husbandry that could lead to him being stressed, but its always a good idea to get him to a vet just in case for a checkup.
Here is our vet list if you want to check it out: https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachments/chameleon-forums-vet-list-2024-u-s-a-pdf.353934/
Also Neptune the chameleon on Youtube and https://chameleonacademy.com/ are great place to check out for more information
If i missed anything or messed up any of the facts im sure some other people will add in.
