Still Not Drinking.

[Lovemycham]

Ok so I posted yesterday about my Panther Cham being dehydrated. He/she woke up and seemed alert this morning. Then we misted. He runs and hides during a misting. Or just hunkers down on a branch and closes his eyes. Then stays that way even after the misting has ended. Never seems to drink. The good news is that he ate 3 possibly 4 crickets today! We saw that as a great sign. But now he's asleep in one spot again. With the lights and lamp on. What do you think?

 

[Lovemycham]

This is him right now after a misting. He is not upside down. The pictures keep turning sideways. He's been up there on a wire at the top of the cage for about the last 35-45 minutes.

 

[OahuJacksons]

This is him right now after a misting. He is not upside down. The pictures keep turning sideways. He's been up there on a wire at the top of the cage for about the last 35-45 minutes.

Hey man In the photos I see that there is no leaves they usually take it off the leaves that's what I see my chameleons do. Hope I helped a little.

 

[carol5208]

Try using a dripper and could you post a pic of your whole set up? Not a good sign that he is sleeping during the day also, how long are you misting for? It can sometimes take as long as 5 minutes or so of misting to get them to drink

 

[Lovemycham]

There are lots of leaves in the enclosure. He chose to climb up away from the leaves. I know he should not be sleeping during the day. But he's vastly improved from yesterday. I posted a pic of the whole enclosure in my first post and so it won't let me post it here. But it's in an album on my profile.

We misted for a solid ten minutes after the normal 2 minutes werent stimulating him to drink. He did drink a bit after his late day misting. Then went back to sleep. His lights are off now and he's asleep. I'm hoping he's just still getting over the stress of moving. We just got him 3 days ago so maybe he's still just decompressing? Maybe? Hopefully anyway. I'd hate it if her were sick. Thanks!

 

[carol5208]

What are your cage temps and what kind of lights are you using?. If the lights are incorrect or too strong, that can cause problems with their eyes especially when they are young. He should not be closing his eyes because of getting used to things. I highly doubt it anyways.

 

[Kaechele]

Try using very warm water if it's room temp or cooler they don't appreciate it. If he's really dehydrated try srynge attering him get him to open his mouth gently and depend a bit of water I'd do this only once a day to stop him from stressing to much out. Thease tricks have worked for me I'm the past.

 

[MeruJack]

I've read all your posts and the many replies you have received in the past couple of days. Your head must be spinning. It sounds like you replaced the ReptiSun 10 with a 5. That's good. Is your basking bulb a reptile bulb or a regular house bulb (white, pear-shaped)? A regular house bulb of 40 or 60 watts will probably be best and shouldn't bother her eyes.

It does appear from the most recent picture that you may need to add a fake, leafy vine near the top of the cage so she can hide while basking or just hanging out. I have one Jackson's chameleon who will close her eyes if I stare her in the face very long. Initially, your little girl will probably feel calmer and more secure if she has some leaves to hide behind and since chams like to be up high and that's where she tends to hang out, that's where the leaves need to be.

As far as drinking, I have a recommendation based upon what I am currently doing to get my one-month old baby Meru Dwarf chameleons to drink. The 5 babies were a surprise that arrived a day before Thanksgiving. I had only had the mother for 6 weeks and did not know that she was pregnant. Anyway, all five babies share a screen cage that is about 2' X 2' X 2'. I do GENTLY and selectively mist cage a couple a day with a spray bottle filled with HOT TAP water being careful not to freak out the babies by spraying them directly. For drinking water, I have taken an empty 16 ounce water bottle and poked a single hole in the bottom using a pushpin (thumb tack). Twice a day I fill the bottle with about 3 inches of water and then set it on top of the top screen about half an inch above a live plant that has lots and lots of very small leaves. The water drips out of the bottle one drop at a time onto the plant and then that drop continues to drip down layer after layer of leaves and down a twig or two. It's like a small, slow, soothing waterfall that lasts about ten minutes and draws the attention of the babies without frightening or surprising them. By the time 3-5 drops have made their down the plant, they babies come arunning and start catching the drips as they cascade off of the various small leaves right below the base of the water bottle.

In short, I would add more leaves way up at the top of the cage where she feels most secure and then try using a plastic bottle or cup to make a gentle dripper that slowly drips directly on some leaves (&/or even runs down the side of the glass cage which she may like to lick). I would still spray the entire cage with HOT TAP water twice a day in addition to using the bottle dripper (with cool or room temp water) twice a day.

I hope that you add some leaves higher up and try using the bottle/cup dripper and that it is successful in getting her to drink. Be sure to put something at the bottom of the cage to catch the excess water. And, even though she has started to eat, you might consider putting a food dish high up in the enclosure as well. But, of course, don't but the food or the water very close to the basking light.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

P.S. Do you have a name for her yet?

 

[Lovemycham]

Thank you. I will try the dropper today and get some leaves higher up. We call her the Professor. She is sleeping again today so although yesterday seeing her eat made me hopeful, today's sleeping is discouraging. I plan to call the vet again and trying to get in there asap.