Stopped eating

[brownie64]

I have a male Jackson he is about 14 months old, and been in my care for about 6 months.

I handle him as little as possible.

I feed him crickets, and superworms, sometimes cockroaches, and as a treat I sometimes give him a wax worm or two.

I gut-load with Fluckers dry mix, and a mix of butternut squash, almonds, bee pollen, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, and oranges. I make this up ahead of time and freeze it so it last longer.

He normally eats 1 superworm, and about three crickets every other day. Sometimes he may only eat every second day.

I supplement with Repticalcium without D3 every other feeding, and with D3 once a month. I use Reptivite once a month.

I have a Mist-King and it is scheduled to go off every three hours for 45 seconds from 9:00am to 9:00pm, and I give them a drink with the water battle he learned to drink from it with a gentle spray on the tip of his nose. He is drinking fine.

His fecal matter was a little loose and he hasn't went recently.

His eating habits got worse as soon as I separated him from the female.

Here is my cage set-up: I have a 55 gallon aquarium with a 30 inch screen enclosure on the top. I also have air pumped into the bottom with my wife's old c-pap machine to keep the air in the aquarium from becoming stagnant and stale.

My lighting: I use a 26w reptisun 10.0 CFL, a 6500 40w CFL and a 40w house incandescent for heat. They stay on from 8:30am-9:00pm

Temps: Basking is about 83-85 degrees. middle of enclosure is about 71-73 bottom is about 68. I don't think it drops much overnight my house is climate controlled. I check the temps with an infrared heat gun.

Humidity: 60-90% with the average being about 75% I check it with a digital hydrometer.

I have two plants a Pothos, and a Umbrella plant. Both have been checked safe on the safe plant list.

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My enclosure is in the dinning room, and it is about 6' feet away from a vent that is in the celling. Not a lot of traffic except at dinner time, but they don't seem to mind. The enclosure stands about six and a half feet high.

I live in the central U.S. in the state of IN I have cold winters.

Now for my problem: He hasn't eaten in over 5 days, and there was a four day gap in between the last time he ate. I even tried to feed him a 3" praying mantis he looked interested but decided against it. He has lost 3 grams of weight in the last three months, and hasn't gained any back. And he isn't moving around at all, and I caught his eyes closed a few times. His grip is strong, and he looks ok just wondering what you guys think his problem is. I'm really getting worried about him. I put a pic of him, and his enclosure.

 

[xephyr17]

I know blue bottle flies are a great way to stop an eating strike...

 

[schwartz]

I'm sorry I do not have an answer for you as I am a chameleon owner for only 8 months. However, I love the wooden stand your cage is on. Is it custom made or commercially available. If commercially made, where did you get it? thanks.

 

[Lathis]

Have you had a fecal check performed recently? Parasites often affect appetite. Have you offered him anything unusual? Blue bottle flies (as mentioned above) or a new type of worm might perk him up.

Any chance he's about to shed? My Jax is just now two, but when he was a bit younger, he would get extremely crabby and go off food for a few days before a big shed.

Just a few thoughts. Nothing jumps out in your care as egregious. He's a gorgeous little boy. I hope he perks up.

 

[brownie64]

Have you had a fecal check performed recently? Parasites often affect appetite. Have you offered him anything unusual? Blue bottle flies (as mentioned above) or a new type of worm might perk him up.

Any chance he's about to shed? My Jax is just now two, but when he was a bit younger, he would get extremely crabby and go off food for a few days before a big shed.

Just a few thoughts. Nothing jumps out in your care as egregious. He's a gorgeous little boy. I hope he perks up.

Come to think of it he hasn't shed for a while maybe that's something to do with it. I did try that praying mantis but as skinny as it was it still may of seemed too large for him it was about three inches. If he doesn't eat in a few days I guess a Vet trip will be in order. It's just the nearest Vet is over 100 miles away, and I don't have any recent feces to give them, and I think it's supposed to be fairly fresh.

This may sound stupid but how do you get bottle flies let some chicken go rancid in a bottle until I catch some, if so should I be worried about salmonella? Or do you order them from somewhere?

 

[brownie64]

I'm sorry I do not have an answer for you as I am a chameleon owner for only 8 months. However, I love the wooden stand your cage is on. Is it custom made or commercially available. If commercially made, where did you get it? thanks.

It was bought commercially, but I've only seen them this one time; and that was over 15 years ago so I don't remember the manufacturer.

 

[JPChameleon]

My friends experience

My friend had a male and female veiled couple, the female fell off of a plant and died, after that the make starved himself to death (they used to be in the same cage) I'm not sure what you should do but that's just a warning... Good luck

 

[brownie64]

Still not eating!!

Well it's been over 7 days and still nothing. Offered him crickets, superworms, cockroaches, and praying mantis. Looked in the enclosure today found this, please does anyone know WTF this is, It's about the consistency of gum, and real sticky? Could I please get some input on what you think is wrong? it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lazy Boy]

Has he been to the vet for a fecal? I'm guessing that's the only sample you have had since he stopped eating?

 

[brownie64]

Has he been to the vet for a fecal? I'm guessing that's the only sample you have had since he stopped eating?

No haven't taken him yet, I was hoping to get some feedback here. I don't even know what that was don't look like any feces I have ever seen, or sperm plug for that matter. Don't see how he could have gotten a parasite I don't feed wild caught insects. But no one seems to have any opinions on the issue so I guess a professional is the only answer. Thanks for your reply.

 

[brownie64]

????????????

Forced him to eat a cricket today, that was fun! Guess I'll get some Panacur, and treat him and see if that helps. After all that's all the Vet that is a hundred and twenty miles away would do. I will also give him some pears, and soak him in Pediasure and water for 30 minutes just incase he has an impaction. Hope all this don't stress him out enough to not fight. Either that or just watch him die.

 

[brownie64]

Dosage

Is there anyone that can tell me how many milligrams of panacur to give a 66 gram Jackson chameleon, so I can know the exact amount you can't go by ml, or cc because it depends on the concentration of milligrams in the meds. Look I know he needs to get to a Vet, but with gas and the cost of the Vet I just won't have it until next month. I don't think he will make it that long I have got to try something, and I sure don't want to screw it up. Please if there is anyone out there who could help my chameleon I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[kinyonga]

If he's sick already I don't know if I would just assume it's parasites and treat him. Do you not have a vet near you who could do a fecal?

Is that his tongue on the branch??? Picture on my playbook isn't too clear. If it is hat might be why he wasn't eating.

 

[brownie64]

If he's sick already I don't know if I would just assume it's parasites and treat him. Do you not have a vet near you who could do a fecal?

Is that his tongue on the branch??? Picture on my playbook isn't too clear. If it is hat might be why he wasn't eating.

The nearest Vet who will do anything for me is over 120 miles away. the ones in my area not only will they not entertain anything to do with my cham. They won't even tell what the dosage of panacur is, or dispense me any even though they first said they sell it before they found out I was talking about a Chameleon (I'm sorry a lizard the receptionist didn't even know what a chameleon was).

No that isn't his tongue thank God if it is he had two of them because I found another one on the vine in his enclosure this morning. Even though it looks nothing like feces I think that is what it is. It is coming out of his vent. Would someone please help me!

 

[Cait0420]

The pic looks like he may be pooping out not fully digested worms maybe?

 

[Action Jackson]

I would try misting him for 30 minutes or so a few days. Misting for 45 seconds in nowhere near long enough for him to injest the water he needs imo. I would change his misting schedule to twice a day with a minimum 5-10 minutes each time. Also misting and lights out at 9pm is too late. Lights on and off should be she same as dawn and dusk in your area with the last misting at 3-4 PM.

Also I wouldn't feed wax worms at all. Silks are awesome and are great for giving Chams extra hydration.

If you have a mist king you could put hot water in your bucket for the long misting. He may enjoy it better.

 

[julianfremaint]

Same thing happening to my 9 month old panther chameleon. I don't know what's wrong. Brought him to the vet and waiting on bloodwork results on Monday. He also did have slight constipation.

 

[brownie64]

I would try misting him for 30 minutes or so a few days. Misting for 45 seconds in nowhere near long enough for him to injest the water he needs imo. I would change his misting schedule to twice a day with a minimum 5-10 minutes each time. Also misting and lights out at 9pm is too late. Lights on and off should be she same as dawn and dusk in your area with the last misting at 3-4 PM.

Also I wouldn't feed wax worms at all. Silks are awesome and are great for giving Chams extra hydration.

If you have a mist king you could put hot water in your bucket for the long misting. He may enjoy it better.

If you think it will help I will give him 30 minute showers for a while, but I really don't know if it is dehydration he drinks from the spray bottle freely every day. At this time of year in my area 9:00 pm is when it starts getting dark do to daylight savings time. I always have to tweak it in the winter to 8:00pm. I'll increase my misting times, but if I increase to 5-10 minutes I would flood my enclosure I don't have an outside enclosure. If you stop misting at 3-4pm how do you keep the humidity up until bedtime Cool mist humidifier?

 

[Action Jackson]

If you think it will help I will give him 30 minute showers for a wile, but I really don't know if it is dehydration he drinks from the spray bottle freely every day. At this time of year in my area 9:00 pm is when it starts getting dark do to daylight savings time. I always have to tweak it in the winter to 8:00pm. I'll increase my misting times, but if you stop misting at 3-4pm how do you keep the humidity up until bed time Cool mist humidifier?

Longer mistings certainly can't hurt. I have snapped many chameleons out of a funk by making sure they are fully hydrated. Good deal on the light timing then, sounds like your on it.

Isn't Indiana really humid this time of year? I've been there in August and it was all most unbearable.

I keep between 20 to 30 Jackson's pretty consistanty and have been keeping Jackson's for 20 years. I never monitor humidity. I mist a couple times a day on average and when the weather changes I either increase or decrease mistings accordingly. My mistings are a minimum of 5 minutes for indoor cages and 15 minutes for outdoor cages. I will also increase the duration of the mistings as necessary. I am lucky to live close to the beach so we naturally have good humidity but we also go through quite a few hot and dry weather events.

Chronic under watering imo can lead to problems over a period of time. Don't forget where these guys come from. The areas of Hawaii where most of these Jackson's come from sees tons of rainfall.

I hope he gets better. He's a good looking Jackson's

Have you taken him outside for sun?

 

[brownie64]

Longer mistings certainly can't hurt. I have snapped many chameleons out of a funk by making sure they are fully hydrated. Good deal on the light timing then, sounds like your on it.

Isn't Indiana really humid this time of year? I've been there in August and it was all most unbearable.

I keep between 20 to 30 Jackson's pretty consistanty and have been keeping Jackson's for 20 years. I never monitor humidity. I mist a couple times a day on average and when the weather changes I either increase or decrease mistings accordingly. My mistings are a minimum of 5 minutes for indoor cages and 15 minutes for outdoor cages. I will also increase the duration of the mistings as necessary. I am lucky to live close to the beach so we naturally have good humidity but we also go through quite a few hot and dry weather events.

Chronic under watering imo can lead to problems over a period of time. Don't forget where these guys come from. The areas of Hawaii where most of these Jackson's come from sees tons of rainfall.

I hope he gets better. He's a good looking Jackson's

Have you taken him outside for sun?

Yes he loves the outside. Just yesterday took him outside and he stretched straight towards the sun in shear happiness. If it were not for the hunger strike, and the weird crap coming out of him I'd say he does seem to be getting better. He is moving around more. If I can just get him to hang on until I can get the finances to make the 120+ mile trip to the Vet MAYBE I CAN GET SOME ANSWERS. I just hate forcing his mouth open to feed him, but as long as he is losing weight I don't see what choice I have. I have really grown attached to this guy he is really gentle even with force feeding him he has yet to ever hiss at me.

And yes it usually is humid in the summer here, but like I said my house is climate controlled and the central air takes out the humidity in my house when it cools. Thanks for your concern. So you think it would be best to hold off on the panacur until the Vet visit?