tongue wont stick to food

[tory]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - veiled, sex not sure, got for christmas wasnt very old when i got him. been im my care for 4 months
Handling - a couple times a week doesnt like to be handled too much
Feeding - crickets about 10 - 12 a day every day mid morning getting crickets from the pet store
Supplements - all supplements are exo-terra calcium daily calcium+d3 once a week and a multi vitamin once a week
Watering - using the monsoon rs-400 every 2 hours about 20 sec. never have seen him drink but never been dehydrated
Fecal Description - always a constant health like in the pics on the forum never been checked for parasties

Cage Info:
Cage Type - a glass exo-terra cage 36" x 36" x 18"
Lighting - using 2 - 5.0 uvb bulbs and 2 -2.5 uvb bulbs on around 8 am and off by 10 pm bulbs are 2 months old. using 1 heat lamp 100 watt
Temperature - temp ranges 23C to 27C use a laser heat reader to measure temp
Humidity - humidity range 30% to 70% monsoon mister to create humidity have a needle style humidity guage in the cage
Plants - no live plants
Placement - in the bed room for now till we move so a little higher traffic the cage is about 2 feet off the floor
Location - edmonton alberta canada
Current Problem - tounge cant get the food his tongue just bounces off wont stick or pick it up

 

[sandrachameleon]

possibly a dehydration problem?
Prey too large?
are crickets the only type of prey you are offering?
What do you feed to the crickets?
why four UVB bulbs?
what is the air temperature (as opposed to surface temps)?

 

[reptilover]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - veiled, sex not sure, got for christmas wasnt very old when i got him. been im my care for 4 months
Handling - a couple times a week doesnt like to be handled too much
Feeding - crickets about 10 - 12 a day every day mid morning getting crickets from the pet store
Supplements - all supplements are exo-terra calcium daily calcium+d3 once a week and a multi vitamin once a week
Watering - using the monsoon rs-400 every 2 hours about 20 sec. never have seen him drink but never been dehydrated
Fecal Description - always a constant health like in the pics on the forum never been checked for parasties

Cage Info:
Cage Type - a glass exo-terra cage 36" x 36" x 18"
Lighting - using 2 - 5.0 uvb bulbs and 2 -2.5 uvb bulbs on around 8 am and off by 10 pm bulbs are 2 months old. using 1 heat lamp 100 watt
Temperature - temp ranges 23C to 27C use a laser heat reader to measure temp
Humidity - humidity range 30% to 70% monsoon mister to create humidity have a needle style humidity guage in the cage
Plants - no live plants
Placement - in the bed room for now till we move so a little higher traffic the cage is about 2 feet off the floor
Location - edmonton alberta canada
Current Problem - tounge cant get the food his tongue just bounces off wont stick or pick it up

I'd recommend less vit d3 and multivit to a very very light dusting every 2 weeks. It may be getting to much. And they can't overdose on d3 from the lighting bit with the amount of lighting putting out UVB u have plus the amount of d3 supplement.. ur chams getting way to much.
Also ur lights are on for about 2 hours to long. I don't think that would cause a problem but 12 on 12 off is recommended

 

[reptilover]

As far as sexing ur veiled on the back feet at the base of the leg there will be a prominent bump known as a spur if its a male and lack of if Its a female. If its a female read about egg laying bins. Extremely important for a females health.

http://www.veiled-chameleon.com/images/male.gif

Thats a good shot of a males spurr

 

[sandrachameleon]

I'd recommend less vit d3 and multivit to a very very light dusting every 2 weeks. It may be getting to much. And they can't overdose on d3 from the lighting bit with the amount of lighting putting out UVB u have plus the amount of d3 supplement.. ur chams getting way to much.
Also ur lights are on for about 2 hours to long. I don't think that would cause a problem but 12 on 12 off is recommended

I dont think so. I believe Exoterra calcium with D3 has 14,740 IU/lb - which is less D3 than the Repashy calcium plus product 20,000 IU/lb (which some people use more often than once a week).

 

[BocaJan]

I find that if my chams are thirsty, their tongue has trouble sticking to food. Be sure to mist them well before you feed them, it may help.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I find that if my chams are thirsty, their tongue has trouble sticking to food. Be sure to mist them well before you feed them, it may help.

ya, that's the first thing that came to my mind too.
and more water, perhaps from a dripper, wouldnt hurt even if that's not the issue

 

[reptilover]

I dont think so. I believe Exoterra calcium with D3 has 14,740 IU/lb - which is less D3 than the Repashy calcium plus product 20,000 IU/lb (which some people use more often than once a week).

Thank you for the correction on that I thought exoterra was higher than that.

 

[chameleonfan101]

the first thing i can think of is that he needs more water as everyone else says.

 

[camimom]

I also wonder how heavily you are dusting your feeders.

to much powder and he wont be able to grab it.

are they white. or just light grey?

 

[Chali2naRap]

its deffinately a good thing to spray your cham before feeding to make sure that tongue lubrication is working properly... i would say hes dehydrated, especially with that many lights, make sure he has shade to go in so he can cool down at his pleasure