I have had him for a week. He is about 4 months old. Since arrivin he either does not eat or hardly eats at all. He is not picking up the cup feeding at all besides the second day I had him after that no cup. He never wants anything near his cage, anytime I open the cage for feeding, watering or attempting to clean he turns dark and runs. I've only tried to handle him once and it out him under so much stress before I even touched him I stopped. And to top everything off, he fell yesterday. Runnin in fear from the misting (was not directly on him). He grabbed a wet leaf that he slipped off of about two feet or less off he ground. Since then he has been climbing and not showin signs of injury. He now is more to himself ( if was even possible ) he will sit mid level in foliage and not want to come out. Not even for crickets walking right by him. He is dark color and I can't check on him or anything because he doesn't want a hand anywhere close to him. Idk what to do ice tried everything and it seems like nothing is working. This is my first Cham and idk if it is me or what but this is not a good experience. Advice would be appreciated , I do care about my Cham and will do Anythjng to help him . He just wony respond to anything positively and I'm runnin out of ideas
Unhappy baby panther help .
- Thread starter Kushkilla
- Start date
CauseNAffect
Member
if you could fill out the get help form here i'm sure that would help illustrate what's going on
creddjobs
New Member
Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• 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.
Here it is just to make it easier for you
• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• 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.
Here it is just to make it easier for you
Your Chameleon - He is a 4 month old male ambilobe panther chameleon. I have had him got a week today.
Handling - I haven't. Tried once and he freaked out.
Feeding - Crickets, as much as he will eat but he hasnt raten more than 6 in a day. And some he eats nothing. I feed him about an hour or so after his lights turn on and would gladly feed again if he ate them. Gut loading with flukers dry, flukers cubes, collards,carrots,sweet potato.
Supplements(let me add that he hasn't eaten properly and most likely hasn't been getting supplements that he needs - I have calcium without d3(Jurassipet) ; every feeding. Calcium with d3(rep cal); 1st and 15th of month. Multivitamin(rep cal); 8th& 22nd
Watering - I have a hand held mister that I mist with 3-5 times a day for 2-5minutes and I'd treated with aqua safe stuff for reptiles
Fecal - at first solid with brown and white at tip. Now runny and still white with brown or just urate with no fecal.
History - have had him for a week. Trying not to stress him but seems everything does. Got him from chamalot chameleons and they have been nothing but a help and I'm sure are annoyed with my constant calling
Cage - 18x18x36 all screen cage. Has plastic wrap around 3 sides to help with humidity because it's so dry here this time of year.
Lighting - reptisun 5.0 tube and a 75watt basking bulb lifted off top of screen about 6 inches.
Temperature - 92 basking and 70 at bottom. Have a ceramic heater keeping room at about 73 throughout night
Humidity - 45-55 dry and after misting jumps to about 80ish for a while but generally doesn't go under 50
Plants - Dracaena and some fake foliage. Vines and he seems to like the tubing for dripper to climb on, which are Secured against screen with ties.
Placement - cage in my bedroom, not much traffic besides me. Ceramic heater in room. Cage is on a dripper tray on a small table about 18inhes off ground.
Location - Illinois
Current Problem - hardly eating, seems stressed, fell yesterday and has been very timid since. Dark colored(especially since fall). Seems unhappy
Handling - I haven't. Tried once and he freaked out.
Feeding - Crickets, as much as he will eat but he hasnt raten more than 6 in a day. And some he eats nothing. I feed him about an hour or so after his lights turn on and would gladly feed again if he ate them. Gut loading with flukers dry, flukers cubes, collards,carrots,sweet potato.
Supplements(let me add that he hasn't eaten properly and most likely hasn't been getting supplements that he needs - I have calcium without d3(Jurassipet) ; every feeding. Calcium with d3(rep cal); 1st and 15th of month. Multivitamin(rep cal); 8th& 22nd
Watering - I have a hand held mister that I mist with 3-5 times a day for 2-5minutes and I'd treated with aqua safe stuff for reptiles
Fecal - at first solid with brown and white at tip. Now runny and still white with brown or just urate with no fecal.
History - have had him for a week. Trying not to stress him but seems everything does. Got him from chamalot chameleons and they have been nothing but a help and I'm sure are annoyed with my constant calling
Cage - 18x18x36 all screen cage. Has plastic wrap around 3 sides to help with humidity because it's so dry here this time of year.
Lighting - reptisun 5.0 tube and a 75watt basking bulb lifted off top of screen about 6 inches.
Temperature - 92 basking and 70 at bottom. Have a ceramic heater keeping room at about 73 throughout night
Humidity - 45-55 dry and after misting jumps to about 80ish for a while but generally doesn't go under 50
Plants - Dracaena and some fake foliage. Vines and he seems to like the tubing for dripper to climb on, which are Secured against screen with ties.
Placement - cage in my bedroom, not much traffic besides me. Ceramic heater in room. Cage is on a dripper tray on a small table about 18inhes off ground.
Location - Illinois
Current Problem - hardly eating, seems stressed, fell yesterday and has been very timid since. Dark colored(especially since fall). Seems unhappy
I feel as if I have been taking precautions and have been trying my hardest not to Be in the room or to just lay on my bed and let him do his thing. Besides the one time tryin to handle him only time my hands are in or around cage are feeding and adjusting dripper/ making sure He is okay.
sdheli420
Avid Member
if you have only had him a week, just relax and dont bug him, put crickets in a cup for cup feeding he will eat when he's comfortable..best to start now, and after that dont disturb him, give it time..i still have a new female that is still shy, she finally eating and drinking well, but hides when i come too close
CauseNAffect
Member
ACCLAMATION, takes a while for some each cham is different, part of the beauty of the species, their very ornary at times and i believe have an attention for detail
you basically just completey changed the entire chams world, give him time to adjust and keep the misting and feeders coming, let the crickets free range as well i wouldn't suggest cup feeding.... itll get him exploring and considering his environment more natural quicker...
you basically just completey changed the entire chams world, give him time to adjust and keep the misting and feeders coming, let the crickets free range as well i wouldn't suggest cup feeding.... itll get him exploring and considering his environment more natural quicker...
sdheli420
Avid Member
maybe he is going to shed, give him a lil more misting, and its better to get him used to the cup now so hes not stuck on feeders just roaming his cage (harder to tell how many he has actually eaten, and its cleaner, hidden dead bugs can cause bacteria)..it will take 2-4 weeks for a cham to fully adjust at young ages..the older they are the harder it is to acclimate them to new surroundings.. just be paitient, and dont be too close to the cage for too long, too much, just when you need to be..
p.s. at 4 months old he should be starting to cup feed if you want him dooing so at some point..
do you have any pics of the set up and him???
p.s. at 4 months old he should be starting to cup feed if you want him dooing so at some point..
do you have any pics of the set up and him???
sdheli420
Avid Member
if you have to free range them, yes thats the best way, let them crawl up to the basking area (they usually crowd by a heat source).. silk worms will do that also..
Bloodhound
New Member
I dust my crickets which seems to make them not so jumpy and disoriented for a few seconds. I pour them into a small crushed egg carton and quickly stick that in the cage. 99% of the time they don't jump. They usually crawl around the carton and sometimes on the branches. I flip the carton over after an hour because some hide under the carton. My panther 4 months seems to like this. I do this in the morning and noon. I am going to eventually move that cardboard into a cup.
Solid Snake
Avid Member
The eye rubbing is normal, probably about to shed. My guy gets grumpy before a shed, and eats less. So that might be factoring in as well, along with all the changes hes had to deal with. I say dont worry, well try not to worry
You are providing him everything he needs, just let him do his thing and he will come around eventually. You will both be accostomed to a schedule before you know it!
You are providing him everything he needs, just let him do his thing and he will come around eventually. You will both be accostomed to a schedule before you know it!
He ate three crickets bunched at the light so I know he won't starve. But there are about 6 more in a deli cup and he's just been sitting on the tube over it laying there. Hasn't moved in a while. Just sittin there I misted and he didn't move got sum bars tho. But he wont eat the crickets in the cup. I'm trying as much ad I can to leave the room and stay downstairs. But i check on him about every hour or so
Add: he had a dripper dripping against the vine he usually walks along and will be dripping all day. But he hasn't gone there away from his tube
WOLVERINES135
New Member
Everything you're doing seems fine, I agree with everyone else, just relax, or at least try to lol. I remember how nerve racking my first was, and it was only a few months ago. Everything he's doing is normal as well, just give him plenty of space and only go in/near the cage to mist or feed. Good luck!
I don't smoke in the room. But glad someone checked lol and I've been Leavjng him be and last time I walked in he was drinking. But still shows no interest in the cup. Hell come around I just wanna get him not stressed and lighter color again he has been mostly dark since he fell yesterday
Seeco
Avid Member
Hey I read your whole help form. There are two things that stand out: Your description of his poop and his basking setup.
6 inches from the top of the cage is way to high to give him a useable basking spot. The description of his poop indicates he is not digesting properly. That said, 75 watts is probably too intense to move it any closer in case he hangs upside down on the screen beneath it.
These basking bulbs and their housing are designed to do one thing only -- sit on top of the screen of a glass terrarium and blast heat to a rock all the way on the bottom for a bearded dragon or some terrestrial desert reptile. For a chameleon this does not work and results in you lifting the bulb 6 inches and wasting a bunch of electricity and not properly warming your chameleon.
The solution is a weaker bulb and ideally a thinner reflector dome.
You need to switch to a 60 watt standard household bulb and a broad cheapo clamp on alluminum reflector. Both probably in the same section of home depot. A picture of the light is attached below. Do not use the narrower ones.
Take that setup and sit it right on top of the screen or put it 1 inch above the screen max. If you already have a fancy dome with a ceramic base that is fine just angle it a tiny bit or lift 1 inch.
The next step is to set up his basking perch. For beginners this should be a horizontal branch or dowel from home depot at least 1 cm thick that passes directly underneath or about 1 inch to the side of most intense beam from the heat lamp (this beam may be slightly off center because of the location of the lighting filament. You can see it as a slightly brighter patch on the back of your hand or whatever). It should be as close as possible for him to pass underneath without scraping the screen top. It must be secured so that it does not twist or rotate and drive him insane
That's it! I know I made many demands without really explaining why so just ask if you want the rationale behind any of this.
Also that fall was probably no problem but keep it in mind after you get this taken care of. If you are not slick at arranging a cage then take him out and put him in a paper grocery bag or cardboard box and tape or staple it shut.
6 inches from the top of the cage is way to high to give him a useable basking spot. The description of his poop indicates he is not digesting properly. That said, 75 watts is probably too intense to move it any closer in case he hangs upside down on the screen beneath it.
These basking bulbs and their housing are designed to do one thing only -- sit on top of the screen of a glass terrarium and blast heat to a rock all the way on the bottom for a bearded dragon or some terrestrial desert reptile. For a chameleon this does not work and results in you lifting the bulb 6 inches and wasting a bunch of electricity and not properly warming your chameleon.
The solution is a weaker bulb and ideally a thinner reflector dome.
You need to switch to a 60 watt standard household bulb and a broad cheapo clamp on alluminum reflector. Both probably in the same section of home depot. A picture of the light is attached below. Do not use the narrower ones.
Take that setup and sit it right on top of the screen or put it 1 inch above the screen max. If you already have a fancy dome with a ceramic base that is fine just angle it a tiny bit or lift 1 inch.
The next step is to set up his basking perch. For beginners this should be a horizontal branch or dowel from home depot at least 1 cm thick that passes directly underneath or about 1 inch to the side of most intense beam from the heat lamp (this beam may be slightly off center because of the location of the lighting filament. You can see it as a slightly brighter patch on the back of your hand or whatever). It should be as close as possible for him to pass underneath without scraping the screen top. It must be secured so that it does not twist or rotate and drive him insane
That's it! I know I made many demands without really explaining why so just ask if you want the rationale behind any of this.
Also that fall was probably no problem but keep it in mind after you get this taken care of. If you are not slick at arranging a cage then take him out and put him in a paper grocery bag or cardboard box and tape or staple it shut.
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