My 5 month old veiled chameleon, Flash, hasn't been himself lately. He's in the middle of shedding, but I don't think that is why he's been acing this way. His eating habits seem normal, but occasionally he will turn a very pale green and become very still. He'll close his eyes and appears to be sleeping. But when we touch him in this state and try to rouse him, he has no reaction. The first time he did this, we thought he was dead! We are very worried about our little guy. What should we do?
Veiled Chameleon Acting Strange. Please Help!
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JaxyGirl
Avid Member
Can you please fill out the how to ask for help form and add some pics so we can better help you
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
My Chameleon- Veiled Chameleon, Male, we adopted him from a local Petco roughly a month and a half ago, his age was unknown at time of adoption but he was only the size of my index finger at the time.
Handling- We handle our chameleon (Flash) about once a day, sometimes more and sometimes less.
Feeding- 6-8 medium crickets a day, 13 small mealworms a day, crickets are dusted with calcium without D3.
Supplements- We use Zoo Med Repti Calcium. It's is precipitated calcium carbonate supplements without D3. We dust them on his crickets that he eats (every day).
Watering- We have a Little Dripper watering system that drips water onto leaves for Flash to drink. We use a squirt bottle to mist Flash and his habitat with warm water several times a day. He seems to be drinking just fine.
Fecal Description- Flash's fecies are a healthy looking brown and look as they always have. We haven't had him tested for parasites.
History- Nothing of use
CAGE INFO:
Type- Flash's cage is screen with one side of plexiglass. It is 30" x 16" x 16".
Lighting- We use a mini Zoo Med Dual Fixture heat lamp with up to 100 watts per socket during the day and a larger, red light single bulb lamp at night time.
Temperature- Flash's cage temperature ranges from 80-86degrees Fahrenheit. We measure this using a small digital thermometer attached to the outside of the screen cage.
Humidity- We don't yet have a fogger or humidity gauge, but we keep a close eye on Flash's humidity levels and his habitats by squirting it all a few times a day.
Plants- We are not using live plants.
Location- We are located in interior Alaska.
CURRENT PROBLEM:
Flash has been acting strange these last few days. He has been shedding, but I do not think this is the reason for his behavioral changes. Flash seems sluggish, and though his eating habits seem normal he doesn't. The other day he had his eyes closed, his skin was a very pale green, and he was unmoving. We thought he had died! After trying to move him around for a while, he opened his eyes and began moving again. He has done this a few times since then and has his family worried sick! Is this normal? What should we do?
My Chameleon- Veiled Chameleon, Male, we adopted him from a local Petco roughly a month and a half ago, his age was unknown at time of adoption but he was only the size of my index finger at the time.
Handling- We handle our chameleon (Flash) about once a day, sometimes more and sometimes less.
Feeding- 6-8 medium crickets a day, 13 small mealworms a day, crickets are dusted with calcium without D3.
Supplements- We use Zoo Med Repti Calcium. It's is precipitated calcium carbonate supplements without D3. We dust them on his crickets that he eats (every day).
Watering- We have a Little Dripper watering system that drips water onto leaves for Flash to drink. We use a squirt bottle to mist Flash and his habitat with warm water several times a day. He seems to be drinking just fine.
Fecal Description- Flash's fecies are a healthy looking brown and look as they always have. We haven't had him tested for parasites.
History- Nothing of use
CAGE INFO:
Type- Flash's cage is screen with one side of plexiglass. It is 30" x 16" x 16".
Lighting- We use a mini Zoo Med Dual Fixture heat lamp with up to 100 watts per socket during the day and a larger, red light single bulb lamp at night time.
Temperature- Flash's cage temperature ranges from 80-86degrees Fahrenheit. We measure this using a small digital thermometer attached to the outside of the screen cage.
Humidity- We don't yet have a fogger or humidity gauge, but we keep a close eye on Flash's humidity levels and his habitats by squirting it all a few times a day.
Plants- We are not using live plants.
Location- We are located in interior Alaska.
CURRENT PROBLEM:
Flash has been acting strange these last few days. He has been shedding, but I do not think this is the reason for his behavioral changes. Flash seems sluggish, and though his eating habits seem normal he doesn't. The other day he had his eyes closed, his skin was a very pale green, and he was unmoving. We thought he had died! After trying to move him around for a while, he opened his eyes and began moving again. He has done this a few times since then and has his family worried sick! Is this normal? What should we do?
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Gbetts1986
Member
I have heard that using a light of any kind is not good at night time. They do well with night time drops in temperature
rminnis
Established Member
Hard to really make any determination without more info about setup and more pictures he looks like a decently healthy little guy to me. It is odd that he would so easily let you touch him without being startled mayb some of the others can connect this with a common illness though.
JaxyGirl
Avid Member
Sorry your Cham isn't feeling good. Are one of the lights in the fixture a 5.0 UVB light? Your light fixture should have one light bulb for light and heat and one UVB bulb. Along with supplementing with Calcium everyday you also need to start supplementing with Calcium with D3 twice a month and also a Multivitamin twice a month.
I agree with @Gbetts1986 that you should not be using a heat lamp at night.
Have you been gutloading your crickets with a good cricket food, fruit and leafy greens. This is very important because what your feeders eat is what provides the nutrition for your cham. Also a variety of feeders helps round out your chams diet. Meal worms aren't the healthiest of feeders. You should use super worms instead which will eat Kale and other greens to provide nutrients to your Cham.
Also suggested feeders are hornworms, silk worms, roaches, black soldier fly larvae and flies, wax worms, walking sticks, mantids, locusts
I agree with @Gbetts1986 that you should not be using a heat lamp at night.
Have you been gutloading your crickets with a good cricket food, fruit and leafy greens. This is very important because what your feeders eat is what provides the nutrition for your cham. Also a variety of feeders helps round out your chams diet. Meal worms aren't the healthiest of feeders. You should use super worms instead which will eat Kale and other greens to provide nutrients to your Cham.
Also suggested feeders are hornworms, silk worms, roaches, black soldier fly larvae and flies, wax worms, walking sticks, mantids, locusts
leslievilarino
Member
If the temp is dropping below the 50-60s at night, you can use a ceramic heat emitter instead of a heat light at night
Peachypink
Chameleon Enthusiast
Sorry little flash is having trouble. He is a cutie.
All of this is great advise. Yes, having a heat LIGHT at night is not good. Chams set their internal clocks based on their lighting schedule and any light at night, even a red one, will disrupt their sleep and can cause other health issues as well. If your house does get under 60 at night then you can get a ceramic heat emitter that does not give off any light.
And you do need a UVB bulb. A tube 5.0 would be ideal as it gives more area of UBV as opposed to the compact bulbs that only cover a small area.
What brand is your calcium? Calcium with no D3 at every feeding(which you are doing), also add a calcium with D3 twice a month and a multivitamin twice a month.
His issues could be as simple as his lighting.
All of this is great advise. Yes, having a heat LIGHT at night is not good. Chams set their internal clocks based on their lighting schedule and any light at night, even a red one, will disrupt their sleep and can cause other health issues as well. If your house does get under 60 at night then you can get a ceramic heat emitter that does not give off any light.
And you do need a UVB bulb. A tube 5.0 would be ideal as it gives more area of UBV as opposed to the compact bulbs that only cover a small area.
What brand is your calcium? Calcium with no D3 at every feeding(which you are doing), also add a calcium with D3 twice a month and a multivitamin twice a month.
His issues could be as simple as his lighting.
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