Veiled chameleon not eating

[xaviert]

Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, doesn't know its sex or age. Will post a picture later. I got it about a week ago
Handling - 2 to 3 days once.
Feeding - I fed it 3 silkworms 2 days ago and since refused to eat anything. I'm trying to feed it crickets and silkworms.
Supplements - I dust my feeders with exo terra calcium daily and only once with exo terra multi vitamin since I got my veiled.
Watering - I use a mistking and set it to run for 4 times daily and 5 minutes each time. I haven't seen it drink.
Fecal Description - Brown and yellowish
History - No. I got it from a petstore.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 175 gallon flexarium
Lighting - I put it outdoor at my balcony.
Temperature - I didn't measure the temperature.
Humidity - Same
Plants - I'm using an umbrella tree.
Placement - Balcony. I also put my 2 parrots caged there. Theres also another 175 gallon flexarium beside it. Its about 6 feet from the top of the cage relative to my balcony floor.
Location - Near Indonesia.

Current Problem - I think my chameleon is stressed. It hasn't been eating for the past 2 days. It's sticking to the screen cage and wouldn't go to the plant now. I'm afraid it may be dehydrated too.. Will post pics soon.

 

[xaviert]

Here it is.. Its about 4 inch excluding tail.

 

[xaviert]

Now its on the umbrella tree but it just wouldn't move and look for food.. I had placed a container with 2 crickets on the bottom of the cage and also a silkworm near him but he doesn't look interested to eat..

 

[blackened]

The sex and age are important. If you take some more photos including a close up of the back of your chameleon's hind foot we should be able to tell sex. Males have little spurs at this location. A photo with a length reference (a tape measure) will help with an age estimate.

On your enclosure - I would recommend getting some horizontal walkways. Fake vines or branches (if either baked or bark stripped, sanded and steeped in boiling water) are good for this. Some more foliage wouldn't go amiss either IMO. Check out the enclosures section of this forum for some ideas.

Not having a setup your chameleon likes may be a cause for stress.

I'm afraid your fears of dehydration are probably correct due to the urates that come out with the fecal being yellow. Ideally they should be white.

Silkworms are a good source of hydration, but I see they're on a hunger strike at the moment.

One option for hydration is to put them on a plant, take that plant into a shower and have the spray bounce off the wall onto the plant. Water should be luke warm.

DanSB also started this thread, worth a read: dehydration cure

EDIT: on closer inspection of the second pic. It looks like your chameleon is in the middle of a shed. Sometimes they will not eat if they are shedding. I'd recommend giving him long, warm showers.

I'm guessing male at the moment.

 

[xaviert]

Hmmm ok.. I'm gonna get some exo terra jungle vines for it soon.. Can you tell the age of it? I don't want to take it out and stress it anymore..

 

[xaviert]

and how long can veiled this age go on a hunger strike?

 

[Kate]

Have you tried dribbling water in front of him and on his nose avoiding his nostrils for 5 mins? Also put a few more dusted crickets in a cup/ container and hold in front of him for a while he might get interested.

 

[blackened]

I would guess between 8-12 months. I'm thinking a male (I think I can see a male's band pattern on the side), but need to see those close ups of the back of hind feet to be sure.

Very difficult to know how long a hunger strike can last.

Here are some links you may find helpful:

ChameleonsInMyHouse's Veiled care sheet
FerretInMyShoes' Basics of gutloading
SandraChameleon's nutritional blog
Matthew Wheelock's Overview on calcium supplementation

 

[monstertankman]

A few things to consider. if the parrots are out there with it, it will consider them a threat. Dehydration will affect hunger, as well as shedding.

 

[xaviert]

ya i have tried putting the container infront of him too.. he just looks at them.. hes always hiding behind the leafs and its hard to reach him.. sometimes i have to shift the pot so it faces me.. i think hes scared..

 

[blackened]

A few things to consider. if the parrots are out there with it, it will consider them a threat. Dehydration will affect hunger, as well as shedding.

This is a very good point! Large birds are hunters of chameleons. If your chameleon can see the parrots that will probably stress him/her out.

 

[carol5208]

how much direct sunlight is he getting a day out on the patio? also, what is in the cage right next to him?

 

[Kate]

ya i have tried putting the container infront of him too.. he just looks at them.. hes always hiding behind the leafs and its hard to reach him.. sometimes i have to shift the pot so it faces me.. i think hes scared..

Chams can see colour. Could it be the colour of the cup that he is scared of?

 

[blackened]

I've changed my mind on approx ag, with some of Angie's help. He (if indeed it is a he) is probably not over 6 months.

 

[xaviert]

I'm using a transparent container.. I house a senegal chameleon in the cage beside it and the senegal chameleon is very different, it will eat anything i put inside within seconds~ I used to have 2 senegal chameleons inside but 1 died due to tongue problem..

Today my veiled finally ate 2 silkworms dusted with calcium~~ But it's still afraid to move alot.. I have to put it very near him.. Will post a picture of him soon~

 

[xaviert]

here it is

 

[AllFallDown]

A few things to consider. if the parrots are out there with it, it will consider them a threat. Dehydration will affect hunger, as well as shedding.

Agreed, the parrots were the first thing to pop out at me. Also, you mentioned having another flexarium next to it- anything in it? One of the parrots? If you have another chameleon or lizard in the other flexarium consider putting a visual barrier between them.

Might be a good idea to check the temps, make sure you have a good temperature gradient.

I know my veiled loses interest in food for a few days right before a shed. He generally starts eating normally again after that is over.

Hard to tell if it is a male or not from the picture. I do not see a spur personally.

You cham does not look very old, looks about like mine did at about 5 - 6 months old (but mine is a male).

 

[AllFallDown]

Ah, I typed too slow, everyone got my points before me.

Sorry for the repeats.

 

[AllFallDown]

here it is

Still hard to see but I am calling female.

[Edit]
Hey, is it just the angle or do her eyes look sunken? If they look sunken she could be dehydrated.

Gorgeous chameleon nonetheless!

 

[AllFallDown]

I'm using a transparent container.. I house a senegal chameleon in the cage beside it and the senegal chameleon is very different, it will eat anything i put inside within seconds~ I used to have 2 senegal chameleons inside but 1 died due to tongue problem..

Today my veiled finally ate 2 silkworms dusted with calcium~~ But it's still afraid to move alot.. I have to put it very near him.. Will post a picture of him soon~

I would definitely put up a visual barrier between the two cages and make sure the veiled cannot see the birds. I know mine likes to walk around and climb all over the place- until he sees a bird (we used to have a Green Cheek Conure). He would then stop in place and change to his freaked out war colors. Took me a few times to figure out why he would do that then I realized it was the bird that was tripping him out.