Veiled Not Eating

[zedron]

Brief Info First.
* Your Chameleon - 2yrs old male veiled
* Handling - never
* Feeding - crickets and superworms. gut load crickets with carrots and spinach
* Supplements - dusting worms with Rep-Cal phosphorus free powder every 2-3 days.
* Watering - mist 6-8oz of water a day spread throughout. I rarely see him drinking so i lightly spray his mouth to make him drink every once in a while.
* Fecal Description - No recent droppings to check. Never tested for parasites
* History - Bought when very your at a Reptile show from FlChams.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Screen cage. 18x18x36
* Lighting - ReptiGlo UVA/UVB light. Turns on at 800am and off at 830pm
* Temperature - usually in mids to high 70s with basking spot in uppers 80s
* Humidity - 50-60 percent in house and roughly 70 in cage when misted
* Plants - Scheflera
* Placement - Office with other animals
* Location - Tampa, FL


Current Problem - Has not eaten for over a week now. Was shedding previously and usually stops or slows eating habit while this happens so nothing seemed out of ordinary. But now the shedding has stopped and he refuses to eat anything. It weird because he is usually a big pig eating 3-4 doz crickets and 10-15 superworms a week.

Thanks for the help. Can post a pic if needed.

 

[Elizadolots]

Pictures are always helpful.

My first thought is you need to up the water availability. I like to have a dripper going the entire time the lights are on. I think you're misting schedule sounds light. I normally use at least 10 ounces of water at each of my two or three mistings (depending on the day) and I have a little cage. While you want to spray with a mist, the effect you want in the cage is "rain". Everything should be dripping wet.

 

[zedron]

Pictures are always helpful.

My first thought is you need to up the water availability. I like to have a dripper going the entire time the lights are on. I think you're misting schedule sounds light. I normally use at least 10 ounces of water at each of my two or three mistings (depending on the day) and I have a little cage. While you want to spray with a mist, the effect you want in the cage is "rain". Everything should be dripping wet.

Ill bump up the h20 intake and see what happens. Thanks and ill keep you informed. Pics to come.

 

[Elizadolots]

Please do. I do care.

There are lots of stories about hunger strikes here. Sometimes they just decide not to eat. You might try some different feeders to see if you can perk his interest.

 

[SoCaliSon]

Just a note that may or may not be relevant to your issue.... but your cage may be a bit small for an adult Male. A 2x2x4 is the min recommended for an adult male Veiled.

Aside from that... How are you offering food? Do you freerange, cup feed?

I wouldn't be to incredibly worried at this point and would definately try offering some alternative feeders as variety may be the simple solution here. Try silkies and hornworms... maybe even some dubia roaches.

I have never had a chameleon refuse a Silk worm.

I have also had Male Veilds hunger strike for months on end just to start eating for me again one day(before I started using silkies). I have heard of other keepers with the same issue.

It wouldn't hurt to try to collect a fecal if you could and get it checked by a vet. Most vets will do this for a small fee.

Good Luck!
~Joe

 

[kinyonga]

Is he still active? Sleeping during the day? Sitting low in the cage? Anything else different than normal?

Do you have a substrate in the cage?

Spinach is not a good thing to use as gutload...it contains oxalates which bind the calcium. You can use a wide variety of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, celery leaves, parsley, escarole, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Is the UVB light a compact or spiral? Is it a 5.0 or a 10?

You said that there are other animals in the room...can the chameleon see them? What other animals are there in the room?