Very worried

BCam

BCam

New Member
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Jackon, male, and a year old (unsure) I've had him for about a month.
  • Handling - once every week or two so that he gets some sunlight.
  • Feeding - crickets, mealworms, dubai roaches, and superworms (mostly crickets and roaches with occasional worm) Been trying Silkworms, wax worms, hornworms, moths. Won't eat any of it.
  • Supplements - Calcium on his feeders each day (without d3).
  • Watering - Misting by hand 3-4 times a day for a few minutes. He drinks from the leaves of the pothos plant in his cage or the fake plant leaves sometimes. Also has a new dripper which he basically just sits under, sometimes eats.
  • Fecal Description - Only had one the past four days, and it was dark and very runny.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - 2 screen cages, one 18x18x36 and one 24x24x48". Both ReptiBreeze.
  • Lighting - One heat bulb (70 watt house bulb) and one Arcadia dual tube fixture.
  • Temperature - 80 his basking spot at the top of the cage and low 70's towards the bottom.
  • Humidity - Not the best levels, 40-70 depending on the weather here.
  • Plants - A schefflera plant potted with large stones on top of the soil in each cage, along with a large bromeliad in the larger cage.
  • Placement - Cages are on a two foot/three foot tall table so the top of it is about 5ft/7ft tall.
  • Location - NY.

Current Problem -
My Jackson still won't eat, and it's soon to be three weeks without eating like he used to. He won't even move towards any of the feeders I place on his cage. And he used to climb towards the screen I'd placed them on and and zap anything with his tongue.

He's also become more and more lethargic, and dark green/almost black during the day. He hardly moves like he used to, and moves really slow if at all.

Yesterday he also started sleeping during the day on and off, which he's done today a bunch.

I took him to the vet last week and he was worried he wasn't getting enough calcium since he stopped eating but said he looked great otherwise. He gave me liquid calcium which I try to give him once a day. He stopped opening his mouth when I take him out of the cage so there have been a couple days he hasn't gotten the liquid calcium

Afraid he's on his way out and is just sick or unhappy. Not sure what else to do.
 
When you're moving him back and forth from one place to the other...what is the temperature he's in when being transferred ,(during the trip)?
What is he in when you move him? Can he see everything passing by him? How long does it take? How often does it happen?
 
I keep him in a small cardboard box with holes, and then a towel over that on my lap. I read somewhere this was the best way, so he doesn't stress out. He sleeps most of the trip and seems ok. The temp is about 71 in the car today. It's about a two hour drive twice a week, thursdays and then Mondays
 
Just checking in case I could see something in the way he was transported that might be contributing...but all is well with that.
 
Yeah I made sure to try and read up on transporting and make it as comfortable for him as I could. He's been fine with traveling each week for the last month and a half of having him. But last couple days is black colored and not moving much at all. On top of it eating last three weeks. I'm hoping he makes it, seems completely weak and uninterested in anything. Poor guy
 
I think I would have him checked for parasites.

Something you could try...when his mouth is opening and shutting while he drinks, slip a cricket between his teeth and see if he eats it. I would also try bumping the basking temperature up just a couple of degrees to see if it helps.
 
Last edited:
Thank you. He won't open his mouth for anything when I'm near him. Impossible to even get him to take his liquid calcium.

I will try again tonight though. I've wanted to get him tested for parasites but he hasn't had a poop in over a week. So I'm waiting to see what to do. Hopefully something happens. He's been hugging a branch dark green almost black all day and eyes shut most of the time
 
Try dripping water on the tip of his nose and when he starts drinking then slip the cricket in by bringing it up from below his line of vision sort of.

Did you boost the basking temperature a bit?
 
Le
BCam said:
Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Jackon, male, and a year old (unsure) I've had him for about a month.
  • Handling - once every week or two so that he gets some sunlight.
  • Feeding - crickets, mealworms, dubai roaches, and superworms (mostly crickets and roaches with occasional worm) Been trying Silkworms, wax worms, hornworms, moths. Won't eat any of it.
  • Supplements - Calcium on his feeders each day (without d3).
  • Watering - Misting by hand 3-4 times a day for a few minutes. He drinks from the leaves of the pothos plant in his cage or the fake plant leaves sometimes. Also has a new dripper which he basically just sits under, sometimes eats.
  • Fecal Description - Only had one the past four days, and it was dark and very runny.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - 2 screen cages, one 18x18x36 and one 24x24x48". Both ReptiBreeze.
  • Lighting - One heat bulb (70 watt house bulb) and one Arcadia dual tube fixture.
  • Temperature - 80 his basking spot at the top of the cage and low 70's towards the bottom.
  • Humidity - Not the best levels, 40-70 depending on the weather here.
  • Plants - A schefflera plant potted with large stones on top of the soil in each cage, along with a large bromeliad in the larger cage.
  • Placement - Cages are on a two foot/three foot tall table so the top of it is about 5ft/7ft tall.
  • Location - NY.

Current Problem -
My Jackson still won't eat, and it's soon to be three weeks without eating like he used to. He won't even move towards any of the feeders I place on his cage. And he used to climb towards the screen I'd placed them on and and zap anything with his tongue.

He's also become more and more lethargic, and dark green/almost black during the day. He hardly moves like he used to, and moves really slow if at all.

Yesterday he also started sleeping during the day on and off, which he's done today a bunch.

I took him to the vet last week and he was worried he wasn't getting enough calcium since he stopped eating but said he looked great otherwise. He gave me liquid calcium which I try to give him once a day. He stopped opening his mouth when I take him out of the cage so there have been a couple days he hasn't gotten the liquid calcium

Afraid he's on his way out and is just sick or unhappy. Not sure what else to do.
Click to expand...
Looking foreward to seeing what you find out. I have a 4 month old baby Jacksons thats having the same problem. Seems like hes still eating but not as much as he use to. And hes been a dark brown/black this whole time with little movement and when i got him he was a light brown and active. ive had him for only about 4 or 5 days now so im hoping he grows out of it when he gets use to his surroundings.
 
I raised the temperature a bit but he went to his hiding place the minute I moved my hand toward cage and is still dark black with curled tail. Not sure what has happened but hopefully he will come around and hopefully eat something soon.
 
He's been moving a little the past hour, though he's extra slow and his tail seems out of alignment. The bottom half of his spine and tail seem twisted and he doesn't move his back legs as easily as he used to.

Then just a minute ago he went into his poop stance and shot out a stream of liquid. Looked clear and grayish. He shot it across the cage in a stream. Not like his usual poop/urate dropping.
 
Has anyone ever had their chameleon projectile poop an all liquid substance?

I'm waiting for the vet to call me back, my chameleon seems ok this morning, still slow and sluggish, but laying under his basking lamp all morning
 
BCam said:
Has anyone ever had their chameleon projectile poop an all liquid substance?

I'm waiting for the vet to call me back, my chameleon seems ok this morning, still slow and sluggish, but laying under his basking lamp all morning
Click to expand...
My female veiled is the same way. She refuses to eat whenever me or anyone else is near and is constantly a dark greenish color. I have a theory that it has to do with them being stressed out seeing as yours is being constantly transported and mine being new. I suggest taking a break from moving him too much and give him a chance to relax and see if he starts going back to normal. Just a suggestion.
 
Thanks I agree. Also unnoticed he turned a bright light green, almost yellow yesterday when I put some paper towels around his screen cage to give him privacy.

You might try this with your girl, he seemed to be light green and more active when I did this
 
BCam said:
Thanks I agree. Also unnoticed he turned a bright light green, almost yellow yesterday when I put some paper towels around his screen cage to give him privacy.

You might try this with your girl, he seemed to be light green and more active when I did this
Click to expand...
I will try this! Thanks for the tip!
 
Monta said:
How’s your little one doing this morning? Should post pics of her cage so we can help you out(y)
Click to expand...
She’s still alittle skiddish but you can’t expect anything to be fixed over night. I’m switching her over from meal worms and buying calcium for the crickets today. I also got rid of the heater and hot water. She should be much more comfortable now. I’m not home but I will show pictures when I am. Updates on there way!
 
@ObnoxiousFruit12 You should start your own thread by filling out the "how to ask for help" form. Here is a link you can use: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

People here can take a look and see if there are things that need improvement or tweaking. Please use as much detail as you can! The more information we have the better we can help you and your cham! Pictures are always helpful also. But it should be in your own thread.

@BCam How is your cham doing today?
 
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