What's wrong now? Help me figure it out please!

[Robyrango]

Chameleon Info:
• He's a panther chameleon, 8m old, in my care since September 2011
•Handling once a week or less
•Feeding - Manly crickets, but he hasn't been eating in a week. When he eats is just 2 crickets every second day. Feeding once a day in the morning. Gut load the crickets wit kale, cabbage, butternut squash, orange, carrots, apples, bee pollen and nori.
•Supplements - Nutrobal every feed.
•Watering - I mist in the morning for 5 minutes with a spray bottle and I have a dripper. I'm gone most of the day, but I mist more twice a week when I'm off. I've seen drinking many times, not recently.
•Usual dark brown with white. Never been tested for parasites
•History
Cage Info:
•24 x 24 x 36 inch Aluminum Screen Cage

•Lighting Exo Terra 15" Repti Glo 5.0 UVB Bulb and a normal 60W house bulb for basking. Both lights are set on timer from 8am to 6pm
•Temperature -basking around 80 little cooler at the bottom of the cage. I have a thermometer.
•Humidity -Between 50 and 70% measure those with an hygrometer
•Plants - Live ficus benjamin
•Placement [/COLOR]-The cage is in a spare room beside a window, above a stand, 30 inches from the floor
•Location - Ireland

Current Problem -He hasn't eaten in days, he never had a big appetite.
I have to replace his plants in the enclosure and since then he's hiding at the bottom of his cage. If I put him back under his basking light he stays there, unless I'm around, he runs away and he hides! He does,t sleep but just stays there and he doesn't move much.

 

[tkalawart]

I don't think a house bulb wld produce enough heat. The rest looks good. Are u dusting with calcium also?

 

[sdheli420]

sounds like hes freaked out from the re-arrange..they hate change and it takes time for them to be back to normal..sounds like hes not really eating much altogeter tho, maybe a vet visit may be in order..

p.s. if its 80 for basking and only is a few degrees coller on the bottom of the cage, your bulb is enough heat..


im not familiar with nutro-bal

we all use calcium with out d3 every feeding

calcium with d3 twice a month

and multi-vites twice a month

 

[Robyrango]

sounds like hes freaked out from the re-arrange..they hate change and it takes time for them to be back to normal..sounds like hes not really eating much altogeter tho, maybe a vet visit may be in order..

p.s. if its 80 for basking and only is a few degrees coller on the bottom of the cage, your bulb is enough heat..


im not familiar with nutro-bal

we all use calcium with out d3 every feeding

calcium with d3 twice a month

and multi-vites twice a month

Thanks for the reply, I'm worried sick!
Do you reckon he's too warm?
I know the supplementation schedule over here is bit different but the herper I got him from has 20 years of experience in reptiles and he's keeping chameleons too, never had a problem with Nutrobal that's why I never question it..

 

[sdheli420]

Thanks for the reply, I'm worried sick!
Do you reckon he's too warm?
I know the supplementation schedule over here is bit different but the herper I got him from has 20 years of experience in reptiles and he's keeping chameleons too, never had a problem with Nutrobal that's why I never question it..

ive been into just chameleons since the earlie 90's and never used nutrobal (doesent mean good or bad, just bad since i cant say anything about it) doesent sound like hes too hot 85 is a standard basking temp, and ambient is good at 72-75..it could be that its stress from moving stuff



p.s. also for the gutload, toss out the kale, and cabbage..instead try using collard and mustard greens, and if they grow wild where you are fresh picked dandelion

 

[Robyrango]

ive been into just chameleons since the earlie 90's and never used nutrobal (doesent mean good or bad, just bad since i cant say anything about it) doesent sound like hes too hot 85 is a standard basking temp, and ambient is good at 72-75..it could be that its stress from moving stuff



p.s. also for the gutload, toss out the kale, and cabbage..instead try using collard and mustard greens, and if they grow wild where you are wild dandelion

I hope so.. I got silkworms today, can't wait to go home and try to feed him. Hope silkies will cheer him up! Thanks again

 

[sdheli420]

I hope so.. I got silkworms today, can't wait to go home and try to feed him. Hope silkies will cheer him up! Thanks again

definatley a good idea to try other feeders, sometimes they just get bored of certain foods..just like pickey people..lol

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

I completely agree, Personally i always feed my pets a varried diet for that exact reason, some pets love one food and show great disdain for another, feeding a varied diet from the start will ensure a good healthy apatite and will lessen the chances that they choose a strict favorite that they will not deviate from. I know during the winter months in some areas this can be very difficult but, it'll help out in the long run. Just imagine if all you ate was cheeseburgers. you obtain high levels of all the cheeseburgers nutrients and vitamins, while lacking anything that is not found inside those burgers. Yes this is why we have Calcium/ D3 powders however in my opinion and from my experience it is still important to shake things up a bit.

just think, we could pop a vitamin pill into your burger every morning noon and night...but would you get sick of cheeseburgers?

also he may just be stressed about the moving of plants! i know i changed on little thing in my chams enclosure, ( changed the drip tube from black to clear) and he got in a two day pissing match with the tube. Hissing, turning black at it, and even taking a bite at it.

 

[Robyrango]

I completely agree, Personally i always feed my pets a varried diet for that exact reason, some pets love one food and show great disdain for another, feeding a varied diet from the start will ensure a good healthy apatite and will lessen the chances that they choose a strict favorite that they will not deviate from. I know during the winter months in some areas this can be very difficult but, it'll help out in the long run. Just imagine if all you ate was cheeseburgers. you obtain high levels of all the cheeseburgers nutrients and vitamins, while lacking anything that is not found inside those burgers. Yes this is why we have Calcium/ D3 powders however in my opinion and from my experience it is still important to shake things up a bit.

just think, we could pop a vitamin pill into your burger every morning noon and night...but would you get sick of cheeseburgers?

also he may just be stressed about the moving of plants! i know i changed on little thing in my chams enclosure, ( changed the drip tube from black to clear) and he got in a two day pissing match with the tube. Hissing, turning black at it, and even taking a bite at it.

Thanks! He looks quiet scared, and I'm hoping that all the hiding could be related to the changes I've made! the silkworms will answer all my questions! Just need to wait until tomorrow morning to feed him!
When it comes to feeders here in Ireland I can only get crickets and locusts, sometimes meal worms, which are not the best feeding option. I'm starting this silkworms project and going to a fishing shop on Wednesday to see if they have some butter worms or some other yummy thing I can feed him. Cheers guys

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

Thanks! He looks quiet scared, and I'm hoping that all the hiding could be related to the changes I've made! the silkworms will answer all my questions! Just need to wait until tomorrow morning to feed him!
When it comes to feeders here in Ireland I can only get crickets and locusts, sometimes meal worms, which are not the best feeding option. I'm starting this silkworms project and going to a fishing shop on Wednesday to see if they have some butter worms or some other yummy thing I can feed him. Cheers guys

No problem at all! i wish you the best of luck with everything, tell me how your silkworm project goes, i'll be looking forward to hearing about it!

I would say give him some time and let things settle down a little, go about normal activity and he should relax eventually. If things do not get better after a while, and your super nervous, there is always the vet.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Robyrango]

No problem at all! i wish you the best of luck with everything, tell me how your silkworm project goes, i'll be looking forward to hearing about it!

I would say give him some time and let things settle down a little, go about normal activity and he should relax eventually. If things do not get better after a while, and your super nervous, there is always the vet.

Best of luck to you!

You're right, I never had a problem with him, and in general every change in my peaceful safe routine freaks me out!
I'm one of those always worried people!
I'll try to relax and see how it goes with silkworms. If nothing changes I'll bring him to the vet! Thanks for your words!

 

[kinyonga]

You said he's 8 months old and a male.....why are you keeping his basking temperature at 80F?

Even when he is eating IMHO he should be eating a lot more than a couple of crickets at that age.

Not sure about your supplement since I've never used it.
I would drop the cabbage from the gutload.

 

[EvilLost]

I don't think a house bulb wld produce enough heat. The rest looks good. Are u dusting with calcium also?

by "house bulb" i'm pretty sure he means INCANDESCENT bulb...which is the exact same thing as teh "reptile" bulbs (except the price)

 

[Robyrango]

He just hates me, that's all..

The little dude doesn't look sick at all! He's just being avoiding me! I've being making lots of changes in his enclosure lately and he obviously didn't like it!
This morning I "forced" him to go to the top of his cage, the grip on him!Considering he had just 4 silkworms in a week!
He stays there, I was moving very slowly around, went to fill the dripper and found him right at his feeding cup, when he saw me he run away.. I left for work. The superworms are gone and he's sleeping right at the front of the enclosure.. Hopefully my boy is back to normal!

 

[carol5208]

I would definitely raise his basking temp to around 90 or so. 80 is too for a panther and especially for his age.