Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My veiled passed through a serious hunger strike for 1-2 months,he has partly recovered now but I am worried if this might cause any damage on his growth and adult size.He is only a juvenile about i feet long with the tail.I believe the term used for such cases is 'stunt'.Is there such case in chameleons?
Thanks

At young ages chams need food, and lots of it...without proper amounts of food. chams do get stunted and the damage is irreversible....

It is not really a HUGE crisis if your cham is on the small side...i have a beardie (adopted) who is 16 inches long and full grown...she is small due to poor feeding as a youngster....she still can eat as much as a beardie 6 inches bigger than herself!

Really dont woory about it just make sure that you remember to feed him plenty and frequently..

PS Are you a begginer? No offense or anything....just asking
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eric

Feeding "plenty and often" is not only one of the most common husbandry mistakes in captivity, but also one of the most detrimental. It can lead to dietetic "boredom" in chameleons, as well as obesity-- especially in animals originating from arid and semi-arid geographic areas. Maintaining a "healthy appetite" is of most importance if one is to be successful in maintaining chameleons in captivity.

Fabian

in females, can increase the frequency and size of infertile clutches putting undue physical stress on her. Unfortunately, I say this from experience
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.1 Mad. Hissers and she is on the loose!
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

I guess I am fortunate...i have baby panthers now, and if I hold up the egg crates to their cage (the ones that come with the crickets and are clean) and they come 'arunnin....I know we are hungry and have a big appetite...so far...I have not been refused!!

I wonder though, if this hunger strike scenario is part of the seasonal change. Upon looking through the forum, I see more than one or two stories about adult chams slowing down on eating... has there been a study/personal experience of chams slowing down in the winter months, even though temperatures stay realtively constant because of indoor housing?

PS- I know this is the cham forum...but she was outside my door waiting for the morning sun....

Could be the seasonal changes are having something to do with it. My chameleons all seem to decrease the amount that they are eating in the cooler seasons. They are kept indoors most of the year but the house is not air-conditioned so there are fluctuations in their temperatures.

What are the temperatures in his basking area and the other areas of his cage?

He could be slowing down as he approaches adulthood too.

However you are saying that he is on a hunger strike....do you mean that he isn't eating at all?

For years I have fed my babies moderately...well fed, but not overfed...and they grow much slower than most people have reported that theirs grow. They still reach a full adult size though....it just takes longer. However, I've never had one quit eating completely....but I'm betting that as long as it wasn't for a health reason, he will still reach adult size.