Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my veiled in July and he was really small, don't know his age. But ever since I've had him, he has always had a great appetite. Now he lets the crickets walk around in front of him and he does nothing. He's staying in one spot and he seems like he's leaning to one side. Prince is pooping regularly when I turn the lights on in the morning. He has 2 bromeliads and 1 abelia grandiflora in his tank. Soil substrate, a bowl of water, UVB light, 100W light, he's in a 10g tank with a screen top. Sometimes I spray his tank and sometimes I place water droplets on his mouth and he'll drink like that. When I took him out, he seemed weaker than usual. Prince had shed regularly every 2 weeks until recently, it took him up to 3 wks to shed. I'm planning on taking him to the vet if he doesn't change but I am strapped for cash. Please help!!! TIA.

You said..."He has 2 bromeliads and 1 abelia grandiflora in his tank"...bromeliads are listed as being non-toxic, but abelia grandiflora is listed as toxic. Has he eaten any of the leaves or have the insects nibbled on them?

You said you have a soil substrate...I don't use any substrates in my chameleon tanks. Too many of them can cause impactions if ingested.

Most chameleons won't drink from a bowl of water, but some will....so its up to you if you leave it there...just make sure its kept clean.

You said he has a UVB light and 100 watt bulb on a 10 gallon tank....I would think that will make the cage way too warm. What is the temperature in the tank under the basking light? In the cool area? There's no glass or plastic between the UVB light and the chameleon, is there? IMHO you should have him in a bigger cage.

Are you gutloading the insects before they are fed to him? Are you dusting them with phosphorous-free calcium before you feed them to him? Do you use any vitamin/mineral dusts or calcium/D3 powder?

You said..."He's staying in one spot and he seems like he's leaning to one side." and "When I took him out, he seemed weaker than usual."...maybe he's trying to get away from the heat and is suffering because its too hot?

Hope he will be okay.

I have looked up abelia grandiflora and it was considered non toxic. The plant has been in his tank for two months and he likes to climb over it. His soil substrate is fine because I normally watch him when he eats and he only ingests a small amount, if any, when he eats. I know about chameleons and water which is why I mist sometimes and I feed him water through a pipet. My mistake on the wattage of the bulb, it's 60W. I'm waiting for him to grow up a bit more before he goes in a larger enclosure.

He's fed daily with crickets that are gutloaded and they are supplimented with calcium and vitamin. He is sitting right under the light so I do not think he is trying to get away from the heat. The tank stays between the 70s and 80s with the light on. During the night, if the room temperature goes down to the 60s I turn on a night light for him.

When you see him pick up "a little bit" of soil when eating, that stuff doesn't always pass, and he could be having increasing intestinal problems even an infection from bacteria or moldy soil particles. Also, ANY light on him at night will stress him, keep him from really sleeping, and lead to health problems. Chams need a nighttime temp drop of at least 15 degrees. He doesn't need night heat if your room is comfortable for you. Low 60's is fine.

Tanks have several problems...no real temperature or humidity gradient (especially in a 10 gal), reflections causing social stress, and general lower air quality, and no space for all the foliage they need to feel hidden and secure. Sounds like he needs a lot more space by this time.

I looked it up too or I wouldn't have mentioned it....
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:5wv7-puCRbIJ:www.cardinalglennon.com/internet/home/glennon30.nsf/graphics/Toxic+and+NonToxic+Plants.pdf/$file/Toxic+and+NonToxic+Plants.pdf "abelia grandiflora" AND toxic&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=2
http://www.lifewithnanny.com/plants.html

You said..."His soil substrate is fine because I normally watch him when he eats and he only ingests a small amount, if any, when he eats" it doesn't take much to cause impaction.

Hopefully the vet visit will shed some light on why he seems weak.