Hello, my name is Carson. I have always LOVED reptiles and especially chameleons. I searched online for reccomendations on the easiest type of chameleon to raise, most of what i heard said Jackson's Chameleons. So i have now purchased 2, beautiful sweet females. I absolutley love my two jacksons, and they seem to be comfortable in their habitat and like being held! Mimi is slighty older and she is doing very well. She has been eating and looks really happy. Kiki, seems to be comfortabe but I'm afraid she hasnt been eating. I'm not 100% sure, but ive never seen her eat yet. I'm worried about it all the time. I have a UVB light that i leave on All day and half the night. I also have a heat lamp that i turn on at least twice a day and leave on for 1 to 2 hours. Theyre cage is about 38 gallons and i set up some fake vines for them to climb on. They seem to enjoy the vines and like to sleep and rest in them. I've been using the drip system for water, and also spraying mist in their cage every once and a while. I really do love my chameleons and i just want theem to be healthy and happy. Is their anything you would suggest that maybe would explain why KiKi isnt eating? I'd appriciate all the help i can get. Thank you! -Carson
Welcome to the boards Carson = ) Firstly, I would highly recommend setting up a better day/night schedule. Go to a home improvement store, walmart, target...etc and pick up a control timer from the store (such as those used for christmas lights), you simply plug your lights into it and set the times you would it to turn on and off. Set it for 12-14 hours of light - it will consistently turn the lights on and off for you to keep a routine lighting schdule. Reptiles fair well with routines, and they need adequate amount of daytime, and adequate amount of darkness to sleep. This also makes your life easier: no need to be home to turn lights on and off as it does it for you. *What brand of UVB producing bulb are you using? Is is a special Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) or a Flourescent (tube) bulb? The flourescent bulbs do not produce heat, and some are essentially worthless in UVB output. You may need to keep your heat lamp throughout the entire day in addition to the UVB producing bulb, or you may not have a high enough basking area for the chameleons. Here is a nice resource for UVB lighting: http://www.reptileboards.com/threads/uvb-basics.64396/ *What are the temperatures in the enclosure? Specically, in the basking area beneath the heat lamp and within the cooler area of the enclosure? What are you measing these temperatures with? Just to note, the only accruate means to take temperature measurements are with a Tempgun or Digital Thermometer w/probe. The stick on, plastic anaolog therms from pet stores are basically worthless. *What kind of supplements (calcium, multivitamin, etc) are you using for the feeders and what schedule of dusting? What kind of insects are you feeding and how often/how much per feeding? *Can you elaborate a little more on the setup? Screen enclosure? What kind of substrate (bedding)? What kind of cage decor and foliage is present? *How long ago did you purchase the chameleons? *Are there arny unusual behaviors that you see? Lethargy? Wait loss? Specifically in the one not feeding. Lethargy and weight loss, and little intrest in food and basking are signs of illness in reptiles. *How frequently are you handling the chameleons? While many reptiles tolerate handling, its rare to find some that truly enjoy it (despite our desires). Overhandling can result in stress, which they can hide quite well. This stress can result in loss of appetite. *Is there a substantial size difference between the two chams? What is their approximate ate? Are you 100% confident both are female? *Can you take pictures of the setup and each chamelon? I have * all questions that I would like you to answer. I realize it may seem kind of silly that I am countering your questions with more questions, but it is the only way we can deduce what the problem may be to fix it. 99% of the time these issues are problems with husbandry, and making a simple fix and ensuring the habitat and care are perfect can often fix things.
