My guy isn't eating..... how come..?

[telecomandy]

I have a male Veiled Cham (21 months old) that has stopped eating. I vary his diet as well as the others I have with supers, flys, meal worms and of course crickets. He hasn't touched a thing in a few days and has started to do ALOT of digging in his enclosure.
what I'm wondering is....... are these 2 things related and what can I do to encourage him to eat something.......:grab:

[choriona]

do you have a picture of your "male"?

[DarkHunter]

Telecomandy-

Are you sure it is a male? Females can go on hunger strikes for a week before/during laying eggs, this is only temperary and you shouldnt notcie any significant weight loss or stregnth levels decrease. If its on a more serious note, chamelians can suffer from anorexia, if he/she is refusing to eat for more than a few days you might want to get it checked out by a good herp vet! I doubt its anything serious, they can just be stubborn! keep me posted
~hunter

[telecomandy]

I do have one but, I can't get my comp to reconfigure the pic so that it can be posted....... it's too big a file (jpeg)..
I'll keep trying to though

[telecomandy]

Yes........ I'm sure it's a male........lmao
the casque kinda gives it away. I've had him to the vet this morning and he doesn't know what to think either

[Pia]

Does it have spurs on it's back feet?

[telecomandy]

Let's get something straight....... IT IS A MALE....... I breed these guys for a supplemental income...

[DarkHunter]

Were just trying to help, giving you options!! :P I didn't know you were a breeder i didn't mean to offend you if i did. I hope your GUY starts munchin down the bugz soon!
~hunter

[telecomandy]

That's ok I guess...... I understand that people come to this site to find out info and more on their animals and such but, way too many others on this site assumes that anyone that asks a question, doesn't know a thing......

[MontyPython]

Last time I checked, not many people are mind readers, I'm sure if you gave people the info that you have experience about owning these animals then people wouldn't be jumping to conclusions.

[Wuntu Menny]

I've had males go on hunger strikes for no apparent reason before. From consulting with other keepers, it seemed to be a case of boredom with the menu or preference for a specific item. From your description, this doesn't seem to be the case with your male. Have you tried any roaches, stick bugs, other exotic fair? How about fruit or foliage? Anything to break up the monotony can spur their appetite.

The digging thing may or may not be related. Does your male have enough space? They will dig and pace their perimeter when they feel confined. Can he see the female at all? The distraction of a female is more than enough to put them off their food and cause them to resort to extreme measures trying to get to her. Even a fleeting glimpse or reflection of her will set him off.

WM

[telecomandy]

Didn't think of that....... the female thing. I'm just getting my newest females into the breeding age and he does see them from time to time, but, not very often. As for the food..... he's tried roaches and doesn't really care for them. But for other exotic feeders...... I haven't the foggiest on where I can get any. I deal with a crix breeder every once in a while when I run low on my own supply, and she hasn't a clue either.
The cages I keep all my guys are 3'x4'x8'....... so I don't see a problem with space....especially with him. I let him out to wander the place all the time but prefers to camp out in his cage at night..... go figure..
I appreciate your note and will try to find out more on those other feeder insects for them.

[Pookie]

Is he still drinking at all?

[choriona]

I didn't mean to start off an avalanche with that first question...just sounded like a gravid female behaviour pattern. :)

How are you presenting the food? I just found out my panther prefers hunting. SHe will leave crickets and mealworms in the food dish for a week. I figured she was either not hungry or gravid or something. She kept refusing to eat....UNTILL some crickets fell into her cage as I was trying to pour them into her bowl. Immediately she went about hunting them down and gobbling them up. Now I move her food dish around under different plants and things. As well as letting the crickets run around.

As for the digging and stuff...could he be coming up to shedding time. Maybe a good shower to loosen tight skin?? Just a wild thought I got when watching my geckos struggle with their skin today!

OR..what kind of substrate do you use. Could he of injested something that is bad or clogged his system?

[telecomandy]

Yep.... he's still drinking. The substrate is a combo of cocconut and and that chipped (untreated) pine and stuff....... the crap you pick up at the petstores. As for the presentation.... I let him hunt his own food, as well as a feeder basket under some plants that he climbs around on during the day. He was at the vets on Sunday with full check up and x-rays...... nothing out of the abnormal. Which is the reason I came hunting for some clues from you guys.

[Pookie]

I've heard about the hunger strikes. I have yet to witness one w/ my male but as long as their drinking i've heard it is ok for awhile. But if he keeps it up i'd contact the vet yet again for more info.

[telecomandy]

The vet I see is the same guy that looks after the ones in the zoo here and is up to speed with everything that's going on. He is drinking with no apparent problem that I can see, and all his other habits are still happening... just not eating. I've presented a few specimens to him in hand and he goes after them after a few minutes.... but not in the food servers or cage..... I'm starting to think that it is a boredom thing..... I'll keep ya'll posted on what happens..... and thanx again for all the help...

and sorry for not being more specific about knowing more than I led on