new panther not eating

[Pookie]

I just purchased a 3 month old panther cham at the NY Reptile Expo 2 weeks ago. Since i purchased him i noticed that he would drink, but wasn't eating. I have him in a 22 gal reptarium with many brances going up and down the enclosure. He has a murcury bulb placed above the cage w/ a shady side aslo. He seems to be roaming around just fine but never eats. I only got him to eat once by place some small mealworms on the top of his cage, and letting him up there. He ate 3 of them at this time. That was about 4 days ago. I keep offering him free roaming crix along with some in a cup that hangs from the side of the cage. Any other suggestions? I'm scared that he will continue not to eat.

[meow_mix450]

Do you have a UVB light? What are the temps? Murcury bulbs can produce a lot of heat. It can get really hot. Also watch out for those bulbs they can start fires. Hmm what size crickets are you throwing in there and how many have you been throwing in? Do they go missing? Also when was the last time he pooped. Last question is what local is it?

Meow

[Pookie]

Yes I have a powersun light which had both heat and UV, It's very powerful and could possibly be too strong for the 22 reptarium but i raised it up a few feet above the enclosure to minimize it a bit. The temps are around 85ish during the day 68/70 at night. The crickets are around 3/8 to 1/2 inch. I tend to throw in around 5 at a time and there are also some in a feeding cup that is placed along the side of the enclosure. They don't go missing, they end up dead somewhere at the bottom of the tank. The last time he pooped was probably around the time i got him which was about 2 weeks ago, but he drinks so he still has water pass through him. He's a blue nosy be panther. Thanks!

[CarlC]

Try offering something other crickets. Houseflies will get a good reaction if he still has the strength to go afetr them.

Is the cage by a window? Drafts can cause all sorts of problems.

Is it in a high traffic area? He could be really bothered by something.

Powersun bulbs used with Chameleons in a cage set-up seem to cause more problems. Panthers seem to be really prone to problems when using these types of bulbs.

Carl

[Manitoban Herps]

Even if it does have UV in the bulb if it is 3 feet off the ground it won't be able to reach the cham.

[Pookie]

well the cage is located in my bedroom, it isn't a high traffic area at all, the door stays shut and he's not near any windows. What are some other types of lighting would you recommend? I bought 100 watt a basking spot lamp but i need some sort of UV.

[Pookie]

also, would it be ok to rest a hood light fixture on top of a reptarium....it's not mesh, it's metal screening. Or would that be too close to the cham?

[CarlC]

I would go with the standard Reptisun 5.0. This bulb has proven through time that it is still the best option for Chameleons.

Did you modify the Reptarium? I thought they have a soft top.
Either way we have 60 watt dome lights sitting on the soft screen with no problems.

Carl

[Pookie]

I didn't modify it, but it was different from the standard mesh reptarium, it's easier to have free roaming crickets because they can't chew through it. Thanks for the info. I will try to place a hood on top w/ a reptisun and a basking bulb

[kinyonga]

Do you have a substrate in the cage or did the person you bought it from have a substrate? He might not be be defecating because he isn't eating, but it might be that he's impacted. (I'm hoping that this is not the reason.)

What size are the crickets you are offering to it? If the crickets are too big, he may not be able to eat them. The crickets should be of a size that will fit comfortably into its mouth.

[Pookie]

He's a about 4 months old and i'm feeding him 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch crix. No substrate, just newspaper for me and the breeder.

[Pookie]

good news! After changing the light from a powersun to a hood w/ a reptisun 5.0 and a blue bulb for heat...little Bruce started eating! I witnessed him eating 2 crix last night! Thanks for all your suggestions! yay!

[tdherper]

Good for you & little Bruce :)

[meow_mix450]

awesome!

Meow