Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

harrison · Contributing Member Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 141

hello Guys,

us again......

Bert was doing really well with his new set up and has, in the last week, started to change colour (from the original black) but now we have a new problem................

He keeps falling asleep. although he isnt really asleep as he doesnt turn white, which is what he does when he goes to bed. He will sit in his leaf and just ly there with his eyes closed, and it is really hard to wake him to make sure he's ok. He wont even wake if you spray the water in the tank..dont worry i do not spray him directly , but you would have thought the movemen of the water would atleast make him open his eyes.

we are feeding hi fruit flies at the moment as this is the only thing he will eat, we have tried feeding him meal worms and number 2 crickets but he is just not interested. we have just bought some hatchling crickets and number 1 locusts so will try these asap.

he seems to be drinking and pooing regularly so he must be eating smething.

It was suggested that we get a halogen lamp, and this would be sufficient along with a UV strip light... but we have ordered a UVB/UVA lamp which the breeder was usind when we got him...

could it be the lack f D3 vits that is making him so lethargic?

the lamp is due to arrive any day....

your help would be greatly appreciated

Rach

kroakykaren · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject:

Mmmm Rach its a hard one, sleeping like that isnt good, they dont have to be moving around constantly but their eyes should be alert.
Is he drinking ok?

I dont personally think its the lighting, others may say different, if he is pooing he must be eating, but i think he needs more than FFs now. Have you tried curly wing flies? they are meatier and chams love them.

Have you any Critical care or Avipro its good to get their appetite going again, it can be mixed with water and sprayed or given by pippette.
Sorry havnt been much help its very hard when you cant see them
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lol93 · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject:

What supplements is he getting Rach? Could be he needs more calcium. Have you a photo of him?
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harrison · Contributing Member Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 141

heres some pics....

probably not getting enough clacium as he is only eating small flies, they run around alot so it all falls off.....

he is drinking fine....

heres some pics

thanks Rach

Rickeezee · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:09 pm Post subject:

Not a good sign at all, when a baby cham remains wiht its eyes closed.

Sadly the causes can be many and really hard to identify, can be anything from environmental stress, incorrect temps, incorrect feeding, to hot to cold, genetics, and so the list goes on.

A simple form, of basking light is adequate for a baby cham, anything from a 20watt halogen to a low wattage small spot bulb. UV tube 5-8% is also fine, I would avoid the combined uv / basking lamps such as powersuns for baby chams as these will fry him, they give of an immense heat output.

I wish you the best of luck with the cham, it is so difficult to pinpoint one precise causative factor as to why baby chams close their eyes and remain lethargic, but its not a good sign at all. Gently wake him up every half hour durring the day and try to get him moving around and stimulated and also feeding. Good luck, any pictures of him and his set up please?
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Rickeezee · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject:

Sorry you posted the pictures as I was responding. May I ask is that a fish tankk you have him in?
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Rickeezee · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject:

I would suggest he live in a better ventilated set up with a dedicated low wattage basking spot lamp / bulb in one corner of the viv set to 83f at basking spot with the cool end of viv down to 72f at the coolest point.

UV tube mounted across top of viv with a reflector fitted. Basking spot controlled by a stat or use a20 watt halogen clamp lamp mounted externally to viv and move lamp forward or back to reach desired temperature, check all temps preferably with a digital thermometer.

An arboreal set up is really required they like the height it makes them feel safer and less stressy.

Micro crickets, fruit flies, newly hatched locusts, small curly wing flies regularly dusted with calcium and vitamins and minerals, gut load all food also.

Hope the info may help.
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harrison · Contributing Member Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 141

hey, yes it is a fish tank, although Karen is using taller tanks it is quite smilar, could this be the problem?

thanks again

Rickeezee · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:31 pm Post subject:

Could well be a contributing factor air needs to be drawn in from lower down and vented out the top for a cham viv, helps prevent the air stagnating, the baby tanks Karen uses are exo terra which have vented slots in the lower part of the doors so there is air circulation, hot air out the top via the mesh cool air in via the air slots on the doors.

I have tried various methods with many baby panther chams, sometimes they are just not destined to survive. Baby chams are delicate at the best of times, if ever possible I would allways advise buying a cham a few months old so that it is past the delicate baby stage, unless your ultra confident / experienced with chams, may I ask how old your cham is and how old it was when you bought it.

As before its so hard to pinpoint the problems when a cham goes eyes closed, it can be many things that cause this.
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Rickeezee · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:43 pm Post subject:

Sorry to go on, but even the most experienced cham breeders in the world suffer baby cham loses. This is the reality of raising baby chams.

Whatever you do please dont use a powersun lamp on him, did the pet shop try to sell you one of these for him?
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