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my green anole wont eat

22 14:48:12

Question
QUESTION: I've had my anole for several months, he's done fine up until recently. I went out of town for two weeks, my mom and dad took care of him while i was away. A couple of days before i got back, he stopped eating. I got back last thursday, and, at most, he's eaten one criket since then. I'm misting him and the cage regularly, but i'm not sure what to do. He just lays around on the leaves of a plant. We let him out and he likes to roam around on some blinds in a window where we can watch him. I'm nervous he's starving himself. What should i do?

ANSWER: Hi Stefanie,
 How has he been pooping?  Are they regular or soupy, is the smell worse. Is he pooping at all.  Does he have a round belly?  With the changes in weather, are his temps steady? The reasons for a lizard to not eat is, too full, either from a particularly heavy meal, too large prey, impaction, high gut parasite load and dehydration.
 There is one other reason for not eating, and it is far too early for him to feel the urge to brumate.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He's pooped several times, its a lil bit runnier then normal. My mom pointed out that when she went to get him more crikets, the store was out, so she got some meal worms. (i don't know how to spell that) She said thats the last time he ate regularly. Thats also the first time we've fed him anything other then crikets and baby food. Could that have caused the problem? His temps have stayed level. Its been raining alot, i don't know if that could affect his mood. He also has been using his territorial sign fairly often, in sittuations where it seems un-necessary. He's the only lizard we have. Thank you so much for you quick response and in-sight.

Answer
 He showing signs of a high parasite load if his poops are runny and smelly.  I mean worse than usual smelly.  If not, it may be a reaction to mealworms.  They can eat mealies, but if he's not used to them, they are a bit harder to digest because of their thick segmented shell.  It could be he's feeling impacted.  Stick to babyfood for a bit till he passes it.  Chicken babyfood (firsts) will work instead of bugs for a little while.  Once he passes all that chitin, his appetite should return.  Oh and no apple babyfood, apples are an appetite suppressant.
 The bobbing and flashing dewlap is normal for a young male who has hit puberty.  Even if there are no other lizards in the house, he wants the females he believes you are hiding from him. So he will do his little fan dance to try and lure them out.