Chameleon seems sick, what do I do?!

chamchamcham1

New Member
So I'm currently babysitting a baby female chameleon (less than 5 months old). But recently, the chameleon has been acting really weird. She didn't eat the crickets(although sometimes she would try to catch them and end up eating dirt), she spends the whole day on the ground with a brownish-green color on her (with dark stripes), she doesn't move much, and I sometimes think I always walk in on her sleeping (even if it's the day). My mom thought the rotting branches and leaves were the problem, so replaced the old ones with new ones, but she still wouldn't go up. I would only find her in the tree when I go to turn the lights on and off. She seems sick, but I don't know what the problem is, and I really don't want her to die since this is my friend's chameleon.

Here are the details-
-She usually eats 3-5 crickets a day(sometimes there would be calcium dusted), but lately she hasn't had a single cricket. Instead she eats meal worms(calcium dusted) and a bit of tomato
-The light is UVB, 75 w
-She lives in a glass cage (I heard that glass blocks UV rays... Does that mean the cham never got UV rays?)
-She used to live in a big glass cage, but since that cage was too heavy to bring, she now currently lives in a substitute cage, which is much smaller
-I mist the cage around 4-5 a day
-No drippers
-When I think it is too hot, I usually move the cage further from the light and that used to make her go up, but now it doesn't work
-She doesn't have sunken eyes
-When I go check on her to turn the lights on, she is usually bright/dark green
-The leaves and branches were rotting, therefore giving the whole cage a nasty scent (but now replaced)
-Seems a little too young to want babies? (When they got her in the pet store, she was too young for the vets to know which gender she was and they only had her for around 3 months)
-I don't handle her often, maybe once a week
-The feces wasn't runny or anything, but it was really dry and sometimes white
-Sometimes I would find her sleeping on the floor
 
Hi welcome to the forum. I'm really sorry that your friends baby is sick. I see you have given some good info but can I ask you to fill in the form, link below.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Can you post pics. What kind of Cham is she. How long have you been looking after her? When is your friend getting home? I believe that tomato is poisonous for chams. Veileds eat vegetation and if it is rotten it could make her ill. I don't have females but someone who does will help you.
 
She is a veiled chameleon, and since it is night here, she is currently sleeping but I will try to get a picture of her when she waked up

I have had her for around one and a half months now. My friend is getting home in about a week, but I don't know if she will be able to pick her up as soon as she get home.

I heard that the stem and the leaves of a tomato plants were toxic, but not the tomato itself.

Here are some additional information.

-There are a few ficus leaves in the cage (specifically leaves from Benjamin trees)
-The cage is about 50cm off the floor
-The cage is 30cmx30cmx50cm (WxLxH)
-Don't have any tools to measure humidity or temperature
-I turn on the lights at around 9:30 AM and turn it off at around 9 PM
-The chameleon was never checked by the vet, only before it left the pet store
-Located in a room with not much human activities
-I don't see the chameleon drink
-The worms and the tomato is placed in a bowl, while the crickets run around freely.
 
If she hasnt been getting calcium supplement dusted on the insects then she could could be developing MBD. She should be eating at least a dozen appropriate sized crickets a day. Mealworms are okay once in a while but not as a staple.

I don't like to hear about a chameleon eating dirt in case it leads to an impaction.

If she's staying at the bottom of the cage because it's too hot in the cage then you need to fix the temperature. If that's not the reason then she may be sick. It can also be a symptom of MBD sometimes.

If you post a photo we should be able to tell if she's mature enough to be producing eggs.

Once we see photos we can go from there.

What kind of (rotten) branches were in the cage?
 
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You are a good friend for taking care of a friend's pet for so long. :)
Your friend did not help you or her chameleon because she did not give you anything to measure the temperature and the humidity.
Both of these are very important for a chameleon's health.
Maybe your friend does not know what her chameleon needs.

There are 2 parts to what a cham excretes/poops. The feces part is supposed to be solid and brown and the white part called urate, is supposed to be white.
It does not sound like the chameleon is getting too little water if his eyes are not sunken and he has white urates all the time.
It may be too moist in the enclosure, which can make a cham sick .

You said the light is UVB, 75 w but that sounds more like just a light for warmth, not for UVB.
We may be able to tell you what kind of light it is if you tell us what the lightbulb has printed on it on the glass or on the base of the bulb.
(PLEASE make sure it has been off for a while first so it doesn't burn you)

If the light is passing through glass, then the chameleon is getting no UV no matter what kind of light it is.
Without UV a cham does not absorb calcium and gets what is called MBD
You can look here to learn more about MBD.https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-metabolic-bone-disease-mbd-looks-like-how-happens-how-fix-95071/

If you can post a picture, then we will know what kind of chameleon you have.
If you tell us what the daytime temperatures are outside, we can tell you if it's warm enough for you to bring him outside without the cage to get UV from sunlight.
You don't need to post the picture directly to the forum if you can post it somewhere online, then just add the URL to your next post.
Even if it is not warm enough outside, it may be warm enough indoors to put him in a plant next to an open window that has a screen, so he can't go outside.
The screen will not block all of the UV from sunlight.

Sleeping in the daytime is never good and indicates illness.
A healthy chameleon is awake all day until it gets dark.


If a chameleon has eye infections, it might have both eyes closed because the eyes are hurting.

We may be able to help you determine what is wrong but he may need to go to a vet for diagnosis and medication.
 
Here are the pictures-
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B02AF-YctjfaaUY4MW5aa0RLYnpvdklaT204SUhTNVZZX253/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B02AF-YctjfabUxLMFFua3IzSmhwcjF4LXE3ZTN4Q1BjX000/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B02AF-YctjfaWHlaY3F5cEhQR1pKejZ4dFp0T0ZNLVFuOEdR/edit?usp=sharing

(Even though the package says its UVA, the current light we are using is UVB, it's just the exact same brand)

Also, I have noticed that the cham is not using one of her legs, I don't know if its because she can't.

The temp in the house is around 25 C, and outside it's around 28-30 c.
 
Here are the pictures-
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B02AF-YctjfaaUY4MW5aa0RLYnpvdklaT204SUhTNVZZX253/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B02AF-YctjfabUxLMFFua3IzSmhwcjF4LXE3ZTN4Q1BjX000/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B02AF-YctjfaWHlaY3F5cEhQR1pKejZ4dFp0T0ZNLVFuOEdR/edit?usp=sharing

(Even though the package says its UVA, the current light we are using is UVB, it's just the exact same brand)

Also, I have noticed that the cham is not using one of her legs, I don't know if its because she can't.

The temp in the house is around 25 C, and outside it's around 28-30 c.


I'm sorry to tell you your friends chameleon has a serious case of MBD, she needs liquid calcium everyday to assure she gets the right amount. If you can take her to the vet, if there's no possible way you can buy liquid calcium online. Putting her in a screened cage is going to help her too and take her outside early in the mornings if it gets really hot where u are, so she can get natural sun.
 
Also whatever that is in the bottom of her cage needs to be removed, try replacing it with a soft towel since she's not able to climb so she'll have cushion. If she eats that dirt she could get an impaction, she may already be impacted which is another reason to take her to the vet. She's probably weak, in pain and not strong enough to climb, possibly other problems too. Please get that poor girl to the vet. She's only going to get worse if something is not done soon, it will take a long long time for her to recover, mbd is not curable but you can stop it from progressing with the right medications and help her heal and make her bones stronger. This isn't your fault, it takes a long time for them to develop mbd because of her not getting everything she needs, most importantly calcium, vitamin D and uvb. I'm so glad your seeking help for her. Try letting your friend know that she's got to go to the vet so she can possibly give u money to take her. Seriously if she doesn't get to the vet she could die, so sorry to say that but it's true. I purchased a veiled from a pet store also, he had mbd when I got him, I took him to the vet and a month and 1/2 later he's doing much much better. There's a chance if she goes to the vet. Make sure to find a herp vet in your area, if u can't find 1 try calling any other vets, let them know ur situation and maybe they can help. Good luck!!!! I really hope she heals, I know it has to suck to see her sick like that :(
 
Now she is up in her tree, nice and green. Although she was trembling a little when she was getting up, I think she is better now than before, since I changed the glass opening section with a mosquito net so the UV rays can go through. I will still try to take her to the vet as soon as possible though. :)
 
Now she is up in her tree, nice and green. Although she was trembling a little when she was getting up, I think she is better now than before, since I changed the glass opening section with a mosquito net so the UV rays can go through. I will still try to take her to the vet as soon as possible though. :)
Good--removing that glass lets the UV in.
The glass may have also been making the enclosure too hot.

The others are right--she has MBD which needs to be treated without delay.
A vet can give a calcium injection but you can help her now before the vet visit.

This is what to do now to help her;
Buy calcium liquid/calcium syrup at a chemist, pharmacy, whatever a store that sells health products is called in your area.
Calcium glubionate is sold as Neo Calglucon or Calcionate in the US and Canada.
The brand name is not important.
Give her 1 drop of calcium liquid in the morning.
Then give the other drop later in the day.
Don't give extra other than 2 drops each day and the calcium dust on her food.

More details here:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/wha...ase-mbd-looks-like-how-happens-how-fix-95071/ tells you more

The outside temperatures are good.
If you want to, she can have some outdoor time for some sunshine or sit on a towel next to a screen in a window with the glass up.
Her body will use the sun's uv to make its own vitamin D3 to just the levels she needs.
You might not want to handle her just yet, though because you will need to be very careful handling her because the MBD makes her bones break easily.
That may be why she is having trouble using her leg.
MBD is awful.
 
Good--removing that glass lets the UV in.
This is what to do now to help her;
Buy calcium liquid/calcium syrup at a chemist, pharmacy, whatever a store that sells health products is called in your area.
Calcium glubionate is sold as Neo Calglucon or Calcionate in the US and Canada.
The brand name is not important.
Give her 1 drop of calcium liquid in the morning.
Then give the other drop later in the day.
Don't give extra other than 2 drops each day and the calcium dust on her food.

Does the calcium liquid/syrup have to be for reptiles? Or can it be the ones that humans consume?

How to I give her the liquid? Do I give it with a dropper?
 
It's the kind made for people.
You can use a dropper or a needle-less syringe that will measure .05cc or .05ml which is the volume of an average drop.
Some chams will lick it off the very tip of the nose or you may be able to apply the drop to a cricket's back and feed her the cricket by hand or she may be uncooperative and you need to get her to gape at you, then just drop it in.
 
It's the kind made for people.
You can use a dropper or a needle-less syringe that will measure .05cc or .05ml which is the volume of an average drop.
Some chams will lick it off the very tip of the nose or you may be able to apply the drop to a cricket's back and feed her the cricket by hand or she may be uncooperative and you need to get her to gape at you, then just drop it in.

Ok, so I went to the pharmacy and I couldn't find liquid calcium, and I know it would take months and months to get if I order online(because I live in a tiny country in europe), so I got calcium tablets. Is that fine?

The ingredients are- sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, calcium carbonate, sugar, aroma, sodium cyclamate, sodium saccharin, and dye.

Some of the ingredients don't really seem like they are chameleon friendly- but I don't really know.
 
Liquid is absorbed more easily and some ingredients in what you got I would worry about giving a chameleon.

Kinyonga is right.

The calcium liquid/calcium syrup should not contain other ingredients.
Other ingredients may not be good for a cham or they may prevent the calcium from being absorbed.

Ferretinmyshoes (veterinarian) says to be sure that there is NO vitamin D in it, either.

I would ask the pharmacist if they have the calcium syrup.
It may be something that they keep behind the counter, even though it does not require a prescription.
 
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