Chameleon is very dehydrated. afraid he might pass.

omglogan

New Member
Hi, I noticed my veiled hadn't been eating lately. I wasn't sure why, his temps are perfect, he has 5.0 uvb, and many (fake) plants and branches to climb on. He's in a mesh cage, and he's misted 4-5 times a day thoroughly. I haven't held him much because i just got him and did not want to stress him out. I should have evaluated him more closely then peering into the cage because his eyes are sunken in. and so i believe that the dehydration was the cause of his lack of eating.

I got him out of his cage of what appears to be too late, he can barely hold himself up. I've been holding him for the passed two hours, inserting water into his mouth with an 'eyedropper' type thing every now and then when he opens his mouth on his own.

He's still in my left hand as I type this with my right.

I own a 4 year old iguana and crested gecko, two dart frogs and a ball python.
I've kept all of these animals alive and flourishing for many years, but i've messed up with my cham, and haven't monitored his water intake.
any advice or tips would be great. I'd really like to not lose him.
 
Hi, I noticed my veiled hadn't been eating lately. I wasn't sure why, his temps are perfect, he has 5.0 uvb, and many (fake) plants and branches to climb on. He's in a mesh cage, and he's misted 4-5 times a day thoroughly. I haven't held him much because i just got him and did not want to stress him out. I should have evaluated him more closely then peering into the cage because his eyes are sunken in. and so i believe that the dehydration was the cause of his lack of eating.

I got him out of his cage of what appears to be too late, he can barely hold himself up. I've been holding him for the passed two hours, inserting water into his mouth with an 'eyedropper' type thing every now and then when he opens his mouth on his own.

He's still in my left hand as I type this with my right.

I own a 4 year old iguana and crested gecko, two dart frogs and a ball python.
I've kept all of these animals alive and flourishing for many years, but i've messed up with my cham, and haven't monitored his water intake.
any advice or tips would be great. I'd really like to not lose him.

how long has he not eaten for, they sometimes hunger strike and can go without food for a week eventually eating, they wont starve themselves
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

fill this out as husbandry can often tell us your problem, if i cant help there are many other forum members who can help you out.
 
Your Chameleon - veiled, male, 4 months old, got him at a reptile expo on sep 15.
Handling - twice since the 15th
Feeding - crickets, fed crickets kale greens. put 6 in a day, until he stopped eating.
Supplements - calcium without d3
Watering -i mist his whole cage for about a minute at a time 4-5 times a day, i barely ever see him lick the sides of his mesh cage or plants.
Fecal Description - havent checked, but i do see fecal matter in his cage, i just cant move right now to check because im scared to leave the poor thing.
History -i think i might have seen him with a prolapse, I am not sure, something red was coming out of his vent the first day i got him, but it went back in and I havent seen it since.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Mesh 18x18x32

Lighting - repti glo 5.0 uvb and 75 watt
Temperature -basking is 90, drops to 70 at night, measuring with a probed thermometer
Humidity - I do not have a hygrometer, and i believe this is the problem, i mist him 4-5 times daily, his entire cage from every side and angle and make sure there is drops on all the plants and sides of the cage.
Plants - fake
Placement - on a table in the corner of my room
Location - Ohio
Current Problem - very weak dehydrated veiled chameleon, who has not eaten.




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I've been holding him in my hand for about two hours, and hand feeding him water, he continually opens his mouth, and i proceed to drop water into it.
 
You say you just got him. How long has he been in your care? I consider it probable that the damage was done by the previous owner/store.
 
We posted at the same time. You didn't cause this, the people who sold it to you did.

I think you need to target hydration. Drip water onto his nose. Please use a plastic dropper because we've seen stories of desperate chameleons grabbing the dropper and biting down on it. If you can get some silkworms or hornworms, that would be helpful.

There are lots of issues but hydration makes everything better.
 
your temp is way to high for a 4 month old go to a lower 84-86, six crickets is kinda small amount i feed my chameleons 10 well sized crickets a day
also that was probably his reproductive organs since it retracted (normal)
also he does look pretty ill how long have you had him like the other member said its probable he was already ill

I disagree with dripping water in the nose i have heard that can give them RI but do try the shower method by placing a plant in the shower then bounce water onto the plant off the wall from the shower run it on slightly warm water and let him sit in the "Rain" for 5-10minutes then turn it off and allow him to sit on the plant, dont sit and stare some animals are shy and wont drink water around you at all.
 
He doesn't look good at all. Seems like your set up is ok. So it is hard to determine what is wrong since he was eating well for the first 1.5 weeks.
 
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Here he is now, he's not looking good at all but he's still fightin.
That is the plastic water 'dispenser' we are using.

I'm scared to go to bed.
He's sleeping now, still alive, but sleeping. It's 1 am here, and he usually goes to bed at about 9 ish.

He opens his mouth about once every five minutes, and we pour it into his mouth.


Another thing, if he does make it through this, and lives until the morning. How can I feed him ? i have crickets and meal worms, but i really don't think he can swallow anything other than a liquid.
could I go out and buy a 'vitamin spray' type thing? and put that into the dispenser to give to him, to maybe strengthen him back up to where he can eat again ?

any advice will be helpful. I'm tryin my hardest.
 
if it isnt really to the point where he wont eat once the cricket is in his mouth i would attempt to force feed him by irritating his mouth open then shoving a cricket in his mouth and hoping he chomps down on it or sneaking in a cricket while your dripping water in, if he is sooo bad he can't even chew the only place to get a liquid diet for the guy would be a Vet.
 
if it isnt really to the point where he wont eat once the cricket is in his mouth i would attempt to force feed him by irritating his mouth open then shoving a cricket in his mouth and hoping he chomps down on it or sneaking in a cricket while your dripping water in, if he is sooo bad he can't even chew the only place to get a liquid diet for the guy would be a Vet.
I really dont think he would be able to swallow it.

i'm not sure what to do
 
It's now 2 am, he's still alive, and he urinated.

its white, with a tiny hint of yellow.
i hope this is a good sign
 
He's barely moving, he's alive, but he's sleeping. i can see his eyes twitch every now and then. i set him in his cage on a towel slightly blanketed by it.
im going to mist him a bit, and go to bed.

Hopefully when i wake up he will still be alive and i can try to provide for him more..

i called around, the only vet open on sunday anywhere close to me doesnt work on chameleons. so the earliest i can go is monday.
 
I'm going to bed also ill think good things for him, keep us updated on the progress, i hope i helped at least a little bit
 
You can make bug juice for him. Get ensure at the grocery or Walmart, also get some pedalite mix them half and half. If you have a old blender you can put those in with some crickets and blend it really, really well. Strain it to remove cricket parts and it will go in a dripper. Feed him 5 or 6 times a day but only very tiny amounts each time. Good luck
 
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