My female cham is hanging around the bottom of her cage a lot. She also has a very weak grip. I think it might be signs of MBD.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - What kind of cage are you using? What is the size?
I am in the process of getting her a new cage, but the one I have now is glass with a screen top from Exo Terra. It is 12"x12"x18".
*Lighting - What kind of lighting are you using? How long do you keep the lights on during the day?
I am using the light the previous owner used. The lights are on from 8:30am to 8:00pm.
Temperature - What temperature range have you created? Basking spot temp? What is the temperature at night?
The temperature ranges from 95 to 85 during the day and 75 to 80 at night.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels?
I keep the humidity at around 50%. I mist his cage three times a day with a spray bottle.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
I am growing pothos for her, but they are not in the cage.
Location - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas?
The cage is in my room. I have a ceiling fan that is never on and an air vent six feet away. Very low traffic.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon.
She is approximately 2 months old and a veiled chameleon.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What kind of schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I feed her 5-6 crickets a day. A couple in the morning and afternoon and if there is no crickets left one a couple hours before she goes to sleep. I get 3 dozen from the pet store every week and feed them the gut load gel.
Supplements - What are you dusting your feeders with and what kind of schedule do you use?
I use only repcal calcium dust once a week.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I mist her cage and yes I see her drink.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings.
Black and good consistency.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.
Metabolic Bone Disease

I think it is the light I am using. I don't know what kind it is.

Your right to think the light... Can you give us some info on it... What does it look like? Definately sounds like the problem could be MDB, and if the light is not emitting the proper UV... That is most likely the case.

~Joe

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I have O.C.D., Obsessive Champulsive Disorder. Check out my Updated Photo Album

*Lighting - What kind of lighting are you using? How long do you keep the lights on during the day?
I am using the light the previous owner used. The lights are on from 8:30am to 8:00pm.

If it is from the previous owner you never know how long it has been since it was replaced. UVB bulbs should be replaced every 6 months. a 60 watt basking lamp, and a reptisun 5.0 Linear fluorescent lamp is what is widely recommended for chameleon enclosures.

Supplements - What are you dusting your feeders with and what kind of schedule do you use?
I use only repcal calcium dust once a week.

Is the Repcal, with or without D3? herptivite should also be used.

check out http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

for more information.

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1.1 BB Ambilobes / 1.0 BB Ambanja / 0.0.1 Melleri / 1.1 Hypo Red Beardies

Also you said that you are using the same light the previous owner used. How old is it? UVB lights will lose their effectiveness after 6-8 mos.

Also you said you were feeding her 5-6 crickets a day? That isn't nearly enough. Triple that!

Can you post a pic?

Debby

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Beeger Boxes / Jungle Jewels....2.1 veileds,84 eggs,1.1 blue bar,25 eggs, 2.2 Nosy Be,1.0 Nosy Be x Blue Bar 33 eggs,1 ? Melleri, 2.1 Beardie,18 tortoises

5-6 LARGE crickets? she should be no where near large crickets at 2 months of age. 15-20 medium sized crickets a day is what she needs to be eating.

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1.1 BB Ambilobes / 1.0 BB Ambanja / 0.0.1 Melleri / 1.1 Hypo Red Beardies

Yes, She should be eating a lot more crix at this age. Growing reptiles displace food weight with body weight extrememly fast... Therefore while they are growing it is good to feed them heavy. But on the other hand you also want to keep in mind that around 5 months of age start to monitor her intake more closely so you don't let her over feed. Go to around 4-6 every other day. If you over feed a female they are more likely to start developing infertile clutches of eggs.

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I have O.C.D., Obsessive Champulsive Disorder. Check out my Updated Photo Album

You said..."I am using the light the previous owner used. The lights are on from 8:30am to 8:00pm"..we need to know what the UVB bulb is. Is it a tube/linear or a compact? If its older than 6 months it should be replaced anyhow.

You said..."I feed her 5-6 crickets a day. A couple in the morning and afternoon and if there is no crickets left one a couple hours before she goes to sleep. I get 3 dozen from the pet store every week and feed them the gut load gel"...for gutloading you can use greens (dandelion, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, etc.)

You said..."I use only repcal calcium dust once a week."...at that age I would recommend dusting with repcal calcium at most feedings. Most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium/phos. ratio and this helps to make up for it. (The calcium with the D3 is not the one I'm referring to.)

Re: watering...you could use a dripper too. It will give her more time to drink.

You said you are concerned about MBD....calcium, D3, vitamin A and phosphorous are the main players in good bone health and they need to be in balance. UVB and appropriate basking temperatures play parts too.

As I already said...most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phos....so dusting with a phos.-free calcium powder like Rep-cal helps to make up for it. However, if the chameleon doesn't get enough UVB it won't be able to make D3 and thus won't be able to use the calcium (assuming that there is no D3 in the supplements.) The UVB can come from the sunight or a UVB tube light....but should not pass through glass or plastic.

I dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene source of vitamin A. Vitamin A from preformed sources can build up in the system but beta carotene sources can't. However, there is controversy as to whether chameleons can convert the beta carotene so some people give a little preformed vitamin A once in a while. Excess preformed vitamin A can prevent the D3 from doing its job and lead to MBD.

I dust twice a month lightly with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder. D3 from supplements can also build up in the system (and D3 from supplements is not needed if the chameleon gets direct sunlight fairly often).

When trying to balance the calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A you need to look at the supplements, the food that you feed to the chameleon and the food that you feed to the insects.

Appropriate basking temperatures allow for proper digestion so they play a part in nutrient absorption.

Signs of MBD include but are not limited to....flexible jaw, crooked arms and legs, crooked casque, inability to lift the body up when walking, etc.

If you think that your chameleon has MBD, a vet can do tests to confirm it and the chameleon can be given calcium to correct the problem.

BTW...since you have a female, please be aware that she can lay eggs even when not mated once she is sexually mature and should have a place to dig to show you that she's ready to lay or eggbinding can be the result.

Hope this helps!

Today I am going to the pet store to pick up different lighting and a ton more crix. The calcium I have is with D3 is this bad, should I pick something else up? I forgot to add herptative to my supplementation. She gets that every three days. She is only two months I think medium is too big.

Get calcium without D3.

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1.3 veileds and 0.1 ambilobe