My Chameleon fell

Teymur

New Member
my chameleon fell from about 2.5 ft down to the ground. I mean he is eating and drinking all fine but he has trouble climbing. when he attempts he succeeds but its hard for him so he hangs in weird positions and falls. most of the day he spends in the bottom of his cage some times laying or leaning on a branch. any advice on what i should do.
 
Please fill out this help form. This will help people evaluate the situation:

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.
 
Please post photos as well, if you can. It would make the difference, I think.

Usually I'd tell you that chameleons are super adapted to getting up from a large fall. I don't usually admit to this story, but I lived in an apartment that had stairs leading up to it on the inside, and they would lead straight into the living room. Well, I used to have a panther that loved sitting on the ledge separating the stairs from the living room, and one time he miscalculated and fell over. He fell the height of nearly the entire flight of stairs to a second-floor apartment, on the carpeted stairs. And he was fine! Not a scratch, not a broken bone, nothing. He simply puffed up and bounced. So they are really well adapted for this sort of stuff.

BUT, if you chameleon has the bad luck of landing wrong or having weak bones, then there could be a problem. It's this latter thing I'm more worried about, him having weak bones. So I'd like to see a photo to see if we can determine if his bones look good or not and if this is why he may have sustained an injury. Because that'll change a bit of how we get him back on track.
 
Please post photos as well, if you can. It would make the difference, I think.

Usually I'd tell you that chameleons are super adapted to getting up from a large fall. I don't usually admit to this story, but I lived in an apartment that had stairs leading up to it on the inside, and they would lead straight into the living room. Well, I used to have a panther that loved sitting on the ledge separating the stairs from the living room, and one time he miscalculated and fell over. He fell the height of nearly the entire flight of stairs to a second-floor apartment, on the carpeted stairs. And he was fine! Not a scratch, not a broken bone, nothing. He simply puffed up and bounced. So they are really well adapted for this sort of stuff.

BUT, if you chameleon has the bad luck of landing wrong or having weak bones, then there could be a problem. It's this latter thing I'm more worried about, him having weak bones. So I'd like to see a photo to see if we can determine if his bones look good or not and if this is why he may have sustained an injury. Because that'll change a bit of how we get him back on track.
My guy likes to jump and the plants he jump into never seem to hold up very well he never gets hurt he just scares me.
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, male, been in my care since july of 2011
Handling - not very often maybe once every 2 or 3 months
Feeding - crickets, mealworms, wax worms, yes gut loaded
Supplements - none when i was doin my research i came a cross a site that told me i dont need any if i have the uvb light
Watering - mist and water fall, mist 2-3 times a day, i do see him drinking
Fecal Description - umm not sure of the color never been checked or treated for paisites
History - nope
Cage Info:
Cage Type - screen cage dont know the dementions but i know its a medium
Lighting - i use a uvb light, exo terra halogen baking spot, and an exotera blue light, the scedual is from 9 am- 9pm day and 9pm-9am night
Temperature - norm temp 80-85 F and basking is 90F
Humidity - 80-90% measure with a termometer/hydrometer, misting
Plants - yes not sure what type all i know is they are not toxic
Placement - 3ft away from a window. 4ft of the ground
Location - brooklyn new york
 
DSCF9150.jpg

DSCF9152.jpg
this is the best i can provide at the moment
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, male, been in my care since july of 2011
Handling - not very often maybe once every 2 or 3 months
Feeding - crickets, mealworms, wax worms, yes gut loaded
Supplements - none when i was doin my research i came a cross a site that told me i dont need any if i have the uvb light
Watering - mist and water fall, mist 2-3 times a day, i do see him drinking
Fecal Description - umm not sure of the color never been checked or treated for paisites
History - nope
Cage Info:
Cage Type - screen cage dont know the dementions but i know its a medium
Lighting - i use a uvb light, exo terra halogen baking spot, and an exotera blue light, the scedual is from 9 am- 9pm day and 9pm-9am night
Temperature - norm temp 80-85 F and basking is 90F
Humidity - 80-90% measure with a termometer/hydrometer, misting
Plants - yes not sure what type all i know is they are not toxic
Placement - 3ft away from a window. 4ft of the ground
Location - brooklyn new york

just because you havea uvb light, doesnt mean you dont need supplements.
you need a calcium without d3 for every feeding, a calcium with d3 twice a month, and a multivitamin for twice a month.
remove that waterfall. it leads to bacteria growth, and your cham wont drink from it. they want dripping water, not standing/running water.
remove the blue light- dont need it. and you dont need a light on at night. they need darkness and a temp drop at night.
reduce your basking temp to 85, 90 is a bit too hot.


and what brand is your uvb bulb?

edited- please remove the substrate (bark stuff on floor) it can cause impaction if ingested.
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, male, been in my care since july of 2011
Handling - not very often maybe once every 2 or 3 months
Feeding - crickets, mealworms, wax worms, yes gut loadedwith what are they gutloaded? how many?
Supplements - none when i was doin my research i came a cross a site that told me i dont need any if i have the uvb light They told you wrong. They need Calcium without D3 everyday. Calcium with D3 2 times a month. Multi vit's 2 times a month
Watering - mist and water fall, mist 2-3 times a day, i do see him drinkingChams do not drink from standing water. waterfalls breed bacteria not recommended to have in the cage at all
Fecal Description - umm not sure of the color never been checked or treated for paisites Color of fecal brown/black then the urate is the white/yellow/orange part
History - nope
Cage Info:
Cage Type - screen cage dont know the dementions but i know its a medium
Lighting - i use a uvb light, exo terra halogen baking spot, and an exotera blue light, the scedual is from 9 am- 9pm day and 9pm-9am nightThey like darkness for sleeping. If you need the heat at night meaning your home goes below 60 at night then get a ceramic one that does not emit light
Temperature - norm temp 80-85 F and basking is 90F
Humidity - 80-90% measure with a termometer/hydrometer, misting
Plants - yes not sure what type all i know is they are not toxic
Placement - 3ft away from a window. 4ft of the ground
Location - brooklyn new york

my suggestions are in red.
Do they always lean and have trouble as you described or just since the fall? Can you upload any pictures that would help a lot! edit just saw them. the substrate needs to go also can lead to impaction.

can he lift his belly off the ground/limb or does he stay low with not much space between them and what ever he is on?
 
Im not sure were you got the info from, but you need to use supplements when you feed your cham. his problems could be due to a lack of calcium and vitamins and what not. I would reccomend you start using the Rephasy all in one supplement. it has a gecko on the front. Use it for every feeding. just lightly dust the crickets as you go to feed them to your cham. here is a link to look at.

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...and-vitamins/-/repashy-calcium-plus-53oz-jar/



Edit: I guess everyone beat me too it lol
 
Last edited:
Good info camimom.
Also, he looks dehydrated. Try showering him so he can drink up. It will also help with the shed he looks like he's having. Get some better pics of him on a branch where we can see his legs and check if he has MBD.
 
i did post pics and thanks for the advice and hes been acting since he fell never before. may i get the brands i need to buy for the supplements what are the best
 
Good info camimom.
Also, he looks dehydrated. Try showering him so he can drink up. It will also help with the shed he looks like he's having. Get some better pics of him on a branch where we can see his legs and check if he has MBD.

I dont think hehas mbd quite yet.
the legs from his pics look ok, no extra joints.
if it is mbd its the very very early stages, where they get clumsy and stuff, but havent broken any bones yet.
 
i did post pics and thanks for the advice and hes been acting since he fell never before. may i get the brands i need to buy for the supplements what are the best

i believe people use reptical, and reptivite.
I use repashy, which is an all in one supplement. has everything needed and is used daily (much better than trying to remember what day gets what supplement)
 
I use Tetrafauna Repto-cal with D3 and their multi vitiams

the Calcium without D3 is zoo med. Most calciums you purchase in a store have D3 read the label. If you can not find one without you need to order on line our sponsors have it top right corner of the forum. BUT while you are waiting for it to arrive. buy a birds cuttle bone- put it in the blender/food processer it is calcium without D3 good for in a pinch but not as your source forever :)
 
I dont think hehas mbd quite yet.
the legs from his pics look ok, no extra joints.
if it is mbd its the very very early stages, where they get clumsy and stuff, but havent broken any bones yet.

You can't see his front hand though. It wouldn't hurt.

I forgot if he can't handle standing up just mist him really well. His casque just looks sunken in.
 
You can't see his front hand though. It wouldn't hurt.

I forgot if he can't handle standing up just mist him really well. His casque just looks sunken in.

The hand wont show signs of mbd relalt.
its the legs/arms.
and it would affect all o fthem, not just the one.

and his casque seems ok.
i think he might be dehyrdated yes, but a sunken casque is more of a sign of lack of food. thats where they store food.
but my guys casque isnt big and fat and puffy. sorta of looks like that his. but my guy is healthy.
 
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