Rescue in bad shape NEED INPUT

J

jclaiborne

New Member
I am going to give you a quick summary of my situation. I am not new to reptiles or lizard keeping, however this is my first chameleon, I have scoured this site for the past two days and decided to creat an acct so I can ask this question. So here it goes, on Sunday night I got a phone call from one of my Wife's friends, they had apparently bought a Panther Chameleon from LLL about a year ago on an impulse "oohhh its pretty" buy, it seems like once the new wore off they just didn't care for it the best way they should have, anyways they know I keep lizards and told me they had this year old male panther that was sick and they couldn't afford to care for it. They asked if I "could take it in, but if not it would probably die". All that being said fast forward a few hours and they were at my house. They dropped of two enclosures the smaller one being what looks like a reptibreeze, a misting system, and this poor little guy, his hemipenes are prolapsed, he was dehydrated and couldn't even hold himself on a branch. As soon as I got him I gave him a nice long soak, and scheduled an appt with my herp vet for monday morning. The vet checked him out and said although he wasn't in the best shape he will survive. The hemipenes still have blood flow to them, so he said that they may go in after he is fully hydrated, he wanted to give him about 5 days to get some weight on him before even considering stitching them up. He is drinking water on his own, pounding dusted worms and has even starting to curl his tail again, his eye looks to be slightly infected, but again vet wanted to give him a few days before perscribing antibiotics. My only problem is that he is still so weak that he can't grip branches very well and I don't want him to fall and injure himself. I have him in a kritter keeper with a fake vine in it for transporting to and from the vet. I just don't know what I can do as far as setting up a safe cage for him to be comfortable at home. The vet said it would be best to get him in something vertical so he can climb, but to pad it in case he does fall, but I feel like even with padding a fall will shock his already sensitive system. Is it ok for me to keep him in the kritter keeper until his strenght comes back. I know I am rambling, but I just really hope this little guy pulls through. Any and all help/opinions would be appreciated. I am going to post some pics through my phone. Thank you all!
 
Su day night after the soak
emubetur.jpg


Monday afternoon
yte2ajav.jpg

a8ynyge5.jpg
 
jclaiborne said:
I am going to give you a quick summary of my situation. I am not new to reptiles or lizard keeping, however this is my first chameleon, I have scoured this site for the past two days and decided to creat an acct so I can ask this question. So here it goes, on Sunday night I got a phone call from one of my Wife's friends, they had apparently bought a Panther Chameleon from LLL about a year ago on an impulse "oohhh its pretty" buy, it seems like once the new wore off they just didn't care for it the best way they should have, anyways they know I keep lizards and told me they had this year old male panther that was sick and they couldn't afford to care for it. They asked if I "could take it in, but if not it would probably die". All that being said fast forward a few hours and they were at my house. They dropped of two enclosures the smaller one being what looks like a reptibreeze, a misting system, and this poor little guy, his hemipenes are prolapsed, he was dehydrated and couldn't even hold himself on a branch. As soon as I got him I gave him a nice long soak, and scheduled an appt with my herp vet for monday morning. The vet checked him out and said although he wasn't in the best shape he will survive. The hemipenes still have blood flow to them, so he said that they may go in after he is fully hydrated, he wanted to give him about 5 days to get some weight on him before even considering stitching them up. He is drinking water on his own, pounding dusted worms and has even starting to curl his tail again, his eye looks to be slightly infected, but again vet wanted to give him a few days before perscribing antibiotics. My only problem is that he is still so weak that he can't grip branches very well and I don't want him to fall and injure himself. I have him in a kritter keeper with a fake vine in it for transporting to and from the vet. I just don't know what I can do as far as setting up a safe cage for him to be comfortable at home. The vet said it would be best to get him in something vertical so he can climb, but to pad it in case he does fall, but I feel like even with padding a fall will shock his already sensitive system. Is it ok for me to keep him in the kritter keeper until his strenght comes back. I know I am rambling, but I just really hope this little guy pulls through. Any and all help/opinions would be appreciated. I am going to post some pics through my phone. Thank you all!
Click to expand...

You could make more of a network of smaller diameter twigs so he can grip them with less effort, disperse his weight over more of them, and get off the floor, but a bunched up towel under them in case he does go back down or falls. Some people also put lizard hammocks in their cages. He could rest off his feet that way.
 
Carlton said:
You could make more of a network of smaller diameter twigs so he can grip them with less effort, disperse his weight over more of them, and get off the floor, but a bunched up towel under them in case he does go back down or falls. Some people also put lizard hammocks in their cages. He could rest off his feet that way.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply...i have a spare hammock laying around as well as a bunch of 3/4 inch dowels i could put up...show i make the network go all the way to the top of the enclosure (30in) so he can get close tl the basking bulb or keep him low for now?
 
Is hat a small bump beside his left eye turret or just the folds of the turret skin?

Are you keeping the prolapse moist with k-y jelly?
 
His right eye is a little swollen and the skin in front of the left eye does have a small bump but the vet said he wasnt too worried about it just yet and would look at it again in a week for the followup first goal is to get him hydrated...he actually said to put sugar on the prolapse and keep it mosit with water not ky.
 
This is so sad. Thank god this little guy found his way to you before it's too late! Good for you!!

There are too many people out there that just don't care enough. Every life is so fragile. They should've given him to you a lonnnnggg time ago!
 
christineacero said:
This is so sad. Thank god this little guy found his way to you before it's too late! Good for you!!

There are too many people out there that just don't care enough. Every life is so fragile. They should've given him to you a lonnnnggg time ago![/QUOt

Thank you for the kind words...i just hope hes pulled through...like i said ive never had a chameleon or anything arboreal before i keep blue tongue skinks, a beardie, a childrens python and a tegu...so to me this guy looks bad, but everyone i have talked to even the vet said its not the worst they have seen...they also told me not to be too worried about him falling?!
Click to expand...
 
I would probably try to do as suggested and set up smaller branches for easier gripping as well as keep padding of some sort on the bottom in case he does fall. I know what you mean, My first lizard i got was an argentine tegu who is now 8 months old :D then I got my first chameleon. very different animals ;) Goodluck with the chameleon :)
 
You are fantastic for taking him in, and nursing him back to health! I've read on here from others in a similar situation that they turn the cage on it's side, so it's more vertical than horizontal. That way he can bask, and still not have a far fall. Also, a towel and the hammock seem like the way to go - I had a cham in bad shape once and I put in one of those plastic hat "traps" that you use to wash them in the dishwasher. He could use it like a hammock, but still climb out of it when he wanted. Good luck with him and keep us updated!
 
ReptileRampage said:
I would probably try to do as suggested and set up smaller branches for easier gripping as well as keep padding of some sort on the bottom in case he does fall. I know what you mean, My first lizard i got was an argentine tegu who is now 8 months old :D then I got my first chameleon. very different animals ;) Goodluck with the chameleon :)
Click to expand...

I am setting up the screen cage now...i will post a pick when its done just to get some input before i put him in.
 
Uv lighting

Make sure he's constantly 6-10 inches from a uv bulb that's not shining through glass / plastic. He'll gain his strength back quicker..but Also include an area out of the uv rays so he can regulate on his own.
 
FYI.. sugar water solution will help shrink the tissue.. may help them go back in on their own.. extremely old school perhaps but well known and used..
 
Muddyfeet said:
FYI.. sugar water solution will help shrink the tissue.. may help them go back in on their own.. extremely old school perhaps but well known and used..
Click to expand...

Thats what the vet suggested...ive been doing sugar water twice a day once in the morning and once at night.
 
tapeha6a.jpg


So he was basking up top and everything was fine...i had my hand in the cage, he tried to turn around, rolled and fell. Lucky that i caught him...i perched him halfway back up and he held on for a little bit...i was watching his hands amd it just looks like his grip doesnt hold out...that being said he is perched on a branch at the bottom of the tank...should i get a clamp light for a uv bulb and clip it down low so he gets UV without risking him falling or will he eventually just climb towards the light source on his own...im sorry i know these are some basic questions but I dont want to hurt him.
 
Muddyfeet said:
FYI.. sugar water solution will help shrink the tissue.. may help them go back in on their own.. extremely old school perhaps but well known and used..
Click to expand...

This technique has been around a long time yes, however not really old school. It is still taught in vet schools and used in small and large animal practice.
 
You might consider supplementing in some ledges too until his grip improves. I have one of those zoomed mushroom ledges and my cham really loves it. It's foam so he can grip, but flat so he can relax. Your cham may prefer that over the hammock. You can use washers and screws to attach it to the side of the screen.
 
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