HELP Sick Chameleon

Singularity

Singularity

New Member
I have a 10 month old Panther Chameleon. He has always been very lively. As of recently He has grown very lathargic. He has not moved nor opened his eyes all day. When he walks he walks with his rear legs really far apart. I would imagine that he is impacted. However I have nothing in his enclosure that would cause him to be impacted.

I'm thinking it is a parasite, and this is why; I recently also had a Jackson Chameleon that shared the exact same symptoms. I thought he was impacted and I tried the high heat/humidity treatment by putting him on a fake tree in my bathroom and turning the shower on really hot. Unfortuneately that never worked and he died within a couple days.

I was very careful to not introduce anything that the Jackson Cham touched to the Panther Cham. But now he is acting very similarly to what the Jackson had went through. Do you think the crickets Ive been feeding them could be the cause?

I have a Vet appointmetn scheduled at the soonest possible time with the only exotic Veterinarian in town. I am Scheduled to bring him in on Wednesday Morning.

I am afraid of losing him like I did the Jackson. I dont want to make the same mistake. So any feedback from the community would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male, Panther Chameleon, 10 months old. Owned since Hatchling
Handling - Once per week, sometimes less
Feeding - Feed 10 medium dusted crickets daily, And alternate D3/Multivit weekly
Watering - Mist 2+ times daily. Keep humidity at 50% range
Fecal Description - Black with some white. Never tested for parasites, Bought from reputable breeder

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Tall screen
Lighting - 10.0 UVB and 75w red light bulb, 12 on/ 12 off
Temperature - general temp. 80% and 90% basking
Humidity - mist to keep at 50%
Plants - Plastic, and Umbrella plant
Placement - In computer room in front of window
Location - Iowa... cold lately
Current Problem - Not moving, keeping eyes shut, walks bow legged with back legs, doesnt appear to be thin
 
Were the cages close to each other? It could be a virus....unless you showered them both on the same plant without disinfecting it in between and a parasite could have been picked up?
 
Do you have any pics you can post. The bow legs sounds like MBD but there is also something else that is wrong. Vet ASAP of course but you might as well go in aas educated as possible.
 
I ahve a vet scheduled at the soonest possible time with the only exotic Vet in town. He hasnt pooped, or eaten in the last couple days so I dont know if I will be able to bring in a stool sample.
If they are not eating/pooping does that disclude the possibilities of a parasite?

Another possibility is that he has always been a daredevil freefalling from the top of his screen cage down to the top of his plant. He has had a few close calls recently. Maybe he fell???
 
Singularity said:
I ahve a vet scheduled at the soonest possible time with the only exotic Vet in town. He hasnt pooped, or eaten in the last couple days so I dont know if I will be able to bring in a stool sample.
If they are not eating/pooping does that disclude the possibilities of a parasite?

Another possibility is that he has always been a daredevil freefalling from the top of his screen cage down to the top of his plant. He has had a few close calls recently. Maybe he fell???
Click to expand...

He still can have a parasite or infection. The falling might also be a sign of MBD. Hard to tell. Hope he gets/feels better
 
Singularity said:
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male, Panther Chameleon, 10 months old. Owned since Hatchling
Handling - Once per week, sometimes less
Feeding - Feed 10 medium dusted crickets daily, And alternate D3/Multivit weekly
Watering - Mist 2+ times daily. Keep humidity at 50% range
Fecal Description - Black with some white. Never tested for parasites, Bought from reputable breeder

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Tall screen
Lighting - 10.0 UVB and 75w red light bulb, 12 on/ 12 off
Temperature - general temp. 80% and 90% basking
Humidity - mist to keep at 50%
Plants - Plastic, and Umbrella plant
Placement - In computer room in front of window
Location - Iowa... cold lately
Current Problem - Not moving, keeping eyes shut, walks bow legged with back legs, doesnt appear to be thin
Click to expand...

The chance that a cbb cham this young has such a serious parasite load to make it this sick is not very likely. But we don't know because he's never been checked. I think you are misunderstanding the effects parasites have on chams. First, they usually have a few because their feeders carry them. A seriously parasitized cham will tend to eat well but not be able to maintain its weight, often they have smelly loose or mucousy poops too (at least with coccidia which is a bad one). It is almost impossible to avoid all parasites, but a healthy cham can handle some without trouble. BUT if some other health issue is present THAT is when they can overwhelm the immune system and become a problem.

If you've been dusting with multivitamins every other week...too much. Dusting with what? What's your feeder gutload? Dusting is only a gap-filler. Proper gutload is the most important thing you can do to keep a cham healthy. What brand of UV bulb is it and when was it last changed? They need to be changed every 6 months because the UV output drops off. Without good UV they can't metabolize calcium or D3 in their diet.
 
Your logic is reasonable when it comes to the parasites.
The reason for my concern is that he just suddenly stopped eating, and he hasnt moved much at all and his eyes have been closed all day.

I dont think it is the lighting because I use 10.0 UVB and since I recently lost my Jackson Chameleon I took his 10.0 fixture and put it over the Panthers cage for a little extra light. I'll cut back on the multivitamin. I was told to alternate it weekly with the D3.

I'm starting to think that he fell, becaus his front legs seem to be really week and he isnt putting much weight on them.

Rest assured I'm pretty positive that it is not MBD He has always been super active and healthy until just yesterday.

Any other thoughts, or possibilities?
 
He seems to be getting worse by the minute. Now he is laying his head on the branch with his front feet limply dangling...

going to call tomorrow for emeregency visit to get him in asap.
But any other diagnosis would be helpful if these symptoms sound familiar
 
Regardless of what I'm saying in the rest of this email....you need to get the chameleon to the vet NOW, IMHO.

You said you switched the UVB light from the Jackson's to the Panther after the Jackson's died and your Panther started having problems after the Jackson's died....maybe the light is part of the problem? What brand and type (compact, spiral, long linear tube, etc.) is the UVB light?

Have you always had the red light on the cage? Is it off at night?

You said the cage is in front of the window....the chameleon could be getting a draft.

What specific supplements are you using? Do you gutload/feed the insects a nutritional diet?

Once again....
Were the cages close to each other? It could be a virus....unless you showered them both on the same plant without disinfecting it in between and a parasite could have been picked up?
 
kinyonga said:
Regardless of what I'm saying in the rest of this email....you need to get the chameleon to the vet NOW, IMHO.

You said you switched the UVB light from the Jackson's to the Panther after the Jackson's died and your Panther started having problems after the Jackson's died....maybe the light is part of the problem? What brand and type (compact, spiral, long linear tube, etc.) is the UVB light?

Have you always had the red light on the cage? Is it off at night?

You said the cage is in front of the window....the chameleon could be getting a draft.

What specific supplements are you using? Do you gutload/feed the insects a nutritional diet?

Once again....
Were the cages close to each other? It could be a virus....unless you showered them both on the same plant without disinfecting it in between and a parasite could have been picked up?
Click to expand...

The Lights are 10.0 UVB bulbs. Brand Zilla. The exact kind recommended for chameleons. the heat light is a 75w red bulb.. I turn all lights on during day and off at night.

The cages were next to each other
It was my initial thought that maybe they got cross contaminated.
But could a virus/parasite take out two chameleons in a matter of a week?

I'm going to take him into the vet at the soonest possible time, and call tomorrow for an emergency visit. If I could take him in this very minute I would, But unfortuneately we dont have that luxury..

The question is "What could kill off a chameleon in a just two days?"

only logical explanation I can think of is that he fell while climbing upside down on the top of his screen cage.

But please inform me if you know of any other possibilities
 
Agreeing with everyone who says to take him to a vet ASAP, I wanted to say that from what I've read, it's possible for a chameleon to get impacted without eating something obvious like bark or dirt. Just eating a whole lot of one feeder can, I gather, do it.

Also, if this is a parasite issue, it is entirely possible that the crickets are the cause. If it turns out to be parasites, seriously consider changing providers.
 
Oh, and I gutload the cricket with a variety of veggies and fruits

Collard Greens, Carrots, Oranges, Potatoes, Apples, ect.
 
You said he's in the computer room next to a window...AND it's cold outside. That's a no no. Chameleons can get sick from cold drafts from windows and AC vents and busy doors. It's normal to fall a couple times and jump when they are scared, but if this is a routine I'd be worried.
 
Again...
What type (compact, spiral, long linear tube, etc.) is the UVB light?
What specific supplements are you using?
Did you shower them both on the same plant without disinfecting it in between?

A virus can kill fairly quickly. Hopefully the vet can give you some answers about what is going on.
 
I thought he was impacted and I tried the high heat/humidity treatment by putting him on a fake tree in my bathroom and turning the shower on really hot. Unfortuneately that never worked and he died within a couple days.


WHY WOULD YOU TURN THE SHOWER "REALLY HOT" i hope you know the water should be luke warm, never hot! lol that could seriously burn and traumatize a chameleon. it should be no more than 82 or so degrees. what is hot for us is scorching for them. and how are you putting in the tree? it should be indirectly hitting the chameleon with the water by bouncing the water off a wall or something of the sort.

best of luck
 
plus sometimes the chameleons just need to be left alone... it sounds like as soon as you thought something was wrong they were being moved and stressed. all you should be doing is upping the feeding if they eat, clean the cage, and up the misting and take a vet trip. sometimes they just need some time to relax and recovery through proper temperature and humidity
 
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