How to evaluate health before purchase?

What alarm bells should ring indicating the cham is not healthy? Dark color (indicating stress), sunken eye turrets can indicate dehydration, bone deformities (MBD) are all signs to look for but what else?

Thank you, Kim

I also looked for strength of their grasp, keep an eye on breathing and whether they make sounds which may be a possible RI, and overall movement when held. Watching for the chameleon's grabbing of fingers and eye movements trying to climb up your shirt/arm. Also, check skin for marks, black/white spots indicating bruises, burns and lesions or bites from feeders.

This is what I did.

open that mouth!! many issues of poor husbandry will start with oral stomatitis (mouthrot). you want to see a clean oral cavity, normally colored for that particular species (i.e. many have yellow mucous membranes which is 100% normal, not jaundice), no reddish or bleeding gums, or any swollen areas.

if it were localized to a very small region it probably can be treated, but not ignored. if it’s more widespread i would advise passing up entirely.

o—

Dr O said:

open that mouth!! o—

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Um, care to share just how i go about doing that? lol You can gently squeeze a cat's upper canines together and they'll open their mouth. I'm thinking it's not he same with wee little chameleons.

Another thing to pay attention to (if possible) is the conditions that the animal are kept in. Is the enclosure clean, free of waste, no mold or mildew, and does the cage have the proper UVB lighting (or sunlight) available. Although it is possible for parasites to be present at any time, you don't need to invite them! You might want to see the animal eat if at all possible, or at least find out what they have been feeding and supplementing with. This can give you some background on the breeder's husbandry techniques.

You can try puting a feeder in front of him. See how he reacts to food. I've seen cases where chameleons focus on their pray but their tounge shoots off target.

You can gently put your fingers on either side of the animals shoulders and they usually open up. It also works if you gently cover their nostrils.

The chameleon should also be holding itself up off the branches, have white urates (if any are in the cage,) be alert/responsive/aware of your presence, and be of good weight.

Ask what it has been eating, how much, and what they supplement with/how often.

Signs of a healthy chameleon:
- A healthy chameleon should be active in its environment and standing up rather than laying on its perch
- The chameleon should be able to move about the cage with good balance without falling or stumbling
- The eyes should be full, open at all times and actively looking all around
- The arm and leg bones should all be straight, toes should all be intact and the chameleon should have a strong grip
- Skin should have vibrant coloration all over the body and all the spines on the back should be present
- Patches of shedding skin are normal if present
- The tail should be able to grasp branches and curl up smoothly

An unhealthy chameleon may have one or multiple of these signs:
- Sleeping during the day at all
- Sunken or swollen eye turrets
- Laying on the bottom of the cage
- Legs that are bent, curved, appear to have multiple joints or have swellings at the joints
- Wrinkly, crusty or dry skin, bumps, cuts or bruises, or patches of abnormal colored skin
- Blood at the mouth, swollen jaw, or jaw that doesn't align properly
- A tail that cannot curl or is black at the end
- Falling off branches, having a weak grip, stumbling or appearing very clumsy