Advice in Health

Vickitty123

Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

I was told my female vieled, Peridot, was born in February or possibly January. I've had her for about a month now.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
I hold her whenever I adjust/clean things in her cage no more than once a week.
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
I feed her 8-12 medium dubia roaches everyother day, I let them snack on carrots and kale. Every once and a while I'll give her some meal worms or hornworms.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Everything she eats is dusted with plain calcium. Once a moth with multi vitamins and vD.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
I have my man sprits her every morning and night. When I spray her I continuously do it as she takes some licks. I made her a continuous water fountain with an aquarium filter in a dutch bros cup with leaves to pour down. It needs refilled once or twice a day from evaporation.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
I've never tested for parasite nor do I know how to. Her poop used to be full and healthy. But lately its been shriveled and small with white, yellowish urate.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
I got her from a family who used to dust with vD every feeding so she had the shakes, but since I cut it down to once a month, she doesnt anymore. Although Im thinking of bumping it to every two weeks.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?

Its about a foot and a half wide by 4 feet tall. Made out of screen mesh
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
I have her lights on a timer that give her about 12 hours of unfiltered heat and uvb rays.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Her top half temp during the day are inbetween 74-80 F. Her basking spot probably gets alittle about 80. And at night it gets no cooler than 50-60 F.
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
I usedd to have a mist maker for her but they kept breaking so we moved to spray bottle. I dont measure but I hear where I am it's not a huge concern.
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
I have plenty of fake plants and on schefflera. Im planning on putting more live plants such as pothos and wandering jew inside, and begonias ontop of the cage.
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?
Her cage is in the corner of the room near a window. The bottom of her cage is 2-3 feet off the ground.
Location - Where are you geographically located?
I am in nampa Idaho.
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
My current concerns are:
She's hanging around the bottom of the cage digging and molting behind the laying bin, Im going to change her bucket from reptisoil to a sand mixture.
I might not be giving her enpugh vD and vitamins.
Her poop hasn't been full in a while. Mostly shriveled, but not discolored.
Please leave suggestions!!
 

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Edit: I changed her tub substrate, and thought she was looking chubby but when I picked her up, she thinned out and didnt hesitate much. I realize the issue is actually MBD. She's been too weak to climb or eat. I feel horrible..
 

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Feed her daily.
Use more gutload.
No mealworms.
D3 and multivitamins twice a month, you didn't say what brand and type you are currently using.
Remove the water fountain.
You didn't say how long you mist her, she's dehydrated.
You didn't say what brand and model of lighting you are using.
Increase basking temperature to 85.
Remove the water dish.
Put small holes on the feeder cup bottom.
Put in more foliage.
 
Waterfalls are basically the best breeding ground for bacteria ever. They will breed harmful bacteria and potentially give your cham parasites.
 
If MBD is still in effect, you need to increase your D3, ALOT, based on a vet recommendation. And your lighting, regardless of power, is not going to be giving much UVB once the cham is 12-18" away from the bulb.
 
There is also a water bowl in the picture you posted. Get rid of it.
Please post what sort of lighting you are using.
Edit: Didnt read enough (again), Zevil already pointed out the water dish lol. Still post your lighting please
 
There is also a water bowl in the picture you posted. Get rid of it.
Please post what sort of lighting you are using.
Edit: Didnt read enough (again), Zevil already pointed out the water dish lol. Still post your lighting please
That was an old picture. It's long gone. And it was only there as a dripper catcher. Now I can use the plant or laying bin as such.
And I will remove the fountain.
 
I dont know the brand of the bulbs. And one is currently not on because the timers are about 30 minutes apart because theyre cheap, but each is still a total of 12 hours a day.
Ok so, here's the thing. You said yourself that you got your girl and she already had the shakes because of improper supplementation. It probably also included improper lighting. Those double domes are next to useless. Your girl probably was already developing MBD when you got her, but unfortunately your supplementation and your lighting was also not sufficient enough to prevent the further development of MBD. Now, your only option to save her life is to take her to an exotic vet that is experienced in chameleon care. This is nonnegotiable. The will set you up with a supplementation regimen as well as different care tactics to take care of your girl, who will never fully recover. This is going to cost you a lot of money.

There are other things in your care that will need to be adjusted, but the above is the most important thing right now and hopefully the other things will fix themselves as your vet walks you through the specialized care of a chameleon with MBD
 
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Ok so, here's the thing. You said yourself that you got your girl and she already had the shakes because of improper supplementation. It probably also included improper lighting. Those double domes are next to useless. Your girl probably was already developing MBD when you got her, but unfortunately your supplementation and your lighting was also not sufficient enough to prevent the further development of MBD. Now, your only option to save her life is to take her to an exotic vet that is experienced in chameleon care. This is nonnegotiable. The will set you up with a supplementation regimen as well as different care tactics to take care of your girl, who will never fully recover. This is going to cost you a lot of money.

There are other things in your care that will need to be adjusted, but the above is the most important thing right now and hopefully the other things will fix themselves as your vet walks you through the specialized care of a chameleon with MBD
Have been calling all morning and the only chameleon specialist won't be available until the 26th.
She has been trying to climb up, making some progress, and I tried to feed her but eventually she got discouraged because her tongue wouldn't reach very far.
 
Agreed with Daesie11 ^^^^
additionally you will need a T5Ho lighting fixture that runs the length of the top of the enclosure. If it is a single bulb fixture you will need a 5.0 UVB bulb for it. These are long linear fixture. Then you will need to have her basking area 8 inches below the fixture for her to receive the proper UVB levels.

As for the vet... You tell them it is an emergency.
 
So that compact bulb goes away when you add the T5HO. Call around to your pet stores today and find the T5HO and the 5.0 bulb. If you have a 24 inch wide cage you need the 24 inch fixture. The bulbs are 2 inches shorter then the fixture size so you will need the 22 inch bulb.
Make sure it is a T5HO fixture.
Can you take a pic of your whole cage lighting all the way down to the bottom?
 
So that compact bulb goes away when you add the T5HO. Call around to your pet stores today and find the T5HO and the 5.0 bulb. If you have a 24 inch wide cage you need the 24 inch fixture. The bulbs are 2 inches shorter then the fixture size so you will need the 22 inch bulb.
Make sure it is a T5HO fixture.
Can you take a pic of your whole cage lighting all the way down to the bottom?
To clarify, this new fixture will have heat and uvb?
 
To clarify, this new fixture will have heat and uvb?
No you still need your basking light for heat. The coil UVB bulb needs to go on the trash can and be replaced with a T5HO linear UVB hood with a 5.0/6% or 10.0/12% bulb. Since she has MBD I'd recommend the 10.0 or 12% but with your setup you need more foliage and horizontal branches as well.
 
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