Advice Please!!

[Indica]

Hello all I recently received my friend's veiled chameleon, she's about a year old and seems to be having issues with her eyes. I've researched a bit and found that she may have a Vitamin A deficiency... I've had her for 5 days and she hasn't eaten at all! She's currently shedding on two of her feet and now her head. I've tried crickets and mealworms with no luck and I'm starting to get extremely worried. She's drinking water which is good, but no progress with the food. I've given her more calcium and a stronger UVB bulb, along with a little more frequent water spraying. Her eyes are not what they should look like judging by photos (sorry I've never owned a chameleon before). They aren't completely shut, but she definitely has what looks like old skin in her pupils. The poor thing will rub her eyes on my fingers when I hold her in my hands. She has no living plants in her cage, only non-toxic fake leaves, and "wood" limbs to climb on. Could someone please offer some much needed advice to this noob? Do you think I should take her to the vet?

Thank you in advance!

 

[ISA my Veiled]

I am not 100% on this but I have a female Veiled myself and I have asked a ton of questions on the forum, but if I am right she may be gravid?

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=grav...w=167&start=0&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:91

Does she look like that at all? The only reason why i say this is because you said she is not eating. Which some people have said while they are gravid towards the end of laying their infertile clutch they wont eat that much. Just my guess and if that is so she neeeds a laying bin ASAP so that she doesn't retain the eggs and die. Other than that the skin may just be bothering her a bit on her eyes. But if she is gravid you should leave her alone and cover her cage with a towel and give her privacy until she lays. It is important so that like I said she does not retain them. Those are my thoughts on the matter, someone assist me please if I am wrong. I am by no means a master lol

 

[ISA my Veiled]

and this is a blog for a laying bin

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

And when you said her eyes dont look like they should, they might be sunken which means she may be dehydrated. Have you seen her urates or droppings yet? The white part should be pearly white if it isnt she may be dehydrated slightly. FIll out the help form so that we know your set up and everything about your enclosure so we can make sure. Maybe even some pictures?

 

[ISA my Veiled]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Here is the help form above, please fill it out so the more experienced members can help you I gave my opinion but I am sure some of the other senior members may have more ideas.

 

[Swayne8998]

Could you please fill this out? https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Also could you post some pictures of her? It was very nice of you to take her in and I'm sure she will turn around if she is indeed sick

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Could you please fill this out? https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Also could you post some pictures of her? It was very nice of you to take her in and I'm sure she will turn around if she is indeed sick

Beat ya too it! lol i see the late riser was a little to late on this one!

 

[Swayne8998]

Beat ya too it! lol i see the late riser was a little to late on this one!

Haha... just off by a few seconds...

For the OP: What species is she?

 

[twatts704]

Does her eyes look like this?

If so she has a Vitamin A deficiency like mine does. Start using repashy calcium plus to dust the feeders. Also another way you can get her to eat is cup feeding. Take a plastic deli cup and put some feeders in there that are dusted and keep it in the cage and offer her food that way? Go into general discussion and look up the thread "cup feeding". Follow my posts in there on how to properly use the cup feeding method. Also when you put the crickets in there, make sure you pop the Hopper legs off (the long legs in the back) just pinch there legs at the base of the body and they will come right off. And then finish it up with taking her outside daily for natural sunlight. It may take about a month for her to start getting better but you will tell signs in her mood/energy each day with this method.

If you still haven't seen any difference in her behaviour in about 2 weeks contact a vet. Also follow Jan's laying bin blog and set up a laying bin for her. I wish you all the luck and if you need anything else we are always here. Also would you mind posting a picture of her?

 

[Indica]

Well she does have the spots (sometimes more vivid than others) and a tiny lump above her leg like the photo on the link you supplied. How long can they stay gravid without dying? If this is the case and she is, then I have no idea how long she's gone without assistance! How often do females become gravid? This is so interesting! I hope she's ok, if I attempt creating a laying bin, what would she need? Sorry for all of the questions, like I said, I'm a noob.

 

[Swayne8998]

Well she does have the spots (sometimes more vivid than others) and a tiny lump above her leg like the photo on the link you supplied. How long can they stay gravid without dying? If this is the case and she is, then I have no idea how long she's gone without assistance! How often do females become gravid? This is so interesting! I hope she's ok, if I attempt creating a laying bin, what would she need? Sorry for all of the questions, like I said, I'm a noob.

If kept at appropriate temps (low to mid 80's) she should only be really laying about once a year... I've never kept females so I haven't had experience with this. What species is she? Pics of her?

Read up on providing an egg laying bin. If she is gravid, she will become very stressed and eventually die if she does not lay soon.

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Well she does have the spots (sometimes more vivid than others) and a tiny lump above her leg like the photo on the link you supplied. How long can they stay gravid without dying? If this is the case and she is, then I have no idea how long she's gone without assistance! How often do females become gravid? This is so interesting! I hope she's ok, if I attempt creating a laying bin, what would she need? Sorry for all of the questions, like I said, I'm a noob.

Okay well if they are the same spots, then yes she is gravid. He didn't breed her right?

And that may be the eggs she is holding. I am not sure on how long they can hold them but it is extremely important that you get that laying bin. What I do is go to the hardware store and buy ORGANIC top soil, some people like to use a topsoil/play sand mix, I prefer the topsoil. Anyway you want it moist enough to tunnell but you do not want water to puddle that is to moist and she wont be able to dig. Then just set her in and let her know it is there, I set mine into my enclosure and put sticks going into it so she can get in and out. You want to give her the privacy because she may dig for a long while. SO put up the towel and let her be but be sure she doesnt see you. One of our senior members let me know to just let her see your hand if anything if you have to mist her and when she is finished she will be filthy. Mist her down and try to wash off the stuff with the mister and hydrate her and feed her a good amount because those eggs take a ton of calcium from her body and she is going to be very hungry and thirsty. And no please ask more if you do not know what oyu are doing, it helps you learn and it helps your chameleon get the care it needs so that you can enjoy her

 

[Indica]

I feel dumb for asking, but where's the option to upload the photos?

 

[ISA my Veiled]

You post a reply, not quick reply and select the paper clip looking thing then it will let you upload pictures. lol

 

[Swayne8998]

Okay well if they are the same spots, then yes she is gravid. He didn't breed her right?

And that may be the eggs she is holding. I am not sure on how long they can hold them but it is extremely important that you get that laying bin. What I do is go to the hardware store and buy ORGANIC top soil, some people like to use a topsoil/play sand mix, I prefer the topsoil. Anyway you want it moist enough to tunnell but you do not want water to puddle that is to moist and she wont be able to dig. Then just set her in and let her know it is there, I set mine into my enclosure and put sticks going into it so she can get in and out. You want to give her the privacy because she may dig for a long while. SO put up the towel and let her be but be sure she doesnt see you. One of our senior members let me know to just let her see your hand if anything if you have to mist her and when she is finished she will be filthy. Mist her down and try to wash off the stuff with the mister and hydrate her and feed her a good amount because those eggs take a ton of calcium from her body and she is going to be very hungry and thirsty. And no please ask more if you do not know what oyu are doing, it helps you learn and it helps your chameleon get the care it needs so that you can enjoy her

Beat ya

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Lol I had more words so ha!

 

[Indica]

Meet Calypso

Ok here are some pictures of my new girl Calypso

 

[Indica]

A couple of more

Here are two more photos-

 

[Swayne8998]

Ok here are some pictures of my new girl Calypso

Well she's not gravid!

I can't tell anything's wrong with her. Did you just take those pics? If it was daytime and her eyes were closed, I would be worried. Otherwise she looks healthy to me Good luck with her!

EDIT: Do you know how old she is? That way you can determine when to make an egg laying bin.

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Well she's not gravid!

I can't tell anything's wrong with her. Did you just take those pics? If it was daytime and her eyes were closed, I would be worried. Otherwise she looks healthy to me Good luck with her!

EDIT: Do you know how old she is? That way you can determine when to make an egg laying bin.

Yeah I agree, either she is not gravid or I cant tell with the pictures lol She may just be adapting to her new life. I am guessing it is night time lol she must be sleeping in your hand if it is. ha so cute. Anyway you may need a larger enclosure if you do want to put a laying bin in there so she doesnt have the stress of having to be carried back and fourth to her primary enclosure.

 

[Indica]

Her eyes are closed during the daytime... yes we just had a mini-photoshoot lol! My iphone just charged, so I'll take some closer photos of her eyes so you guys can see them better. I believe she's about a year old, that's what my friend said anyway. She's so sweet! Other than that, why hasn't she eaten in 5 days?! Isn't that worriesome? going to take a couple of more photos