Anybody know a website or store (in cali) that I can purchase a veiled from?

[JeffreeChameleon]

The people I purchased my last veiled from did not tell me he has any problems, he would eat and drink but one day it stopped. Took him into the doctors and he had MBD and it was so severe he died from it. I only had him for 3 weeks. I want to get another in about 6-8 months from a reliable breeder.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the forums! I’m very sorry to hear about your chameleon. How were you keeping him? If you will please fill out the link form below and we will see if there’s any improvements you need to make before your next chameleon to make sure he stays healthy and happy.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[JeffreeChameleon]

Welcome to the forums! I’m very sorry to hear about your chameleon. How were you keeping him? If you will please fill out the link form below and we will see if there’s any improvements you need to make before your next chameleon to make sure he stays healthy and happy.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

• Your Chameleon - veiled chameleon, male, he was a little over a year (from what I was told). He was in my care for 3 weeks before death.
• Handling - I handled him for about 30 minutes everyday.
• Feeding - I fed him crickets and hornworms. I would feed him either 7-8 crickets, or 3 big hornworms every other day. I gut loaded with cricket water, lettuce, collars greens, carrots, apples, and oranges.
• Supplements - I am not at home right now so I don't know the exact brands (pretty sure their zoo-med). I would do calcium everyday but every Thursday I would switch between multivitamin, and calcium with d3.
• Watering - I use a dropper, and bought him a little fountain. I mist 3 times a day for 4 minutes each time. He was drinking everyday for the first 2 weeks multiple times a day, but in the last week he only would drink a little every other day and I would have to force him.
• Fecal Description - His poops were white and brown. The white was gooey, and the brown was more solid. He would poop every morning. He was never tested for parasites as I know of.
• History- I bought my Cham off of Craigslist from a couple I thought I could trust but when I bought him I learned he had never had a basking light, and was only fed superworms, no supplements. I only have him for 3 weeks before he died. When I brand him to the doctors they diagnosed him with MBD. It was very severe. He got a shot, and I gave him the supplements the vet told me too, and he died anyways. I was very confused

Cage Info:

• Cage Type -my cage is a screen cage, 24x24x48.
• Lighting - I have 2 zoo-mes lights. One is a red 75w basking light, the other is a 150w UVB light. They are both places on top of the cage. The UVB is on from 6:45 am to 7:00 pm. The heat is on from 7:45am to 6:00 pm. Temperature: at the basking spot I have it at 90 and at the bottom of the cage it's at 60. Lowest overnight temp is 50. I use one of those temperature gauges that u put on the side of the cage from petco.
• Humidity - my humidity stays around 50-60, I use a humidifier and I mist down the cage 3 times a day. I use one of those humidifier measures u put on the side of the cage from Petco.
• Plants - I did not have any live plants but I had assortments of fake plants, bushes, and vines everywhere.
• Placement - On my floor next to my window. Very far from my ceilings they are high. No fans around him.
• Location - California

 

[kinyonga]

Sorry for your lost. Its not a fun way to start off chameleon keeping...but we all have/had a learning curve. All you can do is go on from here.
Do you have any photos of the chameleon from the first week you got him?

You said you have a fountain...they are hard to keep free of bacteria and we usually recommend not using them....sorry. a dripper and mister/misting system are what is usually recommended. Make sure you run bother long enough that the chameleon drinks...they are slow to figure it out.

You said you use a red light for heat/basking....no colored lights are recommended. I would replace it with a white light...a regular household incandescent light bulb of a wattage that produces the right temperature in the basking area is what many of us use.

You said you use fake plants...if you have a veiled they eat vegetation so it's recommended that you use real non toxic well washed (both sides of the leaves) plants. It helps with the humidity too.

You said your cage is on the floor....I would raise it up several feet.

For feeding/gutloading you can use in addition to what you mentioned, dandelion greens, endive, kale, escarole, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, and a small amount of fruit like melon, pears, berries, etc. Lettuce has little value in the diet but in small quantities is good for hydration. The veiled chameleon's can eat these same things in addition to insects, of course...cut into appropriate sized pieces.

Looks like you've done some research already...lots to read on the forum here that will help your next chameleon do well!
Good luck!

 

[JeffreeChameleon]

Sorry for your lost. Its not a fun way to start off chameleon keeping...but we all have/had a learning curve. All you can do is go on from here.
Do you have any photos of the chameleon from the first week you got him?

You said you have a fountain...they are hard to keep free of bacteria and we usually recommend not using them....sorry. a dripper and mister/misting system are what is usually recommended. Make sure you run bother long enough that the chameleon drinks...they are slow to figure it out.

You said you use a red light for heat/basking....no colored lights are recommended. I would replace it with a white light...a regular household incandescent light bulb of a wattage that produces the right temperature in the basking area is what many of us use.

You said you use fake plants...if you have a veiled they eat vegetation so it's recommended that you use real non toxic well washed (both sides of the leaves) plants. It helps with the humidity too.

You said your cage is on the floor....I would raise it up several feet.

For feeding/gutloading you can use in addition to what you mentioned, dandelion greens, endive, kale, escarole, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, and a small amount of fruit like melon, pears, berries, etc. Lettuce has little value in the diet but in small quantities is good for hydration. The veiled chameleon's can eat these same things in addition to insects, of course...cut into appropriate sized pieces.

Looks like you've done some research already...lots to read on the forum here that will help your next chameleon do well!
Good luck!

Here is a picture of him when I got him. Thanks for the recommendations I really appreciate it!

 

[kinyonga]

I don't see any obvious signs of MBD in that photo...but the angle of the photo could be hiding some.

 

[JeffreeChameleon]

I don't see any obvious signs of MBD in that photo...but the angle of the photo could be hiding some.

Well I didn't get to take many pictures lol he passed fairly quickly, here are a few more pics

 

[kinyonga]

Still no signs of MBD. I don't think it would have developed severe MBD in the three weeks without outward signs. How did the vet determine that's what it was?

What are the names/brands of the supplements you were using so I know if they are ok for a new chameleon? How old is the UVB light?

 

[renzo0684]

If you are wanting a veiled... FLChams is a great place. I just got my lil guy from there. You can get them from a pet store but you may be getting a sick cham... they aren't well taken care of...

 

[JeffreeChameleon]

Still no signs of MBD. I don't think it would have developed severe MBD in the three weeks without outward signs. How did the vet determine that's what it was?

What are the names/brands of the supplements you were using so I know if they are ok for a new chameleon? How old is the UVB light?

The vet just felt his body for a few minutes and told me he had the disease, I had never been to a chameleon doctor before and I asked if we needed X-rays but he said he was 100% sure because his chameleon developed it a few years back. The UVB I had was a brand new zoo-med 10.0 UVB. The supplements are Rep-cal calcium with no D3, exo terra multi-vitamin, and Rep-cal calcium with D3.

 

[kinyonga]

If you get another from a reliable source hopefully there will be no problems.

 

[JeffreeChameleon]

If you get another from a reliable source hopefully there will be no problems.

That's what I will do. Do you care when the time comes if I ask you more questions to make sure my chameleon is healthy and happy?

 

[kinyonga]

I don't mind the questions at all. I'm glad to help. Be forewarned...I don't have all the answers by any means though!