Becase of me....

zordtaz

Member
Hi everybody, I want to share my story. I have Jackson chameleon for a year now. He is about 1.5 years old as I estimate. His cage has automatic mister and humidifier running all day. I make drainage system so all the water is not stand out in his cage. I clean bottom of his cage almost every day since there are lot of cricket poo. I have cup feeding for him but he doesn’t like to eat from the cup very much. And I also let the crickets run loose in the cage as well. About 2 weeks ago, my mister doesn’t work properly for 3 days (Thursday until Sunday) I didn’t realize that it has problem until Sunday afternoon. During that weekend, I brought my boy outside and let him absorb some sunlight as usual and spray him in the same time while he was basking outside. He stays there like an hour with my sit next to him. I notice that drink a water by himself which is not normal for him. I say it is not normal because he didn’t drink front of me obviously like this time unless I spray on his face for a while. Anyway, I just notice it is not usual. Then later on I found out that the mister doesn’t work well. So I make sure that mister work properly again. Then again on the following Thursday, somehow I accidently unplug the mister in the morning. I notice that the amount of water doesn’t go down like usual and then I put it back on right away in the afternoon and spray him as much as I can and make sure he drinks some. From that moment, I monitor his fecal and food. I try to give water to him as much as I can during the weekend. He starts to eat less and became lethargic. My chameleon poo like every other day unless he eats a lot. He will poo every day. On last Friday, his poo in orange color. So I become nervous. On weekend, I do the same like before. I brought him outside to basking in the sunlight and spend time to spray more mister on him. Of course, he drinks for me. I continuous spray him even though he wants to get away from spray. On Sunday, he starts to sleep 3-4 times during the day. I know it is not normal. So I call the vet to make an appointment on Monday. I brought him to see the vet on Tuesday. Vet run all the test including blood work and chemical. They find out that he has kidney disease. They also state that it might be because of dehydrate. So end up Kahlua has to stay over at hospital. They run fluid flush to his boy 2 times a day. They also put some food with all the nutrition to him too. Before I leave the vet office, I saw that Kahlua is close eyes complete. I also as vet about this. They said because of stress that happen to him today. That’s why he closes his eyes. I pray for him to get well next day and return home with me. Following day, doctor call me and said that he looks better now. He can go home today. But I have to soak him at least 2 times a week until recheck next time which is 3-4 weeks from now. Kahlua need to run some blood work again next time. If it is reducing, kidney disease is just temporary due to dehydrate. If not, I have to do special care for him a whole life which I don’t mind. I also ask them to do fluid flush again before I pick him up. Vet also said that he is not interesting in cricket so they think he is not comfortable. They told me if he is not eating, we might have to put food via syringe for him. When he is back home, he is look normal except he still lethargic. Today is the day one after he back from hospital. I put camera to observe his activity. I hope he will eat when I am not home. It is so painful if I have to force feeding him. Hope for the best that the kidney disease will be temporary.

Lesson learn: If you miss one day or two of spray him, better to spray as much as he loose it on that day.
 
I had something similar happen recently at my house. I had a barbecue and when the kids were plugging in their phones one of them accidentally hit the off button for the mister timer. It took me a couple of days to catch it. I hand misted the heck out of him and did some super long mistings and he has been fine, It could happen to anyone.
Best wishes for your little guys recovery.

I'm working on putting a cover over my timer to prevent this from happening again.
 
Update: This morning, I found that he has giant poo with one spot of blood in there. Before I leave home to go to work this morning, I make sure that I spray him and make sure he drink water. While I am at work, I look on the camera to see how he is doing during the day. He has some movement but not much like before. I come home around 5:30. I found out that he already sleep. I also saw that there are some blood on the floor with other water. I am freak out now as I realize that he might get worse. So I call the vet office. She is not in until Saturday. The lady over there ask me that there are lot of blood or not. And I am say that I am not sure how much since it might be combine with clear water and the water from mister. So the blood might be spread out. She said that I could go to er for exotic pet or just wait until Saturday. So I decide to wait until Saturday as I am out of my budget to effort er right now. I hope that Kahlua is the fighter. Anyone know that this could be side effect from doctor visit or he just has too much water???? Any comment would be appreciated...
 
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