Buying Chameleons from commercial stores.

[Edward885]

Hello, I recently bought my first chameleon from a commercial store(Ie. Petsmart/Petco type store) that a friend of mine worked at. They had a male veiled cham at the store for about four months. I had wanted to get a cham for a few years now and saw it a good opportunity to give the poor guy a home. After just two weeks of owning him, I noticed he was quite lethargic and showed signs of MBD. I took him to the vet the same week, they did some vitamin injections and left me with some liquid calcium supplements to give him. for the last two months, I've battled to get him back into good health. after many visits to the vet and different treatments I think he may be on his last legs. He's currently sleeping for the night and my biggest fear is he won't be awake tomorrow.

I just needed a place to share my sadness for my first chameleons and my favorite pet. it's a shame that pet stores will hire people who don't bother to correctly care for the animals they sell.

I hope this serves as a warning for new owners to please purchase your chams from breeders who care.

 

[kinyonga]

I thought it was decided that he was impacted?
Why are you saying he's on his last legs now?

 

[Edward885]

after the impaction I took him to the vet, just to be sure. they did blood work a determined he had some issues. I've been working with the vet on those since.

 

[kinyonga]

What issues?

 

[Edward885]

What issues?

They determined he was calcium deficient, they also sent me with an anti-inflammatory due to the impaction as well as an antibiotic because they were worried about infection. he had also stopped eating shortly after so I've been hand feeding him as well. they took more blood two days ago and sent it to a lab. i plan on calling them when they open tomorrow in hopes of getting him the help he needs.

 

[kinyonga]

He doesn't show any outward symptoms of MBD but maybe the X-rays show signs.
What antibiotic is he on?
Is he drinking well?

 

[kinyonga]

How are you treating the MBD? What supplements are you using and how often for each? Is he getting liquid calcium? Please be specific about the supplements and tell me if they have D3 in them or phos or preformed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl, retinal). What do you feed/gutload the insects with?

What specific UVB light do you use? Basking temperature?

 

[kinyonga]

How is he behaving during the day? Active? Sleeping?
Is the cage near a window? Where do you live? State or province?

 

[Edward885]

The picture is from when I first got him, sorry. he's got fractures now.

Enrofloxacin- the antibiotic.

when his mobility got worse I set up more drippers and water for him. his waste has been pretty white apart from the occasionally yellow bits.

he's been eating canvorvorcare twice a day, liquid calcium with each meal. meds in the afternoon.

he's been doing pretty well for the last few weeks, the last few days he's gotten very rough. and today he's been sleeping through the day.

 

[kinyonga]

Please post a recent photo tomorrow. If we can't see what he really looks like we can't see what's wrong with him.

I asked about the watering because when on an antibiotic you need to make sure he drinks so it won't damage the kidneys.

 

[Edward885]

I live in NC no windows nearby his cage is located in the center of the home

 

[kinyonga]

What about the UVB lights and basking temperature?
Gutloading?
Supplements besides the liquid calcium?