Calypatrus with broken leg

Wolferion

New Member
Hey guys,

Yesterday I found my Calypatrus on the floor of his exhibit, covered in shed-flakes and colored grey. After a brief visit to a vet this morning, it turned out his left hind-leg is broken. Which I already feared so.

  • The vet gave me painkillers, that I have to mix with a little honey. She adviced me to give it 5 days, and then 2 days off, and then 5 days again.And vitamines to feed and sprinkle the critters with. I'm not sure what the medicine and vitamines are called, she didnt write it on the tubes they're in.
  • She adviced me to rub the medicine/honey a little bit on the nose, so he would eat/lick it off. But the thing is, he won't. At least not when I see it. And I am unable to force-feed him, he is more stubborn than the leopard geckos I'm used to.
  • I also moved him to another exhibit, one that is more wide than high, to avoid that he will climb and fall again.
  • He won't eat, is that because of the pain, or simply because he is also shedding?

Do you guys have any advice, added to the information I received from the vet? Even though he should have pain, he is pretty calm and his natural green since yesterday evening.

It's a calypatrus male, about 3, maybe 4 months old.
He weighs 6 grams (at the vet)
Not sure about his size, I dont want to bother him too much right now.


If you need any more info or pictures, tell me.

Kind regards,
Danny DSC_0191.JPG DSC_0192.JPG DSC_0193.JPG DSC_0194.JPG
 
Hello and Welcome!

First off there are a number of things the forums will suggest you change in your setup. Most keepers use full screen enclosures, 2 x 2 x 4 feet. The higher the better and put lots of foliage and climbing sticks in their enclosures. If you would please fill out this form some experienced keepers can chime in and give you great guidance.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • 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?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
I will pull some care sheets for you.
 
He does have a very bad case of Metabolic Bone Disease I'm sure your vet told you about that and it being the cause of his bones being weak. If you can't get the meds in the vet may be able to give calcium as an injection. Don't hesitate to call them back for advise if their plan isn't working for your cham. Natural sunlight is the best way to get D3 the vitamin that gets calcium into their bones. 15 minutes daily could help. Just don't overheat or stress out your little cham.
 
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Take a gander there. This forum is a wealth of knowledge! I hope your little cham heals quick and uneventfully.

Thank you, I will surely take a look at that! If you want I can make a picture of my usual setup, the one he is in now is only temporarily.

The few breaks that i have had, did not get pain meds, they just got casts,, yours is way too small for that. My main concern is what the vet is doing about the MBD? Is it on liquid calcium or a shot or what.

It is not on liquid calcium. As a matter of fact, she did not talk about MBD, at all.

He does have a very bad case of Metabolic Bone Disease I'm sure your vet told you about that and it being the cause of his bones being weak. If you can't get the meds in the vet may be able to give calcium as an injection. Don't hesitate to call them back for advise if their plan isn't working for your cham. Natural sunlight is the best way to get D3 the vitamin that gets calcium into their bones. 15 minutes daily could help. Just don't overheat or stress out your little cham.

Like I quoted to nightanole, she didnt talk about MBD at all. I got the next 3 weeks off, so I will spend all my time on my little cham, and give him a daily sun-bath. I will call them back first thing in the morning about the liquid calcium. I read the information you send in your second reply, I will do everything to get him as healthy as possible again.
 
If the vet didn't touch on the very obvious, severe case of MBD then I would find a new vet. That should have been the primary talking point, the break likely being secondary to it! Does the vet expect it to heal in place/properly? As it looks like its leg is sticking straight up.

Please read the care sheets that have been posted and check out the resource section of the forum/site for more info on what sort of vitamins your cham should get daily, lighting, etc. Missing even one of these important components could result in the MBD you are seeing here, or worse.

There are also some threads about MBD, as well as how to properly force feed food or medications if it came to that. As others stated, though, you may want to ask the vet about other treatments. Personally, I would find a new vet first.
 
Hello and Welcome!

First off there are a number of things the forums will suggest you change in your setup. Most keepers use full screen enclosures, 2 x 2 x 4 feet. The higher the better and put lots of foliage and climbing sticks in their enclosures. If you would please fill out this form some experienced keepers can chime in and give you great guidance.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - Calypatrus, male, about 4 months old. Has been in my care since june 21st
  • Handling - Only when I have to. He is not really used to me yet.
  • Feeding - How are you gut-loading your feeders? Crickets, little grasshoppers, calciumworms (black soldier flies if they hatch). Usually when I come from work. I gutload them with 'Repashy superfoods'.
  • Supplements - Again with the brand 'Repashy superfoods', the Calcium plus LoD. In schedule I think I lack here.
  • Watering - I use a simple plant sprayer for now, I intend to get a mist system. I usually spray twice a day, morning and evening. I sometimes see him drink. Same as with feeding, he's still a bit tense when I'm around, and he keeps a closer eye on me than on food/water.
  • Fecal Description - Brown. He has not been tested on parasites.
  • History - I got him on june 21st from a German breeder, on a Dutch expo in Houten. The breeder was from Happy Reptiles if I recall.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Glass. At this moment I have a 65x35x35 (centimeters) tank. I have a 65x40x60 ready, and I'm working on a 100 x 50 (round). After that I'm going for a bigger tank
  • Lighting - I use lightning by ZooMed. I have a 5.0 UVB, but today I have been told they have different ranges in which UV light is actually effective. I think I might have the wrong one and go for another. I have the lightning on for 10 hours a day. With the recent heat I had a slightly different schedule.
  • Temperature - The top is about 32 degrees celcius (summer), the bottom is about 26 I believe. In all fairness, I do not know the night temp. I use a simple analog thermometer.
  • Humidity - About 70%. For now I am doing it by hand, but I intend to buy an automated system. I want to get it this month. I have a hydrometer by ZooMed.
  • Plants - No life plants
  • Placement - It is not near fans or air vents, nor is there any real traffic here. The tank varies in height from 1.57 to 2.17 meters above floor. When I relocate it, it will be 1.00 to 1.60 meters.
  • 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?
  • Location - In the north of Belgium.
I will pull some care sheets for you.

I filled it in.
 
oh that reminds me, on the honey part.. I would be cautious as honey is so thick and sticky, I wouldn't get it anywhere near their nostrils or eyes. Actually I'm not sure I would use it at all, just seems like its asking for trouble... and I dont see my chams like their faces like a dog might. They might lick their lips / inner jaw slightly, but not enough to reach something on the outside.
 
Is it common for vets to suggest mixing meds with honey? I don't think I've seen that before :unsure: Not saying it's wrong (I could be out of the loop), but do chameleons even like honey?

In all fairness, I would sooner expect this for a giant daygecko for example.

oh that reminds me, on the honey part.. I would be cautious as honey is so thick and sticky, I wouldn't get it anywhere near their nostrils or eyes. Actually I'm not sure I would use it at all, just seems like its asking for trouble... and I dont see my chams like their faces like a dog might. They might lick their lips / inner jaw slightly, but not enough to reach something on the outside.

I cleaned it earlier on, because I had my questionmarks at it too.
 
Is it common for vets to suggest mixing meds with honey? I don't think I've seen that before :unsure: Not saying it's wrong (I could be out of the loop), but do chameleons even like honey?

Meh every vet has "tricks". The vet may not want a first timer to aspirate the chameleon by accident. The jelly/honey odds are will be licked off at at some point. My vet makes everything "bubble gum" flavored when i pick up any reptile liquid meds.
 
Meh every vet has "tricks". The vet may not want a first timer to aspirate the chameleon by accident. The jelly/honey odds are will be licked off at at some point. My vet makes everything "bubble gum" flavored when i pick up any reptile liquid meds.
Bubble gum flavored, eh?
 
Was the last photo of your chameleon (shedding) taken before the other ones?

The right arm is showing definite MBD in the first couple of photos of the chameleon
.
To correct MBD you need to correct your husbandry and bring the nutrients (calcium, phos, D3 and vitamin A) back into balance then keep them balanced.

Calcium is needed for strong bones (and muscle contractions and other processes) in the body and when a chameleon has MBD it's usually recommended to give the chameleon a liquid calcium to help get the calcium levels back into balance. The calcium needs D3 to be able to be absorbed so we need to provide that through supplements and diet and exposure to UVB light either from a UVB light or direct sunlight that does not pass through glass or plastic.
The most frequently recommended UVB light is the long linear reptisun 5.0.

Once things are back in balance, you need to keep them there through proper husbandry so...It's also recommended that you dust the insects twice a month lightly with a phos free calcium D3 powder. D3 from supplements can build up in the system and lead to MBD and other health issues which is why we only use it sparingly and let the chameleon produce the rest of the D3 it needs from its UVB exposure.

It's also recommended that you dust twice a month lightly with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. PrOformed sources of vitamin A will not build up in the system like prEformed sources will so they're pretty safe...and this leaves it up to you to decide if/when it needs prEformed vitamin A.

It's also recommended that you dust at most feedings lightly with a phos free calcium powder.

It's important to feed/gutload the insects well too. For crickets, super worms, locusts, roaches, I feed/gutload with a wide assortment of greens, veggies and a little fruit...such as dandelion greens, collards, endive, escarole, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, zucchini, Apple, berries, pears, etc.

Here's an article written by one of the vets on he forum that might help...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

I hope this all helps and that you can get the chameleon back on track. The bent limbs won't likely become straight but the chameleon can live a long life if the MBD is corrected and things kept in balance.
 
Meh every vet has "tricks". The vet may not want a first timer to aspirate the chameleon by accident. The jelly/honey odds are will be licked off at at some point. My vet makes everything "bubble gum" flavored when i pick up any reptile liquid meds.
That’s the greatest thing I’ve ever heard
 
Back
Top Bottom