Chameleon Emergency

[DrakeriderCa]

Hi,

I just received a (what I'm told to be) female Veiled Chameleon, to take care of for a month until her new owner (my best friend) can bring her to his new home. He received her from a friend of a friend and I'm worried for her long term health. She's been reasonably well taken care of, but it appears that her previous owner was poorly informed, and has been doing a marginal job.

I'm here for advice to get her as healthy and strong as possible, and to get good information to pass on to my friend so he can take good care of her once she's at his place again.

Thanks,

DrakeriderCa

 

[THECHAMMAN]

www.raisingkittytheveiledchamelon.blogspot.com would be good to start off

 

[DrakeriderCa]

Thanks, I've been reading as much as I can.

 

[jannb]

Welcome to the Chameleon Forums

How to ask for help

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Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and type 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?
Location - 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?

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.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

Pictures are helpful

 

[DrakeriderCa]

Thanks very much JannB. I've filled out what I can.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass aquarium with mesh roof.
Lighting - Fluorescent bulb - ReptiGlo 5.0 14W
- Basking light - SunGlo 75W Daylight Spot
- Both lights are set to a timer, turn on at 9am, turn off at 8 pm.
Temperature - There's a thermometer at the base of the enclosure. I think it's reading about 60 F right now. I haven't measured the basking branch.
Humidity - No idea what the humidity is. No Hygrometer available. Humidity is maintained by spraying the enclosure twice a day with a pump-pressurized sprayer.
Plants - All artificial.
Location - In the living room, not near any fans, lamps or windows. It's a medium traffic area. Top of the cage is at 5 ft from ground level.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - I believe it's a Veiled Cham, told it's Female but not actually sure, and no idea of its age. It's been in my care for 2 days now.
Handling - It's been handled a few times since it came here, mostly out of curiosity. In the future, it should be no more than twice a day.
Feeding - Crickets, 7-8 a day was what I was told. No gut loading, had no idea what it was. Feed in the morning once the lights turn on.
Supplements - None, no idea what it was until today.
Watering - Mist with a hand pumped water sprayer. Twice a day, for about 5 or 6 seconds. I haven't seen the Cham drink.
Fecal Description - One dropping that is very dark and solid. One that is white and appears to have some kind of liquid of the same color covering it.
History - The Chameleon came in the enclosure with screw-in bulbs. They've since been replaced. No noticeable impairment in it's movement.
Current Problem - I'm mostly worried about the Cham's overall health. I can see it's ribs, so I'm worried that the previous owner hadn't fed it enough, or with enough variety.

My computer refuses to recognize my memory card right now, so I'll have pictures later. Sorry.

 

[Sang]

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass aquarium with mesh roof. Very bad for chameleons as glass results in alot of resperitory problems and difficulty in maintaing proper temperatures,
Lighting - Fluorescent bulb - ReptiGlo 5.0 14W OK
- Basking light - SunGlo 75W Daylight Spot Watch those temps, 75-80 for the norm, and 90's in the basking.
- Both lights are set to a timer, turn on at 9am, turn off at 8 pm.
Temperature - There's a thermometer at the base of the enclosure. I think it's reading about 60 F right now. I haven't measured the basking branch. thats ok, make sure he/she has a chance to warm up in the morning. 65 to be is ideal
Humidity - No idea what the humidity is. No Hygrometer available. Humidity is maintained by spraying the enclosure twice a day with a pump-pressurized sprayer. please get a hydrometer in order to ascertain the humidty. ideally is a drop to about 50's and a high at 90's.
Plants - All artificial. good idea to get some live plants in there
Location - In the living room, not near any fans, lamps or windows. It's a medium traffic area. Top of the cage is at 5 ft from ground level. this is OK but a little less traffic may be better
[/qoute]


if possible please post photos, so we may check for any other problems.

 

[BocaJan]

To piggy back on Sang's comments my veileds (I have 4) have an overnight temp in the upper 60's . They're daytime temperature is 75 with basking about 85-90. I never let it go over 90. If your veiled is very young I wouldn't let the basking temp get above 85 because their little bodies get dehydrated quickly. Be sure to mist them 3-4 times a day for water and humidity. There is a list of safe plants in the habitat forum. A good environment has real plants because they hold water longer for your cham to lick from the leaves. Mine also take little nibbles from their hybiscus.

Be sure to read the Kitty article. It covers the whole gambit of cham care.

 

[DrakeriderCa]

I will do that. Thank you very much for the help everyone. I'll be getting another thermometer and a Hygrometer today. maybe a different bulb, depending on how the temperature reads from the basking branch.