Chameleon fell

[MissSkittles]

Give me a little bit and I’ll go thru all of your husbandry.

 

[Sonny13]

She fell while I had her out to clean the cage, not far at all but after the fall she wasn't moving much and that's when I noticed she wasn't walking
I think she is able to get her back straight though, she usually is able to and she walks/climbs around fine

Okay, luckily that rules out some things. For the rest you’re already in good hands with @Beman @MissSkittles @kinyonga and like already said, you need to make sure she can lay her eggs.

 

[MissSkittles]

I'll be putting feedback in bold.
Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?

I have had my chameleon for about 8 months. It's a veiled chameleon, female, and a bit over 8 months old

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?

Not too much, only a few times a month or when I have to clean the cage. There's a great blog on building trust.

• https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/building-trust-with-your-chameleon.2396/Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

I am feeding crickets about 5 or more a day, Mealworms that I have in a bowl in the cage which she can eat whenever, and spring mix lettuce in a bowl each morning. She's getting fed too much. Try to cut her back to every other day. After she lays her first clutch of eggs, you'll want to feed her 3-4 feeders, 3 days a week. Mealworms aren't a good staple feeder. The only thing she needs is live insects. No plant matter. I usually feed the crickets in the mornings, fill up the lettuce and mealworms for throughout the day. It's best to feed once a day in the morning. This gives time to bask and digest. For the crickets I have them in a little cage with cardboard and Flunkers cricket quencher. This will keep them alive for a little time, but not healthy. You want to take good care of your feeders so that they'll offer more nutrition. Will provide graphics on feeders and gut loading.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?

I have been using repticalcium without D3 and Rep-Cal Herptivite multivitamins and I dust with equal parts of both. The ReptiCalcium without D3 you'll need to use at every feeding except those that you are using another supplement. The HerptiVite should be used only one feeding every other week. You'll also need to add a calcium with D3, which you'll also use one feeding every other week, alternating with the HerptiVite.

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?

I have a water fountain I got off of amazon the Neptonion Chameleon water fountain. Water fountains are never a good thing. No matter how clean you keep it, it becomes full of bacteria. It's much better to mist 2-3 times a day for at least 2 minutes each time...right before lights go on and off and mid day is optional. You could use a dripper for about 15-20 minutes mid day if you like instead of a mid day misting. I have a spray bottle to mist but I'm not able to mist it all the time. You may want to consider an automatic misting system. Mist King is fantastic and well worth the cost.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?

The poop has been looking normal and no she has never been tested for parasites It's always a good idea to have a fecal check 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?

I have a screened cage the Reptibreeze chameleon kit. Its about 16x16x30 She's old/big enough that she should be in a 2x2x4', which is the minimum size enclosure for an adult.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?

I have the light that came with the chameleon kit. The zoo med light Daylight Blue reptile bulb and the Zoo med reptisun 5.0 usb bulb. I have been leaving the reptisun 5.0 bulb on all the time and turning the daylight bulb off at night time. You should have your lights on a 12 hour on/off schedule. No lights at night and no colored lights. The compact UVB bulb that you have isn't able to provide adequate levels of UVB any farther away than 2-3". The standard is a linear T5HO fixture with either ReptiSun 5.0 or Arcadia 6% UVB bulb.

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?

I have a thermometer that measures the temperature in the cage and usually it is around 76 degrees but I haven't been tracking the temperature very well. Since chameleons are cold blooded, it's important to know what your temps are and monitor them. Basking temp should be 80F and the rest of the enclosure should have gradients of temps. There should be a temp drop at night, preferably below 70F. Digital thermometers with a probe are more accurate than analog ones.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?

I don't have anything to measure humidity, but I use a spray bottle to mist the cage when I can This too is important to monitor. Ideal daytime range is between 30-50%. The enclosure should have time to dry out during the day. At night if you can get your temps below around 70, you can simulate the natural hydration cycle of fog by boosting humidity up to 80-100% with a cool mist humidifier.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?

I don't have any live plant, I am not sure how to do a cage with live plants. Veileds nibble their plants, especially the girls. It only takes one nibble of a fake leaf to cause an impaction. I'll go over this separately.

• 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?

The cage is placed on a table in the living room. It is not near any fans or air vents, it is just a little close to the front door but we don't have anywhere else to put it right now since we're living in an apartment. The top of the cage is a little bit above 4 feet from the room floor. The higher your chameleon is, the safer she'll feel.

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

We are located in CT so it has been cold but we have had the heat on in our apartment

Current Problem -

 

[MissSkittles]

Having to jump between iPad and computer today so pardon.
Here’s the graphics I promised.

There’s several great staple feeders on the list. My favorites are roaches and silkworms, which I’ve been told are most nutritious. Bsfl will eventually pupate into flies and my chameleons love when I release some in their enclosures to hunt down.
I keep all of my feeder insects well fed all of the time with a mixture of things like various squashes, bell pepper, sweet potato, collard or mustard greens (dandelion greens when I can get it), arugula, chard, carrot, a few berries and I also give them some Repashy Bug Burger that I’ve added some bee pollen to.

 

[MissSkittles]

Now for plants. Another graphic of safe plants added.
Usually it’s nice to have a tall center plant, like a schefflera, money tree or weeping fig. Then adding some pothos or philodendron (not on the list but I use it with my veileds) or any of the other around the edges fills the enclosure and provides lots of places for your cham to hide or take some shade. For most plants, you’ll want to add a grow light for them. Unless you get something with very high light needs like hibiscus, something like this will fill that empty space in your dual dome. https://www.amazon.com/SANSI-Techno...2a7a96ca80&pd_rd_wg=sYqzp&ref_=pd_gw_cr_cartx
Hanging plants can be a challenge. There are Dragon Ledges, which are incredible. https://dragonstrand.com/dragon-ledges/ You can create a scaffolding/framework using the enclosure frame to hold the weight. Garden trellis, lighting egg crate, faux backgrounds and whatever else you can devise will work.
To give your lady a little extra privacy, use the fake plants on the outside of the enclosure door.

 

[MissSkittles]

Back to basic husbandry…since your girl really hasn’t had any useful uvb and isn’t getting any vitamin D3, she hasn’t been able to use the calcium she’s been getting. While I’m not a vet, I’d believe that she has metabolic bone disease and her falling is just the first sign. While I’ve given you many changes to make, the most important ones are getting the correct uvb and adding the calcium with D3 to her supplement regimen. She really should be seen by a good vet who can help her recover better. MBD isn’t just about bones, but also effects muscles and neurological functioning and can eventually be fatal. With the changes I’ve suggested, a good vet and your TLC, your pretty girl can recover and go on to lead a long healthy life.

 

[leahd]

Back to basic husbandry…since your girl really hasn’t had any useful uvb and isn’t getting any vitamin D3, she hasn’t been able to use the calcium she’s been getting. While I’m not a vet, I’d believe that she has metabolic bone disease and her falling is just the first sign. While I’ve given you many changes to make, the most important ones are getting the correct uvb and adding the calcium with D3 to her supplement regimen. She really should be seen by a good vet who can help her recover better. MBD isn’t just about bones, but also effects muscles and neurological functioning and can eventually be fatal. With the changes I’ve suggested, a good vet and your TLC, your pretty girl can recover and go on to lead a long healthy life.

Thank you so much for all the help and information, I will definitely start with what you suggested to do first!

 

[MissSkittles]

Thank you so much for all the help and information, I will definitely start with what you suggested to do first!

You’re very welcome. Many of us started out with the chameleon kit or equivalent and bad info. I’m glad that you’re here and hope you’ll stick around…share your sweet girl’s progress, beauty and adventures. We can never have too many stories and pics of our beautiful chameleons.

 

[leahd]

You’re very welcome. Many of us started out with the chameleon kit or equivalent and bad info. I’m glad that you’re here and hope you’ll stick around…share your sweet girl’s progress, beauty and adventures. We can never have too many stories and pics of our beautiful chameleons.

I will thank you for all your help. I want to make sure I’m doing everything right! I want to make sure I’m getting the correct lights. I’m looking at the reptisun T5 Ho hood with the reptisun T5Ho bulb with 5.0 uvb

 

[MissSkittles]

I will thank you for all your help. I want to make sure I’m doing everything right! I want to make sure I’m getting the correct lights. I’m looking at the reptisun T5 Ho hood with the reptisun T5Ho bulb with 5.0 uvb

That is the correct light. Usually when you buy the hood, it comes with a uvb light. It’s always good to have a back up though, just in case.

 

[MzLaurie11]

Welcome I am so sorry to hear your sweet girl fell! You need to get to a vet asap. Chameleons are tree dwellers hence their splayed hands and feet and prehensile tails. Your cage is set up for a ground dweller and even if you have the correct lights it wont help becsuse she needs to perch

 

[MzLaurie11]

Sorry about that..i was saying you need have multiple perches 6 and 8 inches from the top of the cage. Please look at the advice from others here about cage setup. A vet should give you liquidcalcuim to get the calcium levels up. If not ask for it. D3 can be gotten from the sun so while she is recovering, get her outside in the sun while she sits on your hand. When chama gwt injured they get dehydrated real quick so double up misting schedules and have a drip system setup. You can poke a pin hole in a plastic cup if you dont have one. Have it drip onto a leaf that she can get to wuth a bowl to catch the excess.