Check ups

[SmokeJoker]

Hello, I was wondering if chameleons had to go in for check ups at the vet. If they do how often should I take him in? And also with stool samples, does it have to get taken there within an hour or if it's closer to 2 or 3 hours later will they still be able to assess it?

 

[MSMorgan]

SJ,

If you have a reputable and knowledgeable reptile/ cham. vet in your area, it wouldn't hurt to take your guy in for a yearly check up. As for fecals, the fresher the better. Get what you can and refrigerate it until your ready to leave for the vet.

 

[SmokeJoker]

Thank you for the info, I think I found a good vet so I'll keep thag in mind.

 

[jannb]

It's always good to build a relationship with a good vet. That way when you need one you will have one that knows you and your animals. It's amazing what all your vet will do for you when you need him if you have that relationship and bond.

My vet recommends check ups every 6 months and fecals every 3 to 4 months. Put a fresh poop in a ziplock bag and it will keep in the frig for up to 48 hours.

Where do you live? I might be able to recommend a chameleon vet.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Hello, I was wondering if chameleons had to go in for check ups at the vet. If they do how often should I take him in? And also with stool samples, does it have to get taken there within an hour or if it's closer to 2 or 3 hours later will they still be able to assess it?

There's no definitive answer to this question; it really depends. It depends on the keeper and it depends on the health status of the individual chameleon.

If you have the right vet, a wellness check up is great educational experience for all keepers, especially a novice keeper but there truly isn't a lot a vet can tell you about a healthy animal. If a keeper is really observant, they usually know when things are starting to slide. The trick is to develop that eye.

 

[SmokeJoker]

Ok, I'm on this forum reading and learning everyday so hopefully I will get a good eye for things. And I live in leander, Texas which is right next to Austin, Texas (the capital) so if you know a good vet near me that would be great. I went to research pet and bird hospital on monday and I think they are pretty good. They even called today 2 times to check on my cham. The only thing is they gave me a care sheet paper that they made for chameleon owners that has some false info on it that I noticed. (Like they said to keep the temp at 105 for the basking spot, and that you only need a 3 foot tall cage for a fully grown male veiled) but other than that they seemed pretty good to me.

 

[SmokeJoker]

Also a little question about uvb I forgot to mention in the original post. I read that a 10.0 uvb is good to because the screen on the top of the cage filters out most of the uvb anyways, so the uvb from a 5.0 won't be very good. Is this true or does it mattee which one I use? I have a male veiled btw.

 

[SmokeJoker]

... sorry for all the question, but I just remembered one that I forgot to ask. My chams cage is next to a ceiling fan (that doesn't get used very often) but over summer it will be on more at night while I sleep. I was wondering if putting a blanket over the side of the cage that's facing the fan would help with the problem or if there is another solution maybe?

 

[jajeanpierre]

Ok, I'm on this forum reading and learning everyday so hopefully I will get a good eye for things. And I live in leander, Texas which is right next to Austin, Texas (the capital) so if you know a good vet near me that would be great. I went to research pet and bird hospital on monday and I think they are pretty good. They even called today 2 times to check on my cham. The only thing is they gave me a care sheet paper that they made for chameleon owners that has some false info on it that I noticed. (Like they said to keep the temp at 105 for the basking spot, and that you only need a 3 foot tall cage for a fully grown male veiled) but other than that they seemed pretty good to me.

Vets are not keepers; they are medical people. They also (usually) know next to nothing about behvior and training, even of dogs.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Also a little question about uvb I forgot to mention in the original post. I read that a 10.0 uvb is good to because the screen on the top of the cage filters out most of the uvb anyways, so the uvb from a 5.0 won't be very good. Is this true or does it mattee which one I use? I have a male veiled btw.

I only know the brand I use (Arcadia) but the higher the UVB output (for Acadia at least) the deeper it penetrates. Most UVB bulbs get to zero UVB pretty close to the bulb. I use the stronger bulbs.

 

[SmokeJoker]

Thank you very much. This morning his legs were shaking when he was walking, but he could still control them and get where he was going. I've seen this happen 1 other time but like 5 minutes after his legs were shaking he was walking normal again.

 

[JaniP]

Re checkups:
For me personally, I take one of my cham's for check ups yearly. My other boy I do not. I only take him if there is an issue but I take his fecal's in. The reason being is he is very large (his grip draws blood), cranky and does not tolerate handling unless absolutely necessary, so a simple trip outside his enclosure really works him up for days. My past chameleon's I've treated the same where it depends on the particular chameleon.

I also have the luxury of having the vet just down the road within walking distance.

 

[jannb]

Is your UV bulb a coil bulb or the long one? The 10.0 should work fine. The shaking he was doing may just be what is often called the leaf walk. Please post a photo of your chameleon. I have a vet in Austin that was recommended by a forums member linked below and I'll look around and see if I can fine any other referrals. I know allot of vets with chameleon experience and many that keep or have kept chameleons in the past. Both my mobile vet and my specialist have kept chameleons. There's 5 or 6 vets that are forums members that keep chameleons but none in the Austin area.
http://southparkaustin.com/services/exotic-pets.html

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thank you very much. This morning his legs were shaking when he was walking, but he could still control them and get where he was going. I've seen this happen 1 other time but like 5 minutes after his legs were shaking he was walking normal again.

If you don't know what you are seeing is normal, it is time to go to the vet for a check up.

I thought you were asking about wellness checks, when you take in an animal to the vet that you believe to be in perfect health. If you don't know what you are seeing, go to the vet.

If I am not happy with an animal, I go to the vet quite quickly if, and it's a judgement call, if I think the animal can cope with the stress of a vet visit.

Sooner is always better than later if you are dealing with a problem. The only time I might be really hesitant to get an animal in to a vet is when I am dealing with my wild caughts, if I fear the stress of a vet visit is greater than the downside of not getting the medical treatment I think the animal might need. This weekend is an example--I've been in the vet's three times since Saturday with a female who is not laying the way I would like. She's had three x-rays since Saturday. We held off on giving her oxytocin until last night because that's a nasty drug and incredibly hard on them. I'll likely take her in this afternoon for another x-ray just to confirm all the eggs are laid. I also have a big mellers that was imported Thursday and I bought the very next day. I let him go further downhill than I wanted because I knew taking him to the vet might end up killing him from the added stress. I took him in yesterday. I hope he lives. Big Mellers are always touch and go.

 

[SmokeJoker]

I was asking about wellness checks in my post because my vet said to take in my cham often and I've never heard of taking chams in fir wellness checks.

 

[SmokeJoker]

Is your UV bulb a coil bulb or the long one? The 10.0 should work fine. The shaking he was doing may just be what is often called the leaf walk. Please post a photo of your chameleon. I have a vet in Austin that was recommended by a forums member linked below and I'll look around and see if I can fine any other referrals. I know allot of vets with chameleon experience and many that keep or have kept chameleons in the past. Both my mobile vet and my specialist have kept chameleons. There's 5 or 6 vets that are forums members that keep chameleons but none in the Austin area.
http://southparkaustin.com/services/exotic-pets.html

I think it's a coil bulb. (It goes in a dome) and thank you for finding vets. Me and my mom looked for hours before finally choosing one and I'm still not sure that they are as good as I want.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I was asking about wellness checks in my post because my vet said to take in my cham often and I've never heard of taking chams in fir wellness checks.

I see my vet if I don't like the direction an animal is going and I'm unsure of what to do or I can't do what needs to be done (like give subcutaneous fluids). I don't take a healthy animal in. I might run fecals but what is a vet going to say about a healthy animal? It is my job to know more about the husbandry of my particular species than my vet knows. When I have a problem, I have a pretty good idea what I need from the vet or where the vet should look. We talk about what is going on and then we bring the animal out of it's box for an exam. Based on what I said I thought was going on and what she sees, she decides what to do. Sometimes she sees things I didn't see (and I learn something). Sometimes she doesn't see what I see at home because the animal is so stressed. We work as a team. She doesn't see what I see at home and during an examination, the chameleon will be nothing like it is at home.

Unless you have an ongoing medical condition that needs monitoring, like MBD, or an animal that has suffered a lot of health issues in the past, there aren't too many reasons I would take a healthy animal in for a check up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm quick to take an animal to a vet especially if it is declining even a little, but not a healthy animal.