Concerned for New Veiled Cham

[amkeith]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, Female, I estimated she is about 2 months old. I got her 4 days ago.
• Handling - I have only handled her once when we first got her and I needed to fix her cage.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?

I have given her crickets that I know were not fed well enough before I received them. They only had a little carrot. I have been trying to feed them other things to gutload but it was difficult to get them to eat far enough in advance to feed to her. She ate 3 crickets when we first got her, only one the next day, two the next and three today. She wasnt eating her food earlier than 2pm but today she ate at 11:30.

*I am concerned that the crickets we received were too big for her. They grew twice their original size before feeding them to her.

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

This is where I know I've gone wrong. I did not purchase the calcium from the pet store because I knew I could get a better price on a more natural supplement at my local pharmacy. Turns out-the pharmacy has been conviently closed. We just got her the right dust, but she has already eaten today.

*This is where I have gone wrong-not having the crickets prepared and gut loaded, and not having the right dust.

• 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 been misting her cage once an hour for about a minute and a half. I have not seen my chameleon drink but I can see from her droppings that she has drank.

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

Droppings do seem normal. Brown is brown with a healthy consistency, urate is white with just a little bit of run. Nothing too scary here, thank god. I have not had her tested as I live on an island where I do not speak their first language and I doubt there is a reptile vet here.

• 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?

18x18x36 screen on all four sides. There are two plants, pothos and a small umbrella plant. Lots of sticks for her to move to all corners of the cage, she seems to like her cage alot.

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

I have a Reptisun 5.0 UVB light, as well as a 40w home light for basking. The lights come on at about 8am and turn off at 8pm.

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

Temperature ranges from about 76 at the bottom to 85 at the top. Is this too high for a young veiled? At night it doesn't go before 70. I have a thermometer in the cage but not at both the top and the bottom.

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

Humidity is in the 50-70% range. Kept by the live plants and my consistent misting schedule.

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

yes, pothos and umbrella.

• 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?

She is in an area with a couch but is isn't frequently used. Her cage sits on a table thats about 2 feet off the floor.

• Location - Where are you geographically located?

I am in Cyprus, an island off of the coast of Turkey.

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

She has remained within a color range of a dark green, to dark green with strong spots when stressed, to completely dark for the 4 hours after feeding. I am concerned she's not drinking and eating enough and that I am missing something else. Her eyes seem a little sunken, her arms seem skinny, but her body doesn't seem too skinny. I know chams are experts at masking their illnesses so I just wanted some reassurance.

I will attach as many images as I can as well as the calcium my husband picked up while I typed this. The literal only option we had was to get the calcium with zinc. I couldn't find a straight answer on whether this would be harmful or not.

 

[amkeith]

The image of her outside her cage is what led me to post this. She escaped when I forgot to put her cricket cup back in the door. Her eyes looked so small and she became very dark. I know she has been through so much stress, I just want to know if there's anything else I can try to do.

 

[Fireborn]

i wouldn't suggest using a calcium ment for humans. As for the crickets they should be no wider than her head.

 

[kinyonga]

Please post a photo of her left arm.

 

[amkeith]

Please post a photo of her left arm.

These are the best I have at the moment of both sides of her. They are awfully skinny. I'm struggling to find good food providers where I am.

 

[Graves923]

Id ditch the human calcium supplements.... Order reptile supplements online. You should be able to research a few options here on the forums and shop online and find better prices than at a local pet shop.

I use Rep-Cal products which use plain calcium, calcium with D3 and herpavite multi-vitamin.

 

[davthevieled]

You got her at a pet store?

Few questions here then, what kind of set up did they originally have her in? Was she housed with anyone else?
(Regardless, get a fecal done asap)

Have you noticed any odd sleeping behaviors, like lifting her head up randomly? Have you noticed any gaping/gulping/gasping? Do you hear any odd pops when she opens her mouth? Does she bask in one spot a large amount of the day?

Also, I don't know if it was mentioned at any point but she does also need a vitamin supplement, since I noticed you only mentioned calcium. Make sure to get that for her asap. There are a huge amount of guides for supplementing on the forums.