Hey guys, so my female panther chameleon Chloe was diagnosed with MBD a week ago. I have taken her to 2 separate veterinarians and was given a prescription of Baytril (antibiotic) as well as liquid calcium. I also got a new UVB light just in case anything was wrong with the old one (only had it for about 2 months). The first couple days after her MBD symptoms were present, she was not eating and had no interest in the food I was trying to give her. After a few days, she ate some horn worms (coated with calcium). She continued eating for several days, but has yet to have a bowel movement. I have read on other threads that a warm bath and high humidity will help pass the blockage, but so far it hasnt helped. She drinks on a regular basis, and shows no symptoms of dehydration. She has stopped eating again, I am assuming because she doesnt have any room left! I noticed yesterday when I gave her the morning dose of Baytril, she tried to poop, but only a little white liquid came out, definitely not enough to account for the amount that she has drank in the previous days. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions to help get her bowels moving again! Any help at all would be absolutely wonderful! Thanks guys!
Constipated cham with MBD
- Thread starter tcsmithiv
- Start date
Yes, I have put the shower on and moved the shower head towards the wall to create a mist, and then I have placed her near the mist on one of her branches from her cage. I put the branch inside of a small sized bucket with warm water high enough to cover about half way up her body. I also try massaging her belly gently from front to vent to try and push it out a little bit.
I could really REALLY use some help here guys...... She is no longer letting me open her mouth to give her her medicine (baytril and liquid calcium). I am starting to worry that it is because she no longer has room in her belly for anything. She needs to take both medicines twice per day, and I havent even been able to give her a single dose of either today at all. I am BEGGING you guys to please give me advice other than putting her in warm water or the shower, as I have been franticly trying that for the past two days........
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
Have you used the search function with the word "constipated"?
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
Why is she on Baytril? Do you have a misting system? If so and it is a Mistking or Aquazamp I would put hot water in it and let it mist her cage for a long period of time 30 min plus at least. I would also stop coating her food with calcium until she poops. How would you like your food coated with calcium? She may not like that. Baytril can be a nasty drug imo. I have not had good luck with it and have had chameleons go off thier food while on it.
I would be best if you filled out the "How to ask for help" form otherwise people would just be guessing as to the cause without knowing how she has been kept. Also a picture of her and her set up would help.
I would be best if you filled out the "How to ask for help" form otherwise people would just be guessing as to the cause without knowing how she has been kept. Also a picture of her and her set up would help.
Baytril was what the first vet gave me when I first noticed her MBD symptoms. I knew it wasn't something that antibiotics would really help, so that is why I took her to a 2nd vet who prescribed the liquid calcium. The 2nd vet also told me to continue her Baytril doses. I will fill out the form and post pictures as soon as possible.
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Female Panther Chameleon. 7-8 months old. Have had her for 2 months.
Handling - Usually once a week if that. Currently 2 times per day to provide her with her medicine (baytril and liquid calcium)
Feeding - 3-4 medium hornworms per day, in the morning after I turn on her UVB bulb. Crickets and super worms on a semi regular basis (2-3 times per week)
Supplements - Before MBD diagnosis I dusted all hornworms with Reptivite. After the diagnoses I use Rep-Cal brand calcium with vitamin D (phosphorous free)
Watering - I use a drip system for about an hour 3 times per day, as well as 3 mistings through out the day. Currently I also try and give her a little water mixed in with her baytril and liquid calcium. I do see my chameleon drink during the day now, but not before the MBD diagnosis.
Fecal Description - She has not been tested for parasites. The last poop she took looked healthy, larger brown portion, with white portion about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the brown portion. It has been 6 days since her last bowel movement.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen cage, 15" x 15" x 20" high.
Lighting - Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 Mini Compact Fluorescent Lamp, recently added a Exo-Terra Reptile UVB100 Bulb along side. The UVB lights come on at 10am and turn off at 10:30pm every day.
Temperature - Average temp is 75F-80F during the day with an 85F basking area. Lowest overnight temp is around 68-70. I have a analog thermometer at the top of the cage, with a digital thermometer that I move periodically to check other areas of the cage.
Humidity - Humidity is the most difficult for me to maintain as I live in a very dry area. Currently I try to keep a towel at the bottom of the cage moist with warm water to create more humidity. More recently I have begun leaving my bathroom door open while showering (I live in a very small apartment and the living room where the cage sits is close to the bathroom). I also run the shower for about 45-60 minutes twice per day to try to keep humidity levels higher. On average, the humidity in the cage is 40-50 in the mornings (after 9-10 hours have passed with no artificial humidity). When humidity is being created, it jumps to an average of 70-75%.
Plants - I do not have any live plants or substrait. I have fake hanging vines and a bendable vine.
Placement - The cage is located in my living room / home office, where I spend most of my time, but I am generally not moving around, and rarely have visitors. The top of the cage sits about 5 feet from the ground.
Location - I live in Denver, Colorado.
Your Chameleon - Female Panther Chameleon. 7-8 months old. Have had her for 2 months.
Handling - Usually once a week if that. Currently 2 times per day to provide her with her medicine (baytril and liquid calcium)
Feeding - 3-4 medium hornworms per day, in the morning after I turn on her UVB bulb. Crickets and super worms on a semi regular basis (2-3 times per week)
Supplements - Before MBD diagnosis I dusted all hornworms with Reptivite. After the diagnoses I use Rep-Cal brand calcium with vitamin D (phosphorous free)
Watering - I use a drip system for about an hour 3 times per day, as well as 3 mistings through out the day. Currently I also try and give her a little water mixed in with her baytril and liquid calcium. I do see my chameleon drink during the day now, but not before the MBD diagnosis.
Fecal Description - She has not been tested for parasites. The last poop she took looked healthy, larger brown portion, with white portion about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the brown portion. It has been 6 days since her last bowel movement.
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen cage, 15" x 15" x 20" high.
Lighting - Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 Mini Compact Fluorescent Lamp, recently added a Exo-Terra Reptile UVB100 Bulb along side. The UVB lights come on at 10am and turn off at 10:30pm every day.
Temperature - Average temp is 75F-80F during the day with an 85F basking area. Lowest overnight temp is around 68-70. I have a analog thermometer at the top of the cage, with a digital thermometer that I move periodically to check other areas of the cage.
Humidity - Humidity is the most difficult for me to maintain as I live in a very dry area. Currently I try to keep a towel at the bottom of the cage moist with warm water to create more humidity. More recently I have begun leaving my bathroom door open while showering (I live in a very small apartment and the living room where the cage sits is close to the bathroom). I also run the shower for about 45-60 minutes twice per day to try to keep humidity levels higher. On average, the humidity in the cage is 40-50 in the mornings (after 9-10 hours have passed with no artificial humidity). When humidity is being created, it jumps to an average of 70-75%.
Plants - I do not have any live plants or substrait. I have fake hanging vines and a bendable vine.
Placement - The cage is located in my living room / home office, where I spend most of my time, but I am generally not moving around, and rarely have visitors. The top of the cage sits about 5 feet from the ground.
Location - I live in Denver, Colorado.
Also his bowels moved today is that a plus??
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
My response is below.
Hope this helps. I usually don't respond to these health posts. Everybody has their own opinions on Cham care. These are mine.
Hope this helps. I usually don't respond to these health posts. Everybody has their own opinions on Cham care. These are mine.
Tcsmithiv...please post a photo of her. Does she have a place to dig in the cage to show you if she needs to lay eggs?
When a chameleon has MBD it needs to be corrected by giving it extra calcium such as liquid calcium sandoz or gluconate until. The bones have become strong again....along with the normal proper husbandry ( proper supplements, proper temperatures, exposure proper uvb light, proper feeding and gutloading of the insects.
Once the bones are healthy again you can drop the liquid calcium and continue with the proper husbandry to keep the MBD from returning.
Concerning the constipation....not sure what else to suggest for this. You could try giving her a little baby food pears and not overfeeding her for a few days and making sure she gets enough water.
Back in a few minutes to add to this.
Tracey....you should have started another thread since your chameleon is not constipated since it pooped and youbdidnt mention that it's got MBD either and we need you to answer the questions in the how to ask for help thread at the top of the health forum so we can help you better.
When a chameleon has MBD it needs to be corrected by giving it extra calcium such as liquid calcium sandoz or gluconate until. The bones have become strong again....along with the normal proper husbandry ( proper supplements, proper temperatures, exposure proper uvb light, proper feeding and gutloading of the insects.
Once the bones are healthy again you can drop the liquid calcium and continue with the proper husbandry to keep the MBD from returning.
Concerning the constipation....not sure what else to suggest for this. You could try giving her a little baby food pears and not overfeeding her for a few days and making sure she gets enough water.
Back in a few minutes to add to this.
Tracey....you should have started another thread since your chameleon is not constipated since it pooped and youbdidnt mention that it's got MBD either and we need you to answer the questions in the how to ask for help thread at the top of the health forum so we can help you better.
I do not have a laying area right now because the vet recommended that I remove all of the things that she can climb on in the cage so that she doesn't risk falling. Right now I have her in her regular cage, with cardboard on the sides so that she doesnt climb up the side, with multiple layers of towels so that she has a soft area to lay on. I also have some of the fake leaves on the ground for her to lap up water that drips on it. I also have her bendable vine on the ground so that she can still hold on to it like she would a normal branch, without the risk of falling. She tried pooping about an hour ago while I was giving her a bath / shower misting session, but nothing really came out. I kept trying to massage her belly to get it to continue moving out with no luck. Here are some of the pictures of her that I have taken.
http://i.imgur.com/tPILUAI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/XBQZjMU.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZfYipWX.jpg
This picture shows her trying to pass, and what is sticking out is all that came out.
http://i.imgur.com/9eLqjOw.jpg
This one kind of shows how she has difficulty walking / climbing. She has little to no control of her hind legs. I have noticed that when I am holding her, she tends to be able to grip with her hind legs, but she is still unable to use them to crawl or climb.
http://i.imgur.com/hUXRWIm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tPILUAI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/XBQZjMU.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZfYipWX.jpg
This picture shows her trying to pass, and what is sticking out is all that came out.
http://i.imgur.com/9eLqjOw.jpg
This one kind of shows how she has difficulty walking / climbing. She has little to no control of her hind legs. I have noticed that when I am holding her, she tends to be able to grip with her hind legs, but she is still unable to use them to crawl or climb.
http://i.imgur.com/hUXRWIm.jpg
I can't see what she's trying to push out as clearly as I'd like to but I hope she's not going to prolapse. MBD affects the muscles so the bowel will move slower too.
The shape of her body (narrow in the back end) bothers me but I don't know what it means. Is she producing urates at all?
I'm not a vet so what I tell you comes from my experiences and what I have read and learned from others. I would recommend you send ferrit or one of the other vets on here an email.
The shape of her body (narrow in the back end) bothers me but I don't know what it means. Is she producing urates at all?
I'm not a vet so what I tell you comes from my experiences and what I have read and learned from others. I would recommend you send ferrit or one of the other vets on here an email.
