Cooper ADR. Chams in winter?

[nickb]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Ambanja Panther, 12-13 months, been in my care for 5 months
Handling - Daily
Feeding - Crickets, phoenix worms, super worms, (just added) horn worms. I use Dino fuel, carrots, apples, zucchini, squash, orange, sprouts, and others.
Supplements - Was using strictly calcium plus but am now backing off a bit and trying to use it accordingly with feeders. Also getting plain calcium and a type of mineral soon to add with repashy
Watering - Mistking, set up into a rain nozzle system, little dripper, and occasional warm shower. Yes, he has no problem drinking. I see him drink a good amount.
Fecal Description - No recent testing for parasites - I really feel like I need to? His droppings aren't that regular, he loves to poop outside his cage (especially in a warm shower ) Poop has been normal recently, as far as I can tell.
History - Brought him to the vets recently and they said he seemed quite healthy - he was brought in for a crust gathering on both sides of his mouth which went away with he last shed.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - 4 x 2 x 2
Lighting - Exo terra 36" 5.0 5 months old but am wondering if they are failing early? Just trying to think of anything
Temperature - 73-76 ambient. 86-90 is the basking spot Lowest overnight temp is 70? 2 exo terra probes at top of cage, one at bottom. I use two probes to get basking spot temp.
Humidity - Need to get a humidity gauge still, mine doesn't work
Plants - One large schefflera, medium pothos at bottom
Placement - In my bed room, very low traffic area. Back against the wall away from windows and vents. Cage is almost touching the ceiling.
Location - Southern NH

Current Problem -

Hate to say it, but Cooper is acting strange. His activity has been very minimal in his cage, he seems to stay in the same spot almost all day at points! Will just fall asleep in basking spot, under his dripper, he'll just barely move around. Eats every other day a good amount of food, and appetite has been steady, which is weird. He will eat and not even want to go bask. When he does end up in the basking spot though, he will just sit there and sit there. I'm really puzzled. I've tried lowering and raising his temps, with no real change in his behavior.

Could this inactivity be due to winter? I feel as though many other owners chams are still pretty active in the winter. When I free range him he seems to wander around and color up a little, as usual. Yet sometimes, he seems almost lethargic and doesn't really move unless I help him move. I also mentioned I suspected the UVB lights, I don't have a meter so I can't check. They seem dimmer than normal though.

I have a mercury vapor I've been giving him time under and he seems to react and get some energy from it. Which makes me think even more so that my strip is crapping out. Don't know!

Also, his colors have been strange too while in his cage, still blue and purple but has almost a grayish, brownish drab tint to him - not his normal vibrant colors. I'll get pics tmrw

I have reptaid I've been on the fence about administering to him for a while. Can't decide if I should give a go - I think I'd rather change my strip bulb first to see if that helps.

Thanks guys, this sucks

 

[ataraxia]

Hi, I am concerned that your guy is falling asleep during the day. Is it just one or both eyes? Does he do it in different spot of the cage to or is it only in the basking? What color are his urates? I know you stated everything is fine and you see him drink.

Im going to assume here that your guy is closing both eyes. From your description on care. I would be leaning towards an illness. Whether an infection, parasites or over supplementing. Something beyond the typical is going on here. If you take your chameleon in, I would not settle for a visual "OK" from the vet. Id make sure he examines the mouth well, maybe xrays, fecal and maybe even blood work.

Note: I do read what you say however in another way. If he is being dripped on by his dipper in most cases the chameleons eyes will close...So you will have to clarify.

The colors alone wouldnt concern me but with a possible issue causing sleeping. His colors could be reflecting the issue.

Edit: If a chameleon is spending an long period of time (90% of the day) under his basking. It usually tells me my temps are incorrect, the cage may be getting a breeze or illness (possibly RI).

 

[jannb]

John gave you some excellent advise above. I would get him to a good chameleon vet for a fecal, x-ray, bloodwork and a full check up.

 

[nickb]

Hi, I am concerned that your guy is falling asleep during the day. Is it just one or both eyes? Does he do it in different spot of the cage to or is it only in the basking? What color are his urates? I know you stated everything is fine and you see him drink.

Im going to assume here that your guy is closing both eyes. From your description on care. I would be leaning towards an illness. Whether an infection or over supplementing. Something beyond the typical is going on here. If you take your chameleon in, I would not settle for a visual "OK" from the vet. Id make sure he examines the mouth well, maybe xrays and maybe even blood work.

Note: I do read what you say however in another way. If he is being dripped on by his dipper in most cases the chameleons eyes will close...So you will have to clarify.

The colors alone wouldnt concern me but with a possible issue causing sleeping. His colors could be reflecting the issue.

Edit: If a chameleon is spending an long period of time (90% of the day) under his basking. It usually tells me my temps are incorrect, the cage may be getting a breeze or illness (possibly RI).

He actually hasn't been sleeping during the day, I phrased it wrong I guess. I meant at one point he had fallen asleep in his basking spot when the lights went out, but it only happened once. His activity has just been super low. Today he sat in the same spot he fell asleep until I got up, at least a few hours after him.

I went to feed him and he ran over to the edge of his cage to gobble up some hornworms and readily took crickets. So that's what's weird about his inactivity.

The vet did examine the mouth quite thoroughly and was feeling his abdomen/insides to make sure nothing was going on internally.

I know that doesn't substitute blood work and a fecal though, as soon as i have the money I will be bringing him to get a fecal and possibly blood work. In the mean time I'm really interested to see if this reptaid can help him overcome whatever this is until then?

On a side note, I swapped out his basking bulb and strip with a mercury vapor bulb for the past couple of days to see if there was a change due to the uvb. It seems as though he was basking more regularly than before.

Could low uvb level screw with his ability to know when to bask and what not?

The strip shouldn't be dead, it has only been 5 months, but I know they slowly lose power and it could be faulty. So I'm hoping that is the only issue - a faulty bulb.

But thank you for all the suggestions, like I said I will be bringing him to a different vet than I did last time as soon as I have the funds. I was referred to Dr. Dutton in Weare, NH who supposedly is very knowledgable with chameleons.

Again, thoughts on reptaid? is it better than nothing? Does the UVB bulb sounds suspect?

I plan on replacing the bulbs as my first expense with helping Coop out, does this sound best? Followed by the visit to a vet? I know bloodwork and a fecal will be well over $100 and a bulb is only about $30


Thanks again

 

[ataraxia]

Then your concern is, he is basking a lot?

Studies have shown chameleons know when they need vit d naturally. In the wild vit d comes primarily from the sun. If the chameleon is sensing it needs vit d the want to bask will be there as they are genetically driven to do.

It could very well mean your uvb bulb output is not optimal.

Reptaid would be for what at this point? You will find mixed opinions here so it would be something you would have to decide for yourself.

 

[nickb]

Then your concern is, he is basking a lot?

Studies have shown chameleons know when they need vit d naturally. In the wild vit d comes primarily from the sun. If the chameleon is sensing it needs vit d the want to bask will be there as they are genetically driven to do.

It could very well mean your uvb bulb output is not optimal.

Reptaid would be for what at this point? You will find mixed opinions here so it would be something you would have to decide for yourself.

Reptaid is a "just in case" at this point until I have money for a vet visit/fecal, like if the new uvb bulb does nothing,

Possibly it could help fight off whatever is ailing him? But it's just a guessing game at that point with no more vet input - which makes me hesitant to administer it.

And to clarify, I'm concerned with his inactivity. Sometimes when he does bask, he will sit there for hours and hours. Not 90% of the day, but a good amount and will seem very sunken, not widening his body to absorb heat.

Other times he will barely move from the branch he slept on, or just be laying around looking lazy all day.

Can winter have much a role in situations like this? possibly in combination with a crappy UVB bulb?


Sorry if this is scattered info

 

[Dez]

Shorter days and cooler weather can have an effect on a chameleons activity level.. I have noticed anyway. Has the temp in your house dropped lately to maybe a little cooler than it was?

Anyway the best bet is , when in doubt get a vet check. At the very least get a fecal done. You may be able just to bring a sample in for the vet to look at and not have to bring coop in...if your worried about $$$. Parasites can be picked up very easily and can cause a cham not to feel tip top. It is better to be safe than sorry

I have mixed feelings on reptiaid ... it has never done me any good

 

[ataraxia]

Honestly, after re reading your filled out form and now knowing he is not sleeping. If his is appetite is good and he is drinking, i wouldnt be worried to much.

Maybe try putting on a free range to stimulate him.

 

[laurie]

The only thing I noticed was you said you had been using calicum plus as his only supplement. That is calicum plus what? If the plus is d3 he may have an over supplement problem.

 

[nickb]

The only thing I noticed was you said you had been using calicum plus as his only supplement. That is calicum plus what? If the plus is d3 he may have an over supplement problem.

Yeah, it has d3. I'm adjusting his supplements currently, ordering some plain calcium and a multivitamin. Thanks for input