Could use help and guidance - new veiled owner with new rescue

[wodesorel]

I am very pleased to report that her favorite food item is calciworms! She goes for them first before supers or waxworms.

 

[Andee]

YAY healthy food is awesome 8D

 

[wodesorel]

And I'm probably going to end up naming her Jane. It's sort of sticking. (From the old SNL skit Point Counterpoint, because that's the look she gives me every single morning. So much disdain. )

 

[wodesorel]

She's shedding. They look SO weird. My geckos and snakes shimmy out of a perfect shed. The frog and toad eat theirs. I thought Jane had fungus when I saw her this morning! About had a heart attack. She still ate for me twice today, and for the first time ever wanted to be sprayed. (Whether that is the shed or the wax worms she's been getting right the after the spraying remains to be seen.)

 

[Andee]

Yeah shedding is an ordeal for chameleons XD watch out for grumpy moods and possibly more attitude.

 

[wodesorel]

How long should I expect the molt to take, and at what point do I need to step in with a shower (or whatever) to make it easier on her? She still had some flakes on her from when she molted before I got her that she couldn't or wasn't bothering with getting off. Want to make sure this shed goes as smoothly as possible for her.

 

[Andee]

She will shed in stages most likely since she is full grown. Adults rarely do full body sheds. I would start worrying around 4 or 5 days if one part of the shed doesn't look like it's budging at all.

 

[wodesorel]

Nope, she's got it coming off all parts at once. Do they normally go in stages? That is going to take some getting used to. Everything else I have is pretty much pop/slide and done.

I think most is off today, except part of her back and her tail. I watched her kick some off her side and front leg when I was changing water. There are little bits of skin all over the tank. (Ew. Reminds me of bad sunburns as a kid...)

 

[wodesorel]

 

[Andee]

They normally go in stages but it's not an issue if they do it all at once, it usually just means they are growing a lot and have good humidity.

 

[wodesorel]

Today was the first time I saw her do a perfect spiral tail. Not sure if that means anything special, but it was so neat!

 

[Andee]

Ahhh the little things in life <3

 

[wodesorel]

She seems... a lot more chubby these days. Her casque is looking really thick.

Is this normal thick - like she's at a healthy weight? Or is this be at caution thick - as in it could be a sign of infection?





The joys of starting with a sick animal and getting it to healthy. I have no frame of reference of what "normal" is supposed to look like....
(Which is why my leopard geckos ended up slightly.. okay, very... obese before I realized it.)



Also - new plants! Because the schefflera rotted. The green pot is her laying bin. The palm is in it's own little pot and can easily be pulled out when she starts showing signs.

 

[Andee]

I would start backing off on the feedings now, she seems a good weight and now would start producing eggs if she gets too much food.

 

[wodesorel]

Awesome!!

 

[wodesorel]

Andee - you were spot on with saying they shed in stages. I had assumed that she had started with her stomach which is why I didn't see it, but today just her belly was in full shed! Shocked the heck out of me. They are so WEIRD! I thought I had a handle on reptiles, and then this little lady had to come along and confuse me.

 

[Andee]

Yeah I am hoping my little jackson will shed soon. But shedding is sign of a healthy lizard and I don't think Hope could be considered that quite right. She needs to gain some more weight and more strength before I think she'll shed. She's getting better though. I am so glad your girl is healthy and acting better. Keep up what your doing.

 

[wodesorel]

Oh Andee, I'm so sorry that Hope isn't bouncing back quickly. I'm glad to hear that she's making strides though!

I used to think that about shedding - it was a sign of a healthy animal, but I just took in three MBD leopard geckos who had all been shedding regularly even though they shouldn't have been physically able. (Depending on the outcome of the vet visit and how they do this week I might post about them. No sense in getting anyone upset until I know more.)

Found this while I was sorting pictures tonight - it was the original ad on Facebook that made me get Jane. I have no idea what happened to the Panther that was with her. I hope he sold to someone that is taking good care of him, but at $300 I very much doubt it. At the time I thought he was okay, but having read almost every post made since joining here I realize now that he was severely malnourished, dehydrated and had MBD as well.

 

[wodesorel]

155-ish grams!! *dances* She got herself into a very precarious position this morning trying to climb into the feeding cup because I was late with breakfast. I used the opportunity to get her out and weigh her for the first time since Thanksgiving, when she needed deworming medication. (This is the first time I've handled her since then as well. She did remarkably well. No hissing or posturing at all, just clung for dear life.)

So she's basically doubled in weight since she came home at 80 grams. (I'm just hoping it's not all eggs, because that's the luck we have around here.) She also had no trouble whatsoever climbing on my hand. Her grip is so much stronger now! I think I can safely say she's made a full recovery. It's a real relief.

Here's pics from today of the not-so-little lady.

 

[Andee]

She doesn't look like she has eggs in her, but I'm not saying that's truth XD. Has she been going towards the laying bin at all?