Dying Chameleon

[Chadtastic]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male Veiled Chameleon, around 4-5 months old, I had him since the end of November from Pet Co, he was about 1-2 months old then
• Handling - I tried to handle every couple of weeks, most of the time he wouldn't want to be handled and just tried to bite me so i left him alone most of the time.
• Feeding - I mostly fed him crickets and also superworms. I would try to feed 8-10 crickets daily and 1-3 superworms every other day or so, I used orange cubes for cricket food, water, and vitamins
• Supplements - Rep-Cal calcium with vid. D3, i would dust crickets every 2-3 days
• Watering - I have an automatic mister that goes off every 1-2 hours for about 8-15 secs each, I adjust to keep up the humidity up, I did see him drink, just not recently
• Fecal Description - Lately they have yellowish orange, but he hasn't gone is a couple days
• History - He seemed very skiddish and afraid of people when i first got him, i tried getting him used to people and me by placing his cage on my desk near a window. i also have been leaving the cage door open while im there so he can get used to my presence. He would get out and explore from time to time and got really mad and try to run away when i tried to get him after awhile and put him back in his cage. He did fall awhile back from climbing on my curtain, but he caught himself near the bottom of my desk by one of the hanging wires, it was about 4 ft drop. after that I kept the cage closed for awhile and he would climb all over the cage (even on the ground) trying to escape. the past 3 days he hasn't been eating and little to no drinking. He became very weak and could barley hold himself up. His eyes were sunken too. I found him this morning on the ground and completely black on his side.

Cage Info:

when i first got him i had him in a glass cage for a week and switched to the screen cage. I also had him in my closet with the door always open and air room for about 2 months then i moved the cage to my desk.

• Cage Type - Screen cage Zilla 18x12x20
• Lighting - Zilla 18in 15 watt UVB t8 florescent bulb, and a 75w heating bulb
• Temperature - Basking around 90 and the floor would be upper 60s lower 70s
• Humidity - it would stay from 50-70 usually all day from my mister, occasionally going from 40-80 depending if i need to adjust mister, i also had a hand mister i used as well
• Plants - no live plants all fake plants, vines, but real branches
• Placement - I placed on my desk close to my window, and it is not directly under a vent or by a fan, almost near the corner of the room
• Location - in North Texas

Current Problem - I was sick the past weekend and I don't know if he could of caught my cold or if it was something else. I have pictures of the cage first in the closed, and then when i moved it to my desk. I was also planning on getting a bigger cage for him next month, I couldn't get one right now because of financial issues and having to fix my car. I just want to get opinion about what you think could of caused him to pass. I am not planning on getting a chameleon again anytime soon, but if there is anything that I could of done please let me know.

thank you,

Chad

 

[KRuehle]

The only problem I can see is with your supplementation. A few questions, only every 2-3 days? Crickets need to be dusted every time they are fed. Something else, I noticed you have calcium with D3. Dusting needs to be done EVERY feeding with calcium WITHOUT D3. Calcium with D3 should only be done once every 2 weeks, along with a multivitamin vusting every two weeks. Maybe some other people will be able to find other issues.

 

[Carlton]

Unfortunately he probably had malnutrition problems and vitamin imbalances. The "orange cubes" you were using for gutloading are not very nutritious, and you were also overdosing vitamin D3. The correct supplement dusting schedule should be:

Plain calcium (NO added vit D3) lightly every meal.
Calcium with added vitamin D3 once every 2 weeks.
Herp multivitamin dust once every 2 weeks.

There are much better insect gutloads available, but they are not usually offered by the typical pet shop.

 

[Andee]

I would like to add in he probably needs longer mistings too. It sounds like he was a bit dehydrated, and 15 seconds is not a very long misting. His basking temps sound a bit too high for a young veiled too. I usually keep my juvenile veileds at 85 degrees. Before you get another chameleon I would also add a lot more greenery and pathways.

 

[brownie64]

One more thing I noticed is that sand you have for substreight? If it's that calcium stuff it will bind you cham right up. A long time ago I made the mistake of using this stuff with a Uromastyx, and he past from impaction before I could get it cleared up. Very bad stuff don't know why they even sell it. You really don't need a substreight unless you have very high humidity requirements. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Chadtastic]

One more thing I noticed is that sand you have for substreight? If it's that calcium stuff it will bind you cham right up. A long time ago I made the mistake of using this stuff with a Uromastyx, and he past from impaction before I could get it cleared up. Very bad stuff don't know why they even sell it. You really don't need a substreight unless you have very high humidity requirements. Just something to keep in mind.

No i used paper towels i changed regularly at the bottom

 

[brownie64]

Okay now that you mentioned it I can see it. Sorry I'm getting too old!