Falling Chameleons

[Kitdragon2000]

Oh the boys knee!!!

THANK YOU!! IT has looked weird for Awhile!! Glad im not the only one that see's it!!! But it doesnt seem to be getting worse?

 

[kinyonga]

As long as the chameleon can move in and out of the UVB when it wants to it shouldn't be able to get too much UVB.

 

[Kitdragon2000]

Yeah there is TONS of foliage so they could get under it in the shade!

 

[kinyonga]

That goes for the UVB outside too.

Can they see each other through the cage wall?

 

[Kitdragon2000]

maybe through the tiny peep holes, its a pegboard.
outside there is foliage as well to hide under.

 

[kinyonga]

Peg board is fine.

 

[Kitdragon2000]

Okay Finally got the pictures up of the girl!!!

https://imageshack.com/i/kn8uCPd0p

She also seems to have a bump on her left hip, could the MBD be causing that as well? :/

 

[ZiggyStardust]

My herp vet tonight told me that one of the symptoms of MBD is lack of grip.

 

[Kitdragon2000]

Yeah I was reading that too.
At least it's treatable!!

 

[Lovereps]

Do you dust with calcium WITH D3 every day?

If yes, you've got to stop, as they are getting far too much D3---and it does cause serious health problems in chams. (Search for hypervitaminosis D in chams and you will see what I mean.)

Switch to calcium without D3 for daily use
Calcium with D3 2x a month (give a month rest from D3 for now, if they've been overdosed with D3)
Multivitamin 2x a month

You can read an excellent article about MBD written by a chamkeeping vet here https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-metabolic-bone-disease-mbd-looks-like-how-happens-how-fix-95071/

 

[kinyonga]

I don't see any obvious signs of MBD but her left knee is a little strange in some of the photos.

 

[Kitdragon2000]

Hey Love,

No its without D3, i made sure of that one!!

..... How long does it take for the hypervitaminosis D to start? he may have mixed them up, thinking about it i saw it out when it was Not supposed to be....


@kinyo ... Seriously. What is with my cham's knees???? Seriously??? What am i doing wrong??

Did both of you see the bump on the Females hip? that just came up last night.

 

[kinyonga]

The only bump I see on the hip is normal.

 

[Kitdragon2000]

Okay i may be overreaching than. They are my first ones, and i just... get anxious lol.
Plus im a vet tech so i have experience w/ dogs, cats, and rodents... reptiles not so much and i keep comparing the two... >.<

Thank you for taking the time to help me with them! they are slowly getting better, much more strength today!

 

[kinyonga]

Hope they continue to improve but if they start to backslide please post right away...they can go downhill fast since they try to hide their illnesses.

 

[Kitdragon2000]

I will keep you informed either way Thank you!!

I am home for the next 3 weeks, and my parents will be watching them after that.

I also ordered some Phoenix worms for them hoping it will be easier for family to feed them. (Is that alright?)

I also have set up a feeding bowl, since their cage is so big. want to make sure they can eat.

 

[Lovereps]

It may vary from cham to cham.

The safest thing is, if you can get your chams some daily outdoor time, to not use any D3 for the next month and increase mistings to help flush out any excess.

It may also have just been dehydration and mild starvation that caused the weakness.

Hard to say without knowing exactly what the lousy sitter did or didn't do.

Phoenixworms are excellent but they should have other feeders, too.
The ideal diet consists of a variety of well-fed feeders.
Food like this for the feeders makes them nutrient-packed, which helps your chams overall healthhttps://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/835-simple-gutload-bug-food.html

Repashy Bug Burger and Cricket Crack are 2 commercially available gutloads that have more nutrition than most others do.

 

[Devokid]

Feeding your bugs the correct gut load is really very simple. Shouldn't be much harder than feeding them the orange cubes. I don't remember if it has been said before, but I would be using the linear tube style bulb for UVB.
If you must add heat at night, please use a ceramic heat emitting bulb. That will keep it nice and dark. Reds and black bulbs still put off too much light.

 

[Kitdragon2000]

We have grocery shopping today, So I plan to get some calcium rich things for the crickets as well. I know it was said i could blend than freeze everything, but is there something like gel wise that i can put in there so when any liquid melts it doesnt make a horrible mess?

The chammies are outside right now soaking up the sun, (They are in shade at the moment though.) with their dripper, and misting at least every hour!

Here's the girl outside, took this a few minuets ago

https://imageshack.com/i/kqRtvGKEj & https://imageshack.com/i/eyZiYlXNj

Today the female is doing AMAZING!!! Last night was a hard night for the male though. i check on them right before i turn the lights off, and i couldn't find him, finally found him on the ground just laying there So i got him out, carefully w/ luke warm water washed him off, (He had some soil on him.) warmed him up than put him in the small reptibreeze cage with the large fern, and a branch or two, and a thick towel on the bottom.

this morning he seems a bit better. actually holding onto the sides of the screen!! still not very active, but he's enjoying the sun right now as well. so im hoping *fingers crossed* So yeah!! Good news!!

With feeders, I was thinking sort of variety, i give them mealworms as a treat, (I actually have them for my rats.. they LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!! and i can get crickets all the time. so was thinking crickets all the time, phoenix worms, superworms, wax worms, possible hornworm?

 

[Lovereps]

Oh man, I hope the male is OK.
The feeders you've listed are all good and you can add silkworms to that, too.
The forum's food and nutrition page has more ideas, too https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/

I've never done that, so I don't know if it is as messy as you might imagine.
The Bug Burger is moist, since it's a dry powder to which you add boiling water (probably has gelatin as a congealing agent) and Cricket Crack is a dry mix.