falling off his perch

[laurie]

Help! I live in Montana, many miles from a reptile vet and my male ambanja has almost quit eating and had fallen off his perch. The nearest reptile vet is in Canada about 160 miles and the US won't let me take him out of the US and bring him back. I can take him just not bring him back!! Any ideas on what I can try? My two local vets refused to even run a fecal sample for me.

Okay to give more information, I have had this boy for about 14 months, he is 18 months old, his cage in 2ft by 2ft by 36 high, he has both a pothos plant and a hibiscus plant. I have Zoo Med 8.0 UVB lighting and a 60 watt basking. Auto misters three times a day for 1 minute each time. He is in a room for my chameleons, he can't see any other chams, the room goes down to 68 at night and up to about 87 in the day. Current lighting schedule is auto on at 7:30 AM off at 5:30 PM. I handle him a couple of times a week when he gets his turn in the large ficus tree in the room. Oh yes the cages are on shelves about 3 ft off the floor. My other three male panthers are fine and so athe the other chameleons.

 

[dodolah]

Help! I live in Montana, many miles from a reptile vet and my male ambanja has almost quit eating and had fallen off his perch. The nearest reptile vet is in Canada about 160 miles and the US won't let me take him out of the US and bring him back. I can take him just not bring him back!! Any ideas on what I can try? My two local vets refused to even run a fecal sample for me.

can you take a picture of your enclosure and your chameleon?
post them here.
Also, it best to fill this form:
Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information, you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
* Location - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
* Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

 

[nateboston78]

A quick search comes up with a herp vet in Montana. Look into it.

Karyn Cook
Shari Skifstafd
All West Veterinary Hospital
81770 Gallatin Road
Bozeman, MT 59718
Tel: (406) 586-4919

Comments: Only herp vet in the bozeman area and we have been pleased with their survice. Ball pythons, Red tail boa, 10 of our 14 herps. Fecal exams to sexing, physical exams, oral exams, treatment of internal parastes of one ball python. (05/08/06)

 

[nateboston78]

Additionally (these are herp vets - or recommended by herp owners) not specialists with chams by any means, but better than your run of the mill dog/cat vets.

Jevon Clark
Animal Hospital
2330 Amherst
Butte
(406) 494-4044

E. Jordan
Moore Lane Vet Hospital
50 Moore Lane
Billings 59101
406-252-4159

Mark T. Kleitz
Eastgate Veterinary Clinic
1001 East Broadway
Missoula
(406) 728-0095

Joseph W. Thompson
Southgate Animal Hospital
2500 Garfield Street
Missoula
(406) 542-3785

Shoni L. Card
Pruyn Veterinary Hospital
2501 Russell
Missoula
(406) 251-4150

 

[laurie]

thanks

My problem is I have only lived in Montana 11 months and I don't drive well or at all by choice on snow & ice. All of the vets you listed are at least five hours from Havre. The roads here are ice covered with snow today and it is 14 degrees. I guess I am a coward.

 

[nateboston78]

I'm sure people can chime in and help but ultimately you need to build a relationship with a vet in your state because you have to at one point or another see one.

Are you able to post pictures taken today or recently? How long has this "fasting" been going on? Could you describe "falling off his perch"? Is this a one time drop? is he constantly unable to grasp branches and keeps falling off? How is his grip? Strong? Weak? and other signs of distress? (coloration, feeding habit, eyes, weight, movement, activity level).

Answer questions by "dodolah" and see if anyone can help you further.

 

[kinyonga]

Is your chameleon pooping? Do you have a substrate in the cage?

Does he show any signs of MBD?

Please be specific...
What do you feed/gutload the insects with?
What do you supplement them with and how often for each supplement?

 

[laurie]

He is pooping just not every day as usual. I don't have any substrate in my cages. I don't see any signs of MBD, but all I know to look for would be basics like bowed legs.

My crickets get potatoes chopped fine, and veggies chopped fine. They are also maintained on non-medicated chich starter for a substrate.

I also raise roaches maintained the same as the crickets I get from Ghann.

I use Rep-Cal Calcium with vit D3 twice weekly, herpivite, and sticky tounge minerall once weekly

 

[jannb]

He is pooping just not every day as usual. I don't have any substrate in my cages. I don't see any signs of MBD, but all I know to look for would be basics like bowed legs.

My crickets get potatoes chopped fine, and veggies chopped fine. They are also maintained on non-medicated chich starter for a substrate.

I also raise roaches maintained the same as the crickets I get from Ghann.

I use Rep-Cal Calcium with vit D3 twice weekly, herpivite, and sticky tounge minerall once weekly

You are using D3 to often. I only use D3 one a month. You should be using plain calcium about every other time that you feed. Can you post a picture? Jann

 

[laurie]

Well I got fresh battery's and have the pictures on my computer. My next problem is how do I include the pictures in my email? Can you tell I am NOT a computer geek? Thanks

 

[laurie]

I have a picture I just took but how do I post it? I have downloaded it to my computer, what next???

 

[Cainschams]

Go to photobucket.com and download it there. After it comes up copy the bottom link on the picture and paste it on one of your posts. Thats how I do it.

 

[RachelRiot]

Laurie,

Go to Photobucket.com and create an account and upload the photo there. Then copy the URL and click on the little icon that looks like a mountain with a sun over it and paste the URL in there.

 

[laurie]

Finally a picture! My Computer Geek Husband is Home!

Here is a picture of the enclosure and two pictures of Ben. Sorry it took a while but I had to wait till my computer geek husband got home.

Some progress, Ben ate three superworm today on his own.

Laurie

 

[jannb]

How's he doing? Keep us updated.

 

[BocaJan]

I would definately add more greens. Fake leafy vines are good or another tall plant. He doesn't have any place to hide or sleep. Most chams like a little hidy hole to call their home. All mine have it. It is protected by leaves and has a nice stick to sit on. It could be stressful for him to be sitting out in the open like that. The ladder really doesn't add anything for the chameleon btw.

 

[laurie]

thanks

Hey any ideas what type of plant I should add. I have ladders in a couple of my cages so they have a way from the floor back up the the pots where the plants are. Can they climb the side of a flower pot? Also I am taking a fecal sample to the vet tomorrow at 8 AM. He will do the float but doesn't evern know what a panther looks like. I least I will know if he has problems with parasites and my book "Chameleons: their Care and Breeding" by Linda Davidson tells you which med for which bug and how much to use based on weight. Now if the vet will just wite am RX for what I need. He DOESNOT want to see my animal.

 

[BocaJan]

Plant stickie:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/live-plant-database-2632/