Have you ever experienced???

KandAgirl

New Member
Hello Everyone!

This is my first post to Chameleon Forums. I have read many informative posts from here and thought what a wonderful place to find help and just connect with other chameleon lovers! :D

I have been searching all over the web in regarding Chameleons who sleep while holding them. My little Conan recently had the tip of his tail amputated due to his shedding skin that caused tail rot. Fortunately, we caught it in time for him to keep all of his tail minus a few centimeters. Since then, the vet had told us to keep an eye on his tail and to soak it for 20mins every time his tail begins to shed. It seems that every time I do this, he becomes so relaxed he starts to sleep. I myself know how chameleons can act (especially when being touched or looked at wrong) so I thought to come here and ask if anyone else has experienced this with their own little guy or girl?

Thank you,
KandAgirl!
 
Was he put on antibiotics when the tail was amputated?

He could be sleeping because he's cooler out of the cage than in it.
 
Yes the vet amputated the tip of his tail and decided to put him on antibiotics during his healing process. He had 10 shots every 3 days with ointment. The vet wanted to do this just in case an infection might spread throughout his body from the tail rot. It's been a few months since then and he's been doing great. We keep him in our bedroom with the heater and humidifier going during the winter months so the ambient temp is 75-80 degrees. Although, since he only does this when I soak him, the water on his skin could be causing his body temp to drop below? I'm not sure. So I take it, it is uncommon for Cham's to do this?
 
Chameleon INFO:
-Veiled Chameleon
-Handles very rarely, only during shed (due to the recent amputation of tail)
-Feed mainly gut loaded crickets (homemade gut load using apple, collard greens, water cress, a pinch of shredded carrot and oats), Large, 15-20 every 2 days. With occasional mealworms.
-Dust crickets with Rep-cal w/o D3 twice a week, Rep-cal W/D3 once a month and Rep- cal Vitamin's once a month.
-Use drip system and mist 2-3 times a day (depending how dry our climate is that day). Yes, have seen him drink from misting and dripper.
-Urate is white, fecal is well. Normal. Have been checked by vet for parasites.

NOTE on History: I purchased my cham 3 years ago from pet-supplies-plus, they do not take care of their chams as well as they need to be cared for. He was already a juvie when I purchased him and they never dusted or gut-loaded their crickets.

CAGE INFO:
-Screen Cage, 48"x30"x30"
-Use Reptisun 10.0 Tube with a 75 watt basking light. 13 hours on 11 hours off.
-Daytime Temp radiant of 75-80 on cool and 90-95 on hot side (basking). Night Temps drop entire cage to 70-75. Measured by 2 thermometer's. One being a probe place on basking area, and normal thermometer set on cool side.
-Humidity of entire room is 50%, with increase to 60-70% after misting. Hygrometer placed in center of cage. Use humidifier to maintain humidity for entire room. (I have other reptiles that need the moisture).
-Using 2 live plants, a ficus tree located on bottom of cage and pothos vine hanging from top. (also use fake plants).
-Habitat is located in bedroom. No other pets are allowed. very low traffic. Placed in corner of room standing on a 2 foot table away from the floor. Room is about 8 feet high top of cage stands about 2 feet from ceiling.
-Located in NW Ohio.

Hope this helps
 
He sheds a part of his body every 3-4weeks sometimes longer. When I first poor the water it is warmer than room temp because the temp of the water drops fairly fast. So I have to keep refreshing the water so it does not get to cool. I try to keep it luke warm throughout the entire soaking.
 
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