Help? Are chameleon is dying.

[Warshawski]

or (veiled Yemen chameleon F) Our chameleon has been not eating at all, she wasn’t moving but she has started a little. We have gotten her to eat a few leaves, but that’s about it. she also has these spots that used to be black but are now more white. Her eyes also seem very shrunken, and she sometimes seems like she is sleeping, when she should not be. we don’t know what to do and could use some help.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. If you could provide more information by filling this out, someone may be better able to help you determine what may be going on with your girl.


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.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types 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?
• Placement - 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Warshawski]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Yemen veiled chameleon, female, been in our care for a little under 6 months, (problems started about last week) and is around 1-2 years old. has laid eggs
• Handling - Is not held often, does not like being touched, and only has let us pick her up recently, about 3 weeks ago.
• Feeding - We are feeding her around 15 crickets every 2-3 days. they are dusted with calcium and some vitamin I can't remember, she gets the occasional leafy green. she has been eating this way her whole life and it hasn't changed, until now. When she stopped eating entirely
• Watering - we have a sprayer that sprays water into a spot in her cage every 1 hour, for about 20 seconds. recently we have not seen her drink, or eat.
• Fecal Description - she has no dropping, as she has nothing to drop for lack of a better word. We are not sure if she has been tested for parasites, and we cant test her because we are on full shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic.

the biggest problem is we don't know how to get her to eat.
Cage Info: cant be the problem nothing has changed since the start of the symptoms.

• Cage Type - screened in on all sides then a sandpit surrounded by non-see through the plastic.
• Lighting - 1 blue light, 1 heat light, 1 other light I don't know. 7-7
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - the cage is in a common area, although she can't see anyone unless they are right up next to her. because of a barricade.

 

[MissSkittles]

Some of the most important info, your answers are too vague. I can give you feedback (in red) but can’t really figure out the problem without more info.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Yemen veiled chameleon, female, been in our care for a little under 6 months, (problems started about last week) and is around 1-2 years old. has laid eggs Does she have a lay bin? Is best to keep one in her enclosure permanently
• Handling - Is not held often, does not like being touched, and only has let us pick her up recently, about 3 weeks ago.
• Feeding - We are feeding her around 15 crickets every 2-3 days. they are dusted with calcium and some vitamin I can't remember, she gets the occasional leafy green. she has been eating this way her whole life and it hasn't changed, until now. When she stopped eating entirely You are over-feeding. She should be getting 3-4 crickets or equivalent feeders every other day. What kind of leafy green is she getting? Some can bind calcium. What are you gut-loading your feeders with? She should be getting calcium without vitamin D dusted on every feeding. Then one feeding every other week a feeding dusted with calcium with bit D. One feeding every other week, dust with a multivitamin.
• Watering - we have a sprayer that sprays water into a spot in her cage every 1 hour, for about 20 seconds. recently we have not seen her drink, or eat. You don’t need to water so frequently. Ideally mist for about 2 minutes in the morning and in the evening.
• Fecal Description - she has no dropping, as she has nothing to drop for lack of a better word. We are not sure if she has been tested for parasites, and we cant test her because we are on full shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s always best to have a fecal done to test for parasites.

the biggest problem is we don't know how to get her to eat.
Cage Info: cant be the problem nothing has changed since the start of the symptoms. Problems can build up over time.

• Cage Type - screened in on all sides then a sandpit surrounded by non-see through the plastic. Why a sand pit? Is it inside or outside the enclosure? How big is the enclosure?
• Lighting - 1 blue light, 1 heat light, 1 other light I don't know. 7-7 Get rid of the blue light. It serves no purpose and colored lights can be bad for cham eyes. What about uvb? She should have a linear(long) uvb light, preferably a T5 ho with a 5% uvb bulb. This is essential!
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Live plants are best. Veileds eat their plants and can eat an artificial leaf and become impacted, which can be life threatening. Pothos is my favorite plant to use.
• Placement - the cage is in a common area, although she can't see anyone unless they are right up next to her. because of a barricade.

What are your temperatures? What are your humidity levels? It’s very important to know these and keep them in proper ranges. When did she lay her eggs last? Can you post more pics of her from different angles as well as a full pic of her enclosure?

 

[Warshawski]

Sorry, not blue it is uvb

 

[Warshawski]

Really I just need to know how to get her to eat

 

[Ares05]

All of the problems with your husbandry can and will be a contributing factor to her lack of eating. If you came here expecting a magic fix, unfortunately that is not how it works. Chameleons are animals with special needs, and if they are not met, your chameleon can get sick.

Please answer the questions you left out.. they are important.

 

[Beman]

@Warshawski it is very important that you answer the questions that @MissSkittles asked you. She needs the details to know more and figure out why your chameleon has stopped eating...

We can not help you unless you provide the details. Many things can account for a chameleon not eating. We have to weed through the info to try to figure out the source of the issue.

 

[MissSkittles]

Really I just need to know how to get her to eat

I understand that. However, the reason she may not be eating can be and most likely is due to a problem caused by husbandry. For example, if she has insufficient calcium, D3 and uvb she could have metabolic bone disorder which can affect her ability to eat.

 

[Warshawski]

could a moved location be the answer? We recently had to move the location of her cage and that was very stressful for her? could that be causing it. Later I will try to find the answers to more of your questions.

 

[Beman]

Why would you post a thread Saying "help. Our Chameleon is dying" if your not wanting to actually find out what is going on? This is extremely frustrating for those that try to help you.

She is dehydrated and looks unwell. They can decline very quickly, like within hours depending on what is actually wrong.

I personally am going to take my exit from this thread. Guessing at causes it not something I am ok with. Especially when most of your husbandry is incorrect.

This is not a situation of the cage being moved causing her body to shut down.

Good luck with your girl.

 

[kinyonga]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Yemen veiled chameleon, female, been in our care for a little under 6 months, (problems started about last week) and is around 1-2 years old. has laid eggs
• Handling - Is not held often, does not like being touched, and only has let us pick her up recently, about 3 weeks ago.
• Feeding - We are feeding her around 15 crickets every 2-3 days. they are dusted with calcium and some vitamin I can't remember, she gets the occasional leafy green. she has been eating this way her whole life and it hasn't changed, until now. When she stopped eating entirely Do the powders contain phos, D3, prEformed vitamin A. Details please....be specific. Also...you're over feeding her. What do you feed/gutload the insects with specifically?
• Watering - we have a sprayer that sprays water into a spot in her cage every 1 hour, for about 20 seconds. recently we have not seen her drink, or eat. I would advise adding a dripper.
• Fecal Description - she has no dropping, as she has nothing to drop for lack of a better word. We are not sure if she has been tested for parasites, and we cant test her because we are on full shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic.

the biggest problem is we don't know how to get her to eat.
Cage Info: cant be the problem nothing has changed since the start of the symptoms.

• Cage Type - screened in on all sides then a sandpit surrounded by non-see through the plastic.
• Lighting - 1 blue light, 1 heat light, 1 other light I don't know. 7-7 I don't recommend using the blue light...light should be white. A regular household incandescent bulb of a wattage that produces the basking temperature in the low 80's is fine to use. Most often recommended UVB light (which you also need) is the long linear reptisun 5.0 tube light.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? No information? Should be non toxic and well washed both sides of the leaves...no fake ones.
• Placement - the cage is in a common area, although she can't see anyone unless they are right up next to her. because of a barricade.

When did she lay the last eggs? How many did she lay? Did she dig the hole, lay them in it, fill it and return to the branches?

 

[PabloTheCham]

the coloration looks kind of special. I like it!