Help: hurt leg?

[darryl99]

My chams have been on it for months. ANd they are doing better than ever.

THere are different versions of it.

Many members on here use it on every feed.

I did research the forums before I decided to use it at all. While many people appear to be using it everyday with success some of the more experienced keepers advise against using it more than once a week.

There does appear to be different versions, I had seen a label on this forum that specifically states "Calcium Plus for Chameleons" but I don't see it on Repashy's website. I would love to be able to compare both labels to see what differences there are, if any. If in fact they do have a separate formula for chameleons then it may not be a good idea to dust everyday with the "regular" Calcium Plus.

Camimom do you have the Chameleon formula? If so can you post a pic of the ingredients?

Calcium Plus is also endorsed by Kammerflage Kreations as the only supplement they use at their breeding facility and they also state they use it everyday.

 

[camimom]

I did research the forums before I decided to use it at all. While many people appear to be using it everyday with success some of the more experienced keepers advise against using it more than once a week.

There does appear to be different versions, I had seen a label on this forum that specifically states "Calcium Plus for Chameleons" but I don't see it on Repashy's website. I would love to be able to compare both labels to see what differences there are, if any. If in fact they do have a separate formula for chameleons then it may not be a good idea to dust everyday with the "regular" Calcium Plus.

Camimom do you have the Chameleon formula? If so can you post a pic of the ingredients?

Calcium Plus is also endorsed by Kammerflage Kreations as the only supplement they use at their breeding facility and they also state they use it everyday.

the reason many of the older members dont use it is simply because they either dont want to, like what they have, or feel its too new.

However, I use it on every feed, which is every other day for my two veileds and my panther. and I use it once a week for my two hoehnellis.

While I am aware its anew productm and not as 'trusted' as the repcal products, I have had great sucess with it.

My male veiled had a tongue aiming problem, and after 2 months of using it, hes gotten better. and Bigger. grown more than he had before.

I dont know of a chameleon specific product from repashy, but the one I use my chams enjoy.

before the chams would avoid food until they had to eat, but with the repashy they gobble the food down like ive starved them.

 

[vangarret2000]

Went to the vet. They didn't really seem to know much about chameleons. Said leg doesn't look broken. He was using it while there but still favoring it a little. I mentioned some people thought it could be a burn he didn't really think so. I also told them some people thought it could be a problem with what he was eatting. I told him how I was guttloading the crickets before with dog food. They told me I shouldn't be feeding the chameleon dog food. I got the impression they didn't really know what guttloading was. I then explained to them I am now guttloading with leafy greens. They old not to gutload with dog food but to feed what the previous owner was. They told me if it was improper diet causing it then to give him a proper diet. I then told him I have to proper food now but he isnt eatting. They never gave me any help on how to get him to eat. Just kept saying to feed him what he should. I really got the impression they didn't actually know anything about chameleons. I kept telling him there seems to be something wrong with his leg but it's not as bad as it was, and what also worries me is he seems lethargic and won't eat. He didn't really
Know what could be wrong with the leg and basically wouldn't respond when I would talk about him not eatting. I told him advice people have me on he and he said to try that.

He did give me a pain killer to give to him. Meloxicam 0.1ml orally for the next 3 days. Hopefully this will help him and if he is off the pain he will start eattin again. I put crickets in his tank or him to hopefully hunt. And also a dish of crickets and a dish of superworms. All dusted with repashy calcium plus. Hopefully he feels better and starts to eat.

I left really feeling he didn't know anything about chameleons. They way he acted when he first saw him it was like that might have been the first one he has ever seen.

While I was there the Cham crapped so I asked them to do a fecal exam. I was told they would call me with the results.

 

[camimom]

I really think changing your gutload wil lhelp alot.

dust properly, and if possible, take him outside for real sun.

 

[darryl99]

Here is what I found, maybe an older product.

 

[camimom]

Here is what I found, maybe an older product.

that does look like an older product.

the one I use has a crested gecko on it, but its for chams too.

 

[vangarret2000]

I really think changing your gutload wil lhelp alot.

dust properly, and if possible, take him outside for real sun.

Would love to do that but been nothing but cloud and rain the last few days and it ain't supposed to stop any time soon. It's an extreme downpour that's been going on for like the last hour too. Once the weather is nice I will do that though. I also take my tortoise out in the sun.

 

[camimom]

Would love to do that but been nothing but cloud and rain the last few days and it ain't supposed to stop any time soon. It's an extreme downpour that's been going on for like the last hour too. Once the weather is nice I will do that though. I also take my tortoise out in the sun.

Ok, well whenever you can, do so, it def wont hurt him.

Improve the gutload, and in a few weeks, I wouldnt be surprised if you see a difference.

 

[vangarret2000]

that does look like an older product.

the one I use has a crested gecko on it, but its for chams too.

It could just be the normal calcium plus and they just put chameleon on it to help sell to Cham owners. They used to have a veggie dust that was labeled uromastyx dust to help sell to uro owners but it was literally their normal veggie dust.

 

[vangarret2000]

Anyone have any tips on how I get a chameleon to eat that isn't eatting?

Also how long does a chameleon need to be off food before you really need to worry?

 

[HolyToledo]

After looking at these pics, I'm wondering if he is having problems with his nails on that foot. I can't see a nail on the one toe in any of the pics and one of the nails looks like it still has a bit of shed attached. Does he have all the nails and, if so, are they the same size and shape as the nails on his other front foot? Also, what does the inside/underside of his foot look like?

 

[Lolcakes]

I'd take him to the vet to get that foot checked out

 

[camimom]

I'd take him to the vet to get that foot checked out

they did already. vet was dumb.

 

[Elizadolots]

Anyone have any tips on how I get a chameleon to eat that isn't eatting?

Also how long does a chameleon need to be off food before you really need to worry?

They can go really amazing lengths of time without eating. I know that's not a particularly helpful piece of information, but until it's been more than a week, you are well within the scope of normal and even if it gets to two weeks, he's not really in danger.

You might try different foods for him. If you can get a hold of some worms and put them in a cup in the cage, he might enjoy those. Hornworms, silkworms, Phoenix (aka Repti or Calci worms) or super worms are probably the best choices. Wax and butter worms are often available at big box pet supply stores.

Keep hydrating him well. It seems like he's getting better.

 

[camimom]

After looking at these pics, I'm wondering if he is having problems with his nails on that foot. I can't see a nail on the one toe in any of the pics and one of the nails looks like it still has a bit of shed attached. Does he have all the nails and, if so, are they the same size and shape as the nails on his other front foot? Also, what does the inside/underside of his foot look like?

I dont think a missing toenial would cause him to not use the leg.

My panther has a missing toenial on two feetm and hes done just fine.

I also found the nails missing while he still had some caked blood on the toe.

 

[HolyToledo]

Just wondering about the toenails as possible cause? I, too, have had a cham that lost nails with shed when she was young but caused no lasting problems.

On the other hand, I have heard about the chams that get infected where they have recently lost nails. Just wondering also what the inside of the foot looks like because it seems to me that the outside part of the mitten looks swollen as well as the ankle and forearm part of the leg (although they don't look as swollen as in the first pics which is a good thing). And it just happens to be that same part of the mitten that looks like the one toe is missing the nail?

 

[vangarret2000]

When I took those pics I was trying to get a pic of the inside of his foot but couldn't get clear shots. I didn't want to really force it because I didn't want to hurt him. Shiould I force it to try and get a pic? Just me looking at it wont really do anything becuase I don't really know what to look for to know if something would be abnormal.

 

[HolyToledo]

I was just wondering if there were any obvious sores or cuts and what color the inside is. The only thing I could think of for taking a pic would be to see if he would stand on the camera or something clear right above it? No, I wouldn't force it just to get a picture but I might be wrong...?

Do the nails on that foot all look there or normal?

 

[vangarret2000]

I am not sure what normal nails on them look like. When I had him out the first time it did seem to me like he might have been missing nails but I wasn't really lookin for that so I can't say for 100%. Would you want me to look tonight when I get home from work. I would like to just let him be until I take him out tomorrow to give him his pain med. he had a rough day today at the vet so I want to let him be if I could.

 

[HolyToledo]

Yeah, don't stress him out and make him even worse. Just give his foot a good looking over when you have him out. If you have a magnifying glass, you could see even better. Just look over the other front foot first and see what it looks like. Then check out his sore foot and see if anything looks different. It may not even be his foot, though. So look over his wrist/ankle? and the rest of that leg for weird spots.

It might not even be on the surface. He may have sprained or even broken something. Unless you get x-rays, you can't rule out breaks. I took mine in to be checked for MBD cuz he just wasn't acting right and favored his leg a little. Didn't do x-rays because he'd just had some 2 mos before and all the bones looked good. Well, after thorough exam, vet decided sprain or something and gave pain meds too. Found out days later that he DID have a broken leg but was hiding it very well at first. So, just be careful when you handle him.

Oh, and mine absolutely hated being on the pain meds (same stuff as you got for yours) and he acted freaked out on the stuff. So, the vet cut the doses in half and had me give them to him every two or three days instead of daily. And, Twister wouldn't hardly eat and acted like he was dying of thirst but had some trouble drinking water cuz he would guzzle it too fast and then gasp for breath and breathe in some of the water. Just thought I'd let you know but I sure hope you don't have any problems like we did.