Hi i have a 6 month old Chameleon veiled this morning we noticed him on the floor which isnt unusual but i noticed he is actually lying on the floor i went to pick him up to see if he is moving and he didnt hiss at me or anything which he usually does as he doesnt like me but when i picked him up he wasnt supporting his own weight he was just lying down he would grab me but not stand up so i put him down to see if he will walk but he is very shaky trying to walk and not walking properly.
Help!!! Ill Chameleon? URGENT!
- Thread starter faith
- Start date
BocaJan
New Member
How to ask for help
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
His Cage is 4ft by 4ft with alot of branches of all different heights with fake leaves for him to hide. two sides of it is glass and the other two a blue plastic with a wire mesh on top. He has a T-REX heating lamp and a UV light which sits ontop of the cage. He has his light on from 9 in the morning to 9 at night. In his basking spot the temperature is 28C and at the bottom it 20C His humidity level is moderate 50. his cage is about 6 foot high its in quiet area of the room which is quiet warm in general. He is a veiled chameleon, male 6 months old. We have had him since he was 2 months old. we feed him a variety of food of meal worms occasionally wax worms crickets we give the feeders cucumber to feed on. We mostly feed him by hand so we know what he is getting and there is some food in a tub for him aswell. We spray his tank daily on the walls where he gets his drink and mist it to keep humidity aswell. His Fecies varies in colour from sometimes being dark like black to being yellow/white.
mrvoodoo
New Member
you can look at the bulb itself and it should have a label printed directly on it. Turn the light off - lift up the hood and look at the bulb, you may have to remove it. The repti-sun I recently installed even had an area to mark the installation date and recommended replacement every year (though I think I've read recommendations for every 6 months - which is what I'm intent to do)
Julirs
New Member
The problem could be lack of UVB lighting or proper supplementation or a combo of both. UVB is essential for chameleons and the bulbs need to be changed every 6-9 months. There needs to be no glass or plastic between the bulb itself and the cage (screen is OK). Most people dust with a D3 free/phosphorous free calcium 4-5 times weekly so it sounds as if he is also undersupplemented. Are his legs perfectly straight or do they look crooked? Yellow urates are also a sign of dehydration.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Where do you live? Do you have a vet? This link below maybe able to help you find a vet in your area that knows chameleons. I would get that little guy to the vet ASAP. Jann
http://www.herpvetconnection.com/
http://www.herpvetconnection.com/
BocaJan
New Member
Really pretty fella! Let's get him better and he'll be a chameleon you can be proud. I think he could use a shower. His casque looks a bit sunken. Do you know how to shower your cham? If he isn't clinging to anything very well, I would hold him in my hand and you go in the shower with him. Don't let the water spray on him, but let him enjoy the mist and steam. He can stand whatever you can. Do this for 15-30 minutes. I would then do it once more before his bedtime.
Do you feed your feeders with gut load? vegetables? I agree with Julie and Kat, he looks like he is undernourished and needs more food. Also, chams usually go to sleep earlier then 9:00. Turn off his lights at about 7. He should have a basking light on during the day because this helps him digest his food. I usually turn my basking light off about 5 or 6 oclock so they have time to find their sleeping spot before lights out.
These suggestions aren't instead of a vet visit, but to improve your husbandry. Good luck to you and your cute fella.
Do you feed your feeders with gut load? vegetables? I agree with Julie and Kat, he looks like he is undernourished and needs more food. Also, chams usually go to sleep earlier then 9:00. Turn off his lights at about 7. He should have a basking light on during the day because this helps him digest his food. I usually turn my basking light off about 5 or 6 oclock so they have time to find their sleeping spot before lights out.
These suggestions aren't instead of a vet visit, but to improve your husbandry. Good luck to you and your cute fella.
snookey266
New Member
You mentioned that you are giving the feeders cucumber to feed on. Is that all you are gut loading with? If so, that may be contributing to mal nutrition as some of the other members have mentioned. Cucumber does not have much nutritional value. Dark leafy greens,oranges etc would be much more beneficial along with a pre-made cricket gutload. Hope he is starts improving for you! He is very handsome 
I said that to my mum as he is her chameleon but i do alot of looking after all the pets we have its like a zoo. He looks like he has lost weight and i have noticed his food hasnt gone down like it would usually as i always measure out his food so i can keep an eye on what he eats a day. But my mum says he is eating but has been eating from her so i think he has just been living off what my mum has given him and not going down to get his food. I do turn his light off but i can come in at 1 2 in the morning and he will be walking around even though the room is completely dark and the temp is turned down. Then other times he will go to bed when it suits him if he has had a late night.
Chameleons Northwest
Avid Member
Did you guys look at both photos? There is one of him sick, and one of him healthy. In the sick one his rear leg looks like macaroni to me, or am i seeing things? I may be mistaken.
I agree that he looks like he needs a vet ASAP, and that it is probably a lighting and diet issue.
And, yes, his color and bar patterns are very beautiful. He has a nicely shaped casque, too. Definitely a first class animal.
I agree that he looks like he needs a vet ASAP, and that it is probably a lighting and diet issue.
And, yes, his color and bar patterns are very beautiful. He has a nicely shaped casque, too. Definitely a first class animal.
If you look at his legs (as gesang said) you will see he is showing severe signs of MBD...and he can't even hold his body up. He needs to go to a vet NOW!
The vet can give him injections of calcium and when the blood calcium levels are high enough, a shot of calcitonin to draw the calcium back into his bones.
In the meantime, you need to address his husbandry.
What brand and type (long linear tube or compact/spiral) UVB light does he have on the cage?
Is the T-rex the only supplement? Once a week is not often enough, IMHO.
I use a phosphorous-free calcium powder at almost every feeding. Most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phos. so this helps to make up for it.
I also use a vitamin powder that has a beta carotene source of vitamin A twice a month. Beta carotene won't build up in the system. There is controversy as to whether the chameleons can convert the beta carotene so some people give a little preformed vitamin A once in a while. Preformed vitamin A can build up in the system and the excess can prevent the D3 from doing its job leading to MBD.
I also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium D3 powder because my chameleons rarely get sunlight. D3 from supplements also can build up in the system, so don't overdo it.
Appropriate basking temperatures will aid in digestion and thus play a part in nutrient absorption.
Its also important to gutload and feed the insects a nutritious diet. I give the crickets a wide assortment of greens (dandelion, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrot, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, celery leaves, etc.).
Phosphorous, calcium, D3 and vitamin A all play important parts in bone health (as well as other important parts in the body) and need to be in balance. When balancing them, look at what you feed the chameleon, what you feed the insects and what supplements you use.
Some of the damage incurred by your chameleon already will not be reversible...but if things are brought back into balance he could still live a long life.
The vet can give him injections of calcium and when the blood calcium levels are high enough, a shot of calcitonin to draw the calcium back into his bones.
In the meantime, you need to address his husbandry.
What brand and type (long linear tube or compact/spiral) UVB light does he have on the cage?
Is the T-rex the only supplement? Once a week is not often enough, IMHO.
I use a phosphorous-free calcium powder at almost every feeding. Most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phos. so this helps to make up for it.
I also use a vitamin powder that has a beta carotene source of vitamin A twice a month. Beta carotene won't build up in the system. There is controversy as to whether the chameleons can convert the beta carotene so some people give a little preformed vitamin A once in a while. Preformed vitamin A can build up in the system and the excess can prevent the D3 from doing its job leading to MBD.
I also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium D3 powder because my chameleons rarely get sunlight. D3 from supplements also can build up in the system, so don't overdo it.
Appropriate basking temperatures will aid in digestion and thus play a part in nutrient absorption.
Its also important to gutload and feed the insects a nutritious diet. I give the crickets a wide assortment of greens (dandelion, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrot, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, celery leaves, etc.).
Phosphorous, calcium, D3 and vitamin A all play important parts in bone health (as well as other important parts in the body) and need to be in balance. When balancing them, look at what you feed the chameleon, what you feed the insects and what supplements you use.
Some of the damage incurred by your chameleon already will not be reversible...but if things are brought back into balance he could still live a long life.
Hi all update on george we took him the vets. Vet said he has broken his back and legs saying it is most likely a genetic thing. So we have him in a little box so he cant move, vet said we caught him early as his jaw hasnt dropped yet and thats when we will most likely lose him. Tried feeding him a variety of things today not eaten so he hasnt eaten for two days. If im honest i dont see him pulling through i feel so sorry for our little guy as he is a darling. Vet says if we get him back to full health he will be able to cope with the breaks but obviously not as great as before.
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