Help please my chameleon is dying.

[Jillian Rulison]

I think. Yesterday I took him outside because his heat lamp broke and he became frightened because I moved my hand towards him, he began puffing himself up and opening his mouth, also seemed to be extremely tense. He then rolled his eyes into the back of his head I believe and began to swerve in a rhythmic pattern. He slept all the rest of the day yesterday but woke up this morning, all of his legs are fine but he still does not move much and will not eat, drink, or climb about his cage. There's no reptile vets open today, and I am unable to get another heat lamp until tomorrow. HELP WHAT DO I DO?

 

[Kibu]

Fill out this form:

Chameleon Info:<br />
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon.<br />
How long has it been in your care?<br />
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?<br />
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. <br />
Cage Info: Cage Type- Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? <br />
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? <br />
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?<br />
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? <br />
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?<br />
Location- Where are you geographically located? <br />
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.<br />
Pictures are helpful

 

[Dean Pulcini]

He's probably stressed provide plenty of shade and water. What kind of chameleon and what is the temp.

 

[Jillian Rulison]

Fill out this form:

Chameleon Info:Veiled Chameleon
Your Chameleon - Male, under a year old
How long has it been in your care?For less than a year, I've had him since he was two months old
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Not too often, 3-4 times max a month
Feeding - I feed him crickets, every morning, about 5-6, i do not gutload them because they never seem to eat the produce provided
Supplements - I use RepCal multivitamin and calcium supplement
Watering - I spray him for about two minutes once a day
Do you see your chameleon drinking? No, not since the incident
Fecal Description - usually brown and white, has not gone recently
Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?No
History - He's never done anything like this before.
Cage Info: All screen cage, medium size, contains two sets of fake leaves, large drift wood looking sculpture and a bendable plastic branch
Lighting - Not sure what brand, But I was using a red heat lamp and a white UVB bulb
Temperature - I do not have a thermometer Lowest overnight temp? No thermometer
do you measure these temps?No
Humidity - No humidity thermometer either, I've just been misting him with a spray bottle
?Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? No
Placement - His cage sets on the floor, with a shelf over it to hold lights, near two usually closed windows, in my room, yes he is walked by often
At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? like 18 inches
Location- Where are you geographically located? Upstate New York
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. He seems to be paralyzed, can this be caused from stress?

 

[Dean Pulcini]

You need to get a handle on the temp how else would you know what his basking site is. How warm is it there today? And he must come in at night I just saw where you live . It might be too cold for him still during the day. All you need is a regular house bulb for heat . If it's uv were talking about he can go without for a couple of days until you get another at the expense of keeping him in the cool weather. Also he may of found himself and now knows he's a chameleon you opened pandoras box by letting him out. That's a good thing. Also give him a dripper so he can drink put it close to him hitting a leaf or branch.

 

[Jillian Rulison]

You need to get a handle on the temp how else would you know what his basking site is. How warm is it there today? And he must come in at night I just saw where you live . It might be too cold for him still during the day. All you need is a regular house bulb for heat . If it's uv were talking about he can go without for a couple of days until you get another at the expense of keeping him in the cool weather. Also he may of found himself and now knows he's a chameleon you opened pandoras box by letting him out. That's a good thing. Also give him a dripper so he can drink put it close to him hitting a leaf or branch.

I will get a thermometer as soon as possible (tomorrow) also a new basking light, I do still have the UVB light, but the red heat lamp he had blew, and I just read that basking lights are best for chameleons. It's in the 80's here today, but my chameleon is inside laying on a heating pad that is set to the lowest temperature possible, with a towel and blanked on top of the pad. He is sleeping quite comfortably with a small portion of the towel shading him lightly. I have been feeding him supplement infused water from a medicine dripper, and he seems to be very thirsty and very tired. Thank you for the help

 

[OldChamKeeper]

You need to get a handle on the temp how else would you know what his basking site is. How warm is it there today? And he must come in at night I just saw where you live . It might be too cold for him still during the day. All you need is a regular house bulb for heat . If it's uv were talking about he can go without for a couple of days until you get another at the expense of keeping him in the cool weather. Also he may of found himself and now knows he's a chameleon you opened pandoras box by letting him out. That's a good thing. Also give him a dripper so he can drink put it close to him hitting a leaf or branch.

What he said. Go spend 7 bucks and get a themometer. This hobby requires you know the temps of your pets for health reasons.

I am not coming down on you, nor being mean, in what I am typing. You asked for help and came to the best place there is to find it. You do need a bit more info however to get that help. The temps are a big part of helping you.


Chams as they get older are not known for being wonderful and friendly critters. They are known for being wonderful only. He could be simply cold, or pissed like many Veiled tend to be, and he's not moving much due to the two.

I personally have a small and wonderful Mt. Meru Jackson pair... So small and cute...but the male we have named pissy for clear reasons....

 

[Kibu]

No, no heat pad. Chams don't have "temperature sensors" on there belly so they can burn themselves.

 

[Kibu]

Oops,I didn't see u had a towel over it.

 

[Dean Pulcini]

If you can put him back in his tree asap not on the heat pad and a regular house bulb for heat red bulbs are not recommended for chameleons only if your house gets below 60 at night.

 

[Jillian Rulison]

It is indeed a very small amount of heat exerted on the chameleon himself. I am very aware I need to get a thermometer, I do not know how it has slipped my mind for this long every time I go to the petstore. I do read a lot on how to care for chameleons, and know the basics pretty much. Can chameleons play dead? I think he's just so scared that he's playing dead, and I do believe he is just being a pissy little bastard.

 

[Miss Lily]

Chameleons only recognise a 'white' light that simulates the sun. A red bulb means nothing to them. Usually they don't need any heat at all overnight, unless it gets really cold then a ceramic bulb can be used. They benefit from a drop in temps and darkness to get a good night's sleep. Chameleons also don't recognise a heat mat (or heat cable) as a heat source either, they will just sit on it and burn their feet and toes.

 

[justjumpit621]

I will get a thermometer as soon as possible (tomorrow) also a new basking light, I do still have the UVB light, but the red heat lamp he had blew, and I just read that basking lights are best for chameleons. It's in the 80's here today, but my chameleon is inside laying on a heating pad that is set to the lowest temperature possible, with a towel and blanked on top of the pad. He is sleeping quite comfortably with a small portion of the towel shading him lightly. I have been feeding him supplement infused water from a medicine dripper, and he seems to be very thirsty and very tired. Thank you for the help

All you need is a regular household 75 watt yellow bulb =) much cheaper!

 

[Trillian]

Also he may of found himself and now knows he's a chameleon you opened pandoras box by letting him out. That's a good thing.

Could you expand on this idea please? It follows closely the vibe my chameleon has been giving off lately.

 

[justjumpit621]

I don't believe chameleon's play dead.... does he actually look dead or is he just sitting still? You can definitely tell if a chameleon is dead, it becomes stiff (rigor mortise)

 

[Jillian Rulison]

I know he is alive because he is opening his eyes, and breathing, but he does tense up a lot.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Is ee this thread is moving rather fast.

few things.....

a 60wt or 75wt standard light bulb will give him enough daytime heat if that is what he needs. So put him back on his branches and leave him be.

At night the species does benefit from a drop in temp, letting the temps hit the low 70's or even the 60's won't hurt him. I have a 60wt bulb on a timer and it turns on at 7am. By 7:30am the cham is sitting near it to warm up and within another 15 mins the animal is walking around doing the moring hunting routine. That might give you some perspective.

Now if your animal is not moving, and you can't see it breathing a little over 5 minutes or so, you got a problem... matter of fact all chams will keep their eyes open and stare at you...they don't play dead. They just die.


Chameleons are easily one of the few types of reptiles that they can and will die on you suddenly (when compared to many other types where you have some time to work with). If this has happened, do your best to understand why and learn from it. I've lost my share over 35 years of keeping them. On the positive side, I've learned enoguh to not make the same mistakes and even to reproduce them in some cases. You pick yourself up and learn from it.


How often was is drinking?

What were the temps (day/night) over the last 7 days?

How often was it eating and what?


Those are always the first three questions you ask yourself with nearly any type of reptile. Then you go from there to figure out the problem, or you come here and let others try to give you a hand.

 

[justjumpit621]

I know he is alive because he is opening his eyes, and breathing, but he does tense up a lot.

That's normal, chameleons are not always the nicest of creatures and a lot of handling can cause them a huge amount of stress. Just leave him be and if your weather is as good as mine is right now check your temps, if it isn't going to go below 58 tonight just leave his whole cage outside and cover 2 sides with a sheet so he can't see much. Stimulation is actually a bad thing for a scared chameleon.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

I know he is alive because he is opening his eyes, and breathing, but he does tense up a lot.

Well that takes care of the "is he dead" question.

Tensing up is stress. Veiled are not always happy little critters. Make sure he has a nice ficus tree to hide his mean little ass in and he should calm down over time.

Aim the light bulb at the top of the tree, make sure the temp there is in the mid to high 80's to start out with (they like a basking temp in the 90's but start out slow) and if he wants to bask he'll climb to the top. Make sure he has a container where food items can be seen (but can't get out) and let him alone. Spray his tree and him down the next day and observe what he does. If he's thirsty, get a drip system going.


One member said something to the effect of "He might have discovered he's a Chameleon now"

Young animals tend to not be too bothered by humans at first. However as they grow in a number of cases they suddenly realize 'Hey! I'm not a human...don't come near me you damn dirty ape!" and begin to exhibit defensive behaviour typical of them.

Just some ideas.

 

[Elizadolots]

It has been my understanding that chameleons can and do play dead. It is a defense mechanism. Top line predators don't want to eat a dead thing.

My feeling is you need to get his cage set up with the proper lighting, mist things thoroughly , establish a dripper, put food in and then leave him alone. Get him off the heating pad and onto a branch. Then walk away for awhile.

It sounds like you (unwittingly) scared the poop out of him and have been invading his space ever since. You might even cover a couple of sides of his cage with a towel to block his vision so he has less area to be concerned about.