markrydenfan81
New Member
Humidifier on or off at night?
You guys have been so wonderful, thank you so much.
You guys have been so wonderful, thank you so much.
Help sleepy chameleon
- Thread starter markrydenfan81
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Will Hayward
New Member
Can't say. It depends on your humidity in your home.
In their wild habitat, the humidity stays generally between 70 - 100%. (bk, Necas)
In their wild habitat, the humidity stays generally between 70 - 100%. (bk, Necas)
markrydenfan81
New Member
I am really concerned about his tremors as he walks. It is visible it when he reaches to grab onto another branch. I just tried to give him his medicine but apparently wasn't agitated enough to open his mouth. I put it on his lips in hopes that he'll lick it off.
ChameleonsTree
New Member
Getting a sick chameleon to open its mouth takes some practice. Sometimes if you lightly pull on the skin under their chin they will open. Sometimes if you gently squeeze their jaw they get aggitated enough to hiss at you and they open up. You can also ask your vet for this plastic spatual looking thing that you can use. If you can it helps to have someone there with you to have the syringe ready to squirt it in his mouth after you get him to open up.
markrydenfan81
New Member
I usually get the syringe ready and hold him in one hand. I will try the under the chin thing. I'm a little nervous about sqeezing his jaw bc he's so little and fragile. I tried to gently squeeze him jaw and kept lightly tapping his mouth with the syringe. I think he ate a cricket or two today so at least there is a little calcium. *sigh*
Jordan
New Member
I had to use three things when administering these doses with my jackson. I held him in one hand, pulled down on the excess skin under his jaw with the other hand and used my mouth to hold the syringe (the tongue to drop the plunger). The first couple times I pulled down on his skin it took a little pressure. After that he just open his mouth when I grabbed it.
ChameleonsTree
New Member
You can also put eggs shells in with your crickets...they eat them and its a source of calcium
LunaC
New Member
One more bit of advice
While it appears you're getting sound advice from experienced keepers and you're taking the necessary steps to provide a suitable environment for your new little friend, there's just one more thing I'd like to add, re:
It is not recommended you take your chameleon to the beach. They're terrible swimmers, surfboards and boogie boards are a huge challenge, the sand makes them all itchy, it's impossible to find the right sized sun hat to protect their little heads, sunglasses..well just forget those! And..oh yeah, they hate crowds.
That said, all the best & continued good health to your new cham.
While it appears you're getting sound advice from experienced keepers and you're taking the necessary steps to provide a suitable environment for your new little friend, there's just one more thing I'd like to add, re:
It is not recommended you take your chameleon to the beach. They're terrible swimmers, surfboards and boogie boards are a huge challenge, the sand makes them all itchy, it's impossible to find the right sized sun hat to protect their little heads, sunglasses..well just forget those! And..oh yeah, they hate crowds.
That said, all the best & continued good health to your new cham.
ChameleonsTree
New Member
not too mention they don't look good in speedosLunaC said:While it appears you're getting sound advice from experienced keepers and you're taking the necessary steps to provide a suitable environment for your new little friend, there's just one more thing I'd like to add, re:
It is not recommended you take your chameleon to the beach. They're terrible swimmers, surfboards and boogie boards are a huge challenge, the sand makes them all itchy, it's impossible to find the right sized sun hat to protect their little heads, sunglasses..well just forget those! And..oh yeah, they hate crowds.
That said, all the best & continued good health to your new cham.
markrydenfan81
New Member
Whenever I tug under his chin, he closes his eyes. It's getting quite difficult. Maybe he loves me so much he would never want to be unfavorable to me We have a vet appt tomorrow so hopefully i will get that spatula thing. You're right chameleons do not look good in speedos.
We have a vet appt tomorrow so hopefully i will get that spatula thing. You're right chameleons do not look good in speedos.
I would suggest that you improve your gutload for your crickets. I feed mine a wide variety of greens and veggies, etc. Make sure that you give your other insects a suitable nutritious diet too. After all you want healthy insects to feed to your chameleon to keep it healthy too.
UVB light or sunlight (not through glass or plastic) allows the chameleon to produce vitamin D3 and that allows it to use the calcium from its diet. Vitamin D3 from those sources can't be overdosed. Supplemental vitamin D3 can....so you have to be careful. Since my chameleons don't get direct sunlight, I dust my insects twice a month lightly with a calcium/D3 powder. Because insects have a poor calcium to phosphorous ratio, the insects need to be dusted with (phosphorous free) calcium on most feedings. I also use a vitamin powder lightly twice a month. I use one with a beta carotene source of vitamin A because it can't cause an overdose of vitamin A. Preformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and cause overdoses.
Calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A and vitamin D are the main players in bone health/MBD. Temperature also plays a part, because the chameleon needs to be warm enough to digest its food and absorb the nutrients from it. If you keep these things at appropriat levels (in balance) your chameleon stands a better chance of not developing MBD.
If your chameleon has MBD already, then you need to correct the balance first. Your vet gave you an oral calcium, so that should help.
Re: giving him his meds...try dripping water on the tip of his nose, and when he starts to drink, ease the tip of the syringe into his mouth and ease the meds in slowly (giving him time to swallow and close the hole to his lungs). If that doesn't work, try putting it a little at a time just inside his lower lip gently so you don't cause any damage to his lips/mouth. It will take some time, but he should swallow it this way. He may not lick it off his lips.
Be careful if you pull on the skin under his neck that you don't get ahold of the tongue/hyoid bone and cause it damage too.
Here are some sites with good information about chameleons that you might like to read...check out the e-zine link on the first page of the first site too...
http://adcham.com/
http://www.chameleonjournals.com/vet/
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/skintests.htm#discussion
UVB light or sunlight (not through glass or plastic) allows the chameleon to produce vitamin D3 and that allows it to use the calcium from its diet. Vitamin D3 from those sources can't be overdosed. Supplemental vitamin D3 can....so you have to be careful. Since my chameleons don't get direct sunlight, I dust my insects twice a month lightly with a calcium/D3 powder. Because insects have a poor calcium to phosphorous ratio, the insects need to be dusted with (phosphorous free) calcium on most feedings. I also use a vitamin powder lightly twice a month. I use one with a beta carotene source of vitamin A because it can't cause an overdose of vitamin A. Preformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and cause overdoses.
Calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A and vitamin D are the main players in bone health/MBD. Temperature also plays a part, because the chameleon needs to be warm enough to digest its food and absorb the nutrients from it. If you keep these things at appropriat levels (in balance) your chameleon stands a better chance of not developing MBD.
If your chameleon has MBD already, then you need to correct the balance first. Your vet gave you an oral calcium, so that should help.
Re: giving him his meds...try dripping water on the tip of his nose, and when he starts to drink, ease the tip of the syringe into his mouth and ease the meds in slowly (giving him time to swallow and close the hole to his lungs). If that doesn't work, try putting it a little at a time just inside his lower lip gently so you don't cause any damage to his lips/mouth. It will take some time, but he should swallow it this way. He may not lick it off his lips.
Be careful if you pull on the skin under his neck that you don't get ahold of the tongue/hyoid bone and cause it damage too.
Here are some sites with good information about chameleons that you might like to read...check out the e-zine link on the first page of the first site too...
http://adcham.com/
http://www.chameleonjournals.com/vet/
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/skintests.htm#discussion
Will Hayward
New Member
This would be a bad idea as eggs and eggshells can commonly harbour salmonella, an infectious disease that could affect both the feeders and possibly your chameleon. It would be wiser to used a premade gutload containing calcium or feeding broccoli & collards (Not Spinach though) which are high in natural calcium.ChameleonsTree said:
Anytime you use eggs, the whole inside egg should be cooked. Secondly, shell should be discarded. Anytime you are painting eggs at easter, the same goes.
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Will Hayward
New Member
Yes offcourse, Sorry I took it to mean that it was reccomended that any eggs shell could be used from say a left over dish that only required the egg contents.
I don't think you can boil just the shell.
I don't think you can boil just the shell.
markrydenfan81
New Member
What do you think about flukers calcium fortified cricket feed and calcium fortified gelatinous water source?
Also, I am not sure how to mount my basking lamp bc the light hood covers up most of the top.
Also, I am not sure how to mount my basking lamp bc the light hood covers up most of the top.
Zerah Morris
New Member
I am really surprised that we have dropped the issue of the breeder/retailer. LLL has a good reputation and I am sure would be very glad to be informed of the situation and help you out any way they can.
Chameleon keeping is tough enough with healthy chams. Humanizing the animal and allowing emotional attachment to drive the decision to stick with a sick animal will undoubtedly cause you much frustration and money. It is akin to the idea of saving an animal from a pet store, be it WC or CB. You must detach your self emotionally and look at the commitment of dealing with a specimen that will have long term adverse affects and could suffer from poor genetics to begin with. The best decision at the age of this specimen is just to put it down, it contributes to captive breeding populations in no way and can be replaced with a healthy animal that will bring you years of enjoyment.
In this situation the animal should really be returned to the retailer/breeder/wholesaler and a replacement animal issued to you. This individual could make the decision to put the animal down or recover it based on sound experience.
As for the flukers, well, my advise is to buy them and dump them out to prevent someone else from buying them, the jars are great for storing marbles and stuff.
Chameleon keeping is tough enough with healthy chams. Humanizing the animal and allowing emotional attachment to drive the decision to stick with a sick animal will undoubtedly cause you much frustration and money. It is akin to the idea of saving an animal from a pet store, be it WC or CB. You must detach your self emotionally and look at the commitment of dealing with a specimen that will have long term adverse affects and could suffer from poor genetics to begin with. The best decision at the age of this specimen is just to put it down, it contributes to captive breeding populations in no way and can be replaced with a healthy animal that will bring you years of enjoyment.
In this situation the animal should really be returned to the retailer/breeder/wholesaler and a replacement animal issued to you. This individual could make the decision to put the animal down or recover it based on sound experience.
As for the flukers, well, my advise is to buy them and dump them out to prevent someone else from buying them, the jars are great for storing marbles and stuff.
markrydenfan81
New Member
Zerah Morris said:
I have put off calling LLL until I see the vet. We have an appt tomorrow morning. I will call them after the appt. I will euthanize if i have to, but I have spent so much money on him since sunday, so it will be money down the drain.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to mount the basking light considering there is not enough room on the top? I have a 75W bulb btw.
Thanks again for all your help!
Will Hayward
New Member
LLL will almost guarenteed, not replace/refund/etc if you have it euthanized. Contact them. They will guide you through the correct process. Borrow a camera and take photos and send them with an email signed "Urgent" to LLL.
Zerah Morris
New Member
You have not contacted LLL at all? This seems silly, they should have been your first call.
Many retailers do not raise all/many of the young chameleons they sell. In some cases they may not have even really inspected a large quantity shipment of chameleons.
It is unlikely that they did not look through the group they were taking to the show, but you never know they could have bought a large lot from another vendor at the same show and never seen them till the morning of the show.
All speculative and does not matter, they need to be informed, especially before a young cham they sold at a show is presented in a public forum as having MBD etc.
Some chameleons are not high profit chameleons, there is a saying that it takes 35$ worth of food to raise a veiled that wholesales for 20$ per animal in lots. Panthers bring a little more but not without identified locales and breeding lines. Regardless though the company that sold the animal to you will service you. As Will stated do not euthanize it yourself this is their decision if you are seeking a replacement.
Many retailers do not raise all/many of the young chameleons they sell. In some cases they may not have even really inspected a large quantity shipment of chameleons.
It is unlikely that they did not look through the group they were taking to the show, but you never know they could have bought a large lot from another vendor at the same show and never seen them till the morning of the show.
All speculative and does not matter, they need to be informed, especially before a young cham they sold at a show is presented in a public forum as having MBD etc.
Some chameleons are not high profit chameleons, there is a saying that it takes 35$ worth of food to raise a veiled that wholesales for 20$ per animal in lots. Panthers bring a little more but not without identified locales and breeding lines. Regardless though the company that sold the animal to you will service you. As Will stated do not euthanize it yourself this is their decision if you are seeking a replacement.
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markrydenfan81
New Member
Zerah Morris said:
I want to see exactly what his health problem is, and go from there. If it is something simple and inexpensively treatable then i can do that. If it is mbd, I will ask for a refund. If it is something inexpensively treatable (not mbd), should i still call? If so, what should I say?
Thanks again!
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