Help with my meller please

[Travis2008]

Gator my adult mellers is dieing. He was fine until today. I just found hanging upside down from his tail. he is limp and not moving much.

what can i do to help/ save him? i think he is gone but im willing to try anything!

thinking back i think this started about 2 weeks ago when he ate 3 roaches i got from the pet store (i know bad decision). he ate them then threw the up later but seemed fine up till late last night and today. any advice please help?

 

[Syn]

Can you take him to a vet?

 

[Travis2008]

I can't find a reptile vet within an hour from my house.

 

[Syn]

Fill out the form here:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

But don't you think it would be easier to go to a vet that's further away than sitting here for an hour looking for an answer? I wish I could help but I've never kept a mellers.

 

[pssh]

Stick him in a box with a small towel on the bottom and go to a vet. More peace of mind that way and he get treated as soon as possible. It's a win:win.

Edit: Dont forget to poke a few holes in it so he has air, but try to keep it as dark as possible so he can go to sleep for the ride.

 

[Nosybe]

Stick him in a box with a small towel on the bottom and go to a vet. More peace of mind that way and he get treated as soon as possible. It's a win:win.

I second that.

 

[summoner12]

how long have you had him? fill out the 'how to ask for help' questions so we have an idea of how you keep him.

have you treated him for parasites? has he been to a vet? how often do you mist? did he drink a lot the day you fed him the roaches?

check out melleridiscovery.com

 

[Travis2008]

Cage Info:
Cage Type - custom built screen about 6 feet high 2.5 deep 4 across
Lighting - repti glo tube light from 7 to 7
Temperature - ummmm in the 70s not sure about the basking temp cuz its in the window
Humidity - kept with live plants
Plants - pothos
Placement - in my room top of the cage is around 6 foot 1 or 2
Location - kenner Louisiana just outside of new orleans

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - mellers, had for a year, i think male
Handling - every few days to go outside
Feeding - crickets but tried roaches 2 weeks ago
Watering - mist frequently but not every day, mostly in shower or outside in the hose misters
Fecal Description - regular
History - bought him wild caught dewormed and parasite free
Current Problem - dying

had him for about a year. no vet near only lsu or i heard the zoo

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Sorry to hear about your Meller's. I hope he makes it. Feel sorry for the little guy.

Which Repti Glo UVB lamp are you using? Hopefully not one of the desert series, such as 8.0. A Reptiglo 5.0 or a Reptisun 5.0 or Reptisun 10.0 can be used for larger cages. Tube type only.

Meller's need lots of moisture and relatively high humidity. They are heavy drinkers and need misting several times a day. They also need to absorb moisture into their skin which tends to dry out rather quickly otherwise. You say his humidity is provided by live plants and that you don't mist every day. I would guess this may be one reason he is dying.

When you say the basking temp is in the window, do you mean the basking spot IS the window? Meller's have ambient temp requirements and basking temp requirements like other Chameleons. Ambient temps in the 70s and basking temp in the low 80s. A window may become too warm or not warm enough. Basking temp is best provided by a lightbulb, household or Reptile basking bulb, and the basking spot temperature measured carefully and remeasured occasionally.

You joined the forum in April of 08. I wish you had spent more time on here researching and asking questions before it became too late. But you can take this as a learning experience, and , if you do lose your Meller's, you will be better equipped next time.

 

[Travis2008]

its a repti glo 5.0 tube. i had i compact florescent that i use in my other cages for him to bask in. i recently went out and i have not made it to the pet shop to get one, thats why the open window was his basking spot recently but the window does not take up the whole cage.

this was a sudden event and his state changed in a matter of 2 days. i spent months building a cage and researching and have kept him for about a year now.

 

[Travis2008]

we found a vet that would take him right now and could call a specialist but when my dad got home and we got in the car he died.

Thanks to all especially Syn, gesang, summoner12, pssh, and Nosybe

 

[summoner12]

sorry to hear....

Before getting another melleri I would ready up and gear up before attempting again. It doesn't sound like you mist enough, so I would get some sort of automated misting system. I made a DIY misting system you can build for under 100 dollars... or you can buy a Mist King.

read up on Melleridiscovery.com. I am thinking your guy might have had a bad parasite load, not enough water and the stress on his body took it's toll. These guys are not very easy... but once you get them right you can have great success.

 

[Travis2008]

Thanks. I think i'm just going to raise my little panther boy for a while.

 

[Syn]

If you are up to it try getting a necropsy done. Who knows, it might not have been your fault.

Sorry for your loss, it's always a learning experience.

 

[Pure]

i compact florescent that i use in my other cages for him to bask in.

Just so you know. This is not an adequate basking light. Compact floros put off a small amount of heat, but no where near enough to be considered as a basking lamp. Melleri need a cool basking light, but this is way too cool. You need about a 40 watt incandescent bulb.

Travis,seriously, judging by what your husbandry was on the Melleri, You may just want to fill that form out in regards to your panther. The way you were keeping the Melleri isn't even appropriate for a panther. I'm not trying to be mean, but I don't want to see the same thing happen to your panther.