Help with my veiled.

Tobykun

New Member
Before I start here is a history of Toby, my veiled chameleon.

I've had Toby for about six months. He was maybe a month when I got him. Perhaps a little older. He was bought from a pet store. Also, he was taken to the vet a few days after I got him, and was given medicine in case of internal parasites. I've never had any problems with him up to this point. He's been a big eater since day 1. He lives in a 3 foot tall cage that is 24 inches wide. I don't use real plants, as he had a problem of attacking everything with his tongue as a baby. His cage has the following items in it: Multiple fake plants, vines, a ladder, a fake tree. He had two of the repti glo 5.0 uva/uvb lights. http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/repti_glo_50_i.html. I was concerned about this cause I read yesterday one is fine. I asked my vet, and he said it should be ok. However, I turned on off. I also just recently changed the bulbs. Six months is correct?? He also has a 75 watt heat lamp. I have another heat lamp, but I usually keep it off. The temperature in the room is about 75 degrees. Toby gets his crickets dusted twice a week with repcal calcium and a multvitamin.

So, there is obviously something wrong with my veiled, however, no one knows what. It all started last Friday. He had gone four days with going to the bathroom and I was concerned. Keep in mind he was still eating and acting normal. Very active, nothing looked or seemed wrong except he wasn't pooping. He normally pooped everyday, sometimes he'd miss a day, but that's the most he had gone. There are three local vets that threat chameleons in the Cincinnati area. I called one and was told to soak him in warm water on and off for a few days and then call them back. I decided to try this, but then jumped the gun and called another vet, since the other place had no desire to help him. I took him in on Friday evening and the vet took an xray. There was a lotta poo in there, but nothing looked hard enough he couldn't pass it. He was given an enema and some mineral oil, and then allowed to rest for a bit in a cage there. After a bit, he still hadn't pooped, so I took him home and returned him to his cage.

The next morning, I ended up taking him back, since he hadn't gone yet. The doctor gave him a bit more mineral oil mixed with baby food and electrolytes. Finally he went. The urate was very hard, which was probably why he hadn't gone. The rest of the poop was soft and normal. The doctor checked the poop to see if there were any parasites. Nothing. I went home happy and feeling a lot better about the situation.

Toby came home and refused to eat that night. The next morning, Sunday, he ate, but I had to hold the bowl close to him and it took awhile to finally get him to eat them. Later that night I gave him more. He ate them the same as he did earlier that morning. (Side note: I usually feed him twice a day, four crickets.) Monday was a bit better, he ate without too much fuss. Monday evening he gobbled up the food like he used to. Tuesday morning, he wouldn't eat at all and still hadn't pooped on his own.

Tuesday evening he went back to the vet. They took another xray and said he shouldn't have any problem pooping. He was given some baby food.

Thursday he still hadn't ated on his own and was becoming lethargic. He developed another problem. He will open his mouth slightly from time to time. He also has been closing his eyes. He returned back to the vet and was given something to make him go. Friday we went back and finally had some blood work done as well as another set of xrays. He hasn't pooped since last Saturday. I'll know the results of the blood work a little later today, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to post this thread and get some advice.

Also, my boyfriend took some pictures of yesterday (Friday, Oct. 20) xrays with his camera phone.
TobyXray1.jpg

TobyXray2.jpg

TobyXray3.jpg


Edited: https://www.chameleonforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1111
Original post about Toby. Pictures are included.
 
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Welcome to the forum. My first thought would be that you are OD'ing him on vitamins, and it sounds like the vet you are dealing with isn't truly a cham vet. I'm not as knowledgeable about impaction as others, or with veileds for that matter, but that's what it sounds like to me. You may want to slow up a bit on the vitamins. Also, it is good that you turned off one of each of the lamps. You were dusting with calcium (which is good), but doubling up on the lights isn't necessary. I would also say the first vet you spoke to that said warm baths, is wise. The warm water should help stimulate him to go. You may also want to consider feeding him once a day instead of twice. I know with my cham which is a panther, he prefers to eat in the morning. I believe most have the same feeding schedule. Good luck.
 
...... He had two of the repti glo 5.0 uva/uvb lights... I was concerned about this cause I read yesterday one is fine. ... I also just recently changed the bulbs. Six months is correct??

He also has a 75 watt heat lamp. ...The temperature in the room is about 75 degrees.

...I usually feed him twice a day, four crickets...

Toby gets his crickets dusted twice a week with repcal calcium and a multvitamin....
Howdy,

Two Repti-glo 5.0 tubes was not a problem. How close can he get to the tube(s)?

A 75 watt heat lamp can produce enough basking heat if it is placed properly. It is important that your veiled can reach a position that allows him to get his daytime body temp up to around 90F if he wants to.

I would only feed him in the morning so that he's got all day to process food while he's warm. He's at an age where you can back-off a bit on the food. Think about feeding 4-6 feeders every other day. The best way to sort out weight issues is to weigh him once a week to track what's happening.

Closing eyes is not a good sign. I'm not so sure of its relation to the pooping issue. Staying well-hydrated is always helpful with fecal motility. Crickets have plenty of bulk to keep things moving whereas if he had a diet of something like just silkworms it is possible to not have enough bulk present. He's got enough fat stored to keep him going for weeks without food. He could drop his weight by 10% without the drop itself being life-threatening.

Summary:

Less food but be sure that your crickets are eating a quality gutload.
Ca/D3 once a week, Ca/No D3 once a week, Vitamins 1-2 a month.
90F body daytime body temp.
Good hydration practices. 10-20 minute warm mistings.
Less stress (no more enemas or x-rays)

Not really sure what's going wrong but the best thing to do is eliminate anything that could possibly be a source of the problem. Post photos of his setup.
 
Other then what has been suggested check the plants. Veileds do eat vegation. He could be eating on some fake ones. I have never had a chameleon eat them but I would think it would have similar symptoms. I am not sure if it would show up on an X-ray or not.
 
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