Help with stress

[Luna]

My chameleon has had terrible trust issues with me ever sense I have been giving her baytrill by mouth she just is terrified of me and hisses whenever I get near the cage I haven't been holding her lately besides when giving it to her should I hold her more often so she knows that every time I take her out I'm not just going to give her mess or would that just cause unwanted stress?

 

[Dr O]

I know what you mean, it's frustrating!

others may have different opinions or strategies, but with a lifetime of medicating reptiles and having the same issue with most of those pets, I have personally found it best to only handle them when medicating them for the duration of therapy, and then when it's all over wait a few days and start your normal routine slowly again. I know that you mean well via the other option, but most herps and particularly high-stress ones like chams just won't "get it", and will usually just stress more. which doesn't help the disease or your relationship. you can think of it as their short term memory is there, but the long term memory is not. so they will be pretty unhappy now while treating, but when it's done and you are then consistently handling again without medicating, they typically calm down and relax again in my experience.

 

[Luna]

I know what you mean, it's frustrating!

others may have different opinions or strategies, but with a lifetime of medicating reptiles and having the same issue with most of those pets, I have personally found it best to only handle them when medicating them for the duration of therapy, and then when it's all over wait a few days and start your normal routine slowly again. I know that you mean well via the other option, but most herps and particularly high-stress ones like chams just won't "get it", and will usually just stress more. which doesn't help the disease or your relationship. you can think of it as their short term memory is there, but the long term memory is not. so they will be pretty unhappy now while treating, but when it's done and you are then consistently handling again without medicating, they typically calm down and relax again in my experience.

Yea il just wait for the infection to go down then start up again

 

[carol5208]

I inject silkworms with the Baytril and then feed the worms. No stress involved at all. The worms have to be of decent size though. I don't know how old your cham is and how big your feeders are. Hornworms will work too.

 

[susannuh]

I inject silkworms with the Baytril and then feed the worms. No stress involved at all. The worms have to be of decent size though. I don't know how old your cham is and how big your feeders are. Hornworms will work too.

That's actually a brilliant idea. Hopefully I'll never have to administer it, but if I do I definitely will use that!