Hmm.. Need some advice :(

[ApocalypseUK]

Chameleon Info:
My Chameleon - Ambanja Panther chameleon, Male, 5 months and 1 week old been in my care since he was 2 months old.

Handling - sometimes once a day, some days not at all I let him decide, But recently due to having to give him medication every day.

Feeding - I feed my little guy crickets, locusts, silkworms, mealworms, calciworms, dubia roaches etc, he would normally eat about 7 a day or so, feed him in the mornings and I gut load them with fresh fruit, but mainly carrots and apples.

Supplements - I use ProRep calcidust that I use with every feeding and Nutrobal multivitamin with D3 every other week.

Watering -I have the Big dripper going on having drips of water coming from it about 1 or 2 seconds between each drip before the next, and misting I would say roughly about 3 times a day for 30 seconds or so to mainly help increase humidity even more since I already have a humidifying machine going and yes I see him drinking pretty much every day.

Fecal Description - urine is white and his poo is poo colour and yes he has and the results were negative no parasites.

History - Not that I'm aware

Cage Info:
Cage Type - I'm currently using an Exo Terra glass cage with dimensions of 45 x 45 x 60 cm / 18” x 18” x 24”
(I've currently just brought a Reptibreeze Large: 18" x 18" x 36"

Lighting - for his basking I'm Currently using a 100w bulb within a dome on a thermostat that reduces his basking heat to around 84F, His UVB is a tube Arcadia 12% UVB bulb, His lighting comes on at 8:30am and Turns off at 20:30pm

Temperature - His basking sits around 85F and cage floor I would say roughly around 69F, and overnight temp roughly 59F, I have a digital themometer.

Humidity - The Humidity ranges from 65 to 82% but its average I mainly see it on is around 74% and I keep this going but having a Reptifogger that works very well and I've never had problems with it + he does not mind it at all and actually enjoys sitting under it and I will occasionally spray mist as well just to help and I measure this with a Hygrometer.

Plants - I'm currently not using real plants only artificial/fake plants which have seem to serve me quite well so far.

Placement - there isn't any fans or air vents where his cage located and he's on top of a chest of draws which stands him quite nicely higher up.
Location - I'm located in the UK

Current Problem - Ok problem...Here goes, Mr goggles (My chammy) had a prolapse roughly about a month ago, I went to a vets which then cost me an arm and a leg for him to have stitches and for them to not do a good job at all on him and them not even give me any information on when his stitches had to be removed, it also got infected a tiny bit a swelled up, also he then had another prolapse on his other hemipenis this is when I lost it, at my annoyance I phoned them up had ago and changed vets. Now the vets I'm at now have given me the correct medication to help reduce the swelling and also ensure his other prolapse is sorted, His other prolapse is now fine which I use like a lubey gel they provided and it has helped massively and no longer has his other prolapse. he has also been on a 5 course injection to help reduce infection, swelling and I'm also giving him medication.

He is making a very nice recovery but this is were my concern comes into play he hasn't shedded at all since his prolapse ( I think this may be due to the medication though) and he also does not eat either he refuses to eat and just is not interested at all in the slightest about food. I told the vets and they have given me a small bottle which contains the supplements he needs and also a like small post food mix which I add water to and using that to feed him with small doses at a time.

He also showed signs of wanting to come out his cage quite often and he seems to brighten up more when he is out of his cage and then when he goes back in he just looks dull but even out he's not showing his full body of colours he's only giving me what looks like a teaser of his colours.
Because of this I went out a brought a Reptibreeze Large cage which I will be using to move him into soon.

I just want his beautiful colours back, want him to shed and want him eating again properly again :'(

Here's some pictures.

 

[carol5208]

I think the medication has a lot to do with everything and you will just have to wait it out, until he is done with his round of meds. I have seen other members who have had chameleons on here totally change their colors while on medications. If he is not eating much or at all, he is probably not going through a growth spurt, so therefore he is not shedding. Medication can definitely effect appetite and he has also been under a lot of stress as well.

 

[sandrachameleon]

is he still drinking well? Its usually important to get lots of water when on medications.

What is in the paste they provided you to feed him?
You might consider crushing /liquefying some normal prey (perhaps a mix of crickets, superworms, silkworms) with water and alittle supplement, and giving him some of that.

don't worry about the shedding. he's likely not growing right now.

 

[ApocalypseUK]

he's been drinking really well since he has been on the medication, In fact I've never seen him drink so much ever which is really good glad he's drinking ok the post mix food they gave me is called carnivore care a nutritional complete -assist feeding formula but yeh that is definitely a good idea I tried it with silkworms but I didn't want to fully crush the silkworms so to see if he would actually swallow them but he spat them out.

I tried live food with him today because he's been a lot more lively, tried crickets and he was slightly interested but just looked like he couldn't be fully bothered to make the attempt, so I tried his old favourite mealworms and they wiggled about a bit and he was instantly interested but big concern came into play he seemed like he was struggling a bit he went for it but couldn't fully extend his tongue he seemed to only shoot his tongue about 8cm out so again worried hope he hasn't lost the function of fully using his tongue, but I reckon that maybe just maybe he can't fully use it because the tongues a muscle and he needs to excise it again maybe?? But I'm just glad he's eaten for the 1st time since his prolapse

He's been rubbing he eye a little as we'll so he could also of affected his eye sight a little maybe not sure, but again just glad he's actually eaten something for himself today

Sorry for so much text but I would rather fully explain the situation and give you a proper detailed description that way you can help me better, I'm not missing anything and I just mainly want him better he is my baby after all

 

[sandrachameleon]

yes - good that he is drinking.

carnivore care is okay for short term use only. chameleons are insectivores, not carnivores.

 

[ApocalypseUK]

Yeh it's only for a short time anyways until he starts eating for himself again

 

[ApocalypseUK]

update on Mr Goggles:
Just got back from going Wales for a week, he spent 4 days at the vets and picked he him today and he looked like crap, he was really dehydrated and looked even worse then he always does due to already being ill?
he was sleeping when we picked him up at around 3pm!... already a bad sign, he looked very skeletal in the face and just looked like he wasn't going to make it...?

They must know how to treat pets but they don't seem to know how to looked after pets?....

anyways he's home now, he's lightened up, drinking loads and his eyes are fully alert! what the vets do to reptiles or other peoples pets over night I would love to know... he better make it through the night or else I'm going to be extremely unhappy!..

 

[Carlton]

I'm sure a lot of his condition was due to being in a strange setup, he was probably handled or disturbed by activity, other animals, strange noise (yes, chams can pick up low freqency sound), a lot more than he would have been at home, possibly in a place with lights on all night, etc. The humidity level was probably different...basically his whole daily routine was upset.

 

[ApocalypseUK]

well hopefully he will pull through this all, its really stressful because i dont even want to go work because i just want him better, they even said that there automatic mister wasnt functioning properly and they need to test it, i also live down kent as well and the water is allot harsher down here and needs to be filtered to drink which before we picked him the nurse was just running a tap trying to give him it, i was sat back like wtf are doing! but hes asleep now and checked him quick and he was asleep with his mouth open a while ago and just checked him now hes asleep but still showing dark colour even asleep i hope hes going to be ok soon

Ill post pictures tomorrow of him when we got him home from the vets compared to when he settled in a little better

 

[ApocalypseUK]

Update on Mr Goggles! what ya reckon guys?

This was him after we picked him up from the vets, They only had him for 4 days and he looked incredible Dehydrated, was very weak and he was even closing his eyes during the day.
here:

This was him once he settled into his home a little better, after being fed and watered a lot better.



and today he's been showing signs of pitch black which is extremely not good, but He's taking his medication fine, which had now been cut down a little so he isn't having as much, His strength and grip is still very strong, he's drinking fine, he still doesn't eat by himself yet so today I decided to make my own mix of proper food to help him more. He's currently using Carnivore Care mix but today I blended up some Carnivore care mix, water, Crickets, Locusts, Fruit beetle grubs and a slight powdering of Nutrobal Multivitamin with D3 and gave him so of that to give him more energy and general so he's eating better rather then just Carnivore care, at least this way he's actually getting the goodness from crickets, locusts and supplementation.
But like I said he's showed signs of pitch darkness today and dehydration so I gave him a shower today and I managed to get a picture of him brightening up, He did brighten up more but I only toke a picture just as he started to brighten up.

Here:


I'm also setting up his 18x18x36 inch cage tomorrow and have brought to live umbrella plants to go within this cage, because I'm thinking maybe he might prefer it being in a bigger cage, since he seems to brighten up more when he's out of his cage.

but seriously though I am scared, worried for the guy and if anyone has any suggestions that could help me massively please help me and let me know, I will be forever greatful!

 

[Kath44]

He looks better than he did from vets. Keep it up, I'm sure it will help him gain strength.
Kath.

 

[ApocalypseUK]

I hate to say this but the worst has happened I woke up to Mr Goggles on the floor, he must of passed away in the night...:'( I'm so upset I'm even shaking writing this I know he's only like 15cm long maybe or more but he ment the world to me I loved him so much and spent so much caring for him.

Phoned the Vets also, with them having him for 4 days and telling us about his status they said he was fine monday, tuesdays, then weds,thurs and friday he just deteriorated rapidly, they said to us their mister at theres wasn't working correctly, and they even gave him just regular tap water and the water down this end is harsh?? they said they were incredible sorry for his lose and they have admitted that it was most likely their fault he passed away due to the living conditions he had their... they are giving us a full refund.. but still doesn't bring back my baby, I miss and loved him so much even if he was as big as my big finger :/

RIP Mr Goggles :'(

 

[MelissaB]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[Kath44]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear this.
No it won't bring him back, but I believe the vets accepting blame is good. Not often you find that.
Kath.