How do i know if my little man is reaching the end of his days?

[Lottie87]

Hello, i am writing as my veiled chameleon has given me a scare today although has perked up now.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Male, veiled chameleon. Age: almost 7 years. I've had him since he was approximately 3 weeks old.
• Handling - we don't often take him out of his tank although he is 'happy' to be held. In the summer we take him in garden and for the last year we have hand fed as he is either lazy /old.
• Feeding - we give him large locusts approx 5 every other day. Wax worms as a treat and if pet shop run out brown crackers. Gut loaded with veggies such as cucumber, green beans. What ever veg we are eating.
• Supplements - repashy superfoods calcium plus. All locusts dusted although admittedly i've been a little lax the last month
• Watering - spray leaves everyone. Always offer him a drip drink which he often takes. Have a fogger that goes off every couple of hours for a few mins.
• Fecal Description - usually normal. Never tested. Recently none - i think for approx a week.
• History - always been a fab pet. The last year or so we've been hand feeding, drip watering him as he has decided he no longer wants to catch his own!

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - wooden with glass front. Approx 4ft length x 3ft high (on top of a unit so approx 5ft at tallest) x 1.5ft deep. No substrate. We use a repti carpet.
• Lighting - red basking light and white strip light uva and B.
• Temperature - measured by thermometers under basking light and at futherst point from it. I think 32 degrees C and 25 degrees respectively.
• Humidity - usually between 50-55% regular sprayed, fogger, live plants.
• Plants - yes 2x fictus and umbrella plant
• Placement - dining end of kitchen. Lots of light. Quite far from extractor fan. Top of tank is 5ft
• Location - southern England
• So my chameleon hasn't eaten for about a week and has not pooped either. Today he gave me a scare as he has been sleeping in the day which he has never done before and his eyes looked sunken in. He drunk loads of water when offered and showed no interest in his favourite food. His inner eyelid also seems to be red and got stuck a couple of times when blinking. He is moving about fine and has perked up this evening. He has even shown interest in food although he didn't take. I was worried he was on his way out :'( There isn't much info online. Can anyone give me any information on what to look out for / expect when he does get there. I want to be able to care for him as best as i can.

Thank you in advance Lottie x

 

[Lottie87]

Sorry for all spelling error. Stupid autocorrect when i realised i could no longer edit x

 

[Lottie87]

This is Thor this evening xx

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Congratulations on getting him to 7years old, Im sure you know that that is a very long life for a veild. He is lucky to have a keeper who loved and cared for him enough to get him to this point.

Not to try to worry you but heavy water intake and no interest in food are common signs of a Cham reaching the end of its life. Since you’ve had him for 7 years I’m sure he is a member of your family so treat him the same. Make him comfortable, take him into the sun often, and if he will take them, let him have all the treats he wants. Celebrate his life, don’t dwell on his death...

 

[Lottie87]

Thank you so much for your kind words. I had an awful feeling that this might be near the end. But still really hope perhaps it's the weather change. It's been boiling and suddenly turned cold...

He seems to be very unsettlled tonight. He's been in bed 3 hours and shifted positions 3 times.

Hopefully i will be able to give him lots of treats in the morning. He is definitely one of the family. A christmas gift for my husband and our first pet. Didn't realise you could love a lizard so much!

I've popped a few pics on on from his life so far <3 He was so small!!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Love the Santa hat, defanitly doing that one this year!

Seen this one before?

 

[Lottie87]

Haha yes! Amazing!! We don't have any swords but do have one patriotic chameleon on eurovision day!!

Christmas hat was a decorative wine bottle topper!

 

[Lottie87]

Haha yes! Amazing!! We don't have any swords but do have one patriotic chameleon on eurovision day!!

Christmas hat was a decorative wine bottle topper! I wish my camera was better back then x

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Eurovision day?

 

[JoshD49]

I'm so sorry if this is his twilight days but I truly applaud you and now look up to you as I hope my boy gets to have such a long and happy life as Thor.

 

[jannb]

Over the years I have raised quite a few chameleons to reach old age. I think taking your guy to a good reptile vet would be an excellent idea. When my guys get older they show all the signs you mentioned above. Some of them got arthritis also and it caused them to fall so I had to put them on short trees (I free range everybody). They can get Adequan injections and Metacam for that and it helps allot. I also had one with high blood pressure, which caused his eyes to be puffy and hardening of the arteries and that caused him to have a stroke. They also get cancer. Basically they pretty much get everything that we do. It's important to have regular checkups, x-rays and blood work more often when they are older so you can stay right on top of everything.

I love all of his pictures and hope you get more time with him.

 

[Lottie87]

I think i have found the problem. We missed a uvb bulb change. We feel absolutely terrible. The difference in light was so obvious when we changed it, i can't believe we didn't notice. That teamed up with being lax with supplement can't have done him any good at all :'(

So bulb changed, he definitely looks more perky. He has had a poop but only yellow watery probably as he has taken no food. Going to get a syringe and mash up a bug as he is interested, licks his lips but doesn't take.

I'm really hoping we can bring him back and perhaps have some more time with him.

There were signs that suggested this was the issue which we put down to old age and end of life. I thought i'd pop the symptoms on here in case others see similar:
*'lazy' tongue - went back in slower and a bit limp. This started about 2 months ago.
*not eating (only the last week)
*sleeping in the day (only last 2 days)

For new , please don't underestimate how important it is to keep on top of the bulb changes. Just because it works, as in turns on doesn't mean it's doing it's joaàb.

Xxx

 

[jcarlsen]

Thank you for starting this thread and sorry you've been having problems with your little guy. I don't see many threads here or elsewhere discussing chams getting into their senior years, so this has been an educational read so far. Hope you get as much time with him as possible and hope the bulb switch and updated supplements help out!

 

[Lottie87]

I came home to find my little man waiting for me, licking his lips but he doesn't seem to be able to shoot his tongue.

I tried to drip a bug /water mix into his mouth but he didnt take very much. Is there anything anyone reccomends? I can't bare to think he will starve to death or suffer. I feel like I'm constantly messing him about when he might just want to lay quietly. But I'm also afraid it's not his time and i should try to help.

Feeling really quite helpless and a little heart broken at the moment :'(

 

[jannb]

You may need to just put the feeder in his mouth. They often lose the use of their tongue when they start to age. I’ve had to had feed for years for old and sick chameleons.

 

[Lottie87]

Update: He ate!!!!

I got a little nip to my finger as i had to tickle his nose with the feeder then pop it on the end of his tongue but he ate 2 whole wax worms!!!

He also had a good glug of water mixed with his supplement powder.

He is still pretty strong, has a good grip. Very pale colours today. Could this be the new bulb?

 

[jannb]

How’s he doing now? Did you take him to the vet?

 

[Lottie87]

Hello. I was just about to post on here. He is still up and about although slowing down. He sleeps quite a lot during the day now.

He has eaten a few feeders but we have to wait for him to open his mouth (usually after he has been drinking) and pop one in.

I've noticed over the last week he has developed a little lump oh his back. At first i thought he was beginning to shed but in the centre there is a little hard nodule. Does anyone know what it could be? Has anyone had anything similar? I'm wondering if it is likely to be just caught skin? a tumor? Infection? (pic attached)

We haven't taken him to the vet yet. We were waiting to see if he improved with the uvb light but am beginning to accept that he is reaching his end.

I took him out for some sun earlier and to take a closer look at his lump but he wasn't very happy. I haven't seen his black colours for ages!!

Does anyone have any advice on when it becomes kinder to euthanise rather than let him rest out his old man days? I am torn between a vet trip and all the stress that that entails for him and letting him fade out in peace. He is still pretty strong, hasn't fallen and eats and drinks when helped but i wouldnt want him to suffer. I don't want to lose my little man but I'm finding it too difficult to judge especially when emotions get in the way.

Thank you in advance
Lottie