How do i know when my cham is dead?

Melvin

Melvin

Member
Hi!

I've had my chameleon for over 7 years, the last 6 months he just got worse and worse. Even if he got worse he had a good appetite and drank a lot. Yesterday he got really bad and now he's almost dead. How do I know for sure that he's dead, so i don't bury him alive?

when i hold him he doesn't grip, he feels cold and and he's eyes doesn't follow my eyes at all, he just feels gone. sometime i can see that he's moving the tongue or some small movement.

Im sad but I'm really glad he lived so long.

IMG_9834.JPG
 
I'm really sorry. Seven years is a very long life--find comfort in that.

A chameleon is a cold blooded animal, so he will feel cold to you if his body temperature is below yours. That is not a sign that he has died, but that he might not be in a place where he is as warm as he should be. A cold chameleon will slow right down, especially a cold dying or ill chameleon.

Death is a process. Sometimes it is quick and sometimes it takes awhile. I've been in your situation before with a variety of animals, the last time with a fully formed baby that died in the shell. The rest of the clutch had hatched 10 days prior and the shell was starting to collapse and felt deflated. I cut open the shell just to save myself checking the egg every day. I knew it was dead but just left it in the incubating box for a few days "just to be sure." There is nothing wrong with leaving your dead chameleon in a box so you are sure.

Chameleons will usually blanch or go dark at or after death. They look pretty awful after death. In the picture your boy looks alive to me.

Movement is not necessarily a sign of life. There are lots of movements that happen after death, but if they move, I consider them alive.

A pretty sure fire way to tell is if rigor mortis has set in. I'm sure a chameleon would develop rigor mortis but it is not something I've experienced. Rigor mortis is when the muscles stiffen after death. It is a transient stiffening in resonse to muslce cell metabolism continuing without the presence of oxygen. How long an animal is in rigor and how soon after death it happens is dependent on a few things, one being muscle mass. The body comes out of rigor when there is a breakdown of muscle tissue from decomposition.

Sorry you are going through this. There is not hurry to bury him.
 
jajeanpierre said:
I'm really sorry. Seven years is a very long life--find comfort in that.

A chameleon is a cold blooded animal, so he will feel cold to you if his body temperature is below yours. That is not a sign that he has died, but that he might not be in a place where he is as warm as he should be. A cold chameleon will slow right down, especially a cold dying or ill chameleon.

Death is a process. Sometimes it is quick and sometimes it takes awhile. I've been in your situation before with a variety of animals, the last time with a fully formed baby that died in the shell. The rest of the clutch had hatched 10 days prior and the shell was starting to collapse and felt deflated. I cut open the shell just to save myself checking the egg every day. I knew it was dead but just left it in the incubating box for a few days "just to be sure." There is nothing wrong with leaving your dead chameleon in a box so you are sure.

Chameleons will usually blanch or go dark at or after death. They look pretty awful after death. In the picture your boy looks alive to me.

Movement is not necessarily a sign of life. There are lots of movements that happen after death, but if they move, I consider them alive.

A pretty sure fire way to tell is if rigor mortis has set in. I'm sure a chameleon would develop rigor mortis but it is not something I've experienced. Rigor mortis is when the muscles stiffen after death. It is a transient stiffening in resonse to muslce cell metabolism continuing without the presence of oxygen. How long an animal is in rigor and how soon after death it happens is dependent on a few things, one being muscle mass. The body comes out of rigor when there is a breakdown of muscle tissue from decomposition.

Sorry you are going through this. There is not hurry to bury him.
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Thank you very much for your answer.
 
I am sorry you are going to lose your little friend. He has lived a long life with you and many more years than most chameleons. I hope you can find some comfort in that, but I know it still hurts to have to say goodbye.
 
carol5208 said:
I am sorry you are going to lose your little friend. He has lived a long life with you and many more years than most chameleons. I hope you can find some comfort in that, but I know it still hurts to have to say goodbye.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. Yes he had a wonderful life in his wonderful cage and at the summer outside :)
 
Sorry to hear about this. But it would appear that you gave him a great long life. I know it's rough losing them though.
 
Last edited:
Keep him as warm as you can. Usually you can see them breathing. Put a heating pad under the towel or something, see if you can get him to take fluids. 7 years is very old so you may not want to do support care since he is probably nearing the end. :( I am very sorry for your loss.
 
So sad. You must have been something right because he's an old man. He's so beautiful. I'm sure you know this. He's pretty much gone from the looks of your pic. Sorry for your loss.
**im getting a group of older juvenile veileds in the next week. If your willing to pay for shipping I'd love to send you one. (That's if your ready)
Again sorry.
[email protected]
 
zlew said:
Keep him as warm as you can. Usually you can see them breathing. Put a heating pad under the towel or something, see if you can get him to take fluids. 7 years is very old so you may not want to do support care since he is probably nearing the end. :( I am very sorry for your loss.
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The picture is clear the animal is beyond support care. Condolences however and well done on taking care of him for a good seven years.
 
Hi my chameleon Connie has just died had her 3 years she still had her colours wasn't sure then she's just starting to turn black miss her
 
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