I desperately need help!! (possibly sick or pregnant chameleon)

bvetrone

New Member
Hello, my name is Bryan, this is my first time on this forum. I found this forum looking for answers as to identifying if there's an issue with my Chameleon.

I have a female Veiled chameleon which I bought at Petco (never again). Not only did they give me horrible advice as to her needs but left me in the dark to many things, such as the need to lay infertile eggs.

Thought I was sent home with the wrong equipment, I went out and bought the right things she needs. She has an 18x18x36 reptibreeze screen cage, Exo Terra Solar-Glo High Intensity Self-Ballasted Uv/Heat Mercury Vapor Lamp, 125-Watt, live Hibiscus plant (as of 4 days ago, she only had fake vines and branches before that), fake tree branch giving perch at top of cage for basking, little dripper set-up on top of tank (also only 4 days old) I wasn't aware that they drink from drips and thought misting her 2-3 times a day would be enough. eats between 5-8 crickets a day coated with Reptashy. Also offered meal worms, wax worms, phoenix worms in a bowl located on the bottom of the cage.

About two weeks ago I noticed her hanging out on the bottom of the cage often, not for long periods of time but very active, constantly moving up and down the cage and not really digging but her feet would move the Eco Earth soil. Her diet stayed the same for a bit but now she's beginning to ignore food where the second I dropped an insect in her cage, she was on it. Now a few crickets will be within arms reach and she ignores them. She won't eat worms in the bowl, she used to eat them right out my hand, wont do that anymore either. I have seen her drinking from the dripper but as far as eating, she wont and though for her lack of diet, still quite the fat belly on her.

She's also developed new spots and colors. Where she used to remain almost solid green, she's now often lightly striped, devloped big yellow spots on her sides and the faint stripes on her are now outlined yellow. She never used to show spots unless stressed but now, even when she's basking, she seems to consistently be spotted. Her eyes aren't sunken in but the bill on her head isn't as firm as it was, seems rather flattened, her skin wrinkles and just...doesn't look healthy like it used to. She also had what appeared to be shedding skin from her nostrils to the tip of the bill on her head and it took her a good week and a half to remove it all and hasn't shed any other part.

As far as her hanging out on the bottom, it hasn't been happening (as far as I can tell) but now she just clings to one specific side of the screen cage, right in the middle of the left side were the leaves cover her. She doesn't bask nearly as often as she used to where she'd just sit under the lamp all day, now she goes up, basks for maybe 5 minutes and goes back to her spot on the side of the cage and does that several times through out the day.

I'm not sure if maybe she's confused by the new live plant but doesn't seem interested in being around it. I felt her belly for lumps while she was relaxed and sleeping and couldn't feel anything, I also set up a very large plastic tub for her and put about 50 pounds of play sand in it along with a vine. I tried placing her in the tub but all she's interested in is getting the heck out.

I honestly can't tell if she needs to lay eggs or even if she's sick or stressed. I purchased her on June 4th, they sent me home with a short, glass cage and a waterfall. She lived like that for 2 weeks until I replaced all her equipment and then recently bought the dripper and live plant. I know chameleons are particular to their known environment, maybe this is why she seems stressed and not eating. She also seems more hostile now as well, once in a while she'd hiss and sway at me when I'd try to pick her up during the day but maybe, 1 or 2 days of the week were like that where now, the only time she'll allow me to pick her up is at night when she's sleeping or else she's very aggressive and hissy which was not her normal behavior mere weeks ago.

With this given information, can anyone tell me what this sounds like? Is she eggbound perhaps?? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, this is very upsetting for me as I've become quite attached to her. It would be awful if something happened to her.

Thank you!
 
What is her basking spot temp? That bulb seems like a bit of overkill. I have a ambilobe and only use a 60 watt basking bulb. I'm no expert but thats my opinion. Could you add pics?
 
What you describe (the spots) sounds like gravid( she has eggs) coloring. How old is she and that 125watt bulb is too much.

Post a pic of her and the cage
 
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It's possibly her basking spot is too hot and she basks just enough to tolerate it then retreats to cooler temps . Any pix of her?
 
I'm surprised she lets you handle her while she sleeps. I would suggest not disturbing her while she sleeps.

Veileds tend to be a bit on the grumpy side. When they are younger they are a bit more handelable and it's often a surprise to the owners when they "grow out" of this stage
 
What you describe (the spots) sounds like gravid( she has eggs) coloring. How old is she and that 125watt bulb is too much.

Post a pic of her and the cage

3 weeks ago

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3 minutes ago

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Upon taking this picture I realized the ribs appearing practically broken on one side. I examined her, they do seem disconnected in some spots.

I'm beginning to think you're right about the light bulb. The new plant reaches nearly to the top and only allows her a close bask where she used to stay near mid-level while basking before the plant consumed most the cage.

The petco women said she's been "caring" for her since she was a baby, she's about 8-9 months old.
 
She is gravid!! And seems to be in good health. Have a laying bin avaliable to her at all times and get a lower wattage bulb ( like a 60watt) and measure the temps at the basking spot. It should be around 87*. I'd bet it's well into the 90s with the 125watt bulb.

Does she normally sleep on your hand like that?
 
Don't disturb her anymore. But take clear pix of her ribs tomorrow while she is awake and post.
 
I figured She was. I put her in the plastic tub, damped the sand down, put her branch in and capped it with a screen. I'll give her privacy and offer her water through the dripped.

Yes, she's always been prone to sleeping on me, she seems to enjoy it. She actually refuses to let go of my band when I try to put her back in her cage. She knows the routine, at night I open her cage, stick my hand out, she comes on, makes her self comfortable and then falls right to sleep.

She probably likes the warmth from my hands, she also seems to like the fact that she can lay on her side or sometimes even on her back. She likes when I pet what I call her "elongated beard", or her "seam", i go with the grain down her stomach and she lays on her back in my palm and goes relaxes completely with her head all the way back, she'll even loosen her feet until she's not holding anything.

She seems to really trust me as a handler. She'll only do things like that with me, she's not prone to letting other people handle her.
 
I figured She was. I put her in the plastic tub, damped the sand down, put her branch in and capped it with a screen. I'll give her privacy and offer her water through the dripped.

Yes, she's always been prone to sleeping on me, she seems to enjoy it. She actually refuses to let go of my band when I try to put her back in her cage. She knows the routine, at night I open her cage, stick my hand out, she comes on, makes her self comfortable and then falls right to sleep.

She probably likes the warmth from my hands, she also seems to like the fact that she can lay on her side or sometimes even on her back. She likes when I pet what I call her "elongated beard", or her "seam", i go with the grain down her stomach and she lays on her back in my palm and goes relaxes completely with her head all the way back, she'll even loosen her feet until she's not holding anything.

She seems to really trust me as a handler. She'll only do things like that with me, she's not prone to letting other people handle her.
Lucky!! As long as she is alert and active while awake.
I wouldn't force her into the laying bin. Is it in her cage? You can take a plant pot that's about 10-12 inches wide and 10-12 inches deep and leave it in her cage and offer her a few ways down to it , she will do the rest
 
First hello and welcome to our world. Would you be able to put a laying bin in her cage? Trying to make her as comfortable as possible right now is the best think. Just a container that in 8" deep and about 10" around will work. usually i would say go bigger but I think this girl needs to comfort of her cage. Now this is the hard part. You need to put something very light weight, a thin towel, sheet, piece of fabric over the front of her cage and give her privacy. Let her have her heat and uvb light, plus a dripper and a couple of mistings a day. Try not to let her see you - at all. And don't worry about food, she will be fine for couple days. Do peak in on her but try not to let her see you.

Is does sound like you have a wonderfully friendly cham, but right now she needs her own space. Bothering her could cause her to not lay her eggs and become egg bound. Not a good thing. You never said how long you have had her or if she was with a male at the petstore. If she was with a male these could be fertile eggs, that is a altogether matter, but only after she lays.

I am sure I have forgotten things but hopefully this will help
 
Your bulb is great and i would not change it. Only thing that may need done is adjusting the height from it to the basking spot she frequents. That temp should be around 90*. She does appear to be gravid and will need some attention. her going off of food and visable signs of eggs...It is time!

Read this blog https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

Here is a pic of one of my females cages.
full
 
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Your bulb is great and i would not change it. Only thing that may need done is adjusting the height from it to the basking spot she frequents. That temp should be around 90*. She does appear to be gravid and will need some attention. her going off of food and visable signs of eggs...It is time!

Read this blog https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

Here is a pic of one of my females cages.
full
Good point about moving the bulb back. That would also work over replacing the bulb.
 
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Thanks for all the sound advice guys, I really appreciate it, calms the nerves a bit.

Last night, while she was sleeping, I put her in the plastic tub and capped it , I also cut a bunch of slits in the cap so light, water and air could come through.

She got out haha. She somehow squeezed out one of the cuts and I found her on the screen of her favorite window in my room. I found her, put her back in her cage and went to work.

Now this is interesting, the pot that the hibiscus tree is planted in had a few shallow holes dug, meaning she must of tried digging, hit roots and stopped. SO I ran outside, grabbed a construction bucket (probably about 18 inches deep and 10 around) filled it with moist play sand, removed the hibiscus plant (not enough room) and left the tree branch she knows above the bucket with her vine leaf hanging down into the buncket, it's also close enough to the side where she can grab the screen to get in and out.

I then put a towel over the front of the cage and used my Japanese folding door to surround her cage for privacy. I also do have her bulb risen and always have, it's not laying on the top of the screen it's probably about 6 inches away from it.

How does this sound?!
 
Thanks for all the sound advice guys, I really appreciate it, calms the nerves a bit.

Last night, while she was sleeping, I put her in the plastic tub and capped it , I also cut a bunch of slits in the cap so light, water and air could come through.

She got out haha. She somehow squeezed out one of the cuts and I found her on the screen of her favorite window in my room. I found her, put her back in her cage and went to work.

Now this is interesting, the pot that the hibiscus tree is planted in had a few shallow holes dug, meaning she must of tried digging, hit roots and stopped. SO I ran outside, grabbed a construction bucket (probably about 18 inches deep and 10 around) filled it with moist play sand, removed the hibiscus plant (not enough room) and left the tree branch she knows above the bucket with her vine leaf hanging down into the buncket, it's also close enough to the side where she can grab the screen to get in and out.

I then put a towel over the front of the cage and used my Japanese folding door to surround her cage for privacy. I also do have her bulb risen and always have, it's not laying on the top of the screen it's probably about 6 inches away from it.

How does this sound?!

Sounds spot on. Good job!!
 
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