I think Jeff has mbd..please advise

[Cham3l3onJeff]

He's been eating less and less every week

Now I'm really Scared. He's gotten way to skinny.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Male veiled Cham about 1 and 1/2 year old
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Minimal handling. Maybe once a month
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? Mostly cricket, occasionally super worms. Getting horn worms in this week, gutload the crickets with flukers orange gut load. (Going to use fresh veggies and fruits from now on)
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Dust with reptivite
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Dripper and manual mist
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Recent hasn't been much, I see some off white stuff here and there
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen 4 foot by 18 inch by 18 inch...he usually on a screened in patio. Lots of natural light and lots of humidity
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Zoo med uvb mini and heat lamp
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? Basking around 85-90 floor is around 70
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? High humidity, I live in Florida
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? All fake plants.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? On screened in patio. He comes in at night if it's ever below 60 out. Lots of natural night and humidity
• Location - Where are you geographically located? South Florida

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

Highly decreased appetite...the more I read the more I see he need much more calcium. I don't the the orange gut load is cutting it, seems to barely eat now...maybe one or two super worms a day. Hasn't had a good poos in 4 days.

 

[jpowell86]

He does look to have MBD in the picture above.

You stated that you supplement with Reptive. I'm guessing you meant Reptivite?? If so, that is not calcium. That is a vitamin with D3.

This is a major issue. You need to dust with calcium without D3 daily. D3 should only be used twice a month and vitamin, like Reptivite, once to twice a month.

Try getting him back on a regular schedule with calcium and if he were mine, I would take him to an experienced vet so he could get a shot of calcium and a check over.

 

[Cham3l3onJeff]

He does look to have MBD in the picture above.

You stated that you supplement with Reptive. I'm guessing you meant Reptivite?? If so, that is not calcium. That is a vitamin with D3.

This is a major issue. You need to dust with calcium without D3 daily. D3 should only be used twice a month and vitamin, like Reptivite, once to twice a month.

Thank you jpowell86, yes reptivite is the one...rep-cal without d3 is on its way, as well as a liquid calcium supplement and repashy. Any other suggestions??

 

[Cham3l3onJeff]

Also just wondering what I can do to get him to eat more?? Hard to get him calcium when he barely eats...am I at the point of force feeding him? I have some horn worms being delivered, hoping those are a treat for him. If so how do I force feed?

I also have been giving him some water with a syringe just to make sure he stays hydrated

 

[kinyonga]

Calcium not only affects the bones, it affects the muscles so his digestion, etc may be slower right now.

Taking the chameleon to the vet for calcium shots until the blood calcium levels are back to normal and the bones and muscles, etc are strong again is the fastest way to correct the MBD. You can also give it some liquid calcium sandoz or gluconate.

In the meantime you need to make sure it has exposure to the UVB light and proper supplements.
You also need to feed/gutload the insects properly.

Since most feeder insects have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous its important to dust them just before feeding them to the chameleon with a phosphorous-free calcium powder at most feedings.

It's also recommended that you dust twice a month a phosphorous-free calcium/D3 powder to ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 without overdosing it and leaving the chameleon to produce the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB light.

It's recommended that you dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. PrOformed sources of vitamin A cannot build up in the system and lead to overdoses like prEformed sources can and will leave it up to you to decide whether the chameleon needs prEformed or not.

You can feed crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms with a wide assortment of greens such as collards, escarole, endive, dandelion greens, kale, etc and veggies such as carrots, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, etc.

Hooe this helps.

 

[Cham3l3onJeff]

Sometimes he sucks his belly and like this… And it looks like his ribs are really sticking out… Is this normal, or is he malnourished?

 

[jpowell86]

No, it is not normal. Unfortunately, the little guy is poorly nourished. Like Kinyonga mentioned above, MBD can cause havoc on more than just the bones. More than likely, he is unable to properly digest what little food he is willing to take right now.

I know I already mentioned it in my other post, but the faster you can get him to a vet, the better. They need to stabilize his calcium levels as soon as possible.

 

[Cham3l3onJeff]

Hey guys, could use some input...almost 3 weeks later now. Jeff still isn't eating much...I'm not even 100% sure he has eaten anything other than what I have put in his mouth personally.

The bad news is I haven't been able to find a vet who can confidently confirm they know what they are doing with chameleons. I have him on a, small, but steady diet of wax worms and crickets gut loaded with repashy super load and dusted with calcium and the occasional super worm. I also am able to get 3-5 ml of repashy rescuecal plus diluted in purified water, per day...I'm hoping all this is bringing his calcium levels up. He has a fogger now to help with keeping hydrated.

Seems to have put on a LITTLE weight but hip bones are still sticking out!

He has only had two bowl movements in the last 3 weeks. What else can I do??

 

[kinyonga]

Did you get the liquid calcium to give to your chameleon?? It's more readily absorbed than other forms of calcium.