i think nigels sick!!!

[shellyanne]

hey guys this is my first time posting on here.... i recently got a male veiled chameleon hes about 5 months old and was doing great up until about a month ago when his colour started staying really brown, he was slightly dehydrated but thats on the mend now!!!..... ive tried changing his basking bulb for different temp ones cos i thought he might be too hot or cold but it hasnt made any difference at all.... hes eating and pooping fine and is still very active ive posted some pics of him the first one is wen hes out of his viv and the second is the colour that he is most of the time.... any help would be great. thanks.

 

[Miss Lily]

Please fill out the 'How to ask for help' form - then me may be able to offer some help and advice. We need to know a bit more about Nigel and his housing first though!

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
* 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?
* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
* 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?
* Location - Where are you geographically located?


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

My first thought is that there may be something in his viv that he doesn't like or possibly something that he can see from there that is bothering him. Anyhow, please give us more info on that form!

 

[shellyanne]

* Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? hes a male veiled about 5 months ive had him bout3 months.

* Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? once or twice a week cos thats when he seems happier.

* Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?he eats about 10 crickets a day also he has locust and the occasional wax worm, they are all gut loaded on fruit and veg.

* Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? i use reptivite with d3 once a week and reptivite without d3 every other feeding.

* Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? atm i am currently hand misting about 4 times a day but im putting a drip system in later 2day, i have also been showering him and yes i do see him drink some of the time

* Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? his poop is normal in colour and consistency with white urinate.... no he hasnt been tested.

* History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. when i purchased him he had an old burn on his back which has healed now but thats y he dnt have any spikes on his bck.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? its a wooden viv 92highx55widex40depth with glass doors but soon to be mesh doors!

* Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? exo terra reptiglo 5.0 uv tube, 60w basking bulb both on for around 10 to 12 hours a day.

* Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? 70f at bottom basking spot about 90f ihave a stick on and a probe style thermometer. nighrtime it drops to about 65f.

* Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? its around 60% unless ive just misted then it goes up to 100%.

* Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?i have a live ficus in there and fake vines and plants aswell.

* 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? in the corner of my room not near any windows or nething but i keep a leopard gecko across the room but its quite far away.

* Location - Where are you geographically located? i live in england in the south east.


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. hes always brown wen in his viv. think that just about covers everything lol... any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.

 

[Miss Lily]

Thanks for filling in that form - I know it seems like a lot of info (had to fill it out myself last year). I can't pinpoint anything obvious from the info you've given. Sounds like he's in a similar viv to my Tommy (I am also in the UK) - he's in a VivExotic with glass doors which I always leave open a fraction for some air exchange. It is quite possible that Nigel is simply going through a drab stage - I have read on here before that some males go throuhg a brown/colourless stage. He is also approaching adulthood now too - my female got her adult colouring at 6 months old. Hopefully others will read your thread and offer more help if they spot anything!

 

[shellyanne]

thank u so much mayb im just worrying bout nothing lol im very over protective of him and worry bout the slightest little thing!!!!! it did cross my mind that it could just be his age. thanks again!!!!!

 

[Elizadolots]

That picture of him in the mist is just great!

 

[kinyonga]

He definitely looks unwell in that last picture...I think I would take it to the vet.

Is your light a compact or long tube light? Do both kinds of the Reptivite have prEformed vitamin A in them?

I don't know if your supplementing/husbandry is part of the problem or not...but...I do supplement differently than you...
I use a phos.-free calcium powder at most feedings to help make up for the usually poor ratio of calcium to phos. found in most feeder insects.

I dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder to ensure that it gets some D3 without overdoing it. I leave it to produce the rest from its exposure to UVB. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but there should be no problem with what it makes from its exposure to UVB as long as it can move in and out of the UVB.

I dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene source of vitamin A. Beta carotene (prOformed) sources of vitamin A will not build up in the system like prEformed sources can. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleon can convert it so some people use a little prEformed once in a while. Excess prEformed may prevent the d3 from doing its job and lead to MBD.

 

[shellyanne]

its a tube one and yes the suppliments do have that in mayb ill try using the d3 less!!... hes a funny colour in the last pic cos that was taken wen he was ion the shower lol i was trying to rehydrate him at the time do u think it could be because he was dehydrated that hes a funny colour?