Is my Veiled gravid?

[Jwalls]

Just got back from the vet, definitely pregnant and has MDB, the vet said she can recover with loads of calcium over the next six months. She says her bones will start to re establish themselves over time. I will post X-ray later for anyone interested. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Just got back from the vet, definitely pregnant and has MDB, the vet said she can recover with loads of calcium over the next six months. She says her bones will start to re establish themselves over time. I will post X-ray later for anyone interested. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Sorry to hear about the MDB. Did the vet say how far along her MDB had gone? how severe? I have read that plenty of members have reversed most, if not all, the MDB with proper care - depending on how far along was the damage, so don't stress about it. I'm sure the vet gave you a plan or schedule? It might be worth describing it here so that others can take a look at the information the vet gave you - I've heard some vets give bad information to keepers and it's better to double-check IMO. I'd love to see the x-rays! Thanks for the update

 

[Jwalls]

Pretty simple as far as the schedule goes, they gave me a marked syringe so I know how much calcium to give (only a few drops to avoid risk of aspirating) she also showed me how to avoid the windpipe when administering medication, I need to give the calcium once a day and give her as many thouroughly dusted crickets as she will eat, she did say that BSFl would be a better choice as far as calcium is concerned but didn't recommend them because of their hard outer shell possibly creating a blockage. She didn't say excactly how far the Mbd was but she seemed to think it could t be straightened out with enough time, calcium, and uvb/natural sunlight.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Pretty simple as far as the schedule goes, they gave me a marked syringe so I know how much calcium to give (only a few drops to avoid risk of aspirating) she also showed me how to avoid the windpipe when administering medication, I need to give the calcium once a day and give her as many thouroughly dusted crickets as she will eat, she did say that BSFl would be a better choice as far as calcium is concerned but didn't recommend them because of their hard outer shell possibly creating a blockage. She didn't say excactly how far the Mbd was but she seemed to think it could t be straightened out with enough time, calcium, and uvb/natural sunlight.

Well, I'm not as experienced as others @Andee @Nursemaia @kinyonga but I can tell you that BSFL's are soft bodied. There are a lot of amazing feeders and variety is important. I've never heard of any of them creating a blockage except for mealworms (I'd avoid them). But dubia roaches (I feed the medium sized ones) and BSFL's are my staples. For variety, butterworms, wax worms, blue bottle fly larva. As a treat, superworms and blue horned worms. I hate crickets. Nasty, smelly, gross, vile. But O likes to hunt them so I tolerate them once in a while lol

Dubia and crickets should be properly gut-loaded before feeding to her.

I looked up the name Otis - and this is so ironic - it means "one who hears well" since chams really don't hear. You could change her name to Olive... kinda close to Otis and much prettier

 

[kinyonga]

Did the vet think she would lay her eggs? Give you any advice about the egglaying orocess? I'm hoping she isn't eggbound.

 

[Jwalls]

Here's the X-ray it's a little sad but I'm optimistic

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Here's the X-ray it's a little sad but I'm optimistic

Poor girl and look at the eggs, wow

 

[kinyonga]

The "eggs" don't look very oval...but they look large to be follicles. Did the vet comment on that at all?

 

[Jwalls]

Yes she said being they weren't very ovular yet that she may not be quite ready to lay them, she said that the calcium supplement will really help to harden the eggs as well as her bones, basically her eggs were stealing calcium from her bones and that's why the mbd got so bad. I'm sorry this is all new to me I haven't had a chance to learn everything yet it's only been 5 days, what do you mean by follicles?

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Yes she said being they weren't very ovular yet that she may not be quite ready to lay them, she said that the calcium supplement will really help to harden the eggs as well as her bones, basically her eggs were stealing calcium from her bones and that's why the mbd got so bad. I'm sorry this is all new to me I haven't had a chance to learn everything yet it's only been 5 days, what do you mean by follicles?

It might help @kinyonga know that you answered her question, and have one of your own, if you click/tap the REPLY option... I know it helps me when I'm checking on threads I have participated in

 

[Jwalls]

It might help @kinyonga know that you answered her question, and have one of your own, if you click/tap the REPLY option... I know it helps me when I'm checking on threads I have participated in

Thanks for the info, I do have a question, actually two,
Is there an easy way to get her to open her mouth? It was very frustrating trying to give her the meds today.

Also, the pet store only had large crickets on hand yesterday and she doesn't seem to want them, if a cricket is too large will they attempt to eat it or just ignore it?

 

[kinyonga]

In laymans terms...The eggs are called follicles before they ovulate.

This might help...
https://books.google.ca/books?id=cx...Ulmxd6EVi-fcX0SA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifalse
1cDTAhVBwYMKHXWDD-YQ6AEINDAE#v=onepage&q=follicles%20eggs%20ovulation%20chameleons&f=false
https://books.google.ca/books?id=puSVDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA27-IA51&lpg=PA27-IA51&dq=follicles+eggs+ovulation+chameleons&source=bl&ots=IvVxFaiyYy&sig=Zq9sYsnN5-UHr0WHdzE4Nm7mOaU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU1Iyy1sDTAhVm9IMKHcFsBfoQ6AEIRDAG#v=onepage&q=follicles eggs ovulation chameleons&f=false

Her right arm looks swollen...did the vet say anything about that?

 

[Jwalls]

Also, I noticed the bigger crickets have quite a grip, is it possible for crickets to injure a chameleon if it's too large?

 

[Jwalls]

For example... would this cricket be too big for her?

 

[kinyonga]

Are you hand feeding her the crickets or is she getting them on her own with her tongue?

 

[Jwalls]

The people I got her from said they had to hand feed her but my experience with her since Thursday is that she has been using her tounge, I've only witnessed her eat two crickets this way but more than that have disappeared (don't know if some have escaped or not, haven't found any in the house) she will eat mealworms with her tounge all day but I've stopped giving them too her due to lack of nutrition

 

[kinyonga]

If she's eating them on her own then they shouldn't injure her. If she's being hand fed (youre placing them IN her mouth) you can always squish the head and place them head first between her teeth.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

@Andee might be able to help give tips on administering mess. I know she's got stuff on her plate but hopefully she can jump in. I think they will attempt, for better or worse, to eat anything that is in the strike zone. I'm not sure if that cricket is too big, Ophelia would eat it, for sure. Can your order some BSFL's or another soft bodied worm?

 

[Jwalls]

@Andee might be able to help give tips on administering mess. I know she's got stuff on her plate but hopefully she can jump in. I think they will attempt, for better or worse, to eat anything that is in the strike zone. I'm not sure if that cricket is too big, Ophelia would eat it, for sure. Can your order some BSFL's or another soft bodied worm?

From what I've read the older the BSFl the harder the shell, if the ones your getting are soft could you let me know where your getting them from? Being the vet said about them causing blockages, I want to be really cautious about this.

 

[Jwalls]

If she's eating them on her own then they shouldn't injure her. If she's being hand fed (youre placing them IN her mouth) you can always squish the head and place them head first between her teeth.

Thanks, if I do have to hand feed her are there any tricks to get her to open her mouth? Sometimes she'll hiss when picked up but not always.