JoJo is egg bound :C

[CaptainMorgantown]

Hello everyone,

I have been trying to get JoJo to lay her eggs for nearly a month now. I put her in her laying bin everyday for several hours with no results. She stopped going to the bottom of her cage, started eating more, and started acting how she normally did. I thought that maybe it was a false alarm, or paranoia on my part and left her alone. I went home last week for winter break and Christmas, and she started digging at the bottom of her cage again, but I forgot to bring her laying bin with me, so I had to make a makeshift one. She dug about three different holes, but filled them all back in, and only laid one egg. She was still eating and healthy looking, so I thought that all she needed was her real laying bin and she would lay them and be done. I went back to my apartment and got the bin, but she again acted like she wasn't interested.

Tonight she has taken a turn for the worst. Her eyes over the last few days and been becoming more and more sunken in even thought I have been giving her more water than before. She keeps spitting out food and hasn't eaten in about three days now. Nobody in the area is open for the next few days because of the holidays, otherwise I would take her in to the vet to get the surgery.

Is there anything I can do right now to try to get her to lay. I have already tried soaking her in warm water and digging a hole for her to lay. She is just sitting in the laying bin with her eyes shut and isn't moving at all. I don't know what to do. I would even drive the six hours back up to Morgantown to get her into the vet, but they already said that their isn't an exotic vet on call tonight. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Lee81]

Are there no emergency vets? even non-exotic ones should be able to treat her.

I ended up taken mine to a dog vet for an x-ray and oxytocin.

Oxytocin, Liquid Calcium and a bit of luck and hopefully she'll be fine.

 

[Solid Snake]

Im sorry to hear that.

Yes, in an emergency, you could likely get any vet to administer the oxytocin.

Best of luck...

 

[CaptainMorgantown]

There are emergency vets, but the one that is on call tonight said that he is extremely uncomfortable with exotics, and that I would be better off going to a vet that has more experience with them.

 

[CaptainMorgantown]

Also, I think that my mom might be the one that has to take her in for me. Does anyone know about how much the surgery will cost? I know the vet visit itself will be 60, but I just wanted to know how much I was looking at.

 

[laurie]

There are emergency vets, but the one that is on call tonight said that he is extremely uncomfortable with exotics, and that I would be better off going to a vet that has more experience with them.

Pull up the info from the internet about what he needs to do. Tell him you have the information for him and explain without intervention your cham may not make it until tomorrow.

If worst comes to worst sent a pm to both Dr O and ferretinmyshoe and see if one of those vets will explain to the vet there what is needed. Ferret may be working as she is an emergency vet. let me know if I can help you.

 

[Olimpia]

A shot of oxytocin is not a surgery, it's just an injection of a hormone that the female body would produce naturally to cause uterine contractions. So typically a chameleon will get the injection and will lay the eggs within a few hours, often right there in the vet's office or in a travel cage. It shouldn't be too much money.

Hopefully your girl will not need surgery! But it may come out to $150-200 plus the visit fee.

 

[CaptainMorgantown]

I hope that the shot works. I read that they give them the shot and then the surgery if it doesn't work, but I guess I already had it in my head that it wouldn't. Jo is very stubborn. Should I bring in her laying bin when I take her in?

 

[Solid Snake]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/veterinary-management-chameleons-78544/

You could print that out for the vet perhaps?

I would say bring the laying bin.

 

[mcleodschams]

Omg I'm so sorry to hear about jo I agree with the above that any vet can give the shot with the right dose for her weight. I hope you get her takin care of she has been an inspiration to many of us an we have learned a lot. If the vet say he's not comfy push to get him to do it as it is only a needle and it could mean you sving your baby.

 

[CaptainMorgantown]

I've been wondering this, and since I can't get her to eat crickets, can I give her Repashy Crested Gecko Diet? It says on the packet that chameleons can eat it, and I thought it would be a good way for her to get some nutrition.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I don't see any reason why not if she'll eat it.

If she is showing signs of weakness and dehydration she is in need of surgery ASAP before she gets any weaker. I think the window for oxytocin has passed. But it could still be tried. Let me know if there is any way I can help!

 

[CaptainMorgantown]

It's too late :'C

 

[Kate]

Oh that's so sad. I'm sorry.

 

[lisagr07]

I'm soooo sorry to hear about JoJo... I always enjoyed reading your posts about her progression and thriving in your care inspite of her disabilities! You gave her a great life,,, she was always smiling for you!!!

 

[ChameleonMom]

I am SO sorry to hear of you JoJo's passing! I just recently went through exactly what you went through but was lucky that the timing for oxytocin and surgery came the week before Christmas. It is an extremely stressful thing watching your baby struggling to lay and you feel so helpless! RIP JOJO...I am so very sorry for your loss.