Just bought a cham to save his life....need help.
- Thread starter Ocelot357
- Start date
Ocelot357
New Member
NO!!!! i hope not!....Im gonna post up some of his pooo, maybe somebody can point something out in his poo.
luevelvet
Avid Member
Well, if we can tell from a non-magnified low res pic, then he has more trouble than we an imagine. Worms are common in stool samples, however only in bad cases can we tell from a normal picture.
Refer to here for some Husbandry tips...
http://adcham.com/html/taxonomy/species/chmontium.html
I wouldn't worry too much about supplementation with calcium and vitamins. Feed your crickets some variety of vegetables and greens and you should be ok in that dept.
I wouldn't bug him too much throughout the day. Make sure he has a dripper and his cage stays ventilated. This will help with any mold or bacterial buildup's. A fecal done by a vet is still highly encouraged.
Good luck and keep us updated.
Luis
Refer to here for some Husbandry tips...
http://adcham.com/html/taxonomy/species/chmontium.html
I wouldn't worry too much about supplementation with calcium and vitamins. Feed your crickets some variety of vegetables and greens and you should be ok in that dept.
I wouldn't bug him too much throughout the day. Make sure he has a dripper and his cage stays ventilated. This will help with any mold or bacterial buildup's. A fecal done by a vet is still highly encouraged.
Good luck and keep us updated.
Luis
Ocelot357
New Member
Will do!...Thanks luis.
You said..."Been noticing he's been sleeping during the day a lot.....Should i look into getting him some calcium and vitamins???"...Sleeping during the day is not a good sign. The toes look infected in the one picture you posted. He could also have picked up an infection through the wound on his tail. I really think he should be seen by a vet. If the toes are left like that it will only lead to bigger problems. The area needs to be cleaned out, a culture and sensitivity test done on what is removed from the swollen area and the chameleon put on an appropriate antibiotic.
A phosphorous-free calcium powder should be used at most feedings on the insects before feeding them to the chameleon. The insects should also be fed a nutritious diet/gutloaded before being fed to the chameleon.
Eventually you will likely need a vitamin powder and a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder too.
Do you have a long linear tube UVB light or does he get direct sunlight? (The UVB light from either source should not pass through glass or plastic.)
Watering is particularly important with this species.
Appropriate temperatures will aid in digestion.
There should be no substrate.
A phosphorous-free calcium powder should be used at most feedings on the insects before feeding them to the chameleon. The insects should also be fed a nutritious diet/gutloaded before being fed to the chameleon.
Eventually you will likely need a vitamin powder and a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder too.
Do you have a long linear tube UVB light or does he get direct sunlight? (The UVB light from either source should not pass through glass or plastic.)
Watering is particularly important with this species.
Appropriate temperatures will aid in digestion.
There should be no substrate.
Ocelot357
New Member
Geez......Im in a pretty serious situation!.A vet is gonna be costly...im definitely not in the situation to be paying for things like that right now.I'll try my best to make him better.He's using a linear uvb light.
Thanks!.
TeknoTwinky
New Member
Iv jus been looking at these on FL chams and seen this thread then they're quite rare then?
I feel sorry for that guy too
I feel sorry for that guy too
Pure
New Member
Not trying to be a jerk, but if you can't afford a vet you shouldn't "rescue" any animal.
Keep that in mind next time.
Ocelot357
New Member
Not to be a jerk back, but your wrong pal.The little guy is better off with me even though he is dying.He was worst off with the seller at the swapmeet....no basking light, no uvb and in the same cage with other chams.I definitely did a favor for this little guy.Im pretty sure he would rather die with me than with them.
Is there a chameleon rescue in your area that could take him? Just to give him the best possible chance...
Ocelot357
New Member
Im keeping him.....if he dies, he dies.Like how i said in the previous post, he's better off with me than with them evil sellers!.
philanddeb818
Established Member
THANK YOU OCELOT! This is a wonderful reminder about what a heart can do to change lives. I looked at these photos and couldn't help but well up and get teary...because someone like YOU cares about this little guy. YOU ARE AWESOME AND SO IS THIS CHAM!
OOPS, Sorry for this EDIT:
Chameleon rescue is a resource for just such a case as this. I'm certain you will need professional guidance to help this little guy unless you plan to spend the next month or so PM-ing our senior members on the forum. Your little guy can be helped by the rescue and you can help the rescue out by being a volunteer. It doesn't take cash to have a heart, which you obviously have in abundance just for helping this little guy!!!
OOPS, Sorry for this EDIT:
Chameleon rescue is a resource for just such a case as this. I'm certain you will need professional guidance to help this little guy unless you plan to spend the next month or so PM-ing our senior members on the forum. Your little guy can be helped by the rescue and you can help the rescue out by being a volunteer. It doesn't take cash to have a heart, which you obviously have in abundance just for helping this little guy!!!
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SoCaliSon
Avid Member
I know that Chamelisa here on the forums(She has responded to this thread) runs a non profit rescue program called Chameo. She is in Northridge.
Really, The cham does not have to die... But with the attitude you are showing..."If it dies it dies..." Just shows that you are really not interested in helping the animal, but rather you are just interested in having a cool pet until it expires due to the lack of attention you refused to get him.
So, Where is your heart at? It can't seek medical attention itself... and when it is needed, It relies on you to provide that for him. You took on that responsibility when you bought him. It is one of the responsibilities that comes with wanting to own any Live animal. You can go to jail or get slapped with a huge fine for keeping cats, dogs, and other pets in need of medical care that is not being provided, it should be no different with reptiles in my opinion. Now you have been told that your cham needs medical care... Your telling me your choice of action is to ignore it and hope it doesn't die!?!?!
~Joe
Really, The cham does not have to die... But with the attitude you are showing..."If it dies it dies..." Just shows that you are really not interested in helping the animal, but rather you are just interested in having a cool pet until it expires due to the lack of attention you refused to get him.
So, Where is your heart at? It can't seek medical attention itself... and when it is needed, It relies on you to provide that for him. You took on that responsibility when you bought him. It is one of the responsibilities that comes with wanting to own any Live animal. You can go to jail or get slapped with a huge fine for keeping cats, dogs, and other pets in need of medical care that is not being provided, it should be no different with reptiles in my opinion. Now you have been told that your cham needs medical care... Your telling me your choice of action is to ignore it and hope it doesn't die!?!?!
~Joe
SoCaliSon
Avid Member
I disagree... All you did was provide a new cage, and some lighting and misting... aside from that... you are choosing to ignore the chams ailments just like the "evil sellers".
Pure
New Member
Actually "pal" you are wrong. With the dealer the animal would have had a chance to be purchased by someone financially capable of turning it around. No matter how small a chance that may be, it was a better chance than it's getting with you.
Or
The animal would have perished thus ending it's suffering. By taking this animal and providing almost appropriate care you have lengthened it's life thus prolonging it's suffering. So much for your rescue.
No need to get pissy with me. I was really just trying to tell you to keep the financial aspects of owning an animal in mind next time you feel that gotta save impulse.
dodolah
Retired Moderator
There is a good possibility for this animal to actually be healthy and alive with professional helps.
Perhaps your desire to keep him as your pet should come second to your desire of keeping him alive. Chamelisa runs a chameleon rescue organization.
Imho, talking to her will be the first good step to make him better.
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
I agree. If for any reason you can not give (or afford) the vet visits and time that this little guy requires please give Chamelisa a chance to bring him back to life.
chamelisa
New Member
I got this post in my email a little while ago. If there are problems with this montium and you aren't in a position to get it veterinary care, please call me at (818) 219-9315 and I will pick it up and take it to my vet. I'm in Woodland Hills. Once a chameleon is stable, then I put it up for adoption on my website.
But if you would like some references to some great vets:
Attila Molnar, DVM
All Animals Medical Center, Calabasas, California - (818) 591-2773
Geoffrey Stein, DVM *
Shipp's Animal Hospital, 351 Foothill Blvd., Beverly Hills - (310) 550-0101
Daniel Reimer, DVM *
Adler Veterinary Clinic, North Hills, California - (818) 893-6366
Dr. Thomas H. Boyer
Pet Hospital of Penasquitos, 888-F Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego, CA - (858) 484-3490
Pet Hospital of Penasquitos
Tom Greek, DVM
Greek & Associates Veterinary Hospital, 23687 Via Del Rio, Yorba Linda - (714) 463-1190 or (866) 940-7028
www.tomgreek.com
If you need to reach me between now and tomorrow afternoon, please email or call. I can't check PMs from my cell phone. I kind of broke it.
P.S. I looked at the photos and the injuries to the toes and tail don't really seem bad enough to cause the daytime sleeping. But it's very hard to say one way or the other by a photograph. I'm going to bet that he needs a fecal done and depending on the load and the type of parasites found, he should be treated. If you see swelling in the toes, then he has an infection. But at this time, he appears as most WCs do. Scuffed up and imperfect. The sleeping is a bad sign. He doesn't look dehydrated. Not terribly anyway.
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