I've had a pair of K. Uthmoelleri for a few months now, and the female seems to have just recently developed a minor gular edema. I'm confused as to why it may have formed considering I don't supplement that often, especially with Vit. A. She's been eating houseflies, crickets, small silkworms and gets 3 x 10 minute mistings a day. Each are housed individually in a 18 x 18 x 36 inch sceen enclosures, with temps in low to mid 70's and and slightly higher basking area. I'm not home at the moment and my camera is not very good, but will try to get some photos tomorrow or Monday. In the meantime, is there anything I can do to help lessen the issue? I've lengthened the mist times so as to "flush" her out as I've read about in the past, but anything else is helpful. She gets the same as my female Quad, who is fine, an the male appears fine Thanks for any info!
K. Uthmoelleri gular edema...
- Thread starter Klemins
- Start date
Dean Pulcini
Avid Member
Sometime they get that why when gravid also what have you been feeding the feeders? Chameleons are literally what they eat. Like you said the only thing you can do is cut supplementation and increase water intake.
PardalisGirl
Avid Member
Supplementation.......
I would say supplementation would be the cause too. What is this gutload you referred to with the long name full of sssss? Can you give me a link to that and the Montane mix you also refer to? I've got three breeding groups of K. Uthmoelleri. I just posted a new thread the other day in the Kinyongia forum asking for some advise on egg laying. The thread just stays in that forum and never appears like the general forum threads do. I've got a gravid female Uthmoelleri who is ready to pop. She acts normally and eats like a pig. But I need to get ready for eggs. I was asking for the number of eggs to expect and incubation time and temperature for this species. She shows no sign of edema.
Another thought...what kind of water do you mist with? I had a recent experience in getting a panther cham from someone who used their locale water to mist the cham. The water had a high mineral content. The panther had significant gular edema. Within a month of living with me and my filtered water the edema totally disappeared. I'm not saying it's your water. It had just never occurred to me prior to this recent experience to think of water sources and edema.
Thanks for any help you may be able to give me on my egg laying situation
I would say supplementation would be the cause too. What is this gutload you referred to with the long name full of sssss? Can you give me a link to that and the Montane mix you also refer to? I've got three breeding groups of K. Uthmoelleri. I just posted a new thread the other day in the Kinyongia forum asking for some advise on egg laying. The thread just stays in that forum and never appears like the general forum threads do. I've got a gravid female Uthmoelleri who is ready to pop. She acts normally and eats like a pig. But I need to get ready for eggs. I was asking for the number of eggs to expect and incubation time and temperature for this species. She shows no sign of edema.
Another thought...what kind of water do you mist with? I had a recent experience in getting a panther cham from someone who used their locale water to mist the cham. The water had a high mineral content. The panther had significant gular edema. Within a month of living with me and my filtered water the edema totally disappeared. I'm not saying it's your water. It had just never occurred to me prior to this recent experience to think of water sources and edema.
Thanks for any help you may be able to give me on my egg laying situation
Eric Adrignola
Avid Member
gular edema can happen from a lack of vitamin A as well. Happened in one of my females when she was gravid, but only after I ran out of a multivitamin that had preformed A in it. Supplemented wiht more preformed A, and in a week or so it was gone forever.
Sorry about the delay, I've been away. PardalisGirl, the gutload I was referring to is here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/gutload-sale-16906/ ....many people use it and love it, but the specific ingredients are a secret to him. I was thinking it may be under supplementation as Eric had suggested, and will look into upping it a bit. Ill also check into replacing my filter to be sure. Thanks again
Chris Anderson
Dr. House of Chameleons
I have a couple years of experience with K. uthmoelleri and I too have had edema issues. My female arrived with edema and I was never able to cure it. I supplemented very sparingly and tried to be careful with my gutloading as well. She did fine with the edema but it always concerned me.
Chris
Chris
ciafardo 4
New Member
that sss is a guy on this forum selling the gutloadI would say supplementation would be the cause too. What is this gutload you referred to with the long name full of sssss? Can you give me a link to that and the Montane mix you also refer to? I've got three breeding groups of K. Uthmoelleri. I just posted a new thread the other day in the Kinyongia forum asking for some advise on egg laying. The thread just stays in that forum and never appears like the general forum threads do. I've got a gravid female Uthmoelleri who is ready to pop. She acts normally and eats like a pig. But I need to get ready for eggs. I was asking for the number of eggs to expect and incubation time and temperature for this species. She shows no sign of edema.
Another thought...what kind of water do you mist with? I had a recent experience in getting a panther cham from someone who used their locale water to mist the cham. The water had a high mineral content. The panther had significant gular edema. Within a month of living with me and my filtered water the edema totally disappeared. I'm not saying it's your water. It had just never occurred to me prior to this recent experience to think of water sources and edema.
Thanks for any help you may be able to give me on my egg laying situation
opihiman
New Member
sorry I don't have answer for you, But I do have another question.
What do the fecal look like, floats and general appearance? slightly orange no matter how much you mist?
Just curious.
OPI
The fecals/urates look fairly normal. They're pretty white for the most part, though it's hard to tell sometimes from the misting/soil that often gets onto them.
One other question/point though...What is the Vit. A content of silkworms like? I read a recent study that said they're high even when just being fed the Mulberry Chow. Could this be a reason? Thanks for the help
One other question/point though...What is the Vit. A content of silkworms like? I read a recent study that said they're high even when just being fed the Mulberry Chow. Could this be a reason? Thanks for the help
SSimsswiSS
Avid Member
Most of the keepers I'm in contact with would say a lack of Vit. A. But every keeper does things a little differently. Water, Diet, Supps., all come into play. According to Vet./Med books, there is no such thing as URI when it comes to Chameleons. Lower Respiratory Infections is the term used.
I wish I had a answer for you . Whatever route you take, just do it gradual and moderately. I think we sometimes unintentionally send our animals into shock with over treatment and attention. Observation and note keeping go a long ways. Now if I could just decipher my record keeping .
I wish I had a answer for you
. Whatever route you take, just do it gradual and moderately. I think we sometimes unintentionally send our animals into shock with over treatment and attention. Observation and note keeping go a long ways. Now if I could just decipher my record keeping .
Mike Fisher
Established Member
Ah ha! Sorry to revive this old thread folks, but I just recently had this happen to a gravid female. Twice. It was rectified both times with vitamin A supplementation.
More clues as to the cause of edema in gravid females.
I think there are at least a few causes leading to gular edema in chameleon's and we need to know that cause to chose the right solution without risking causing more harm by the treatment....
http://www.uvma.org/chameleon/edema.htm
In one reproductive study of veiled chameleons some developed gular edema and they were given vitamin A with no improvement resulting..so I assume there was another reason for the edema.
Dave Weldon wrote about using Mylanta to cure gular edema caused by a calcium/phosphorus imbalance....scan way way down to find it.....
http://chamworld.blogspot.ca/2008_02_01_archive.html
While dosing get chameleon with vitamin A in some cases seems to offer a solution if lack of vitamin A is not the "reason" it may do more harm than good. Just saying don't throw caution to the wind.
http://www.uvma.org/chameleon/edema.htm
In one reproductive study of veiled chameleons some developed gular edema and they were given vitamin A with no improvement resulting..so I assume there was another reason for the edema.
Dave Weldon wrote about using Mylanta to cure gular edema caused by a calcium/phosphorus imbalance....scan way way down to find it.....
http://chamworld.blogspot.ca/2008_02_01_archive.html
While dosing get chameleon with vitamin A in some cases seems to offer a solution if lack of vitamin A is not the "reason" it may do more harm than good. Just saying don't throw caution to the wind.
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Mike Fisher
Established Member
Agreed.
It is generally recommended to give a vitamin supplement twice a month. If the edema subsides after the multivitamin, it would be prudent to suspect that hypovitaminosis of vitamin A could be the cause.
