Leg

@littlekiwi I don’t mean this to be negative, but I do not think you have the resources or means to properly care for a chameleon right now...particularly one who now has advancing MBD. I suggest speaking to your vet and looking out for rescue groups to see if there is someone who is willing to take on your chameleon and properly rehabilitate her. You might even reach out to Sweet Peas owner on social media to see if she has some advice on what you should do. As a new chameleon keeper myself, I do not know that I would be able to properly care for her either, so please don’t take this offensively. If her situation does not change, she will sadly pass away. If you decide to keep her, you must give 100% and pay whatever it takes as quickly as possible. There are many knowledgeable people here willing to help if you do.
 
@littlekiwi I don’t mean this to be negative, but I do not think you have the resources or means to properly care for a chameleon right now...particularly one who now has advancing MBD. I suggest speaking to your vet and looking out for rescue groups to see if there is someone who is willing to take on your chameleon and properly rehabilitate her. You might even reach out to Sweet Peas owner on social media to see if she has some advice on what you should do. As a new chameleon keeper myself, I do not know that I would be able to properly care for her either, so please don’t take this offensively. If her situation does not change, she will sadly pass away. If you decide to keep her, you must give 100% and pay whatever it takes as quickly as possible. There are many knowledgeable people here willing to help if you do.
so you are suggesting to me that i am incapable of caring for her. you say you don’t mean to be negative but that’s literally horrible. this chameleon will not pass away, and clearly this is not the website for me to receive help with. you can best believe this chameleon will live to be 3 or more years of i have anything to do with it and that’s that.
 
so you are suggesting to me that i am incapable of caring for her. you say you don’t mean to be negative but that’s literally horrible. this chameleon will not pass away, and clearly this is not the website for me to receive help with. you can best believe this chameleon will live to be 3 or more years of i have anything to do with it and that’s that.
Again, I meant no offense. I’ve followed your other posts and sympathize that you are a young college student and do not currently have a job providing you extra income. I hope for the best for both you and your chameleon, but it will take others with much more knowledge than myself to help you through this. Best of luck.
 
so you are suggesting to me that i am incapable of caring for her. you say you don’t mean to be negative but that’s literally horrible. this chameleon will not pass away, and clearly this is not the website for me to receive help with. you can best believe this chameleon will live to be 3 or more years of i have anything to do with it and that’s that.
They meant nothing bad by it... But it was honest... MBD is very hard to deal with. Without the correct husbandry the outlook is not good. With baby being a female it is even worse. They can easily egg bind when it comes laying time... When there is MBD this is even more difficult for them.

I have been trying to get you to give me feedback on your lighting and why you are using the dome fixture now instead of the T5... I am trying to help you. You respond to other posts but not to people that are actually trying to help you.

We are here should you need help moving forward. Good luck to you and your girl.
 
It looks like from reading through the threads, that the T5 linear fixture she had was with a 12% arcadia bulb and she was told that would be too strong.
 
It looks like from reading through the threads, that the T5 linear fixture she had was with a 12% arcadia bulb and she was told that would be too strong.
Not at the distance that the baby can climb. It would not be too strong. Prior statement was assuming it was a healthy cham. Compact uvb bulb will put out nothing at the distance needed much less even using it at a proper distance. These are inadequate for chameleons which is why people are told not to use them. Chams that are under compact bulbs develop MBD.
 
so you are suggesting to me that i am incapable of caring for her. you say you don’t mean to be negative but that’s literally horrible. this chameleon will not pass away, and clearly this is not the website for me to receive help with. you can best believe this chameleon will live to be 3 or more years of i have anything to do with it and that’s that.
People here are not accusing you of anything they just dont have the need to be dishonest for you to like them. They are trying to help you and they did help you because they told you your cham has mbd and that’s the most important thing for you to realize she need meds. By the way I think she’ll get through this!
 
@littlekiwi I don't think anyone was trying to offend you or hurt your feelings. You are still learning to care for your chameleon and about the appropriate husbandry for her. Now, you still have to learn those things, but make modifications based on your chameleons special needs.

Chameleons are not an inexpensive pet from the start but the additional needs your chameleon now has will put additional financial obligations into the mix, it will get costly. I believe that the previous posts were just to encourage you that you may want to take all of this into consideration.

It's great if you are up for the challenge and willing to do what is best for your chameleon. It's also okay to step back and realize that this may be too much. No matter what choice you make, I wish you and your chameleon all of the best.
 
Not at the distance that the baby can climb. It would not be too strong. Prior statement was assuming it was a healthy cham. Compact uvb bulb will put out nothing at the distance needed much less even using it at a proper distance. These are inadequate for chameleons which is why people are told not to use them. Chams that are under compact bulbs develop MBD.

Thank you. That is what I was wondering given the MBD situation. Hopefully she still has the 12% bulb and can re-install.
 
Hey,I know that this looks like a lot to take in, but just breathe and please please please don’t walk away from this site like sadly some people have done. We’re all here to help and none of us mean any harm. I’m saying this as a young person myself. We’re all Rooting for you!
 
@littlekiwi ...this chameleon needs everything to be 100% correct right away if you want to give her the best chance possible for recovery and to keep the MBD from returning.

For supplements...she needs to have the insects dusted just before you feed them to her with a phos free calcium powder at all feedings but 4 a month. This helps to make up for the often poor ratio of calcium to phos found in many of the feeder insects so it can keep her bones strong. BECAUSE YOUR CHAMELEON HAS MBD, SHE WILL ALSO NEED EXTRA CALCIUM IN LIQUID FORM (no D3 in the liquid calcium) UNTIL HER BONES ARE STRONG ENOUGH AGAIN. YOU WILL NEED A VET TO TELL YOU THIS.

On two of those 4 remaining feedings...one feeding every second week, you need to use a phos free calcium/D3 powder. This gives her some D3without overdosing her and leaving her to make the rest of the D3 she needs from her exposure to the UVB you will be providing. D3 from supplements can build up in the system and cause health problems which is why we only do it so little.

On the remaining two feedings, two weeks apart you need too use a vitamin powder, no D3 but with beta carotene, a prOformed source of vitamin A. PrOformed sources of vitamin A will not build up in the system so this makes the vitamin powder safer. This leaves it up to you to provide a prEformed source of vitamin A if the chameleon shows a need for it. (Most veileds don't seem to if they are kept like I'm describing.) PrEformed sources contain words like acetate, retinol, retinyl, retinal, palmitate, etc.

Feeding/gutloading the insects is important too. For crickets, superworms, locusts, roaches I use dandelion greens, collards, kale, endive, escarole, mustard greens, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, and a very little bit of berries, apples, pears, melon, papaya, mango, etc.

Re lighting...the most recommended UVB light is the LONG LINEAR TUBE Reptisun 5.0. I have used it for many years. UVB allows the chameleon to make D3 so that it can use the calcium you're providing the chameleon. Light from the UVB will not likely overdose your chameleon with D3 as long as the ch ameleon can move in and out of it at will. ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND FOR YOUR CHAMELEON...BECAUSE SHE HAS MBD SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE WELL AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF THE LIGHT ...THIS ALSO GOES FOR THE BASKING LIGHT.
For basking, a regular household incandescent bulb of a wattage that puts the temperature in the low 80'sF is all that's needed.

Temperatures are important too because they aid in digestion....as is
water. Use of a mister and a dripper are recommended.

For cage set up... For now a hospital cage is recommended...low ...so she can get UVB light without having to worry about her falling and breaking more bones. Soft floor to break falls. Sticks/branches that she can easily grip.

Hopefully she will be ok. Keep us posted.
I hope I didn't miss anything in this post.
 
You’ve gotten some great advice. This IS the website/forum that will help guide you thru getting your cham better. I do hope you’ll stick around, ask needed questions, take offered advice and let the forum help you get your cham well.
 
Back
Top Bottom