Lethargic Chameleon

[oneillchameleons]

Flukers is junk and doesn't do much but provide a bit of moisture. The pet store likely doesn't provide any gutloading other than a potato or carrot. A variety of well gutloaded feeders (crickets, roaches, silk/horn/Phoenix/super worms, locusts etc.) is essential for a chameleons well-being. You can find a lot of gutloading here on the site, but here are just a few of the things I gutload with:

WET: kale, collard greens, sweet potato, carrot, Apple, oranges, blue berries, winter squash, papaya, banana

DRY: sunflower seeds, bee pollen, Brewers yeast, spirulina, alfalfa, sesame seed, millet, dried cranberries

A multivitamin is used every two weeks to help provide the essential minerals and nutrients that we may miss with these gutloading methods. Calcium with d3 is used every two weeks in order to provide some d3 that the chameleon may not be able to synthesize using UVB lighting, without the risk of overdosing and causing health issues. You MUST provide these things for your chameleon to remain healthy.

 

[itsbennyb]

I have him in the sun now seems to be doing better.

 

[Carlton]

I usually just use flunkers gut loading stuff or just go to the pet store to get them.

The pet shop crix won't retain their gut contents very long and pet shops hardly ever feed them much. They need to be fed a decent gutload for several days for your cham to get much good out of them. The cricket diets pet shops carry are pretty bad.

 

[itsbennyb]

Wow I had no clue I thought that would have been the best option. He seems to be doing better I just force fed him some super worms and I went and got new bulbs

 

[carol5208]

So how long have you had him? You said he is 4 yrs old, but is that how long he has been in your care? Please, if he is ends up not getting better, please have him humanely euthanized at the vet. I don't know what you meant by "taking him out of his misery". Nothing like freezing him. Contrary to what many people believe, it is a slow and painful death.

 

[itsbennyb]

I have had him sense it was a baby. Never had a problem. I take good care of him I just got from vacation. My friend took care of him but nit as well as I thought. How much is it to get him euthanized. I would bring him in if anything. I could never do anything cruel to my little buddy.

 

[alphakenc]

I have had him sense it was a baby. Never had a problem. I take good care of him I just got from vacation. My friend took care of him but nit as well as I thought. How much is it to get him euthanized. I would bring him in if anything. I could never do anything cruel to my little buddy.

Do u really think the "DEATH" is the only way out for him??

 

[itsbennyb]

No I do not think that I don't want to seem him suffer is all.

Do u really think the "DEATH" is the only way out for him??

not at all but I do not want to see him suffer

 

[carol5208]

I am not suggesting to give up on him by any means, I was just saying if things go down hill please let him go humanely. I don't know what your vet would charge. My vet did not charge me anything for the first one I had put to sleep and the second one was maybe like $30 but that is my vet and he is very reasonable.

 

[alphakenc]

I understand ur frustration,but how do u know for sure he is suffering that much to require being put to sleep,maybe he is fighting to survive,maybe not,if he still there with you alive,can you just let him live for his last breath,I dont think its cruel at all for him to live till the very last moment,unless he is lying down on the side way n ready to say goodbye.

 

[kinyonga]

Could your babysitting friend have done something to your chameleon....feed him something strange? Not put the lights on so he was too cold? Anything else?

 

[itsbennyb]

Ok lastnite I woke up in the middle of the nite and he was on the bottom of the cage laying on his side. I turned on his lights set him up at the baking spot and he opened his eyes. He was really cold. I chopped a superworms in half and put it in his mouth he had a really hard time swallowing it. I stayed up until he fell back asleep and then when I woke up he was on the bottom of the cage on his side again. I have him in the sun now and his eyes are barely open. He has not pooped or peed in 3 days.

 

[itsbennyb]

He just moved his leg a little and he's moving his head around. I can't do anything cruel to him. I'm here till his last breath. If I can't get him better.

 

[itsbennyb]

Could your babysitting friend have done something to your chameleon....feed him something strange? Not put the lights on so he was too cold? Anything else?

The only difference that they did was that they put ice cubes on top of his cage and maybe did not missed as much as they were supposed to

 

[itsbennyb]

Does his mouth loom ok I don't even see his tongue really

 

[LindsayG]

Is there a reason you havent taken him to a vet yet? I think it's time to take him in. Finding him laying on the bottom of the cage twice is not a good sign. You need a qualified specialist to tell you exactly what's wrong and how to treat it. You have quite a few concerns and none of them are just going to all of a sudden get better. If he were mine I'd make an appt. asap.

 

[itsbennyb]

I can't get an appointment until Monday and the last time I brought my dog to the vet he died the next day

 

[LindsayG]

I can't get an appointment until Monday and the last time I brought my dog to the vet he died the next day

I had a cat I took to the vet and ended up having to put him down that day. Totally wasn't expecting to lose him it was completely out of the blue but that doesn't stop me from taking all my other animals to the vet when they need it. It's possible it's time for your little guy to pass on but it's also very possible that this is treatable. You will also want to find an exotics specialist and not just a dog and cat vet.

 

[itsbennyb]

I had a cat I took to the vet and ended up having to put him down that day. Totally wasn't expecting to lose him it was completely out of the blue but that doesn't stop me from taking all my other animals to the vet when they need it. It's possible it's time for your little guy to pass on but it's also very possible that this is treatable. You will also want to find an exotics specialist and not just a dog and cat vet.

Ya if he wasn't so old I would I just think maybe it's just his time I've had him ever since he was a very little baby he's had a good life I said my goodbyes to him and told him if he wants to go to sleep you can but if you want to keep fighting that's also up to him

 

[jajeanpierre]

I can't get an appointment until Monday and the last time I brought my dog to the vet he died the next day

I'm really sorry your guy isn't doing well. He looks pretty good in his pictures. He's got a good weight. He looks hydrated. He looks too good to be as you describe. So, what the heck is going on?

If I had read this thread without looking at the pictures I might think that he was was failing as old chameleons eventually fail. Four years is getting up in years--a little young, but not unheard of. But he doesn't look like a chameleon that is old and frail.

I don't think he is particularly suffering, and I do understand your panic.

I believe your first complaint was that he was keeping his eyes closed and lethargy. I notice your cage looks really dark. They will shut right down if they don't get enough light. What are his temperatures? Cold will also shut them down. A breeder friend of mine is complaining that his indoor chameleons are almost brumating. They do notice when there is less light even when they are indoors. Last winter I changed out all my lights to really bright Arcadia lights and noticed a HUGE difference with veiled. He just came alive under the better lighting, and he had pretty good lighting to begin with.

Try brightening his enclosure up a lot and make sure he can get warm enough. Keep his enclosure on the high side of what is proper for his species. (There are care sheets, I think under the Resources section of this web site.) Increase his humidity a lot, too.

If increased lighting and a bit warmer temps don't turn him around, I would get him to the vet.