Lumpy Joints?

That looks really bad and looks like it could be gout. Can you fill out the how to ask for help form so we can look at your husbandry? Also take her to the vet as soon as possible and ask to get a blood test and x-rays done. This also could be MBD.
 
Thanks for your opinions... any idea why this happens? She just ate 2 crickets, and is receiving sun. I'll take her to the vet....
 
A high protein diet usually causes this. What do you feed to your feeders as a gutload? What's your dusting schedule?
 
My crickets eat "Fluker's" Orange Cube (Food, water, Vitamins & Spirulina). We dust them with "Zoo Med's Reptivite, vitamins with D3", every time. We feed crickets (about 10), about every 4 days...
 
How old is your female? Your gutload needs to consist of many greens and fruits such as Kelp, collard greens, dandalion leaves etc... Not just the flukers orange cubes. I would just get rid of those. You also need to provide for your female a variety of feeders. Get her some silkworms and hornworms because this will help flush out some of the uric acid that is causing the gout build up in her joints. Make sure she is givin a lot of water also.
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Ambilobe Chameleon, female, about 1 year old. it has been in my care since it was a baby or a year.
Handling - i handle it about once every 4-5 days.
Feeding - We are feeding her crickets with a calcium coating. about 10 crickets every 3 days, and feeding the crickets flukers orange cube.
Supplements -im dussting the crickets with zoo med's reptivite. we dust every cricket we feed her.
Watering - we use a spray every other day and a dripper at all times. we mist for about a min or until everything is wet. we do see the chameleon drinking from time to time.
Fecal Description - 3 diffrent sections first black then cream then white. it has never been tested for parasites
History -It was once very cold and had to be kept under a heat lamp and special care for about 2 days and we had to hand feed it.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - it is a screen cage it is rectangular whd 17 3/4 inch. 37 inch. 17 inch.
Lighting - it has 75 watt lightbulbs for daytime and nighttime, the brands are exo terra and all living things.The exo terra day time lightbulb is a tight beam. the all living things is an infrared heat bulb. we are also using an exo terra 5.0 uvb lightbulb in the day time.we alternate the infrared heat bulb and the xo terra tight beam during the day and night time schedule, the infrared bulb being turned on during the night and the tight beam during the day time. the lighting fixtures are a fluckers sun dome and a fluckers clamp lamp.
Temperature - the temperature progreses from the top to bottom as 80 to around 75. on hot days it can go up to 90. on cold days around 75 at the top. the temps are measured with a small thermometer that goes on the screen wall.
Humidity - we are measuring it with a typical hydrometer that goes on the wall. The humidity levels are around 20%, they are created and maintained with a plastic hand sprayer and a dripper.
Plants - we have one fickus
Placement - my cage is located next to a window and adjacent to another chameleon cage. the only fan it is next to is never on and it isnt near any high traffic areas or air vents. The cage is on the floor so the top is 37 inch away from the floor.
Location - We are in San Diego CA.

Current Problem - my chameleons knees and elbows have swelled up considerably and she seems to be having trouble moving and stays on the cage floor.
 
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Ambilobe Chameleon, female, about 1 year old. it has been in my care since it was a baby or a year.
Handling - i handle it about once every 4-5 days.
Feeding - We are feeding her crickets with a calcium coating. about 10 crickets every 3 days, and feeding the crickets flukers orange cube. That's not sufficient for a gutload at all. Add things such as turnip greens, collard greens, carrots, apples, ect... (See the links I posted.)
Supplements -im dussting the crickets with zoo med's reptivite. we dust every cricket we feed her. Are you using a calcium supplement? With or without D3 or none? (See links)
Watering - we use a spray every other day and a dripper at all times. we mist for about a min or until everything is wet. we do see the chameleon drinking from time to time. You should be misting her cage every day.
Fecal Description - 3 diffrent sections first black then cream then white. it has never been tested for parasites I recommend a fecal test every 6 months just to be safe.
History -It was once very cold and had to be kept under a heat lamp and special care for about 2 days and we had to hand feed it.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - it is a screen cage it is rectangular whd 17 3/4 inch. 37 inch. 17 inch.
Lighting - it has 75 watt lightbulbs for daytime and nighttime, the brands are exo terra and all living things.The exo terra day time lightbulb is a tight beam. the all living things is an infrared heat bulb. we are also using an exo terra 5.0 uvb lightbulb in the day time.we alternate the infrared heat bulb and the xo terra tight beam during the day and night time schedule, the infrared bulb being turned on during the night and the tight beam during the day time. the lighting fixtures are a fluckers sun dome and a fluckers clamp lamp. You do not need any lights at night. You don't need a heat lamp at night unless the temps get below 60. A regular household 40-60 watt bulb is sufficient for a heat source for basking. Don't need the infrared lamp.
Temperature - the temperature progreses from the top to bottom as 80 to around 75. on hot days it can go up to 90. on cold days around 75 at the top. the temps are measured with a small thermometer that goes on the screen wall. Temps aren't so bad, but I wouldn't let them get up to 90s for a female. How are you measuring temps? I would recommend a digital thermometer if you don;t already have one.
Humidity - we are measuring it with a typical hydrometer that goes on the wall. The humidity levels are around 20%, they are created and maintained with a plastic hand sprayer and a dripper.
Plants - we have one fickus Is this a live plant? Live plants really help with humidity.
Placement - my cage is located next to a window and adjacent to another chameleon cage. the only fan it is next to is never on and it isnt near any high traffic areas or air vents. The cage is on the floor so the top is 37 inch away from the floor. The cage could possibly be heating up by being near the window. Also, if you have it near the window for UVB purposes, UVB does not pass through glass or plastic. So unless the window is open, she isn't getting any UVB that way.
Location - We are in San Diego CA.

Current Problem - my chameleons knees and elbows have swelled up considerably and she seems to be having trouble moving and stays on the cage floor.

As has been mentioned, it's gout which is very painful. You need to take her right away to a good reptile vet that has experience with chameleons. Here are a few links that may help you along:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/basic-husbandry-38769/

Gutloading: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...sphorus-ratios-common-good-gutload-foods.html

Supplements: http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html

Lighting: http://www.chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html
 
Last edited:
Gosh, poor girl. I know gout in humans is very painful and I would assume the same for animals. I know cause my mom just had it. So you have never used a plain calcium at all, and have dusted your feeders for one year everytime with d3? That in my book is over supplementation of d3 and I am sure your cham gets natural sunlight living in California. I don't know if that has anything to do with the gout though. Maybe someone else can chime in on that one. Kinyonga perhaps???
 
Regarding Gout.. Wnt to vet yesterday.

Thanks! Went to vet. He confirmed it is gout, and said reason was over-supp of calcium. I have her in a smaller cage, so she doesn't have to climb much. vet gave us NO meds. Just change diet of crickets (fruits) & calcium every 3 feedings. I'll go to vet again in 2-3 weeks. THANKS for all your comments and help... invaluable for rookies like me...
 
Go tO another vet for another opinion because in my opinion your chameleon needs meds to get rid of the gout rather than letting it go away on it's own. That gout looks pretty serious.
 
Back
Top Bottom