Male Veiled Chameleon Help!!!!!!!!!

[blueoceanhope]

My chameleon info!!!:
Species: veiled chameleon
Sex: male (very visible heel spurs)
Age: appx 1 year
In my care for appx 9 months.
Handling: once a day appx- he likes it.
Feeding: crickets, butter worms, meal worms. Fed daily (he varies on how often he eats- sometimes once a day sometimes once every other day). They are gut loaded (with fluckers or zilla cricket gut load) and dusted (once a week). He is fed around 9pm every night- sometimes give or take an hour)
Supplements: t-Rex chameleon dust.
Watering: 2-3 times daily. I use a combination spray bottle on foliage and mister. He drinks when I spray foliage almost every day- sometimes twice daily. Length of mist varies depending on whether he drinks- usually appx 2-3 mins each time.
Fecal: gray poops, slightly yellow and white urates. Never tested for parasites.

Cage info:
Cage type: exo terra natural terrarium- 36"x18"x24". - website for tank http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/natural_terrarium_large.php .
Lighting: 1 UVA bulb, 2 UVB bulbs (heating and wattage needed)- lighted red heat lamp at night. Daily "sun" from appx 8am-10-11pm. Red bulb nightly.
Temperature: appx 85-90F basking temp, 70-75F cage floor. Nightly temp- appx 75F- lowest 70F. Use- exo terra thermometer.
Humidity: 70-90%. use combination mister and sprayer. Humidity measured by exo terra humidity Gage.
Plants: currently no live plants but I just purchased some annual hibiscus and a miniature schafalera to plant in potting soil/ (no plant food) and pots.
Placement: in corner of room- no fans near bye, not high traffic. Cage appx 4 feet above floor.
Location: upstate new york
----- use plantation soil as substrate.---- not a question.

CURRENT PROBLEM: I recently cleaned my chams tank (his name is ziggy) he hasn't eaten offered worms in almost a week. I know the cleaning and reorganizing of his tank is stressful for him but this is the longest he has gone without eating. He also hangs out on the bottom of the tank all the time, like he doesn't want to climb again. And he's not very coordinated- he can't see well I think and he misses his footing. He gets very pale when he is on the bottom of the tank. I'm very worried. He is my baby! Please help!

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

Ok, I see a couple of things that could be changed, I might have to jump back and forth to get my info right.
1) no need for a night light, they need the dark to recharge, so try not using it
2) they need the heat/uv to digest their food, since the night light isnt going to be on, feed in the morning so he will have several hours to digest before lights out.
3) how old is your uv light, I have noticed a dramatic drop in my uv readings(I use the 6.2 solartech reader) after 6 months. your 5.0 linear bulb might need changing
4) to balance the calcium/phosphorus ratio in feeders, a calcium phosphorus free with no D3 should be used with every feeding, with D3 2x a month and a multi 2x a month
5) sorry, time to go back and look!
6) no substrate, I believe most use nothing at all, I dont but I will leave that to another person
7) are you gutloading with anything fresh? like veggies/fruit?
Sometimes a cham can be in your care for awhile before it shows signs of distress, this might have been coming on for awhile, or maybe ate substrate and is impacted, or is experiencing a supp imbalance?
Please know I am just throwing things out there for you to consider, I am by no means an expert, and can only give you advice from my own trial and errors
anne

 

[blueoceanhope]

Ok, I see a couple of things that could be changed, I might have to jump back and forth to get my info right.
1) no need for a night light, they need the dark to recharge, so try not using it
2) they need the heat/uv to digest their food, since the night light isnt going to be on, feed in the morning so he will have several hours to digest before lights out.
3) how old is your uv light, I have noticed a dramatic drop in my uv readings(I use the 6.2 solartech reader) after 6 months. your 5.0 linear bulb might need changing
4) to balance the calcium/phosphorus ratio in feeders, a calcium phosphorus free with no D3 should be used with every feeding, with D3 2x a month and a multi 2x a month
5) sorry, time to go back and look!

Do u know how to tell if he has a broken leg? I pick him up and put him higher in the branches but he drops back onto the bottom of the tank a few minutes later. His right hind foot he didn't use to grab my finger and his knee seems to b facing front more then the other, I've never noticed it before. I don't know what to do...

 

[blueoceanhope]

Ok, I see a couple of things that could be changed, I might have to jump back and forth to get my info right.
1) no need for a night light, they need the dark to recharge, so try not using it
2) they need the heat/uv to digest their food, since the night light isnt going to be on, feed in the morning so he will have several hours to digest before lights out.
3) how old is your uv light, I have noticed a dramatic drop in my uv readings(I use the 6.2 solartech reader) after 6 months. your 5.0 linear bulb might need changing
4) to balance the calcium/phosphorus ratio in feeders, a calcium phosphorus free with no D3 should be used with every feeding, with D3 2x a month and a multi 2x a month
5) sorry, time to go back and look!
6) no substrate, I believe most use nothing at all, I dont but I will leave that to another person
7) are you gutloading with anything fresh? like veggies/fruit?
Sometimes a cham can be in your care for awhile before it shows signs of distress, this might have been coming on for awhile, or maybe ate substrate and is impacted, or is experiencing a supp imbalance?
Please know I am just throwing things out there for you to consider, I am by no means an expert, and can only give you advice from my own trial and errors
anne

I use fresh lettuce and baby carrots to Gut load also. Sorry- forgot to add that.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

I rescued a cham that did the same things. does he look "shaky" or off balance?
those are signs of early MBD
if that is the case, go to a vet...like asap
they can give him calium gluconate shots, and either show you how to do the same, or oral drops. It will make a big difference
but the longer you wait, the worse it gets and it isnt reversible

 

[DavidBuchan]

You need to dust lightly with Calcium at every feed. A supplement with extra d3 should be used every 2 weeks. And get him to a vet. Quick, because when you see the signs things can deteriorate quickly.....Good Luck

 

[blueoceanhope]

I rescued a cham that did the same things. does he look "shaky" or off balance?
those are signs of early MBD
if that is the case, go to a vet...like asap
they can give him calium gluconate shots, and either show you how to do the same, or oral drops. It will make a big difference
but the longer you wait, the worse it gets and it isnt reversible

He does look shaky and falls a lot. I found a vet in my area- I'm just hoping they will take me in on a Saturday?

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

not sure where you are, but Im really happy you agree with a Vet visit. if it is early mbd, you will see a big difference in a short amount of time.
most vets these days work at least a half day.
Please let me/us know how things are going, ok?

David, little help here, what did I miss? as far as changes

 

[blueoceanhope]

I found a vet about a half hour away from me- he works every other Saturday from 9-12 but I dk if this is that "other" week. I left a message and am hoping they call back. I'm extremely worried- he's my boy... I'm afraid that before the week is up I will have to find another breed of chameleon...

 

[DavidBuchan]

You covered it all Anne, I agree with you entirely except I would keep the soil. If he's not eaten any yet then he's not going to. Make as few changes as possible but you should have a nighttime drop in temperature to 60-65F, and no light at night.
And the supplement dust - give Calcium every day. Not enough Calcium and d3 is what causes MBD (over supplementing does too).
I expect the leg is not broken, that look is a symptom of MBD. The vet can check it to be sure.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Actually, what type of uv is it? tube or coil? And all lights are usually best 12 hours on/ 12 hours off.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

nope, lets take care of this one.
do you have the calcium
is it sunny where you live during the day?
so for now, in the morning, feed crix dusted
then spend as much time as you can, the more the better outside. the real sun helps. see the vet, get the meds from them, make changes in your husbandry, I will help as much as I can. others will too

your cham will be ok, you have caught it early hopefully, and if you are willing to make changes, he will be ok. Mine is fine, it took work and the correct effort, but I am amazed at how he came back. If I hadnt told people, they wouldnt even know it.

Dont let the Vet talk you into Monday, tell them you suspect Metabolic Bone Disease, and he is not doing well. they will see you. its only a 15 min appt. the vet can check for mbd without xrays, so try to save the money that way

 

[blueoceanhope]

I just got him to open his mouth twice and put a butter worm in and he spit it out both times!

 

[blueoceanhope]

Actually, what type of uv is it? tube or coil? And all lights are usually best 12 hours on/ 12 hours off.

It's the coil light.

 

[DavidBuchan]

I'm extremely worried- he's my boy... I'm afraid that before the week is up I will have to find another breed of chameleon...

Not yet you won't - he is alive now, that counts for something........

nope, lets take care of this one.
do you have the calcium
is it sunny where you live during the day?
so for now, in the morning, feed crix dusted
then spend as much time as you can, the more the better outside. the real sun helps. see the vet, get the meds from them, make changes in your husbandry, I will help as much as I can. others will too

your cham will be ok, you have caught it early hopefully, and if you are willing to make changes, he will be ok. Mine is fine, it took work and the correct effort, but I am amazed at how he came back. If I hadnt told people, they wouldnt even know it.

Dont let the Vet talk you into Monday, tell them you suspect Metabolic Bone Disease, and he is not doing well. they will see you. its only a 15 min appt. the vet can check for mbd without xrays, so try to save the money that way

Well spotted..........not dead yet. Force feeding may be required....it's not pleasant for anyone, so ask the vet first.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

ok, its too late to be feeding now anyway.
turn off his lights, let him rest
tomorrow morning, dust and feed, first before forcing
call the Vet straight up 8am

David is right, the coil has to go. unless you have one of the new ones, which supposedly they fixed, the old ones have issues regarding cham health.
if you get him outside tomorrow while waiting to see the vet, it will give him some uv.
dark rest for tonite
will you send me a PM and let me know what is going on?

 

[blueoceanhope]

I don't wanna lose my boy.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

they are a little hardier than you think.
But right now the best thing you can do is let him rest, ok? I am on the west coast, so I will check in with you in the morning. and if you need help, I will be there.
Put a couple of towels on the bottom of your cage, in case he falls tonite, it will give him a soft landing. My Vet told me Krunch would probably break a leg, even with the towels and he didnt. I let him cruise around on the lawn for excerise while he was getting stronger and he liked it.
so for tonite, no lights, and towels ok?

 

[blueoceanhope]

Ok. Lights r off and I have some wash cloths at the bottom. Thanks. I'll let u know in the morning. I hope he makes it.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

he will, go to bed with a positive in your head.
you are doing good, take a deep breath, cause I know exactly how you are feeling, its going to be hard to sleep. but you have alot to do tomorrow.

if you like I can pm you my number and you can call me after you talk to the vet about an appt