Mbd and dehydrated veiled chameleon

[MissSkittles]

This may help in setting up a lay bin. Of course right now she won’t be able to use the ‘traditional’ type bin. When they start to lay they need absolute privacy or they’ll stop and become eggbound. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/laying-bin-set-up-educational-video.77225/

I buy all of my feeders online. Silkworms are a bit hard to find at times. You may have to buy small or even extra small and wait for them to grow larger. In this case make sure to get some extra silkworm chow. Roaches (Dubai or discoid) are one of the best feeders...pass the gutload well and nutritious. They are also easy to set up a colony and breed your own. (They don’t fly or climb).

 

[Persephone]

A big concern would her becoming egg bound now that she is getting so much nutrition + the age her body will start producing eggs and she will not be able to dig a Burrow and possibly be unable to push them out.

I will definitely keep an eye out. Are you able to kind of see if females have eggs like with some other critters?

 

[JackRipper]

I will definitely keep an eye out. Are you able to kind of see if females have eggs like with some other critters?

Yes typically near the rear hips you will see and can feel a bump when they are ready to pop.

 

[MissSkittles]

I will definitely keep an eye out. Are you able to kind of see if females have eggs like with some other critters?

Usually you can go by their colors and patterns. When receptive they get all prettied up and their colors/patterns really come out. When gravid, most but not all will get dark with spots showing. Some may look lumpy. Like chickens, they don’t need to mate to produce eggs and will do so every few months. If you do indeed have a female, and I believe that you do, you will need to find a much better vet with solid experience with chameleons as well as one that is available 24/7. If you need help with this, post your general area and someone can most likely help you find a good vet.

 

[kinyonga]

It looks like a gravid female to me and she is going to have a hard time with egglaying if she can even lay them at this point.

When a chameleon has MBD it doesn't just affect the bones but also the muscles and the egg formation too. Calcium plays an important part in muscle contractions and egglaying requires muscles to push the eggs out...so she might end up eggbound. Calcium is needed to provide good shells for the eggs.

Weak muscles can also lead to a prolapse in theses cases.

It's a good idea IMHO to provide a hospital cage...no high branches...branches only an inch off the ground...no substrate.
You need to provide heat but because she will have difficulty moving around due to her broken bones to move in and out of the heated area so be careful not to bake her. She needs UVB too of course.

Now the egglaying problem...she needs a proper egg laying bin (washed playsand that is just moist enough to hold a tunnel. I would dig a tunnel for her. The problem is going to be how she will be able to get into the bin. It won't be good for you to keep moving here in and out.

He only solution I can think of is have the bottom of the hospital cage full of sand about 8' deep...moist enough to hold a tunnel. Best sand IMHO for this is thIs one...
https://www.kpmindustries.com/KingHomeImprovementProducts/product/king-play-sand/

Be careful with the D3 and the vitamin A if its prEformed...they are both fat soluble and can build up in the system leading to overdose.
Liquid calcium absorbs more readily than the powders...hopefully it will be enough fast enough.

Keep us posted.

 

[Persephone]

Usually you can go by their colors and patterns. When receptive they get all prettied up and their colors/patterns really come out. When gravid, most but not all will get dark with spots showing. Some may look lumpy. Like chickens, they don’t need to mate to produce eggs and will do so every few months. If you do indeed have a female, and I believe that you do, you will need to find a much better vet with solid experience with chameleons as well as one that is available 24/7. If you need help with this, post your general area and someone can most likely help you find a good vet.

That's actually really cool. Just got him confirmed as a lil dude though. My sister went by to check on him while I'm working and she said he definitely has the spurs

 

[Persephone]

It looks like a gravid female to me and she is going to have a hard time with egglaying if she can even lay them at this point.

When a chameleon has MBD it doesn't just affect the bones but also the muscles and the egg formation too. Calcium plays an important part in muscle contractions and egglaying requires muscles to push the eggs out...so she might end up eggbound. Calcium is needed to provide good shells for the eggs.

Weak muscles can also lead to a prolapse in theses cases.

It's a good idea IMHO to provide a hospital cage...no high branches...branches only an inch off the ground...no substrate.
You need to provide heat but because she will have difficulty moving around due to her broken bones to move in and out of the heated area so be careful not to bake her. She needs UVB too of course.

Now the egglaying problem...she needs a proper egg laying bin (washed playsand that is just moist enough to hold a tunnel. I would dig a tunnel for her. The problem is going to be how she will be able to get into the bin. It won't be good for you to keep moving here in and out.

He only solution I can think of is have the bottom of the hospital cage full of sand about 8' deep...moist enough to hold a tunnel. Best sand IMHO for this is thIs one...
https://www.kpmindustries.com/KingHomeImprovementProducts/product/king-play-sand/

Be careful with the D3 and the vitamin A if its prEformed...they are both fat soluble and can build up in the system leading to overdose.
Liquid calcium absorbs more readily than the powders...hopefully it will be enough fast enough.

Keep us posted.

I got her confirmed as a him but I will double check when I get home. I was told he definitely does have spurs though

 

[kinyonga]

I hope it is a male...it will make things easier.

 

[Persephone]

I'll take a picture and load it up here tonight

 

[Persephone]

I hope it is a male...it will make things easier.

I vaguely remember seeing spurs but we shall see

 

[Tony_S]

Sorry you are off to a rocky start. Sounds like you are doing everything possible for him/her.

 

[Persephone]

Sorry you are off to a rocky start. Sounds like you are doing everything possible for him/her.

I'm trying :/ I wasn't exactly prepared for Mr. Gimpy and couldn't find anyone else he would tolerate or vice versa. I'm just sorry he got stuck with a crumby owner to begin with. Had to rehome a bearded dragon that was getting mbd too. I didn't have room for the both of them

 

[Persephone]

I really do appreciate all the help. I was doubting my abilities to give him the best chance but feel much better about it. He likely won't ever climb much again. I'll try low hanging branches when he's healed with a soft landing and in the mean time he likes simply being held high up

 

[Persephone]

He has spurs. He's rather sleepy at the moment and not wanting to drink lil worried. he doesn't have much reaction but it is almost 10 at night here. Don't know if I should be worried

 

[JackRipper]

Wow it's a male now lol. The band's do say that it's a male but it could be a translucent hermaphrodite at this point. That leg is so painful to look at.

 

[Persephone]

Wow it's a male now lol. The band's do say that it's a male but it could be a translucent hermaphrodite at this point. That leg is so painful to look at.

Lol I mean he was digging around. I know these guys aren't really night time lovers but he wouldn't drink all day though he was sprayed and I just got a few sips into him with his meds. Have him soaking in some warm water to heat up a bit and maybe liven things for more water before bed. Gonna try and get him to eat too. He was refusing food last couple days

 

[JackRipper]

Lol I mean he was digging around. I know these guys aren't really night time lovers but he wouldn't drink all day though he was sprayed and I just got a few sips into him with his meds. Have him soaking in some warm water to heat up a bit and maybe liven things for more water before bed. Gonna try and get him to eat too. He was refusing food last couple days

You should do all if this in the morning then make sure he has heat and sufficient uvb to properly digest. He should be left to sleep tonight. You may need to supply water with a syringe or dropper.

 

[Persephone]

You should do all if this in the morning then make sure he has heat and sufficient uvb to properly digest. He should be left to sleep tonight. You may need to supply water with a syringe or dropper.

That's what I was thinking. I may just have to wake up earlier to wake him. I had been trying that but he doesn't like being woken at 5 am lol. All I'd get out of him was a glare. I don't blame him but gotta do what I gotta do

 

[JackRipper]

Yes I to am an advocate of doing what we must. Nomatter how emotionally attached or hard it may be.

 

[MissSkittles]

I forgot...you can also kind of somewhat get an idea of when they are forming eggs by regular weighing.

Lol I mean he was digging around. I know these guys aren't really night time lovers but he wouldn't drink all day though he was sprayed and I just got a few sips into him with his meds. Have him soaking in some warm water to heat up a bit and maybe liven things for more water before bed. Gonna try and get him to eat too. He was refusing food last couple days

soaking in water isn’t going to do very much for him. However, to help hydrate you could put him in the shower under fine mist for a few minutes. You would want the water cooler as what is comfortable to us is scalding to them.