MBD Concern: Spine and Legs

CheekyMinx

Member
Hi all, so for some info on Leon: .


Chameleon Info:
Chameleon - Veiled, male, unsure of age, would guess about 3 years (pet store bought unfortunately)
Handling - Very, very rarely. Has been aggressive and unsocial since young (hissing, head butting)
Feeding - Since he refuses to eat crickets, I have been feeding him gut-loaded supers. Local pet store closed recently so variety hasn't been available, but currently searching. In the past, has been a mix of supers, horned, butter, silk, and wax. Also gets fruit and veggies (apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, mixed greens, kale, and whatever else is kicking around the house).
Supplements - Exo Terra Calcium and Multivitamin, Fluker's Calcium with D3. Calcium with regular feedings, alternate Multi and D3 every few weeks.
Watering - Try to mist him before I leave for class, when I get home, and before his lamps are out. Also fill a dropper at the top of his cage. He opens and closes his mouth during misting but I don't really see him drink.
Fecal Description - medium brown, urine white. The colour doesn't seem worrying but he has been pooping less it seems. Never checked for parasites.
History- just a moody and mean Veiled :p

Cage Info:
Cage Type- wooden frame with mesh
Lighting - I was given single lamp set from a friend, so it's kind of a makeshift of 4 smaller bulbs, 2 UVB and 2 basking.
Temperature - sits around 84 at basking, around 70 by the bottom. Two thermometers inside.
Humidity - it's very dry where I live so has been a challenge, after misting it usually gets around 50-60 but by next misting it drops to around 30. Something I am working on fixing.
Plants - I have one draceana
Placement: sits on top of my dresser, high off the ground; in my room which is typically empty except for me, near but not right next to a window.
Location: Alberta, Canada

Okay now for the fun part. It could just be paranoia but I am beginning to worry Leon is developing MBD. I noticed his leg looked weird this morning, but could have been how he was sitting. Also, he has had indents in his spine since he was young which I have always been concerned about but couldn't find much info on it.
He refuses to eat crickets, starting to refuse supers. Refuses butter worms as well. Loves fruit and veggies though. He has always eaten dirt, I put large rocks in the pot of the plant but he moved them aside somehow. I've started sprinkling calcium in the soil because I know he's gonna eat it no matter what. Hm what else.. Well he's super aggressive, but I've been told it's a Veiled thing.

Anyway, I will provide pics so hopefully they are helpful! I'm more-so just worried about his overall health, MBD is just the big one.

Thanks for your time!
 

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Hi all, so for some info on Leon: .


Chameleon Info:
Chameleon - Veiled, male, unsure of age, would guess about 3 years (pet store bought unfortunately)
Handling - Very, very rarely. Has been aggressive and unsocial since young (hissing, head butting)
Feeding - Since he refuses to eat crickets, I have been feeding him gut-loaded supers. Local pet store closed recently so variety hasn't been available, but currently searching. In the past, has been a mix of supers, horned, butter, silk, and wax. Also gets fruit and veggies (apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, mixed greens, kale, and whatever else is kicking around the house).
Supplements - Exo Terra Calcium and Multivitamin, Fluker's Calcium with D3. Calcium with regular feedings, alternate Multi and D3 every few weeks.
Watering - Try to mist him before I leave for class, when I get home, and before his lamps are out. Also fill a dropper at the top of his cage. He opens and closes his mouth during misting but I don't really see him drink.
Fecal Description - medium brown, urine white. The colour doesn't seem worrying but he has been pooping less it seems. Never checked for parasites.
History- just a moody and mean Veiled :p

Cage Info:
Cage Type- wooden frame with mesh
Lighting - I was given single lamp set from a friend, so it's kind of a makeshift of 4 smaller bulbs, 2 UVB and 2 basking.
Temperature - sits around 84 at basking, around 70 by the bottom. Two thermometers inside.
Humidity - it's very dry where I live so has been a challenge, after misting it usually gets around 50-60 but by next misting it drops to around 30. Something I am working on fixing.
Plants - I have one draceana
Placement: sits on top of my dresser, high off the ground; in my room which is typically empty except for me, near but not right next to a window.
Location: Alberta, Canada

Okay now for the fun part. It could just be paranoia but I am beginning to worry Leon is developing MBD. I noticed his leg looked weird this morning, but could have been how he was sitting. Also, he has had indents in his spine since he was young which I have always been concerned about but couldn't find much info on it.
He refuses to eat crickets, starting to refuse supers. Refuses butter worms as well. Loves fruit and veggies though. He has always eaten dirt, I put large rocks in the pot of the plant but he moved them aside somehow. I've started sprinkling calcium in the soil because I know he's gonna eat it no matter what. Hm what else.. Well he's super aggressive, but I've been told it's a Veiled thing.

Anyway, I will provide pics so hopefully they are helpful! I'm more-so just worried about his overall health, MBD is just the big one.

Thanks for your time!

I don't see major leg issues, but here are a few questions: What is the BRAND (Zoo Med Reptisun, Reptiglo, Arcadia, other?) and TYPE (coil, tube, fluorescent, incandescent) of UV light you have, and how long have you been using it? If your supplement dusting has been correct and your feeders are gutloaded well, he could possibly develop MBD from lack of correct UV exposure.

The dusting schedule should be:

Plain calcium (no added vit D3) daily
Calcium with added D3 once every 2 weeks
Herp multivitamin once every 2 weeks

The UVB lights need to be changed at about 6 months depending on which one you have.

The "dents" in his spine...were there ever scabby or oddly peeling areas there? If so, possibly thermal burns. If the skin was never affected, they could be congenital defects.

I think you can increase the cage humidity by adding more live foliage. This will provide a lot more surfaces that catch and hold water longer.
 
I don't see major leg issues, but here are a few questions: What is the BRAND (Zoo Med Reptisun, Reptiglo, Arcadia, other?) and TYPE (coil, tube, fluorescent, incandescent) of UV light you have, and how long have you been using it? If your supplement dusting has been correct and your feeders are gutloaded well, he could possibly develop MBD from lack of correct UV exposure.

I've been using Exo Terra Repti Glo 5.0, fluorescent coil. This one is just on the verge of 6 months. Getting new ones soon hopefully, pet store that closed was the only one near me that sold them :(


The "dents" in his spine...were there ever scabby or oddly peeling areas there? If so, possibly thermal burns. If the skin was never affected, they could be congenital defects.

Do not believe there were. I had guessed they were congenital, but was unsure. He did climb around the cage when he was younger, especially near the top. No marks or scars on them though.
 
I've been using Exo Terra Repti Glo 5.0, fluorescent coil. This one is just on the verge of 6 months. Getting new ones soon hopefully, pet store that closed was the only one near me that sold them

Well, if you have to order UV lights anyway there are better choices out there. ReptiSuns and the newer Arcadia lights would be definite improvements.
 
Well, if you have to order UV lights anyway there are better choices out there. ReptiSuns and the newer Arcadia lights would be definite improvements.

Ah yes. I see now after looking in to the lights more that, as you said, there are much better choices out there. Also found a place to order feeders from in the process so two birds one stone! Thanks for the help :)
 
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