MBD question

[carm]

I have an almost 3 year old male veiled and have not changed anything that I was previously doing. He recently started having problems with falling and has a few bumps along his back bone. I am not sure if these are signs of MBD all of a sudden. He does get supliments usually twice a week (calcium w/Vit D). He has two bulbs in his tank, One is a tube uv bulb, and the other is a tight beam type light. I do not recall what types they are at the moment as I am not at home to check. He is in a converted farret cage that is 6 feet high. He does get misted atleast once a day as well as drinks daily. the humidity in my house is set to 40%. I do not have a temp reading available at the moment as once again, I am at work. He currently is on a diet of superworms and the occational silk worms.

These bumps made an apperence about 2 months ago and the falling has been over the last few weeks. I have added some baseboard type planks that are covered with turf to his main basking spots to give him some additional support to his body. His falling seams to be because he sits with a leg or arm dangling when he's perched.

His eating and drinking and activity have not seemed to change. I am not sure if he is just lazy when basking and that's why he's falling and even if these bumps are injury's due to falling. With no one home during the day I honestly have no idea how often he infact falls.

any ideas what I can do?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Need to know the actual brands and types of your lights.
Are the lights inside the enclosure?
Supplementing with calcium (no D3) at every feeding is recommended.
Here is some more information:

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

Pictures would be very helpful.

-Brad

 

[carm]

I am trying to find the lights on line, I know the box to see it. I have found the tube light which is a Zoo Med reptisun 5.0 UVB florescent tube. The other I cannot find as of yet. The are both outside of the cage sitting on the top of it but his main basking spots are aprox 8" from it. He is also in a window that is kept open when weather permits and does have an outside cage. Being that I am in Edmonton, Canada, it's still cold and snow on the ground so that window being open and outside is not an option for another good month or so.

I have started giving him liquid calcium every day and started that a few days ago.

 

[jojackson]

You need to get outside in the sun as much as possible or get those lights and soon, Id be giving 14 hrs a day for some time, and vet treatment may be nessesary. Bumps along the spine and poor grip are classic signes of MBD.

Be careful administering liquid calcium, A little may be good but more is not better, depending on what formulation, it may do more harm. Ask a vet. It definately needs UV though.

some info
http://webhome.idirect.com/~chameleon/feature/index.html

 

[carm]

outside is not an option right now as we are just above zero and still several feet of snow on the ground.

 

[jojackson]

Like I said, You need the Uv lights working. They need to be over the basking spot for max exposure and they need to be good. How old is the one in use? You need to replace them after 6 months. Humidity is slightly low, but you are in canadian winter. You need to check temps aswell.
Is it eating less? How does it move about? Is it stumbling all the time? unable to support its weight? can it shoot? Is it drinking?

 

[Dunnigan]

Like I said, You need the Uv lights working. They need to be over the basking spot for max exposure and they need to be good. How old is the one in use? You need to replace them after 6 months.

He never said the werent? And yes it is VERY important to change the UV bulb.

 

[jojackson]

He never said the werent?

No, but he did say..

The are both outside of the cage sitting on the top of it but his main basking spots are aprox 8" from it.

but that might not be close enough.

 

[carm]

I'm a she. hehe

Yes, his tongue works fine. The lights work fine also. They are newer bulbs, within about 2 months.

He can hold himself fine and wonders around the cage. He basks right under the lights. I have two as the cage is huge, one above each of his two favorite basking spots. When he is basking, he dangles his legs and that is when he tends to fall, not when he's crawling around.

The humidity is very hard to get any higher, we have the humidity up in the house due to the winters here are very dry.

He's been eating his worms with no problems and drinks every day. He's kind of a lazy guy and almost sucks on the hose for the dripper when he's drinking.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Have you taken the chameleon to the vet for a check-up?

Are you able to post a picture of your chameleon? Especially when dangling his legs and resting on a branch (I dont think that's normal, but Im no vet)