MBD?

Hey. Your little girl doesn't look too well (as stated above) and if you can't get her to a vet and give her proper care, there is no shame in giving her up to a better fitted home or rescue, where people can help her. Talk it over with your parents, when they have free time or get home from work.
 
The bend in her leg certainly looks suspiciously like a sign of MBD, but I’m not a vet. Also, I’m not sure that her leg would be normal one week, and then bent a week later. MBD, as I understand it, tends to creep up; although I defer to the more experienced on this site.

It absolutely can. Because while the disease process itself comes on slowly the fracture itself can happen acutely. So they look fine until bones start breaking even though it's been going on for months.
 
I'm sorry to be so harsh because you say you are young and don't have much control of the situation....but you can decide to rehome her so she'll get the care she needs.

If you aren't going to rehome her then you need to make changes...
Right away...If she has MBD she needs liquid calcium to be given to her properly to bring her levels back into line and strengthen her bones. Then she needs proper husbandry/care to keep her healthy.

Without a UVB light or direct sunlight she can't use the calcium in her system to keep her bones and muscles and other things healthy...so she will become more crippled before long and die. This isn't something you can do sometimes and not others. Sunlight through a window does not provide UVB. The most recommended UVB light is the long linear tube reptisun 5.0. They have to be changed when they weaken too.

Since you aren't providing proper supplements she doesn't have the nutrients necessary to be healthy. You should be dusting with a phos free calcium lightly at almost every feeding and twice a month lightly with a phos free calcium/D3 and twice a month with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A.

I would recommend using a dripper as well during the day.

You're not feeding the crickets properly. Spinach, oatmeal and lettuce are three of the worst things you can feed them with. Dandelion greens, kale, collards, squash, zucchini, sweet red peppers, sweet potatoes are much better choices.

You should be feeding her earlier in the day so she can digest the food while she's still warm enough and you should be feeding her more as well until she gets her mature colours (mustardy yellow splotches all over her)...and more variety. Veiled females can lay eggs once they develop their adult colours so she will need a laybin IN her cage at all times then.

Veiled eat leaves often so your plants should be real and non toxic and well washed...both sides of the leaves.

If you don't want to/can't provide these thing for her you should rehome her...it's not fair for her to have to live this way IMHO..

I gave you all this information hoping that you are not trolling and that you want to be a responsible chameleon keeper. I think you should show your parents this too so they understand what they're doing to this chameleon if they don't let you get what she needs... and to make sure you look after her properly.

Good luck!
 
I live in the Tampa area and can either help to provide an adequate environment, or put you on the right path.

That being said, yourbest bet is to use the CHE (ceramic heat emitter) and put your cham in an open window without the screen, or outside during the day time. Its colder out, thus the need for the heat. The twistee type bulbs are pretty much useless... I have many of them sitting in a drawer.

While you may not be able to afford to buy a linear fixture, your cham can't afford for you not to. I have a cham that had/has MBD and it requires so severe dedication and a complete array of supplements and treatment. I had to add multiple of the "small" fluker branches to her existing vine structure so she could move without falling. Because she's a female, there's HAS to be a way for her to get up and down from her laybin. I also had to provide liquid calcium and LOTS of sun exposure.

While your cham may want to "hide in the shade" when you take it out... that's perfectly fine. UV will still get to it if it's not in direct sunlight... so long as there isn't any glass, plastic, etc. between. Even with our daytime temps being "cold", a simple CHE with something to break the wind and keep the heat in will be more than adequate when it drops below 75ish. In the evenings when it drops down to the 50s, she will be fine and start to slow and go to sleep... but you'll want to bring her in as the sun starts to set anyhow.

All my chams get rotated out to my lanai where I have a good sized bird cage with a few extra basking bulbs/CHEs for this time of year. When my girl had MBD I would hold her near to my body and walk her to the sun. If she didn't want the direct sun, find a chair and sit down. At some point you'll have to get her proper UV. Without the money for a fixture, use the natural UV production of the sun.

I can't offer you a T5 linear light... but I can offer you domes to put incandescent bulbs in (or CHEs if you have them - though the price of one is the same as a T5 fixture...) which will allow you to put her outside for lighting. I also have about 20Lbs of calcium as well as liquid calcium, multivitamins, misc health supplies. I also have a microscope and everything to run a fecal. Also have a bunch of roaches, worms, supplies of various kinds.

Central Florida is a big area... if you happen to be somewhat close by let me know. Otherwise, stick her outside or in an open window. Even a few 10-20 minutes every day will be more than what shes getting now.

If there's absolutely no other options, I've rescued 3 lizards in the past few months.

Best of luck.
 
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