Mellers only pooping Urates

dakoda5

New Member
Hey there i just recently purchased a mellers chameleon. ive had him since this friday and he has pooped twice. once on sunday and once today. both poops have been really runny. the first was mostly a urate with a little bit of runny poop. but the one today was just a urate. literally no poop. they were not orange or discolored so i know he isnt dehydrated. im bringing him to the vet as soon as i get a good fecal sample for parasite tests and a check up. but i as just wondering if anyone knew why he is only pooping urates? thanks!
 
Is he eating? My beardy will only poop urate during hibernation when he doesnt eat more than once a week.
 
Hey there i just recently purchased a mellers chameleon. ive had him since this friday and he has pooped twice. once on sunday and once today. both poops have been really runny. the first was mostly a urate with a little bit of runny poop. but the one today was just a urate. literally no poop. they were not orange or discolored so i know he isnt dehydrated. im bringing him to the vet as soon as i get a good fecal sample for parasite tests and a check up. but i as just wondering if anyone knew why he is only pooping urates? thanks!

You may be seeing "his" response to previous poor care, possibly lack of food (not eating due to stress and shipping) and dehydration. I'll bet he's also drinking a LOT right now? If so, that's why you are seeing more liquid urates. What goes in will come out eventually. But, some parasites also cause runny poops so you do need to get a fecal test done. If he's eating well, drinking well, is active and alert, give it a few more days and wait for a good more normal sample. I think it's more important to get a melleri hydrated and stabilized before treating for parasites anyway. You don't want to add a poison to their system if they are still water stressed.
 
You may be seeing "his" response to previous poor care, possibly lack of food (not eating due to stress and shipping) and dehydration. I'll bet he's also drinking a LOT right now? If so, that's why you are seeing more liquid urates. What goes in will come out eventually. But, some parasites also cause runny poops so you do need to get a fecal test done. If he's eating well, drinking well, is active and alert, give it a few more days and wait for a good more normal sample. I think it's more important to get a melleri hydrated and stabilized before treating for parasites anyway. You don't want to add a poison to their system if they are still water stressed.

hydration as my first concern as soon as i got him. he drank alot when i started misting. didint stop for about 45 mins. god did that suck with a hand pump sprayer hahaha. im getting a misting system soon as well. so hydration wont be a problem. he has ate a quite a bit, i dont want to over feed him. but every time i offer he goes for it. i did notice he seems a little bit bloated. its not to bad but it is noticable and i was reading that bloating is a sign of parasites. ill get some photos tomorrow when he isnt sleeping! i was also wondering how fresh does the sample have to be? do you have to drop it off the same day? thanks.
 
I believe Yiu have 24 hours for it to be tested. Put it in a wet paper towel and a plastic bag and keep it in the fridge till Yiu can get there (with in 24 hours)
 
Yes all mellers come with parasites it's almost guaranteed 99% of the time, a vet visit is a for sure. That's the only reason I haven't gotten a melleri yet, they're on death row when I'm at my reptile show.
 
Yes all mellers come with parasites it's almost guaranteed 99% of the time, a vet visit is a for sure. That's the only reason I haven't gotten a melleri yet, they're on death row when I'm at my reptile show.

i couldnt resist getting one. i already was expecting parasites for sure. but atleast there was nothing crawling out of his poop. im pretty positive he will be fine with a bit of love and care and vet visits. :) he is really active and loving his new free range home.
 
i couldnt resist getting one. i already was expecting parasites for sure. but atleast there was nothing crawling out of his poop. im pretty positive he will be fine with a bit of love and care and vet visits. :) he is really active and loving his new free range home.

One thing to be careful of...you have a large adult that may well be packed with parasites. Wild chams obviously live with them, but the stress of capture, poor treatment, shipping, and handling over several months can cause a bloom in the populations that can overwhelm the cham's immune response just when they need it most. If you attempt to get rid of everything all at once you could end up killing the cham with a large biomass of dead and dying parasites. Test the fecal, selectively treat, repeat a couple of times so it is more gradual. You won't and don't need to eliminate everything. Be aware...many wc adults go through a sort of "honeymoon" phase after they are first sold...they are in a hyper mode, eating everything in sight, drinking, active, etc. But this doesn't necessarily last. Melleri have a sad nickname; "the 90 day chameleon". Just about the time their new keeper relaxes thinking the worst is over they can crash.
 
hydration as my first concern as soon as i got him. he drank alot when i started misting. didint stop for about 45 mins. god did that suck with a hand pump sprayer hahaha.

Another watering technique that worked for my melleri really well was to teach them to take water directly from a syringe or the nozzle of the sprayer. I found that some general sprays around the foliage first got them interested...drinking time had arrived (just like the start of rain in the wild would). They would start reflexive swallowing and licking their lips. Then I started dribbling the water from above their heads more slowly. Over time I'd put the nozzle of the sprayer right over their snout and dribble the water along their lips. They began drinking from it directly which saved a lot of effort and a lot of water! Plus it was great to have this little daily interaction with each one. Melleri prefer to drink slowly for a loooong time as you found. As he gets his reserves back he may drink less each day. When he's full he'll tip his head straight up and eventually turn away from the water.
 
Another watering technique that worked for my melleri really well was to teach them to take water directly from a syringe or the nozzle of the sprayer. I found that some general sprays around the foliage first got them interested...drinking time had arrived (just like the start of rain in the wild would). They would start reflexive swallowing and licking their lips. Then I started dribbling the water from above their heads more slowly. Over time I'd put the nozzle of the sprayer right over their snout and dribble the water along their lips. They began drinking from it directly which saved a lot of effort and a lot of water! Plus it was great to have this little daily interaction with each one. Melleri prefer to drink slowly for a loooong time as you found. As he gets his reserves back he may drink less each day. When he's full he'll tip his head straight up and eventually turn away from the water.

i have been having a hard time getting him to drink from the mister like i did the one day. i have been using a syringe though to give him a bit of water. the only way i can get him to drink though is to make him eat a cricket first and then sneak some into his mouth when he is chewing. is this okay?? and i have noticed he has been gaping alot aswell but i think it may just be because the room is a bit to hot. also how often do your melleri poop? my guy seems to go every 3 days but i dont kno hat is normal for them.
 
Back
Top Bottom