My Buddy is Sick

[anarchy13]

My chameleons health has gone down hill. I have owned him for about a year and all was fine until recently when he started being lazy, hanging upside down, spending lots of time on the ground laying i awkward positions, stopped eating regularily, holds his own legs as tho he thinks they are tree limbs, and just recently a white crusty bump with a black dot in the middle started growing between his eyes.


QUICK INFO ON HIM:

His name is Hugo. Hes 3 1/2 years old. He has a big cage. He has a UV light and a Heat Lamp. I spray with cool water the his whole environment daily. He drinks from a water bottle that drips. I never gave him vitamins before because I always thought hes looked so healthy.

Eating and Behavior Habits now that he is sick: When I first got him he loved eating grasshoppers but they would eat my plants so then I switched to crickets and he ate them for awhile then had no interest anymore and lastly he would eat zophopas and at first he loved them but now he wont even eat them anymore and now he jus stays laying in the bottem down on the ground ALL DAY and sometimes with his eyes closed.

What is wrong with him? I just bought him Vitamins will they save his life? Is this something commen? adding pics now

WHAT IS THE BIG WHITE SPOT BEWTEEN HIS EYES IN THE 1st PIC?

 

[Solid Snake]

Hello!
Welcome to Chameleon Forums!

I am glad you are here, but sorry it is under these circumstances.

This is the right place to come for help though.

We will need to know more about Hugo first.

Have you ever dusted his feeders with calcium?

What type of lighting do you use?

Do you have a UVB light?

Have you given him any of the vitamins yet?

Do you have more pictures of Hugo you can share?

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum
It sounds like he probably has MBD, a vet would be best to judge the situation but Chameleons do need to have a Calcium supplement.........having none for a year is enough to make him sick enough to need the vet, so that's what I advise first.

The powder you have pictured is not suitable for everyday feeding though, because it has too much d3.
A dusting schedule most people will recommend plain Calcium (with no d3) daily, with a d3 supplement twice a month. An occasional bit of multivit is good too.

Variety of feeders and good gutloading are important to keep a cham healthy too, don't try to just feed one kind of food item or he is sure to get bored of it - chameleons are known to be fussy little things when it comes to eating. Some natural sunlight would certainly be good for him if you can manage it too

Here is a great overall caresheet for Veileds - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html
A blog about gutloading - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ferretinmyshoes/446-basics-gutloading.html
A list of good bugs to offer - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html

 

[anarchy13]

Hello!
Welcome to Chameleon Forums!

I am glad you are here, but sorry it is under these circumstances.

This is the right place to come for help though.

We will need to know more about Hugo first.

Have you ever dusted his feeders with calcium?

What type of lighting do you use?

Do you have a UVB light?

Have you given him any of the vitamins yet?

Do you have more pictures of Hugo you can share?

THANKS FOR THE WARM WELCOME

Bought him the calcium supplement and (the vitamins u see pictured above) when we first purchased him. Dusted maybe his food 2 times with calcium and that was over 6 months ago and then honestly just forgot about it. Same with the vitamins. Never used them. In the last couple days due to my panic I have used both calcium and the vitamins MIXED and dusted his worms and he has eaten 2 of them. But now he has not eaten in 3 days.

Yes he has a UV light on the left anf a Heat lamp on the right, I live in Germany so do not know if these are the right terms. Can you see the lighting or do you need more details? Thanks for your quick replys will try to take more pictures of Hugo. Anything specifically?

He's not mine but since I feel sorry for him I will now take care of him if its not too late.

 

[anarchy13]

Hello, welcome to the forum
It sounds like he probably has MBD, a vet would be best to judge the situation but Chameleons do need to have a Calcium supplement.........having none for a year is enough to make him sick enough to need the vet, so that's what I advise first.

The powder you have pictured is not suitable for everyday feeding though, because it has too much d3.
A dusting schedule most people will recommend plain Calcium (with no d3) daily, with a d3 supplement twice a month. An occasional bit of multivit is good too.

Variety of feeders and good gutloading are important to keep a cham healthy too, don't try to just feed one kind of food item or he is sure to get bored of it - chameleons are known to be fussy little things when it comes to eating. Some natural sunlight would certainly be good for him if you can manage it too

Here is a great overall caresheet for Veileds - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html
A blog about gutloading - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ferretinmyshoes/446-basics-gutloading.html
A list of good bugs to offer - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html

Thank You, Good Feeders and Gutloading? any recommendations?

 

[Solid Snake]

I agree with David, a vet is really needed at this point.

He provided some great links, so read them, and if you have any specific questions after, please ask!

They need their food dusted (lightly) with the calcium, every day, on every feeder.

The multivitamin should only be used on one feeder, twice a month.

This is very important.

When they cant get the calcium they need, where they need it, they develop MBD. Here is info on MBD:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-mbd-looks-like-38000/

If your chameleon has not had calcium, and D3 supplements, for that long, it is pretty much certain that he has MBD, at some stage.

This can be fixed!

I am unsure of the spot on his head.

It is likely an infection, either bacterial, or fungal, but only a vet can say for sure.

You will need some plain calcium, the multivitamin, and clacium with D3.

A vet can give him injections, that will get the calcium he needs to his bones, find out what the spot on his head is, and see if there is anything else that needs attention, so take him as soon as you can!

 

[anarchy13]

I agree with David, a vet is really needed at this point.

He provided some great links, so read them, and if you have any specific questions after, please ask!

They need their food dusted (lightly) with the calcium, every day, on every feeder.

The multivitamin should only be used on one feeder, twice a month.

This is very important.

When they cant get the calcium they need, where they need it, they develop MBD. Here is info on MBD:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-mbd-looks-like-38000/

If your chameleon has not had calcium, and D3 supplements, for that long, it is pretty much certain that he has MBD, at some stage.

This can be fixed!

I am unsure of the spot on his head.

It is likely an infection, either bacterial, or fungal, but only a vet can say for sure.

You will need some plain calcium, the multivitamin, and clacium with D3.

A vet can give him injections, that will get the calcium he needs to his bones, find out what the spot on his head is, and see if there is anything else that needs attention, so take him as soon as you can!

I will i will i will today if possible whats a FEEDER???

 

[Solid Snake]

I will i will i will today if possible whats a FEEDER???

Thats great!

Feeder=food, grasshopper, cricket, zophobas.

The zophobas are not very healthy, they have a lot of fat.

They should be fed only once a week, as a treat. Or less.

 

[anarchy13]

Thats great!

Feeder=food, grasshopper, cricket, zophobas.

The zophobas are not very healthy, they have a lot of fat.

They should be fed only once a week, as a treat. Or less.

Doh! All vets are closed till tuesday im scared. Hes barely moving. What can I do to keep him alive till we get him a vet visit? Should i force feed him with calcium coated zophobas??? He wont eat anything else. I still have 2 grasshoppers but they are really big!!! He is laying down on the ground in a very akward funny postion

 

[Solid Snake]

Doh! All vets are closed till tuesday im scared. Can i force feed him somehow??? and what should give him. He is laying down on the ground in a very akward funny postion

Im not the expert on this, but I would say make sure and keep him warm. You dont want to force feed unless you absolutely have to.

I would not force feed him anything.

Hopefully someone else will see this soon, and be able to offer more help.

 

[Ulrich]

I feel for you. We just lost our male last December out of the blue. Although we kept Veiled for years, he just passed away. Veiled need a lot of heat during the day. The upper zone should be in its 30ies. Mercury Vapor Lamps work best for Veiled according to my experience. For a cage of your size 1x160W seems ok. Try to dust all the feeders daily. Keep him warm during day. At night though there should be a measurable temperature drop. And get him a vet ASAP.

 

[anarchy13]

More pics as requested of the bump on his face

Also the way he is hanging by his tail. That was a week ago. Now he is only down on the ground as seen if the first 3 pics I forgot to mention the swollen sore on the right side of his mouth. Its big and its on the inside also and he has had this for longer than a week!!!

 

[carol5208]

When was the last time you changed out your uvb bulb?. If you have had him 1 1/2 years it should have been changed out twice already.They diminish over time. Just because they are have not burnt out does not mean they are still effective. Your chameleons legs don't look horrible like some of the cases of MBD(metabolic bone disease) but his casque never developed right it looks like and his mouth looks misshapen. Is it sunny and warm where you are yet? I would get him out for some natural sun until you can get him to the vet.

 

[anarchy13]

When was the last time you changed out your uvb bulb?. If you have had him 1 1/2 years it should have been changed out twice already.They diminish over time. Just because they are have not burnt out does not mean they are still effective. Your chameleons legs don't look horrible like some of the cases of MBD(metabolic bone disease) but his casque never developed right it looks like and his mouth looks misshapen. Is it sunny and warm where you are yet? I would get him out for some natural sun until you can get him to the vet.

Thanks Ulrich 160W you say? I just put in a 75W heat bulb that not enough are you sure because we reach 29C everyday from atleast the middle of his cage up because in the middle is where the thermometer hangs. Carol, Im in Germany and whats a casque and what do you mean he didnt develop right? Have any example pictures? Yes the UV bulb was changed recently also.

 

[carol5208]

his casque is his Veil. It should be alot taller for his age. It looks stunted. Also, his mouth to me just looks odd especially in that last picture. Sometimes MBD can misshape the mouth where it does not close properly.

 

[monstertankman]

Casque is the helmet shape bone on the chams head.

 

[carol5208]

here is a picture of one of our other members veild. See how the casque stand up? Also, the bump is kinda hard to see but it seems Veilds are prone to abcesses in that area that have to do with the sinuses. I do not own a veild but am just going by what I have seen on here for the past couple of years. A vet should be able to clean it out, and do a culture to see exactly what it is. https://www.chameleonforums.com/luie-5-years-old-today-pictures-80471/

 

[anarchy13]

WowwwWWWWW

here is a picture of one of our other members veild. See how the casque stand up? Also, the bump is kinda hard to see but it seems veilds are prone to abcesses in that area that have to do with the sinuses. I do not own a veild but am just going by what i have seen on here for the past couple of years. A vet should be able to clean it out, and do a culture to see exactly what it is. https://www.chameleonforums.com/luie-5-years-old-today-pictures-80471/

what a beauttttttyyyyy!!!!!!!

 

[carol5208]

I know! Isn't he spectacular! I am going to his birthday party today!!!!

 

[anarchy13]

also the way he is hanging by his tail. That was a week ago. Now he is only down on the ground as seen if the first 3 pics i forgot to mention the swollen sore on the right side of his mouth. its big and its on the inside also and he has had this for longer than a week!!!

does anyone recognize this white spot or sore on his mouth???? What is deadly what is not? What should i treat first? PICS ABOVE!!!