My veiled cham hisses while sleep!!!!

alexonti

New Member
Hi im new here. I was reading some helpful posts but today i wanted to start a post.
I notice my cham hisses while he is sleeping and he moves a lot. Took him to the vet and she toldme he was dehydrated. Hes no eating at all since 2 weeks. Help me please!!
 
"Hissing" while sleeping sounds a lot like a respiratory infection to me. A very bad one too. Dehydration could easily be fixed and the Cham probably wouldn't stop eating. 2 Weeks is a very long time to not eat. It's great that you went to the vet though, I respect you for that. Ask the vet if it could be respiratory. I've never heard of a Cham hissing from dehydration. Maybe you could locate another vet that specializes in herps. This one doesn't sound like he/she has ever dealt with a chameleon before.
 
Some pictures!!
 

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I would say underfed rather than dehydrated. As you say, he hasn't eaten in 2 weeks.

How are you hydrating him? I see drainage so I'm guessing it's pretty good.

I'm taking it that the cage in the background is his. It seems a bit thin on the vines and stuff, but maybe we just can't see it. What do you have in there for him?

Are you cup feeding? I'm pretty sure you can't be free ranging the feeders because they'd all escape.

What I'm about to say might sound stupid, and I don't think this is 100% of the issue, but I suspect it makes your chameleon uncomfortable....can you raise that cage up? Get it so the top of the cage is at least at your eye level, preferably a bit above? Looming seems to make them feel safer. When they are below the beings around, they view them as predators and threats.
 
Cham - veiled chameleon. Male. Bought in petco and they said he was a 10 month old cham. He has been with me a month.

Handling - twice per week. And this week every day because i need to give him water and reptaboost and ENROFLOXACIN

Feeding - When he ate like 5 crickets per day. He didnt want more crickets
Gutload with flukers cricket food ( the orange food)

Supplements - reptivie 2 days per week and the others day reptical w/ d3

Watering - Big dripper all day and i mist him every morning and 1 before to turn off the lights

Fecal Description - normal color and today was white and a lil bit yellow

History - He started hissing without reasen and some times he hits his head against the vines

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Diy screen cage 16 x 16 x 30. Before he was in a bird cage

Lighting - 1 uv 5.0, 1 baskin spot 50 watts 1 repti sun light

Temperature - 90's on the top and 70's bottom. 74 at night. Digital thermometer

Humidity - 60% -75 % with zoomed analog hygrometer

Plants - Before when he was in the bird cage just a couple acuatic lilies and fake plnts
At he new home, 1 dracanea and 1 gardenia

Placement - The cage is in my room. So he is alone all day. The cage is like 3 feet over the floor

Location - mcallen tx

Current Problem - Hissing while sleeps. Hit his heas against the vines. Dehydrated and he doesnt eat.
 
Sleeping and his cage!!
 

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I will tell you this. He looks to be in horrible shape. When the eye are sunk in like that. Thats usually the last sign of the end of times. I dont want to discourage you though. As long as he has fight left him and you have the will and patience. Try the the best you can. First thing, I would get him in a shower ASAP. Set the water temperature to somewhat warm. Not hot but on the brink. and follow the instruction in the blog. Take him to a qualified vet in your area. Not the vet you took him to last. You need someone who knows what they are doing with chameleons. Every picture he is pointed vertically (which could be a RI sign).

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ataraxia/594-shower-chamber-treatment.html

https://www.chameleonforums.com/area-area-country-vet-list-32880/

RI info:
Symptoms: Wheezing, crackling sounds, bubbles in or around the mouth, head pointed vertical, basking much more than usual, not eating, drinking or moving around as usual.

Solution: Steamy showers or a warm mist humidifier, YOU WILL NEED TO SEE A VET for Marbocyl F.D or fortaz (Ceftazidime),
baytril. Make sure to clean the chameleons mouth as need of extra saliva. Baytril also may kill digestive flora. Be sure to use a product like nutribac to replenish.
 
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