Need advice for my veiled chameleon Canon

Frank_O

New Member
My veiled chameleon name Cannon I've had her since about April we bought her as a juvenile she was very healthy and yes it is a female well she is I mean but she is very friendly and loves to be handled and come out of her cage and plll but of course even though she does like those things I still try to give her own space cuz you know that's what you're supposed to do with chameleons and the past 2 months I noticed some health problems she tore out a couple of her nails from trying to climb the cage the mesh screen part but I realized that it is actually common for that to happen I have noticed that it's probably because maybe I don't have enough Vines for her to get to every part or a space of her cage environment but that's not my main concern I haven't noticed her fall and I've never dropped her although I do suspect that she has fallen once from what I was told why wasn't at the house someone that was watching her for me but she never seemed to be injured from it and just the past few weeks I've noticed that she has a hunch on her lower back and it seems like it's a fracture from something or somehow I don't know how it happened but she was still moving around pretty good and I've always gave her plenty of calcium in vitamins but not too much but just enough to sustain her and have Healthy Growth and diet and everything and then I noticed her starting to get a big bulge in her stomach area all the way from the back of her neck to the bottom of her legs and I don't have you no soil or anything in her cage I have a padding at the bottom I have very good basking area I basically have everything I need for her UVB light and all that one side of the cage has hiding spaces like branches and driftwood and stuff like that and there's plenty of vines in there she gets plenty of water and everything but she hasn't pooped or urinated she hasn't for like a week and a half and I was afraid to feed her anymore until she's able to get rid of everything inside of her belly because she's so heavy and Bloated she's having a hard time holding herself up and she's not full grown yet which I'm also concerned about cuz they're supposed to reach full growth within a short period of months from what I'm aware of I've been trying to give her warm baths and massaging her lower abdomen and finally I got her to use the bathroom just now I'm hoping that I can save her and get the rest of it out of her because she's still really bloated I thought she was going to die or something because she wasn't using the bathroom at all and she just kept getting more and more bloated and I didn't want to give her too much water and I haven't fed her since I notice how bloated she was cuz I don't want to make it worse I gave her a couple drops of mineral oil the past two days and I'm thinking maybe that might help too but I don't want to give her too much of that either I don't I'm not sure but my concern right now is I'm happy I was able to get her to go but how many more times should I continue this and how often can I give her warm baths until she gets everything out and her digestive system gets back to normal and how long do I hold her and warm water for it to be safe.
 

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Hi. Your chameleon most likely needs to lay eggs and needs a lay bin yesterday! Whether she’s ever even seen a male, she will lay eggs a few times a year (infertile). You need to get the bin prepared and in her enclosure ASAP! Hopefully it isn’t too late and she hasn’t become eggbound. No more baths or belly massaging. No need to put her in the bin...just provide a way for her to get in/out.
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After you have prepared the bin and put it in her enclosure, I‘d like if you could fill this out so someone can review your husbandry and make sure all is correct for your sweet girl. Proper husbandry is essential for females to ensure they don’t have problems laying.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
After you have prepared the bin and put it in her enclosure, I‘d like if you could fill this out so someone can review your husbandry and make sure all is correct for your sweet girl. Proper husbandry is essential for females to ensure they don’t have problems laying.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
I don't have play sand or organic potting soil is there anything I can use as a substitute I do have sand that you would put in a fish tank and I do have ground coconut husk soil and shredded bark soil
 
Do not use fish tank sand or shredded bark or coconut husk.
Her back could have been injured during a fall.
Massaging her might not be a good thing when she's carrying eggs ...you might rupture the eggs inside her and cause her health issues. I'm afraid she really needs to see a good chameleon vet ASAP.
 
Do not use fish tank sand or shredded bark or coconut husk.
Her back could have been injured during a fall.
Massaging her might not be a good thing when she's carrying eggs ...you might rupture the eggs inside her and cause her health issues. I'm afraid she really needs to see a good chameleon vet ASAP.
There is no vet that deals with chameleons in my area and I have limited Transportation even within my own City and I'm flat broke and I didn't know none of this before or I would have bought the correct soils or substrates I mean ahead of time for when this happens I don't know what to do now
 
Thank you for the information I also realize that she might have got that fracture in her lower spine because of the Fall her bones might have been supplying her eggs with calcium since she still young whereas a regular fall probably wouldn't have gave her a fracture because I've been making sure to give her proper amounts of vitamins and calcium every week I will make a list of the husbandry here in a second thank you
 
I don't know sadly about the organic potting soil.
I wouldn't use peat moss either. Playsand is the best.
If you can afford to buy peat moss etc I would think you can afford a bag of sand.
 
Last edited:
I don't know sadly about the organic potting soil.
I wouldn't use peat moss either. Playsand is the best.
If you can afford to buy peat moss etc I would think you can afford a bag of sand.
I was just asking because I do have peat moss I found a bag in my supplies but I thank you for all your guy's help I have a friend that's willing to help me I really do appreciate it
 
I was just asking because I do have peat moss I found a bag in my supplies but I thank you for all your guy's help I have a friend that's willing to help me I really do appreciate it
The problem with using anything other than play sand or organic soil is most other substrates such as peat, coco coir, etc are too lose and not able to hold the kind of tunnel chameleons dig without collapsing and burying your cham. Things like calci sand to my understanding are formed in a way that if they are ingested, will stick together and cause impaction. This is why calci sand is one of the worst things that can be used for any reptile. It’s not real sand.
 
  • Your Chameleon - The species is a veiled chameleon. sex female and age I'd say about 7 to 9 months.
  • How long has it been in your care? 6 to 7 months.
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I try not to handle her to often but she loves to be held for some reason it seems. I'd say about once every 2 to 4 days.
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Crickets, super worms. What amount? 2 to 4 a day or every other day if she isn't hungry. What is the schedule?every day or every other day depending.How are you gut-loading your feeders? Flukers vitamin food water for crickets.
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Repti zoo calcium without d3. Repti zoo vitamin. The schedule is once a week.
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? I use treated water by several mistings a day and ice cubes on top of cage. How often and how long to you mist? 7 times daily for a few minutes. Do you see your chameleon drinking? Yes everytime.
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings.light brown fecal an mostly white but sometimes tan yurin.Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? I never had her tested.
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. I suspect she fell a couple times in her cage due to the hump on her lower back. And she is missing two claws on her left front paw an one on her lower leg paws. I bought her as a juvenile from a local pet supply pluss.

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Reptibreeze open air black aluminum screen cage kit combo.Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) Its aall screen cage. What are the dimensions?16" x 16" x 30"
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using?zoo med tropical heat and ubv lighting kit.Zoo Med Repti Basking Reptile Spot bulb 100-watt and a thermal nite time heat bulb that doesn't shatter.Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Reptile Terrarium Hood. Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 T5 HO UVB 24W Reptile Lamp.
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Basking spot stays about 78 to 83 degrees and bottom usually is 69 to 71. Lowest overnight temp? 75 degrees. How do you measure these temps? I have a thermometer attached.
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? I honestly don't know but I have a humidifier near her cage .how are you creating and maintaining these levels? I s'pose my misting and the temperature kinda keep it regulated. What do you use to measure humidity?I need to get something that does.
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?no live plants. She will eat the whole plant and kill it.
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? In our living room but it hardly has any traffic no one goes in there. Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? It's near a sealingfan and a air filter.At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? 6 ft.
  • Location - Where are you geographically located? South western ny USA.
 
This is from a couple weeks ago before her behavior and appearance were really noticeably worse.
 

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This is what she's been doing for past 6 days just laying on the ground on her belly. She can barely pull herself up on a branch let alone even try. I just got her to eat one dusted cricket before her bedtime. Which is 10 hours of Basking and ubv daily. And night heat bulb(none exploding kind) at night.
 

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You said.."Repti zoo calcium without d3. Repti zoo vitamin. The schedule is once a week"...it's recommended that the insects be dusted lightly just before feeding them to the chameleon with a phos free calcium powder at all feedings per week but one. On the one day you alternate with a phos free calcium/D3 order lightly and a vitamin powder with no D3 in it.

It's recommended that you feed the crickets with a variety of greens such as dandelion greens, kale, collards, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper and a tiny bit of fruit such as apples, pears, papaya, berries, etc.

I'm very concerned with the sagging back situation and that you say she is having difficulty getting around. I don't know how she will be able to dig a hole lay her eggs or even if she will be able to lay them.

I think I would be taking her to a vet.
 
Sorry I get mixed up when I explained about the calcium I give her the calcium once a week that doesn't have D3 in it and the reptivite reptile vitamins with D3 ultrafine superstick formula about four times by dusting and I have been giving her fruits and vegetables every now and then like every other squash kiwi romaine lettuce kale blueberries and I also thought that she probably would have a hard time laying her eggs my friends going to help me take her to a vet tomorrow I feel really down about this cuz I would never in my right mind neglected animal I thought I did all the research there was on them the best of my knowledge I don't know why I didn't think to look up and ask about specifics when it comes to female male chameleons I guess I just figured that she would never develop eggs unless she made it now I feel really bad that I didn't think to ask about that ahead of time
 
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