Peitho8751
New Member
Need advice on panther problem. A little long, but hopefully thorough (pics added)
Chameleon Info:
* Your Chameleon - 8 month old Ambanja Panther, male, purchased 1/29/11
* Handling - I have been handling him more lately because of his meds, but rarely before that
* Feeding - 4-6 crickets twice a day, more if he eats them quickly. He will not eat waxworms or mealworms so far. Crickets are fed Flukers cricket feed.
* Supplements - Reptivite with D3 2-3 times a week.
* Watering - Misting 2-4 times per day for several minutes. He usually starts to drink within a minute.
* Fecal Description - Fecals and urates were "normal" brown and white, good consistency, but he hasn't had any that I can see in a few days
* History - He was doing great until we had our furnace replaced in early March. Within 2 days, he had turned gray/brown and hasn't gone back. He's near a heat vent, but is blocked from direct airflow. Maybe coincidence, but seemed odd.
Cage Info: All recommended by breeder care-sheet
* Cage Type - All screen 16x16x29
* Lighting - 13w Hagen Repti-Glo UVb 10.0 bulb
* Temperature - 85 under lamp to 75-80 at the bottom. Temps are never below 72. There is 1 thermometer near the lamp. Bottom temps checked on occasion.
* Humidity - not sure. meter appears to be broken, buying a new one tomorrow.
* Plants - Plants are synthetic, medium-large leaved vines wrapped around synthetic vines. Coverage is medium density.
* Placement - Cage is in our living room, which is high traffic, but in the corner farthest from all activity. As mentioned above, near a vent but with no direct airflow. Top of cage is 48" from floor
* Location - SW PA (near Pittsburgh)
Leon was doing well until early March, when he started appearing stressed and was often gray/brown, but was still eating and drinking very well. Around 4/10 his eating slowed and he developed an infection in the corner of his mouth. His cheek filled with pus and discolored very quickly. Took him to the vet that day, where it was drained and cleaned. He was given a Baytril injection and prescription plus Betadine for cleansing. I was never able to get the Betadine up into the cheek like the vet but the pus has not recurred. His lip is still misshapen and there's still a dark spot in the corner, but it looks more like a scab than an infection now.
After doing research (and with some past non-cham exp), I did force-feed him a few wax and meal worms on Sat and Sun and saw him eat a cricket Sunday night. It was less "force" than it was putting it in his mouth for him, where he then chewed and swallowed them himself. The top of his head is no longer bulgy, as I've read they should be, but concave. I don't know if that indicates malnourishment or dehydration. I have Pedialyte, but I can't find any reference to the amount to give him.
We are willing to do whatever needs to be done for him, but I feel like we were under-informed by the breeder, like telling us spraying twice a day was enough with no drip system. I just need some help before it's too late.
Chameleon Info:
* Your Chameleon - 8 month old Ambanja Panther, male, purchased 1/29/11
* Handling - I have been handling him more lately because of his meds, but rarely before that
* Feeding - 4-6 crickets twice a day, more if he eats them quickly. He will not eat waxworms or mealworms so far. Crickets are fed Flukers cricket feed.
* Supplements - Reptivite with D3 2-3 times a week.
* Watering - Misting 2-4 times per day for several minutes. He usually starts to drink within a minute.
* Fecal Description - Fecals and urates were "normal" brown and white, good consistency, but he hasn't had any that I can see in a few days
* History - He was doing great until we had our furnace replaced in early March. Within 2 days, he had turned gray/brown and hasn't gone back. He's near a heat vent, but is blocked from direct airflow. Maybe coincidence, but seemed odd.
Cage Info: All recommended by breeder care-sheet
* Cage Type - All screen 16x16x29
* Lighting - 13w Hagen Repti-Glo UVb 10.0 bulb
* Temperature - 85 under lamp to 75-80 at the bottom. Temps are never below 72. There is 1 thermometer near the lamp. Bottom temps checked on occasion.
* Humidity - not sure. meter appears to be broken, buying a new one tomorrow.
* Plants - Plants are synthetic, medium-large leaved vines wrapped around synthetic vines. Coverage is medium density.
* Placement - Cage is in our living room, which is high traffic, but in the corner farthest from all activity. As mentioned above, near a vent but with no direct airflow. Top of cage is 48" from floor
* Location - SW PA (near Pittsburgh)
Leon was doing well until early March, when he started appearing stressed and was often gray/brown, but was still eating and drinking very well. Around 4/10 his eating slowed and he developed an infection in the corner of his mouth. His cheek filled with pus and discolored very quickly. Took him to the vet that day, where it was drained and cleaned. He was given a Baytril injection and prescription plus Betadine for cleansing. I was never able to get the Betadine up into the cheek like the vet but the pus has not recurred. His lip is still misshapen and there's still a dark spot in the corner, but it looks more like a scab than an infection now.
After doing research (and with some past non-cham exp), I did force-feed him a few wax and meal worms on Sat and Sun and saw him eat a cricket Sunday night. It was less "force" than it was putting it in his mouth for him, where he then chewed and swallowed them himself. The top of his head is no longer bulgy, as I've read they should be, but concave. I don't know if that indicates malnourishment or dehydration. I have Pedialyte, but I can't find any reference to the amount to give him.
We are willing to do whatever needs to be done for him, but I feel like we were under-informed by the breeder, like telling us spraying twice a day was enough with no drip system. I just need some help before it's too late.