Need some Tips possible MBD

[ags79]

Veiled Cham - possible MBD?

Hello everyone.
Last November we got a Veiled male cham. We have a good cage and a zooMed PowerSunTM UV lamp. I use the same lamps for my two beardies. He is almost a year old now. We try to sprinkle his crickets with powdered calcium but he wont eat them when we do that. He has been staying at my girl friends house and she has been taking care of him. She started working day shifts the last two months so she wasn't able to take him out in the sun a lot. Now the top of his head is bent to the right. I've researched and seems like hes getting MBD. I have brought him home to my house and now his cage is outside so he can get the sun directly, with a bit of shade. I will have to get another cage to have in the house for him for when the sun is not out. I am hoping that if I sprinkle a tad bit of calcium in his water dripper, and dust superworms / with the added sunlight that he will get better and the slant in his head will heal without taking him to a vet. Normally I would just take him tot he vet but funds are tight right now. Do you guys think that he will recover given his new living arrangements? I live in Pasadena where the the summers get very hot.

 

[Kate]

Hi there .Welcome to the forum. I can't comment on whether your boy has mbd or not, but if he has not been getting supplements it is more than likely he has. MBD cannot be cured but given the correct care it can be stopped. There is a good article in this section of the health clinic. It's good that he is getting natural sun. As a guide I would dust his food with plain calcium without d3 daily and give calcium with d3 twice a month also a multivitamin twice a month. I wouldn't add calcium to his water as they use dripping water to wash out their eyes. Perhaps you would like us to have a look at how you are keeping him ? If so could you copy and paste and fill in the form, link below.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[ags79]

Thank you for the help. I removed the calcium from his dripper. I am almost possitive that this happened due to him not eating the dusted crickets. So I will need to find a good guide on feeding. I'm going to fill the questions out here in a sec.

 

[Kate]

There are a lot more feeders than crickets. Sandrachameleon has many blogs on different feeders and gut loading.

 

[ags79]

Chameleon Info:

(Veiled Chameleon, Male, we have had him for 5 months)

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? (twice a week)

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? (medium crickets and hibiscus) What amount? ( 6 a day) What is the schedule? (feed in morning) How are you gut-loading your feeders? (just started adding orange peel and potatoes to crickets in their keeper.)

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? ( we have ReptoCal that has calcium and vit D3, and Retivite vitamins with D3 but when we use this he lets them die and wont eat them, we tried worms in a bowl but he either knocks it over or poops in it)

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? (mist with spray bottle and water dripper) How often and how long to you mist? (once maybe twice until all leaves are wet) Do you see your chameleon drinking? (sometimes)

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. (black white and yellow, daily)
Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? ( yes from the vendor, we bought him at PetCo)

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. (nothing other than I have always thought he is skinny and his body seemed very long.)

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? ( 16x30 screen cage )
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? (ZooMed The PowerSun™ UV)
What is your daily lighting schedule? (9am to 8pm)

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? 90
Lowest overnight temp? 75
How do you measure these temps? ( mounted thermometer)

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? (50)
How are you creating and maintaining these levels? (Towel around back and side of cage, water dripper and spraying 3 times a day)What do you use to measure humidity? ( and humidity gauge)

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? ( Hibiscus)

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? (center of office, low traffic)
At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?( 5 1/2 feet)

Location - Where are you geographically located?
(Pasadena CA)

Current Problem - Top of his head is bending, might have MBD, he will not eat dusted crickets. So it has been impossible to get him the vitamins!

 

[midcoastchameleon]

He doesn't appear to be in a horrible stage of MBD, but he certainly does have some of the signatures. He looks like with a little adjustments to his feeding and ensuring he gets his supplements, he can probably rebound to live a pretty normal life. One things for sure, that sunlight will do wonders for him. And he is a very handsome man spite his character.

 

[ags79]

There are a lot more feeders than crickets. Sandrachameleon has many blogs on different feeders and gut loading.

Thanks! I will check this out

 

[ags79]

He doesn't appear to be in a horrible stage of MBD, but he certainly does have some of the signatures. He looks like with a little adjustments to his feeding and ensuring he gets his supplements, he can probably rebound to live a pretty normal life. One things for sure, that sunlight will do wonders for him. And he is a very handsome man spite his character.

Thanks , we love him. Now I just have to figure out how to get him to like food with supplements on it