Tarzanfam
Established Member
Hello! Thanks for allowing me to join! Our new veiled, Tarzan, is just over a year (we think) and is a beautiful big guy for his species. He was bred by a breeder (so not purchased from a big box pet store) and we got him from a small local shop here in Wisconsin about 2 weeks before Christmas. He is my second Cham, my kids first. I had one about 20 years ago who was just the sweetest guy. Tarzan is either in pain or struggling to adapt or is just a bit cranky.
Tarzan's back left leg started swelling severely at the knee a few days after we brought him home and he wasn't gripping much at all. I fear he may have been injured in transit or perhaps it is an injury they just chose not to disclose to us. He is typically a bit feisty to get out of his enclosure (a 2x2x4, properly lit, well misted and fun to climb mesh cage home for him with a mix of live and artificial plants in the corner of our kitchen), but is quite happy once he is out. We coax him slowly each day as to earn his trust. In just 6 weeks here, he has gotten comfortable enough to hang with all three of my kids (age 8, 6 and 6) and I can even leave him with them once he settles. It's just getting him out that is a bit of a game of patience. He has even eaten two hornworms outside of his enclosure, so generally I feel like he is adapting pretty well. That said, we have days where he is so cranky that we cannot even put our hands in his enclosure. He will scurry so fast to the bottom, I fear he will get hurt. Over the past two days though, he has stopped basking and is now just hiding in his favourite sleeping spot ALL DAY LONG. He is NOT sleeping, just hiding. I have been weighing him occasionally with my kitchen scale because after some meds from our vet upset his tummy, I wanted to make sure I was keeping an eye out and I don't always see his poops right away because his favourite place to poop is in one of the live plant pots! Anyhow, he has not dropped weight and I do catch him drinking most days or at least over where his constant drip is, so I think food and drink wise he is good (he is very picky and only accepts hornworms, crickets, and wax worms which he only gets occasionally for a treat. We always have crickets roaming his cage so he can hunt and I offer him hornworms and veggies every day, but the hornworms almost always escape from his dish and he almost never eats the veggies unless the hornworm is attached to it, so if anyone has a suggestion for a bowl that actually keeps hornworms in, I am listening!). Our vet has tried pain meds with an anti-inflammatory, as well as a course of liquid antibiotics. She has now reached out to other vets who have suggested next steps would be shots of antibiotics and/or xrays. He is gripping strongly again with this leg and does allow me to touch it as long as it is not during the transition out of or into his cage or while he is in his cage, which leads me to believe he is not super painful, but I have not caught him basking for a few days now and it worries me. Not sure whether I should go ahead with more vet care or let him try to heal on his own for a while. Not sure whether he is just a bit cranky or whether this is a pain behaviour. My last cham was simply a joy. I raised him from the size of a quarter and he went everywhere with me. With Tarzan, I am just not quite sure how to read his behaviours (aside from the mouth open...I KNOW what that means...hahaha). Does this sound like a pain I should be getting vet help with or just a choice he is making to be more secluded from us? We really want to socialize him, and as I said, he does enjoy being out. His colour tells us that! I wonder if the kitchen is the problem. I fear the only other place to put his palace is in our finished basement, and it is a tad colder down there. Just trying to weigh all of the possibilities and thought some people here may have useful thoughts. Thanks so much for your consideration!
Pic of Tarzan on the Ficus tree near his enclosure. He likes to hang out there when he is feeling adventurous. I hope he starts feeling that way again soon.
Tarzan's back left leg started swelling severely at the knee a few days after we brought him home and he wasn't gripping much at all. I fear he may have been injured in transit or perhaps it is an injury they just chose not to disclose to us. He is typically a bit feisty to get out of his enclosure (a 2x2x4, properly lit, well misted and fun to climb mesh cage home for him with a mix of live and artificial plants in the corner of our kitchen), but is quite happy once he is out. We coax him slowly each day as to earn his trust. In just 6 weeks here, he has gotten comfortable enough to hang with all three of my kids (age 8, 6 and 6) and I can even leave him with them once he settles. It's just getting him out that is a bit of a game of patience. He has even eaten two hornworms outside of his enclosure, so generally I feel like he is adapting pretty well. That said, we have days where he is so cranky that we cannot even put our hands in his enclosure. He will scurry so fast to the bottom, I fear he will get hurt. Over the past two days though, he has stopped basking and is now just hiding in his favourite sleeping spot ALL DAY LONG. He is NOT sleeping, just hiding. I have been weighing him occasionally with my kitchen scale because after some meds from our vet upset his tummy, I wanted to make sure I was keeping an eye out and I don't always see his poops right away because his favourite place to poop is in one of the live plant pots! Anyhow, he has not dropped weight and I do catch him drinking most days or at least over where his constant drip is, so I think food and drink wise he is good (he is very picky and only accepts hornworms, crickets, and wax worms which he only gets occasionally for a treat. We always have crickets roaming his cage so he can hunt and I offer him hornworms and veggies every day, but the hornworms almost always escape from his dish and he almost never eats the veggies unless the hornworm is attached to it, so if anyone has a suggestion for a bowl that actually keeps hornworms in, I am listening!). Our vet has tried pain meds with an anti-inflammatory, as well as a course of liquid antibiotics. She has now reached out to other vets who have suggested next steps would be shots of antibiotics and/or xrays. He is gripping strongly again with this leg and does allow me to touch it as long as it is not during the transition out of or into his cage or while he is in his cage, which leads me to believe he is not super painful, but I have not caught him basking for a few days now and it worries me. Not sure whether I should go ahead with more vet care or let him try to heal on his own for a while. Not sure whether he is just a bit cranky or whether this is a pain behaviour. My last cham was simply a joy. I raised him from the size of a quarter and he went everywhere with me. With Tarzan, I am just not quite sure how to read his behaviours (aside from the mouth open...I KNOW what that means...hahaha). Does this sound like a pain I should be getting vet help with or just a choice he is making to be more secluded from us? We really want to socialize him, and as I said, he does enjoy being out. His colour tells us that! I wonder if the kitchen is the problem. I fear the only other place to put his palace is in our finished basement, and it is a tad colder down there. Just trying to weigh all of the possibilities and thought some people here may have useful thoughts. Thanks so much for your consideration!
Pic of Tarzan on the Ficus tree near his enclosure. He likes to hang out there when he is feeling adventurous. I hope he starts feeling that way again soon.