Not sure if I should be worried

[Hiller]

Hello I have a werners three horned female chameleon who has stopped eating and seems lethargic. I have had her since February and she used to eat all her crickets and hunt them down, how she will eat very few and only if I hand feed her. She is misted by a mist king several times a day, and her urate is white. There is a uvb bulb on her cage that has been changed with in the last month. The temp is kept between 75-78. She may be gravid tho but she came that way as I haven't bred her but she is a little chunky girl.







Any input would be much appreciated.

 

[carol5208]

As you know they give live birth, so you don't have to worry about a laying bin for eggs anyways. I am not sure of the preparation for that, if any. They just drop them like little slugs from what I know. I would just keep a close eye out as if she does have any babies, she could eat them. Hopefully somone with experience of this species can take a look a look at her and give you more info. Good luck! Also, just noticing her mouth looks a little odd in the front. Not sure if that would have anything to do with her eating habits. Have you checked on the inside of her mouth??

 

[Hiller]

Yes I know they give live births but I'm not sure if she is that gravid and why she stopped eating. I know a lot of people keep them for 3 months then they die so I'm a bit worried. I have kept my mellers for almost a year now. And I have had her since February so I thought I was good.

 

[Hiller]

I forgot to mention she has be doing this for only about 2 weeks

 

[Chase]

It's possible she is gravid. She does look a bit chunky.

It could also be she is bored with her food. Do you only offer crickets, or are there other feeders offered to her?

Chase

 

[GCash]

Her lip is of concern but I'd be more worried if I didn't have cultures of Hydei fruit flies, bean beetles, and cricket eggs going. She definitely looks gravid. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Eric Adrignola]

The tip of her lower jaw is swollen. Often, this is from an injury that gets infected. Often that injury is from an insect leg poking them in the gums/lip. I had recurring problems like this in my deremensis for a couple years, until Carlton suggested a vitamin C problem might be to blame. Vitamin C is used by our body in growing and maintaining connective tissues. When levels are low, the body can't repair damage well, so minor things like abrasions and cuts, tend to get infected more easily.

I have since fed my feeders quite a bit of citrus and leafy greens, and upped the frequency of vitamin supplementations. Haven't seen it since. You might need to swab the area of the jaw with a Q-tip to see if there's any nasty, cheesy material there. If that's the case, you should probably apply a topical antibiotic/antiseptic (see a vet!).

I would avoid a general antibiotic for a small, localized infection. Especially since she may be gravid.

 

[Chase]

Good catch y'all. I didn't even see that. That's what I get for using my phone haha.

I don't have personal experience with the lip swelling, so I'd follow the suggestions above.

Chase

 

[Hiller]

I love this forum. Thanks everyone. I have fly cultures and I am working on getting the rest of the feeders. I do only feed crickets but tomorrow I will go get some meal worms. As for the lip I will keep an eye on it and feed my crickets more stuff for vitamin C. As for a vet I live in Canada and I don't even know of a vet that looks at reptiles. Any suggestions for a topical cream?