Not sure what wrong with my chameleon

[wkdweb]

Help,
She lives with another chameleon and she crawled over her eye the other day and she had one shut.

I thought it was because she had therefore hurt her eye.

Last few days, she has not eaten but is willing to drink. Not noticed her poop for a while.
Today she is just wanting to lie on the bottom of cage. Sometimes with eyes closed.
I have noticed when she has been close to basking light she has been very dark,which isnt normal. She normally turns slightly dark.

I have tried showering her for longer today and she was very very pale when she came out. And remains pale at the bottom of her cage but almost black when basking. Both of which with eyes closed.

HELP

 

[Carlton]

Help,
She lives with another chameleon and she crawled over her eye the other day and she had one shut.

I thought it was because she had therefore hurt her eye.

Last few days, she has not eaten but is willing to drink. Not noticed her poop for a while.
Today she is just wanting to lie on the bottom of cage. Sometimes with eyes closed.
I have noticed when she has been close to basking light she has been very dark,which isnt normal. She normally turns slightly dark.

I have tried showering her for longer today and she was very very pale when she came out. And remains pale at the bottom of her cage but almost black when basking. Both of which with eyes closed.

HELP

We can't even begin to guess without more detailed information! Check the top of this forum for the "how to ask for help" sticky message. Answer the questions in detail. That's the only way we can figure out what is going on. But in the mean time, separate those chams! They should not be sharing a cage as it causes extreme stress.

 

[chameleonloverrr]

SOrry to hear it. Fill out the form

 

[wkdweb]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Yemen chameleon, 7 Months old Female. Been in my care for 5/6.
Handling - Daily
Feeding - Locusts/Morioworms/Giant meal worms/ wax worms. Pot of worms in the cage at all times. Never empty. Locusts every other day. Medium/3rd hoppper gut loaded on veg. Chameleon also has fruit and veg placed around cage.
Supplements - ExoTerra MultiVits Once/twice a month. Calcium One a week.
Watering - Waterfall in Cage. Spray them. Put them in shower every few days and drinks from waterfall daily and drinks from a bottle.
Fecal Description - Never been tested for parasites but unsure of recent fecael. has been quite a few days. Most recent looked normal. No dehydrration etc.
History - No previous problems. Shorter tail. Think was bitten off when small. Also she lives with another girl, which they have been together since she was a couple of months old. Get on no problem at all. Bask next to each other etc.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Wooden Vivexotic Ax48 Extra Large.
Lighting - D3 Uv light. Exoterra tube light. 100 Watt basking light. Light on Time. On about 8:30 Off about 9:40.
Temperature - Lowest overnight temp 19C. Highest basking spot light 31C.
Humidity - Humidity 40%. Measured with 2 digital thermometers. Created with waterfall.
Plants - Live plants. Think it is called fiscus or umbrella plant. Checked they were allowed to eat them just in case. Have noticed soil occasionly eaten but now covered up.
Placement - Cage has a cabinet underneath which is nearly a meter high. Cage as high as me 5 11.
Location - London

Current Problem - She lives with another chameleon and she crawled over her eye the other day and she had one shut.

I thought it was because she had therefore hurt her eye.

Last few days, she has not eaten but is willing to drink. Not noticed her poop for a while.
Today she is just wanting to lie on the bottom of cage. Sometimes with eyes closed.
I have noticed when she has been close to basking light she has been very dark,which isnt normal. She normally turns slightly dark.

I have tried showering her for longer today and she was very very pale when she came out. And remains pale at the bottom of her cage but almost black when basking. Both of which with eyes closed.

 

[dropanuke]

Gravid?????
I think so. Being at the bottom etc! Sleeping due to not eating etc like dizzy!!!
Move swiftly vet wise

 

[wkdweb]

Gravid?????
I think so. Being at the bottom etc! Sleeping due to not eating etc like dizzy!!!
Move swiftly vet wise

Is she not a bit young. She is still just mainly green. Doesnt have sexual mature colours properly yet. Only coming through and can see them when close up

 

[CLP]

I would say quite likely gravid. Is there a laying bin in the enclosure? Definitely needs to be if there isn't, but at this point, you need to seriously consider a vet.

Also, your supplementation is a bit off. Mutivitamins should be once every 2 weeks, calcium WITHOUT D3 every day, calcium with D# once every 2 weeks.

I would also make 2 other recommendations: lose the waterfall, and house the 2 chameleons separately. Waterfalls are a breeding ground for bacteria and NOT recommended. Drinking from it could easily make your chameleon very ill. And I know you said the "get along fine" but chameleons are solitary creatures, and housing them together is causing them stress whether you see it or not.

But, first and foremost, you need to take care of the female that is having problems. Laying bin for sure, but seriously consider seeing a vet as she may be egg bound.

 

[dropanuke]

Yes vet!!!!
She is weak, I had to put dizzy to sleep cos she was to weak to recover from a op!
Do it ASAP! Yours is young and you have the chance!
Trust me!

 

[DavidBuchan]

Is she not a bit young. She is still just green. Doesnt have sexual mature colours yet.

Hello, welcome to the forum Just going to agree with all the advice you've been given so far. The vet is by far her best chance to live. If you can find a reptile specialist then do.
The usual Calcium schedule for Veileds is a plain Calcium powder for everyday, every insect (no D3). A powder with D3 twice per month. and your multivit as you have it.

This schedule depends on what brand of powder you are using. Check D3 levels.

I would turn your basking temps down to 24C for your girls. Housing the chameleons seperately is a good idea. You may be sure that they are not causing each other any hassle, but chameleons can be aggressive to each other with just a look and stress can cause all sorts of problems. It's best they don't see each other much now they are older and might see each other as competition.
She is old enough to be gravid, my girls was 8 months old when she first laid eggs, but some do it much younger. Waterfalls are most often used for pooping and drowning crickets in, but when they are drunk out of too then there could be trouble.....
Here is a great all-round caresheet I always recommend to new people with Veileds - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

 

[wkdweb]

Does everything think she is gravid? I have several females. 3 of which are over a year and have laid eggs fine and have acted very differently.
The one with the issue appears lethargic and wants to close her eyes.
Gravid chameleons are normally active and searchign for somewhere to lay.
I have called the vets and booked an appointment but wanted to have an idea of what i thought it was beforehand.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Does everything think she is gravid? .

I don't know. I can't even see a picture....... Some of what you described could be attributed to being gravid. Maybe gravid and eggbound and feeling sick and lethargic. Maybe.
You can see her, and you have experience with females. If you think she isn't I would be willing to accept that. If she's not gravid it's something else. Vet might help...
Let us know, hope it goes ok for your girl at her appointment.

 

[wkdweb]

Ill put a picture up. Just figuring out how.

She is not so pale at the moment. Still slightly but patchy skin.
never noticed any behaviour colouration like this in my experience.

She is a very thirsty girl but is still dehydrated.

 

[wkdweb]

pictures

Pictures are here

 

[DavidBuchan]

All I can tell from the pics is that she is sub adult/adult and she is dehydrated. Sorry, there are a few vets on this forum who might see this and give you a better idea but I really am out of my depth on this one now.....
As you know there are a few differences with what I would recommend, but that's all the help or advice I can suggest.

 

[CLP]

Definitely dehydrated. I would put her in a separate enclosure and give her as much access to water (dripper and misting), as she wants.

As for the gravid thing, can't really tell from the photo (and of course, it's always an educated guess when looking at photos).

Good luck with her.

 

[wkdweb]

Hi,
Thanks guys for both of your advice.

I know I am unsure of why she looks so dehydrated. She has been drinking out of the bottle several times a day and I have given her a shower for which she drunk. Her eyes havnt picked up with it. Will have to see what Vet says.,

Thanks

 

[thephotoprincess]

Sunken eyes are not always dehydration. She may be but she also looks underweight to me but her belly looks like she could have eggs. If she is sharing a cage with another chameleon she may not be getting enough to eat.

EDIT - I just had to separate two three month old veileds. They seemed to be getting along but the one 'guarded' the cup of crickets and would not let the other one eat even though there were no overt signs of aggression and plenty of food available. That is why I think she may be thin. Also, I do think eggs are an issue and I suggest a laying bin.

 

[Carlton]

Hi,
Thanks guys for both of your advice.

I know I am unsure of why she looks so dehydrated. She has been drinking out of the bottle several times a day and I have given her a shower for which she drunk. Her eyes havnt picked up with it. Will have to see what Vet says.,

Thanks

What is the humidity level in your cage? If the air is too dry she can dehydrate quickly and be thirsty all the time. Could be one reason she's drinking so much.

Sunken eyes are a sign of physical stress (including dehydration but can be a sign of other health problems too).

 

[Lovereps]

Sunken eyes are not always dehydration.

Is being underweight a cause of sunken eyes?

I agree that simple dehydration from lack of enough water is not always the reason for sunken eyes but I am unaware of anything besides dehydration being the cause of sunken eyes.
What I mean is that parasites can cause dehydration, eggbinding can cause dehydration, impaction causes it, internal bleeding, infection, etc. but they are all causing dehydration, and sunken eyes are the way it shows itself, AFAIK.

Please elaborate and enlighten me, as I like to learn as much as possible about cham health.

Hope the vet can her her to make a turnaround for you, wkdweb.

 

[dropanuke]

Speed is what matters now!
Every hour bloody counts with these guys