On the ground..

Xandrix

New Member
I have a veiled chameleon who is about 1 1/2 years old. He's always had a voracious appetite and would always go to his "food bowl" as soon as crickets were introduced. He's always been a picky eater and will only eat crickets, but I religiously dust them prior to feeding. He is also a good drinker and will go to the lid of his enclosure and lick the droplets from their with little coaxing.

Tuesday, I noticed that he was sitting very close to the bottom of his cage, which is abnormal for him. Since then, he has spent most of his time on the floor of his enclosure. While his coloring looks bright and vibrant as normal, he is quite lethargic, and will rarely move around the cage. If I pick him up, he does not get startled, but just sits on my hand and when I return him to the cage, he eventually makes his way back to the floor. The temperature in his enclosure and my home has remained constant, and there have been no issues with his bowels, eating or behavior prior to this. He's in a large enclosure with a heat lamp, a place to hide in a cool area and a UV lamp as well as plenty of climbing and camouflage places. He's a regular 3-4 month shedder, and his feces is normal color and consistency. I've had several chameleons before, and for some reason at around this age, they start to decline.

Any advice would be most appreciated.
 

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I agree. A experienced reptile vet right away. Fill in the form so we can see what to go over. It looks like he has MBD pretty bad.
 
Fchamel,
I thought MBD came from a lack of calcium. Since I gutload the crickets and dust them with vitamins, how would that happen?
 
I've had several chameleons before, and for some reason at around this age, they start to decline.
Along with the pics... Since your saying this above there is something else going on. They do not just decline and die unless husbandry is incorrect.

This is the form @ERKleRose mentioned. Please be detailed in your responses.

Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:
  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
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