Please help asap

[pica]

Hi all, I live in South Africa. I'm sitting my dad's farm for the week and have no transportation. I found a chameleon in the garden yesterday. He was almost completely white on the one side of his body and almost black on the other side. I've done some research, I think he got stressed? Not sure.

We have snakes and blue headed tree agamas that do attack the poor things. I have a great love for the chameleons but they suffer greatly due to the rurals also killing them.

Anyways, I've been spraying him with room temperature water and trying to somehow keep him warm. His eyes never ever open, he's sluggish. He keeps grasping his tail with one foot.

Earlier today it seemed like he might pull through but now he's becoming sluggish again

Please, I need advice. I don't know anything about him/her. Don't know the breed, and I can't reach a vet. Even if I could I don't have any money for a vet.

Can anyone PLEASE give me advice? Is he dying? Is he sick? I've ruled out snake bite since he's still alive. Please, it's going to break my heart if he doesn't somehow pull through,.

 

[pica]

Yesterday when the white and black colourations started to subside

Here you can see the two shades on either side of the body

 

[Reganold]

well he sounds either sick or stressed. is there anyway u can get a pic? also it pains me to say this but im a nature lover as well as a chameleon lover and sometimes its not good to interfere with nature. then again by how he looks he couldve been basking. but he had his eyes closed so i cant say

 

[pica]

Yay, someone replied. Well he was lying on the ground right next to the tree. I've seen them drop out like that when a boomslang or another snake rushes up at it. He was already a bit curled up, grasping his head with his back left foot and his tail with his front left foot.

I know we shouldn't interfere, but they are becoming very scarce, so we always try to help.

 

[pica]

Half an hour ago...

This was taken about half an hour ago. His colouration looks better, but he curls up a lot and tends to fall over.

 

[carol5208]

It is so hard to say what could have happened to him in the wild. When they close their eyes, it is not a good sign as they do not rest or sleep during the day with them closed. If you have an eye dropper you can try dripping some water on his nose and see if you can get him to drink. I am sure he could use a drink of water, but at this point there probably is not much you can do for him.

 

[pica]

Thank you for the replies. I appreciate it

I'm going to try and keep him hydrated. Any idea how I can keep him warm without hurting him or making it worse? Light or dark surroundings?

 

[Reganold]

personally id keep him dark. you dont wanna stress him out and the dark surroundings will help him sleep.

 

[mcbdz]

Did he make it through the night. Any updates?

 

[Reganold]

Did he make it through the night. Any updates?

agreed. dont leave us hanging

 

[pica]

I'm sorry for taking so long to get back to you. He didn't make it Didn't think I'd be as affected by it this much, I know I did what I could... But still feel horrible.

Wish there was something more proactive that I could do to help these chameleons in SA. The natives (Zulus) have sangomas who use strange animal parts like vultures' brains and chameleons for their muti (witchcraft, they really believe in it). For example, thin slivers of dried vulture brains are sold to very poor people for sometimes hundreds of dollars to put under their pillows so their ancestors will whisper the lottery numbers to them

Sorry, got sidetracked. It's just hard to try and make a difference

Thank you for your advice and support. I really do appreciate it. Best of luck to all of you this year

 

[pica]

Ah never mind, sorry

 

[Kate]

I'm sorry he didn't make it but you did your best.

 

[deadhd5]

I am sorry he didn't make it, I was rooting for him! You obviously are a kind person for going above and beyond what a normal person would do to help a wild animal in distress.

If you ever want to keep a pet chameleon, we would love to see you on the forums in the future

 

[lovepicasso]

So sorry he didn't make it, and I'm sure you did all you could do, and with limited resources.....maybe you can help all the others and try to get some kind of word out about chameleons to the people of SA.....it is such a cruel world out there for so many of Gods creatures....thank you for the compassion you showed on this little guy.