PLEASE HELP I think my cham is dying

[Mimi123]

Hello everyone!
I am a mess, I am keeping calm but I really feel like my baby (pan) might be dying.
I took her to the vet the day after she started acting strange, she got a calcium injection and they gave me some special powder to feed her. I am really struggling with force feeding her, she's very unresponsive and I can only manage to open her lips to reveal some of her gums, I am unable to get enough space to release the food into her.

I am very scared because I used my last money on the vet appointment that I can't go for a follow up with her for more injections, I am suspecting she has severe MBD, the vet spent most of her time answering my questions with "I am not sure, chameleons are hard to figure out"

So about a week ago I noticed she was closing her eyes all the time and being very lethargic and clumsy.
She stopped eating and become very unresponsive, she usually climbs around my shoulders and up my arm but she just is completely "knocked out" it seems, her colour is ALWAYS bright green now which makes me think she must be unconscious most of the time, her eyes are closed now 90% of the time. She can hardly walk around very much, when she does she usually nearly falls, I have had to catch her a few times.

I am so worried and I must know, is she dying and should I end her suffering? Without the money for regular injections and vet visits, is it realistic that my pan will get better?

 

[Mimi123]

She is getting so skinny it is so sad to see her like this

 

[Mimi123]

please can someone reply?!

 

[Extensionofgreen]

If she has severe enough MBD to exhibit the symptoms you describe, it would be very apparent by just looking at her. Can you post a photo and fill out the How to Ask for Help questions, so we can help you trouble shoot?
I'm sorry you are having a tough time.

 

[Replife]

It sounds like she is in pretty bad shape so at the risk of sounding harsh or incentives it sounds as if it is very unlikely for her to recover just my opinion tho being able to see her would help alot

 

[Mimi123]

• Your Chameleon - Veiled Chameleon. Highly possible bad husbandry and neglecting at pet store
• Handling - a couple of times a week, she used to climb on my head now she is just unresponsive
• Feeding - I have put crickets in the cage but she won't eat them, i have been feeding her wax worms and meal worms, she used to eat an odd cricket here and there
• Supplements - calcium and vitamin D powder from pet store.
• Watering - the petstore gave me her in an old cage with a water bowl, she actually drinks out of there but I know I need to get rid of it. I mist the cage for around 20 seconds three times a day.
• Fecal Description - gooey yellow a month ago now it's more brown. Havnt seen her poop in nearly a week
• History - I lack much information because the pet shop guy didn't seem to know anything. like I mentioned before, possible neglect and malnutrition in previous home (pet store) I am also unaware of the exact gender or age.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - a tall mesh cage, A metre and a half. width around half a metre.
• Lighting - I have a orangey small heat lamp that's been on all the time, and a larger heat lamp that I switch with a UVB bulb. the UVB is on for around 5-6 hours.
• Temperature - cage floor is probably around 65 and the basking is around 80 i am guessing
• Humidity - regular misting. no way of measuring
• Plants - jade and pothos.
• Placement - The cage is in front my large window, blinds are open in daytime. the cage is sat on my desk.
• Location - brooklyn new york

 

[Mimi123]

If she has severe enough MBD to exhibit the symptoms you describe, it would be very apparent by just looking at her. Can you post a photo and fill out the How to Ask for Help questions, so we can help you trouble shoot?
I'm sorry you are having a tough time.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

She is dehydrated and underweight. She needs a stool sample checked for parasites and a vet visit.
First:
No more handling except to administer care, until she improves.
Second: no more mealworms
Third: place her on a plant and place her in a shower, that is cooler than bath water, but just warmer than room temp, and aim the shower spray at the wall, so that the water bounces off the wall and splashed the plant and the chameleon. Leave her in the shower 20-60 mins, and so this daily. Get a misting system!!!
Fourth : review the caresheet on the forum and compare your supplements, lights, and temps to the caresheet. Adjust accordingly.

The good news is that she doesn't appear to have anything that can't be fixed with improved husbandry.

 

[Replife]

So she definitely has server MBD and ZERO fat on her hip or legs any idea if she has ever laid eggs b4 it should be about that time for her but she is not showing any signs of being gravid or receptive any ways cut out mealworms and she needs to be misted far longer at least 3 mins 3 times a day she needs plenty of water longer duration of misting will encourage drinking and only handle when u need to

 

[Stinger]

Here is a link to start your corrective measures now and soon
Start reading It's not to late .
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/
httpps://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/general-care-veiled-chameleon.151661/

 

[Mimi123]

Thanks for the responses, she is not eating anything as she can hardly move, that is the reason I handle her to try and force feed her but I can't even do that. Any ideas on how I can get her weight up?

 

[Replife]

I agree with everything Extensionofgreen said and I felt she was in far worse shape than she looks to be but don't get me wrong she is obviously in the woods but good chance of a come back

 

[Mimi123]

Also why is her eyes closed all the time

 

[Extensionofgreen]

So she definitely has server MBD and ZERO fat on her hip or legs any idea if she has ever laid eggs b4 it should be about that time for her but she is not showing any signs of being gravid or receptive any ways cut out mealworms and she needs to be misted far longer at least 3 mins 3 times a day she needs plenty of water longer duration of misting will encourage drinking and only handle when u need to

I don't see advanced MBD. Her elbows are not rounded or U shaped. It does appear that the back legs may have some MBD related fractures, but it could just as likely be depleted musculature, from malnourishment.

 

[Replife]

Thanks for the responses, she is not eating anything as she can hardly move, that is the reason I handle her to try and force feed her but I can't even do that. Any ideas on how I can get her weight up?

Your going to have to force feed unless she just starts eating and you will have to get a syringe far enough back in her mouth to not go down her windpipe in the bottom of her mouth so why is it u can't force feed are u scared you might hurt her?

 

[Extensionofgreen]

She is severely dehydrated. She doesn't have the energy to open her eyes. Start showering her and once she is hydrated, watch her want to eat and be more alert. I'd still get her to a vet.

 

[Replife]

I don't see advanced MBD. Her elbows are not rounded or U shaped. It does appear that the back legs may have some MBD related fractures, but it could just as likely be depleted musculature, from malnourishment.

My opinion the back legs look awfully crooked and bowed I'm no expert

 

[Mimi123]

Your going to have to force feed unless she just starts eating and you will have to get a syringe far enough back in her mouth to not go down her windpipe in the bottom of her mouth so why is it u can't force feed are u scared you might hurt her?

Obviously I'm sort of scared of hurting her,
But I physically can't, I've tried everything, I've watched YouTube videos on how to force feed and I can only open her lips and can't get past her gummy bit I'm not sure how to actually put it into her actual mouth

 

[Replife]

Obviously I'm sort of scared of hurting her,
But I physically can't, I've tried everything, I've watched YouTube videos on how to force feed and I can only open her lips and can't get past her gummy bit I'm not sure how to actually put it into her actual mouth

Well then just start with the showers and if she don't eat in the next few days going to have to figure something out I had to use a credit card to get one of my tokay geckos to open his mouth but I've never had to force feed a chameleon I know there's tons of people on this form that have I'm sure that they will chime in tomorrow ..I hope

 

[Replife]

Have you been able to start the showers?