Please Help Immediately!!! Chameleon life may be at stake!!!!!!!!

[ataraxia]

you need to find another source for your information. whoever is telling you this stuff is killing your chameleon.

quick googlin

http://www.google.com/search?q=bene...fficial&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np

 

[bridgofaith]

I don't know where you are getting your info from, but it is just plain wrong. Read the links that I posted for you. Get a Reptisun 5.0 UVB tube lamp, looks like this: http://www.reptmart.com/p-1476-reptisun-50-uvb-fluorescent-bulb-18-for-sale.aspx A UVB lamp is extremely important for a chameleons health. READ: https://www.chameleonforums.com/general-care-true-chameleons-5943/

Can you post a pic of the enclosure and the cham? As ferret said, you may have a cham that has now developed MBD. http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/reptilesgeneral/a/metabolicbd.htm

 

[HerbsForMyChameleon]

My advice was assuming that the only thing wrong is a lack of food, That was the problem presented.

 

[bridgofaith]

My advice was assuming that the only thing wrong is a lack of food, That was the problem presented.

I'm sorry but the problem presented was more complex than that. In time and with more experience, you will be able to recognize that in the future. I suggest that for now, even though you want to offer help, read and learn before giving advice like that.

 

[DavidBuchan]

What kind of uv light is it? which vitamins and how often? These are very important questions. You absolutely need to mist the Chameleon and all the leaves in the cage 2 or 3 times per day. He does not need any light or extra heat at night. Improving the gutload as soon as you can get some dandelion or butternut squash is a good idea too. Just oranges and potatoes is not good enough.........there needs to be more calcium....
Here is a caresheet. Read it, and follow it, it actually tells you what you need. Don't listen to whoever told you to stop misting!
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html


Pictures of the chameleon and the setup would really help see how serious it is

 

[paigesc]

If you can stabilize him I think you should try to find a new home for him. Your parents forget to buy crix and you obviously can't right now?? plus you are unable to get him to a vet when he's in need of immediate medical treatment (and it doesn't sound like your parents would take him to a vet even if you found one). You've received a lot of great advice so far but all the advice has a price tag attached to it for the most part. I hope he will be ok. Perhaps someone on the forum lives close by and can offer some support/direction in terms of vet care / rescue?

 

[kinyonga]

Your chameleon definitely needs to be offered water daily through misting or using a dripper.

Here's some information I hope will help you with things like supplements, gutloading, etc....
Appropriate cage temperatures aid in digestion and thus play a part indirectly in nutrient absorption.

Exposure to UVB from either direct sunlight or a proper UVB light allows the chameleon to produce D3 so that it can use the calcium in its system to make/keep the bones strong and be used in other systems in the chameleon as well. The UVB should not pass through glass or plastic no matter whether its from the sun or the UVB light. The most often recommended UVB light is the long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light. Some of the compacts, spirals and tube lights have caused health issues, but so far there have been no bad reports against this one.

A wide variety of insects that have been well fed and gutloaded should be fed to it.

Since many of the feeder insects we use in captivity have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus in them, its important to dust the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon at most feedings with a phos.-free calcium powder to help make up for it. (I use Rep-cal phosphorus-free calcium).

If you also dust twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder it will ensure that your chameleon gets some D3 without overdoing it. It leaves the chameleon to produce the rest of what it needs through its exposure to the UVB light. D3 from supplements can build up in the system but D3 produced from exposure to UVB shouldn't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of it. (I use Rep-cal phos.-free calcium/D3).

Dusting twice a month as well with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A will ensure that the chameleon gets some vitamins without the danger of overdosing the vitamin A. PrEformed sources of vitamin A can build up in the system and may prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the chameleon towards MBD. However, there is controversy as to whether all/any chameleons can convert the beta carotene and so some people give some prEformed vitamin A once in a while. (I use herptivite which has beta carotene.)

Gutloading/feeding the insects well helps to provide what the chameleon needs. I gutload crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms, etc. with an assortment of greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.)

Calcium, phos., D3 and vitamin A are important players in bone health and other systems in the chameleon (muscles, etc.) and they need to be in balance. When trying to balance them, you need to look at the supplements, what you feed the insects and what you feed the chameleon.
Please note that various supplements have various amounts of D3 and vitamin A and so some can be given more often than others. The idea still is not to overdo the fat soluble vitamins like D3 and prEformed vitamin A.

Here are some good sites for you to read too...
http://chameleonnews.com/07FebWheelock.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200605020...Vitamin.A.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200406080...d.Calcium.html
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/
http://web.archive.org/web/200601140...ww.adcham.com/
If you can't access the sites above that have the word "archive" in you can do it through the WayBackMachine.