Please help

[Hollistics]

I've had my chameleon for about 8 months. I feed her mostly gut loaded crickets along with some smaller Dubai roaches on occasion. She has been in great healthy, very healthy appetite and all until a couple weeks ago. She used to be fairly active, would eat from our hands etc. suddenly she barely moves around, she stays at the bottom of the cage. She is not really eating or drinking it seems. I thought she may need to lay eggs, set up a moist potted area for her. Now she just lays in it. She has not dug any wholes to lay or anythings. She just lays there. Her eyes are clear and she is alert. I don't know what else I can do for her at this point. Suggestions please! Could she be egg bound?

 

[JaniP]

Please fill out the how to ask for help document at the top of the forum, and post a picture
Is she getting UVB and regular proper supplements?

 

[JoeVet]

Probably either pre-ovulatory stasis or egg bound. Either way should see a vet while she is still in relatively good health.

 

[carol5208]

I would get an xray to verify the eggs.

 

[Hollistics]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - veiled, roughly 8 mos female
Handling - 1-2 times a month bc I hear they don't love being handled. So mainly when I clean the cage etc.
Feeding - medium crickets gut loaded with flukes cricket quench calc fortified and rep cal cricket food with fruit. 8 a day or so. Dusting crickets with d3 once per week. Also Dubia roaches 2-4 per week. Small
Supplements - zoomed reptivite w d3
Watering - monsoon auto mister every 4 hrs. Fine mist for about 2 mins. She usually drinks, but not so much lately
Fecal Description -Brown usually solid with white end, more recently on the runnier side. Tough to tell since she's stopped really eatting
History. Developed a mass under eyelid. Vet was able to remove, never came back. Healed well

Cage Info:
Cage Type. Screen 18x18x36
Lighting -
Temperature- 80-85
Humidity- 74%
Plants - all fake
Placement - Where is your cage located? Kitchen Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? Yes ceiling fan. At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? 5ft from floor
Location, connecticut usa

Current Problem - She's appears weak and not active. Seems to not want to Eat

 

[Hollistics]

Im trying to post pics as well

 

[reptileguy112]

I'm guessing maybe MBD. Can we get a pit of her back heel, just one would work because the casque looks on the larger side for a female.

 

[kinyonga]

Does your chameleon always rest on your hand or rest on branches? No trunkal lifting can be an indication of a nutrient imbalance.

If she has an imbalance it could contribute to egg laying issues too.

Your feeding/gutloading of the insects needs improvement. Crickets, roaches, superworms, locusts can be fed a wide range of greens such as collards, escarole, endive, dandelion greens, kale, etc and veggies such as carrots, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, etc.

For supplements, because most of the feeder insects we use have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous we recommend dusting the insects just before feeding them to your chameleon with a phosphorous - free calcium powder at most feedings.

We also recommend dusting twice a month with a phosphorous - free calcium / D3 powder to ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 without overdosing it and leaving the chameleon to produce the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB light. You didn't mention using a UVB light...do you use one?

It's also recommended that you dust twice a month with a vitamin A powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. This leaves it up to you to decide whether the chameleon needs prEformed vitamin A or not. PrEformed vitamin A can build up in the system and lead to overdoses but prOformed won't build up so it's important to be careful with the prEformed.

 

[Hollistics]

Thank you all for your input. Sorry I missed the uvb info. I have an 18" tropical 25 uvb t8 fluorescent bulb which i will be replacing today with a fresh bulb.
She does seem to rest often. I am unable to get the image of her heal at this time but there is absolutely no spike on her heel and when I brought her to the vet previously, they seemed pretty certain of the sex being female.

As far as feeding and dusting, I will adjust. Is there anything I can do to help reverse the effects of mbd or to help stabilize her in a timely manner?

This is my first chameleon so again, I greatly appreciate any input at all. I did get her to eat a couple crickets this afternoon since i posted earlier, so hooray for that

 

[Hollistics]

Best pic of heel I could find. This was 2 months ago

 

[reptileguy112]

Yup female, shes a pretty one too. Is she always laying down on her belly or does she ever lift it up and stand on her four legs?

 

[kinyonga]

A vet visit would be a good idea IMHO. The vet could test to see if she has a calcium issue and like Joevet said, check for eggs while she's still well enough to deal with it.

 

[junglefries]

I gotta go with MBD, she is showing receptive coloring. Therefore, most likely not eggbound. If she was eggbound, her coloring should be much darker. She needs a vet for some Ca. Good news is, she looks in good enough shape to make a good recovery. She does need a real T5 HO linear UVB bulb. 5.0 with medium foliage or a 10.0 for a very heavy foliage cage, if she is still in a 36" cage. If she is moved to a 48" cage, I would go ahead and use the 10.0 with heavy foliage and varying branch heights.