Possible MBD

[jbarnes668]

Hello,
I am very worried now that my chameleon has MBD. I noticed yesterday that he was slower moving around than he usually is and then when I took him out today he was shaking when he would walk on me. I have been giving him dusted calcium on his crickets 4 times a week and multivitamins 2 times a month(this was the recomended dosage by the staff at LLL Reptile where I bought him). I have had him for 3 months and havent changed anything, but he all the sudden started doing this. He doesnt look unhealthy and he is still eating(I saw him eat 8 crickets this morning) I usually put in around 15-20 cricketa and he eats them before I get home at night. He also has a 5.0 reptile uvb on him 12 hours a day with day and night specific heat bulbs. I just want to see if I should up the amount of calcium given to him? Or if I need to take him to a vet ASAP? I just don't want to spend a lot of money on vet bills if its not needed. Please give me any input possible as I want to make sure my little dude is healthy and happy. Thank you in advance.

 

[qdude46]

If there is any, it's not serve which is good. Please fill out the how to ask for help form, it's a sticky under the health clinic forums and then paste it here. Unrelated to this but you should not be using a night bulb, chameleons need full darkness to sleep.

 

[fluxlizard]

Can you describe the "shaking" when he was moving a little more?

MBD shaking looks like prolonged twitching and muscular spasms. If you saw rocking steps or vibrating, those are part of normal behaviors.

 

[jbarnes668]

His hands shake and he walks slower than usual. He doesnt seem to be rocking or anything but when hes on his favorite vine he leans a little which he usually didnt do. And I'm using a red night bulb which LLL reptile told me was okay to use? My room sometimes gets cold at night so I didnt want it to get to cold for him. Sorry if my husbandry knowledge is off

 

[shmeenakoz]

No red lights, no lights at all!! It disturbs their sleep patterns. if temps get to low, below 50F then you can use a ceramic heat emitter (no light, just heat).

 

[fluxlizard]

This is MBD twitching in a bearded dragon. It won't look exactly the same in a chameleon because the toes are fused, but the muscular action will look the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keUmGN6BhPk

Is his favorite vine where he sits leaning under the heat lamp?

This would be normal behavior to warm up if so.

 

[jbarnes668]

Blue Bar Ambilobe Panther Chameleon
Male
He is approximately 4 months old
Ive had him for 3 months
I handle him on average 4 times a week for 5 minutes
He eats 15-20 crickets a day
I dust them with calcium 4 times a week and multivitamins 2 times a month
I gutload with flukers orange cube cricket diet and flukers high calcium diet
I mist him 2-3 times a day untill all the leaves get covered
He likes to drink from the spray bottle
His stool is brown and white
He has never been tested for parasites
He is in a screen cage 16x15x20
Cage has shower curtain on both sides to help with humidity
Zoo med 100w daylight bulb and 60w red night light(which I will stop using)
Exo terra 5.0 uvb tube light
Humidity at 70-80%
I keep humidity up using live plangs and misting
I have a pothos, dracaena, and ficus tree in his cage

 

[fluxlizard]

what brand calcium and what brand multivitamin? Ever any d3?

 

[jbarnes668]

His feet don't shake when he is holding on to something and its more of a bigger shake then that. Its more like "cold" shivers than that video

 

[fluxlizard]

Any way you can get video of it and upload it?

I can't decide if what you are describing falls within normal nervous behavior or indicates a problem. The lean on his branch if it is away from you, would also be an indicator of nervous behavior possibly as well...

 

[jbarnes668]

It is the zoo med repti calcium and herpivite. I was told he doesnt need with d3 that much. I usually give him it only twice month like the multivitamins.

 

[jbarnes668]

I thought it could be nervousness also, but he leans towards me? And I am at work but I will definitely get a video and upload it. That would help a lot. And thank you guys for the input on the lights I will definitely change that I didnt realize they didnt need it.

 

[jbarnes668]

Its repticalcium and herpivite and I only use with d3 about 2 times a month like I do with the multivitamins. I am at work and I will definitely get a video and upload it when I get home.

 

[shmeenakoz]

Are you giving cal w/ D3 as often as the multivit? Also I would suggest using a more substantial gut load and ditch the flukers orange cubes. Sandracham has a perfect recipe for gut loading your feeders. Thats found in the blog section here. I would say also to dust with plain calcium no phosphorus every feeding too. Good luck hope he gets better. There is also the sticky from ferretinmyshoes on MBD and its signs and what to do.

 

[jbarnes668]

Yes I am giving w/ d3 twice a month also. And I was looking into getting the cricket crack from tiki tiki is that a good gutload?

 

[shmeenakoz]

I say the more natural the better which is why I suggested Sandrachams blog. All you really need is the natural stuff (fruits/veg) we eat daily, and if you don't then all can be purchased at the produce dept . Potatoes, carrots, oranges/peels, etc. There are some things to avoid tho so just check that blog to see what I missed. I have Miner-All O for daily dusting ready for my dude and a Rep-cal multivit and cal w/D3.

 

[jbarnes668]

Hmm I'll definitely look into that and I'll get all these husbandry problems fixed and post a video up of how he walks to maybe get a better view for what he looks like. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[xraygirl]

Cricket crack is a great product to use, but don't use it by itself. You should still provide fresh fruits and veggies for your feeders

 

[shmeenakoz]

Oh crud…I just realized you are in Cali! You may not need as much D3 as my guy would here in Ohio. Natural sun is great for this and as much as you can get him outside that would be good. Also I had to edit my last comment, since I meant to say a dusting with Calcium only no phos is best and then a multivit and D3 2-4x a month. Like I said this all depends on where you live etc. Sorry bout the confusion.

 

[Kath44]

Dusting with calcium with d3 shouldn't be 2-4x a week. It's twice a month, and multi vit twice a month. No matter where you live, as you'd be using a UVB light. Unless the Cham is outside in the sun, where you wouldn't use d3 or UVB.
Kath.