Possible URI?

[rcc760]

Hello all! Here is Charlie's info again:

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon Veiled chameleon, female, in my care 3 weeks, 5 months old, body is about 4 in long.
• Handling very rarely as of now. Beginning to try cup feeding to gain trust.
• Feeding 10-15 small crickets a day, usually. Her appetite seems to have decreased a little lately. Haven't tried worms yet. She had no interest in fresh produce.
• Supplements Calc w/o D3 every feeding. Multi's every two weeks.
• Watering Misting about 3-4 times a day, have a dripper as well that's on parts of the day. It has a leak right now though so we're working on figuring it out.
• Fecal Description she doesn't seem to like crickets as much right now, so her eating has decreased a little, thus her BMs have too. Also, for some reason, her urates have been yellow-tinged lately, which is strange, because there's plenty of humidity.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type Screen ZooMed Reptibreeze enclosure 16" x 16" x 30"
• Lighting 100 watt basking bulb (the 60 that the kit came with was not strong enough and the store didn't have 75. Reptisun 5.0 UVB bulb.
• Temperature Basking temp is between 80 and 85, ambient temp is between 65 and 75 (it varies based on time of day)
• Humidity Fluctuates between 50-70, sometimes a little higher, rarely a little lower. We mist multiple times a day and have a dripper running often. We have a hygrometer placed mid cage.
• Plants Pothos and fake plants, as well as a bunch of sticks and vines for climbing.
• Placement in my sister's room on a shelf, maybe 5 ft from the ceiling?
• Location - Cold, dry part of Southern California

• Current Problem - This morning when I went to spray her cage, I noticed her sitting with her head pointed slightly up. I know this is a sign of URI, but I haven't noticed any other symptoms, like mucous or wheezing. This is the first I've seen her do it. Is this enough to believe she has a URI?

Thanks guys and gals!

 

[Syreptyon]

Make sure to use calcium powder with D3 twice a month in addition to your other supplements. From the description of her BMs, I would guess that she is dehydrated - the yellow color is indicative of this. How long do you usually mist for? You may need to increase the time.

I noticed that you specifically chose to delete the humidity section from the "how to ask for help" questions..? That is a very important section to include and, although you say "there's plenty of humidity," we need to know exactly how much there is. This is important to know, especially if you're concerned about a potential URI. You seem to associate humidity with healthy urates, but keep in mind that high humidity does not equal high hydration. The humidity will not hydrate your chameleon - water from misting and the dripper will. Just want to make sure this distinction is clear!

Overall, I wouldn't say that the tilted head is a sure sign of a URI, but definitely watch out for this behavior repeating as well as for the other signs! Hoping for the best for your little gal. Oh and please post some pics of her and her enclosure when you get the chance!

 

[rcc760]

Make sure to use calcium powder with D3 twice a month in addition to your other supplements. From the description of her BMs, I would guess that she is dehydrated - the yellow color is indicative of this. How long do you usually mist for? You may need to increase the time.

I noticed that you specifically chose to delete the humidity section from the "how to ask for help" questions..? That is a very important section to include and, although you say "there's plenty of humidity," we need to know exactly how much there is. This is important to know, especially if you're concerned about a potential URI. You seem to associate humidity with healthy urates, but keep in mind that high humidity does not equal high hydration. The humidity will not hydrate your chameleon - water from misting and the dripper will. Just want to make sure this distinction is clear!

Overall, I wouldn't say that the tilted head is a sure sign of a URI, but definitely watch out for this behavior repeating as well as for the other signs! Hoping for the best for your little gal. Oh and please post some pics of her and her enclosure when you get the chance!

Oops, most of your points are oversights on my part in my typing. I apologize.

Forgot to include that I use the D3. I know that it isn't part of the multi and I don't assume that it is. But in my mind, I just lump them together. I use the D3.

I mist for 3 to 4 minutes, 3-4 times a day. I will increase this to see if it helps. I also didn't *specifically choose* to delete the humidity section. It accidentally got deleted. I am hiding nothing about her humidity: her levels range from 50-70%, and right before mistings, they drop into the 40s. I was told that is okay because they can tolerate drops in humidity. They are never lower than 50 for long, I promise. I have a hygrometer placed mid cage. We have a dripper that is on frequently. We mist 3-4 times throughout the day and have a large live plant to help maintain humidity.

I guess I just meant that we use a dripper and mist to help maintain humidity, which should maintain her hydration as well. I know that that's where her hydration comes from. It's new that her urates are looking a little yellow. Before, they were quite white. But there hasn't been a change in the way we handle our humidity, so maybe she just decided she doesn't like the dripper? I don't know. I'm going to see about getting her some juicy worms to perk her up.

Yeah, she doesn't have any other symptoms. No mucous or wheezing, she just ate really well, so her appetite seems to be returning. Maybe it's that I used a cup and she didn't have to hung through all the foliage for the crickets? I'm definitely liking the cup feeding though. I will be keeping a close eye on her for sure though.

I'll post pics a little bit later. Thanks!

 

[Graves923]

How long are you misting for?

Is she making any popping sounds when breathing? Does she gape her mouth for any period of time?

 

[rcc760]

How long are you misting for?

Is she making any popping sounds when breathing? Does she gape her mouth for any period of time?

We mist for 3-4 minutes at a time, 3-4 times a day. Going to work on increasing this to help her hydration.

No gaping. No popping noises.

 

[kinyonga]

Please post some recent photos of her. Does she have her big girl colors yet? Maybe she's producing eggs? I hope not but I have to ask.

 

[rcc760]

Please post some recent photos of her. Does she have her big girl colors yet? Maybe she's producing eggs? I hope not but I have to ask.

No, no big girl colors yet. I will post pictures right now.

 

[rcc760]

Here are some pics:

 

[rcc760]

The first pic of her on a hand is from a few days ago. We were adjusting the accessories in her cage and had to take her out and she was NOT happy. The rest are from today. The one where she's really dark shows how wide she is--as you can she, she's pretty thin (not unhealthy, just not looking like she's carrying a bunch of eggs). She was really grumpy because she knew it was misting time and for some reason, she really really hates misting time. Otherwise, she seems to be doing okay.

Also, she appears to be eating her pothos. She spends a lot of time in the plant and occasionally appears to be pulling on it with her mouth/eating it. Is this healthy? It's kinda weird to me.

 

[kinyonga]

I've had female veileds strip pothos plants bare! It never seemed to cause them any problems. They usually do it when they're producing eggs too...but your girl is too young ( going by colors and size) to be doing that.

Another reason they eat it is for moisture...and you said you're having trouble with her dripper...and you may not be misting long enough...so that could be the problem. You can use a deli cup with a tiny hole in the bottom so it drips at the rate of one or two drips per minute.

Post again if the problem isn't solved!

 

[rcc760]

Also here’s a pic of our set up. The lights rest right on top of the enclosure, so I’m reluctant to add more walkways towards the top. I don’t want her to get burned. (Also, I know this isn’t the recommended UVB light, that the tube light is better, and we’re working on it. Until we can get the better one, this one will suffice) But we are definitely also working on getting more foliage and increasing the density of accessories in her enclosure. That should be happening very soon!

We actually bought a new dripper today that seems to be working MUCH better. And she passed another urate today that looked slightly improved from her last one.

Thanks everyone!