Rescue set-up?

chamimom

Member
Hey, All! So the pet store we get crickets from (not a big chain) received a malnourished full-grown male chameleon from someone who could not take care of it anymore. They are trying to get him to gain weight before they sell him. He looks healthy other than needing to gain some weight. However, they have had him for quite some time, and he hasn't gained weight, but they have him in very, very poor housing. They do not have a proper set-up for a full grown chameleon, and he's in this very small (VERY small) enclosure that is mostly bare with one vine and one small plant up in the corner. I think he is not eating because he is stressed from the conditions in which he is living. So I asked the kid working if I signed waiver releasing the pet store from having to refund or replace the chami if something happened to him if I could buy him in order to put him in a proper set up and nourish him back to a healthy state. The kid told me to call Sunday, because the owner would be there then. In case the owner allows this, does anyone have any ideas for a DIY emergency set-up for a rescue until a vivarium could be delivered? It took quite some time for the large enclosure to come for Genesis, and I want to get that poor chameleon out of his poor living conditions as soon as possible.
 
Just off the top of my head...
  1. Are there any reptile rescues that you could contact for advice?
  2. Personally, I can't see any reason for a less than 2x2x4 enclosure.
  3. Do you know—or can you find out—if a fecal exam has been done?
    Parasites are another possibility for his emaciation.
 
Hey, All! So the pet store we get crickets from (not a big chain) received a malnourished full-grown male chameleon from someone who could not take care of it anymore. They are trying to get him to gain weight before they sell him. He looks healthy other than needing to gain some weight. However, they have had him for quite some time, and he hasn't gained weight, but they have him in very, very poor housing. They do not have a proper set-up for a full grown chameleon, and he's in this very small (VERY small) enclosure that is mostly bare with one vine and one small plant up in the corner. I think he is not eating because he is stressed from the conditions in which he is living. So I asked the kid working if I signed waiver releasing the pet store from having to refund or replace the chami if something happened to him if I could buy him in order to put him in a proper set up and nourish him back to a healthy state. The kid told me to call Sunday, because the owner would be there then. In case the owner allows this, does anyone have any ideas for a DIY emergency set-up for a rescue until a vivarium could be delivered? It took quite some time for the large enclosure to come for Genesis, and I want to get that poor chameleon out of his poor living conditions as soon as possible.
You want to keep him far away from your other one and do not cross contaminate at all. Get a fecal done on him asap to rule out parasites. Some are far worse then others and contagious. The fact that your saying he has not gained weight and not eating is a huge red flag for a parasite load. If this is the case you do not want to throw a ton of money into the set up right away... Because some parasites like coccidia require extreme cleaning where you actually have to remove everything and anything porous gets thrown away.
 
You want to keep him far away from your other one and do not cross contaminate at all. Get a fecal done on him asap to rule out parasites. Some are far worse then others and contagious. The fact that your saying he has not gained weight and not eating is a huge red flag for a parasite load. If this is the case you do not want to throw a ton of money into the set up right away... Because some parasites like coccidia require extreme cleaning where you actually have to remove everything and anything porous gets thrown away.

Okay, thank you for that! I don't even know if the owner of the shop will let me take him, though, and yes, I have spot far away from the other one for him. I don't think the owner of the shop will take him to the vet, though. Any ideas on a DIY set-up that will be good for him but not cost a ton in case the owner does release him to me?
 
Okay, thank you for that! I don't even know if the owner of the shop will let me take him, though, and yes, I have spot far away from the other one for him. I don't think the owner of the shop will take him to the vet, though. Any ideas on a DIY set-up that will be good for him but not cost a ton in case the owner does release him to me?
The set-up depends on how bad the chameleon’s health is. Though if your worried about the cost of that, I’d call a rescue instead. It’s more likely for him to have big vet bills compared to most other chams.
 
Honestly I dealt with coccidia and it was a nightmare and seriously took everything in me to get through that experience. I lost the cham and was out so much money it was crazy... Vet bills were nuts. Then there was the after care for my other cham to ensure I did not cross contaminate to him, lasted months and more expense having to get fecals monthly to make sure he was good. In the end I threw away literally everything to ensure there was not a contamination risk. The cage, live plants, everything I bought. Because I did not know what I had exposed in the 2 weeks prior of having him and finding out he was carrying a high coccidia load.

I know you want to help... But I would advice against taking it on yourself. Unless you are prepared for the expense of it all and the emotional weight of the loss if it ends badly. In the end I spent almost 1k just on vet bills and lost another $500 in all the stuff I had bought and tossed. I was out $400 for the cost of the chameleon as well. For a chameleon I had for less then a month. I almost got out of the hobby because of that experience. I still have nightmares about the condition he was in. Falling from branches being all bruised up laying on the ground. And I was helpless in it all.

I do not share this often at all and rarely on the forum. But you should know you can't see the scary stuff. And parasites are not created equal. And the toll on the person trying to help is extreme. So I tell you this because I wish I understood about these things before my situation happened. At least I would have been able to understand better what can happen.

Sick chams are not easy. I was only like 7 or 8 months into the hobby when this happened. I had a strong basic knowledge but I was in no way prepared mentally for what that experience would do to me moving forward.

You do not know really what condition he is in. Or what exactly is going on. He may require a hospital bin not a cage. It all depends on the cham. Just really think about it before you make a decision to take it on.
 
Honestly I dealt with coccidia and it was a nightmare and seriously took everything in me to get through that experience. I lost the cham and was out so much money it was crazy... Vet bills were nuts. Then there was the after care for my other cham to ensure I did not cross contaminate to him, lasted months and more expense having to get fecals monthly to make sure he was good. In the end I threw away literally everything to ensure there was not a contamination risk. The cage, live plants, everything I bought. Because I did not know what I had exposed in the 2 weeks prior of having him and finding out he was carrying a high coccidia load.

I know you want to help... But I would advice against taking it on yourself. Unless you are prepared for the expense of it all and the emotional weight of the loss if it ends badly. In the end I spent almost 1k just on vet bills and lost another $500 in all the stuff I had bought and tossed. I was out $400 for the cost of the chameleon as well. For a chameleon I had for less then a month. I almost got out of the hobby because of that experience. I still have nightmares about the condition he was in. Falling from branches being all bruised up laying on the ground. And I was helpless in it all.

I do not share this often at all and rarely on the forum. But you should know you can't see the scary stuff. And parasites are not created equal. And the toll on the person trying to help is extreme. So I tell you this because I wish I understood about these things before my situation happened. At least I would have been able to understand better what can happen.

Sick chams are not easy. I was only like 7 or 8 months into the hobby when this happened. I had a strong basic knowledge but I was in no way prepared mentally for what that experience would do to me moving forward.

You do not know really what condition he is in. Or what exactly is going on. He may require a hospital bin not a cage. It all depends on the cham. Just really think about it before you make a decision to take it on.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, @Beman . I really appreciate it. I will take your advice and leave it be. I truly appreciate your sharing your knowledge an experience.
 
Just off the top of my head...
  1. Are there any reptile rescues that you could contact for advice?
  2. Personally, I can't see any reason for a less than 2x2x4 enclosure.
  3. Do you know—or can you find out—if a fecal exam has been done?
    Parasites are another possibility for his emaciation.

I'm so sorry for not responding. I didn't see your post until now for some reason. I will ask the pet shop owner if he has had a fecal examination done. I am not sure about reptile rescues. I plan on checking into that this afternoon. Thank you!
 
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, @Beman . I really appreciate it. I will take your advice and leave it be. I truly appreciate your sharing your knowledge an experience.
Your welcome hun. I am not trying to put you off just share what can happen... Mine was not even a rescue. Just a crappy situation where I thought I was getting a healthy boy.
If they are willing to do a fecal prior to you taking him home that is one thing. But with you having a chameleon already taking in a rescue without knowing what health issues they may have is risky as some can be cross contaminated.
 
While I agree with all of the words of caution given, i also feel that someone needs to give this poor cham a chance for a better life. As long as you are aware of what you might be getting into and are prepared both emotionally and financially, I’d say do your best.
While I’d never advocate getting a too small enclosure, you could get for temporary use. You could also check Facebook marketplace and Craig’s List for a used enclosure...just sanitize it very well.
Perhaps before taking him home, the pet store would allow you to get a fecal done first so you would know in advance of any parasite issues.
If you choose not to get him, maybe you could educate the store owner on his needs...not just for this chameleon but for all chameleons in his care.
Whatever you choose, I wish you the best.
 
Your welcome hun. I am not trying to put you off just share what can happen... Mine was not even a rescue. Just a crappy situation where I thought I was getting a healthy boy.
If they are willing to do a fecal prior to you taking him home that is one thing. But with you having a chameleon already taking in a rescue without knowing what health issues they may have is risky as some can be cross contaminated.

I don't feel put off at all. I'm glad you told me. I'm not experienced enough to know enough about these things to try to do all this and make these important decisions alone.
 
While I agree with all of the words of caution given, i also feel that someone needs to give this poor cham a chance for a better life. As long as you are aware of what you might be getting into and are prepared both emotionally and financially, I’d say do your best.
While I’d never advocate getting a too small enclosure, you could get for temporary use. You could also check Facebook marketplace and Craig’s List for a used enclosure...just sanitize it very well.
Perhaps before taking him home, the pet store would allow you to get a fecal done first so you would know in advance of any parasite issues.
If you choose not to get him, maybe you could educate the store owner on his needs...not just for this chameleon but for all chameleons in his care.
Whatever you choose, I wish you the best.


Thank you! I do have an enclosure that is larger than the one they have him in; it's just not large enough. But perhaps if I can get a fecal done before bringing him home, and it's clear, that will do, like you said, until a new enclosure comes in. I would get him an actual vivarium because I read that males need more room. Thank you, @MissSkittles! I will give you all an update when I can.
 
Hey, All! So the pet store we get crickets from (not a big chain) received a malnourished full-grown male chameleon from someone who could not take care of it anymore. They are trying to get him to gain weight before they sell him. He looks healthy other than needing to gain some weight. However, they have had him for quite some time, and he hasn't gained weight, but they have him in very, very poor housing. They do not have a proper set-up for a full grown chameleon, and he's in this very small (VERY small) enclosure that is mostly bare with one vine and one small plant up in the corner. I think he is not eating because he is stressed from the conditions in which he is living. So I asked the kid working if I signed waiver releasing the pet store from having to refund or replace the chami if something happened to him if I could buy him in order to put him in a proper set up and nourish him back to a healthy state. The kid told me to call Sunday, because the owner would be there then. In case the owner allows this, does anyone have any ideas for a DIY emergency set-up for a rescue until a vivarium could be delivered? It took quite some time for the large enclosure to come for Genesis, and I want to get that poor chameleon out of his poor living conditions as soon as possible.
You are awesome for doing this! He is unhappy I'm sure is one cause, but may also have parasites ,maybe they will discount some for you to get a vet exam
 
You are awesome for doing this! He is unhappy I'm sure is one cause, but may also have parasites ,maybe they will discount some for you to get a vet exam

I LOVE animals. We've rescued dogs and treated them and found them good homes, too. The emotional side of things can get heavy, but it's worth it. Even if one passes away, at least it would happen while being properly cared for.
 
Before jumping the gun, I think a fecal exam is paramount. Some parasites can be difficult; others not so much, but still important to treat. Here's a site that discusses 5 different reptile parasites.

https://www.vets4pets.com/pet-health-advice/reptile-advice/?categories=53#results-top

Yeah, I think that's a good idea. I won't know whether I will be able to do that, though, until Sunday when I speak to the pet store owner. The worker said it's out of his hands.
 
The worker said they just aren't equipped to take adults. He said usually they'll have just one baby cham in one of those smaller enclosures, and he said they usually sell quickly. He said he thinks the owner didn't know what else to do but take the cham since the people giving it up didn't know what else to do with it. The owner did not want it to go uncared for so did what he could for now.
 
I don't know why more people don't know this, but IME, most veterinary offices have bulletin boards for people looking for new homes for pets (as long as no money is charged). It's not limited to clients; anyone looking to re-home a pet can post a notice.
 
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