So I have a year old veiled chameleon and two weeks ago her front leg was swollen and then that when away and now her back leg is swollen and dosen’t move around a lot. She just sits in one spot all day. She has a great appetite and drinks water 4 times a day. Should I be worried?
Should I be worried?
- Thread starter Fintalian
- Start date
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
Pictures would be very helpful, and it could be any number of things. Please fill out the following form in as much detail as possible for our experienced members to review:
Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
--------------
Please Note:
Here is some recommended information to include when asking for help in the health clinic forum. By providing this information you will receive more accurate and beneficial responses. It might not be necessary to answer all these questions, but the more you provide the better. Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.
Chameleon Info:
- Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
- Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
- Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
- Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
- Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
- Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
- History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
- Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
- Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
- Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
- Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
- Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
- Location - Where are you geographically located?
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.
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Please Note:
- The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
- Photos can be very helpful.
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem: I notice 2 weeks ago her front leg was swollen and it went away and now her back leg is swollen and she dosen’t move around a lot. Just kinda sits in one spot all day.
- Your Chameleon - Veiled, female, and age 1 year. We have had her since October 2018.
- Handling - I take her out everyday for about 10 minutes
- Feeding - I feed her crickets everyday and a super worm every two days. She gets 6 crickets total. I give her first cricket at 11am and I stop feeding her by 2pm. I am gutloading my crickets with fruit and I put it in their cage I keep them in.
- Supplements - I give her calcium every day I use repti calcium. Then every 1st and 15th calcium with vitamin d by repti calcium with vit d and liquid vitamin for vitamin once a weeks by Fluker’s.
- Watering - I use a the waterfall and she drinks out of it twice a day. Only mist her cage if I see her cage when her humidity is at 20%. Yes I notice she drinks in the morning around 11 am and once or twice in the late afternoon.
- Fecal Description - Poops and unrates have been normal. She was tested for pinworms in Jan and came back positive and had two rounds of medicine.
- History - I don’t have much info about my Cham we bought her back in Oct at Petsmart.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - Full screen cage and I am not sure how tall it’s. Maybe 4ft tall.
- Lighting - Heat light is philips 65w and her uvb is 24 w bought from a website call bio dude. Both lights are on at 10am and turn off at 11pm.
- Temperature - Top temp stays about 88-90f, middle about 75f and the bottom 60 f. Lowest overnight temp about 60f. measure the temp by a temperature gauge.
- Humidity - humidity levels stay around 30-25. I maintain the levels by watching the gauge and spray her cage if it gets to low.
- Plants - No live plants at this time.
- Placement - Cage is in the living room next to a window of n top of a table.
- Location - Louisiana
Current Problem: I notice 2 weeks ago her front leg was swollen and it went away and now her back leg is swollen and she dosen’t move around a lot. Just kinda sits in one spot all day.
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
- Watering - I use a the waterfall and she drinks out of it twice a day. Only mist her cage if I see her cage when her humidity is at 20%. Yes I notice she drinks in the morning around 11 am and once or twice in the late afternoon.
Ok this is what it looks like;
Attachments
Im afraid to tell u that ur cham either has MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) or Gout. Please take her to the vet n ask for X-rays to look at bone density or bloodwork to examine the calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Also use a fresh UVB bulb and take her out for some natural sunlight .
Last edited:
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’m in southeast Louisiana, where are you?
Brodybreaux25
Chameleon Enthusiast
Throw the fountain away immediately.
Please post pics of your lights, Supplements, full body pics of Cham, entire viv.
Please post pics of your lights, Supplements, full body pics of Cham, entire viv.
I live in Shreveport
Kristen Wilkins
Chameleon Enthusiast
I agree with @alphakenc on the gout . Reading this was my first thought . The baby should be seen by a exotic vet .
The waterfall needs to be removed immediately . It’s like having a toilet in the enclosure . Nothing but bacteria . Even your best attempts to keep it clean will not keep it clean enough . Your humidity percentage is too low if it’s sitting at 20% a good amount of time .
When you see vet you will also want blood work . Could you post a picture of the whole chameleon . I will give other keepers a better idea of Adema , injury , MBD , etc . Now this is just a guess mind you . Only a vet can make a diagnosis . Best of luck .
The waterfall needs to be removed immediately . It’s like having a toilet in the enclosure . Nothing but bacteria . Even your best attempts to keep it clean will not keep it clean enough . Your humidity percentage is too low if it’s sitting at 20% a good amount of time .
When you see vet you will also want blood work . Could you post a picture of the whole chameleon . I will give other keepers a better idea of Adema , injury , MBD , etc . Now this is just a guess mind you . Only a vet can make a diagnosis . Best of luck .
