Sick Ambilobe Chameleon

[Reptilia]

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Ambilobe Male Panther chameleons 15 months old.
* Handling - Once in a blue moon when he wants to come out.
* Feeding - Mealworms (hes being stubbon at the minute wont eat anything else. I just top his food pot up when it gets low. Calcium at the bottom.
* Watering - Mist him twice a day for a good few minutes.
* Fecal Description - No changes in droppings.
* History - Always been a happy healthy chameleon until 2 days ago.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Combo - see picture
* Lighting - light go on at 8 in the morning and go off at 7 in the afternoon. Its mercury vapour bulb 10% (due to the meshing at the top).
* Temperature - Basking temp is 31.2 C and cage floor is 22C
* Humidity - 65ish %
* Plants - I did have living plants about 6 months ago but they didn't survive. So all silk plants now.
* Placement - In my front rooms where hes been for the last 15 months


A few days ago he wouldn't open his eyes. So i increase the humidity, he started to drink load but is refusing to eat.

His eyes seem a little puffy and he was every now and then rubbing them on things.

Now his eyes seem to be open a lot more, but he is off balance, hes fallen off a few times. It is as if he is drunk

Nothing has changed i don't understand why this is happening? I just want some rough idea before he goes to the vets tomorrow.

 

[kinyonga]

Please post a photo.
What do you gutload/feed the insects? How long has he been only eating mealworms?

 

[BobS346]

Can you post a couple pictures of him, maybe from different angles? From the one pictures, it looks like his back leg that is visible is possibly swollen. As kinyonga asked, how long has he been eating just mealworms? I couldn't follow the sentence on feeding, how are you supplementing?

 

[Reptilia]

He goes through stages of what he eats. A few months on crickets until he gets bored then i change it and I use nutrobol.

Hes been on mealworms for about 2 months, but he does this often, he'll be on locust for a few months at the time. mealworms are gut loaded on bran and kale.

 

[ChamDE86]

Majority of the members on here will tell you that a variety of feeders (properly gut-loaded) is recommended to keep him healthy. A diet consisting of only mealworms, which are high in fat and chitin, could cause impaction and create health issues. They should only be used as treats. Look at it as if you were to feed yourself junk food everyday for two months. Crickets and roaches can easily make up the bulk of his diet, but you still want to mix it up. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by having calcium on the bottom? Could you elaborate a little more, so we can understand?

 

[kinyonga]

Good catch BobS346! I didn't see the swelling on the leg....that might be the problem. Please post a few more photos of the leg.

 

[Reptilia]

there is no swelling on the leg, that was the ankle joint at a funny camera angle. I can assure you that there is no swelling

and as of the comment above suggestion I give him a varied diet... I do, but i cannot force him to eat the insects he wont eat, that would be more stressful to him. I try him with different bugs each week, if he doesn't eat them, he doesn't eat them.

I also have 13 leos, 2 cresties and tree frogs. I have many variety of insects in my house on a day to bay basis. I offer them all, but if he only eating mealworms what else can i do? I know he will eventually move out of his 'mealworm only' phase as this happens very regularly.

and hes just managed to eat a waxworm about 5 mins ago. I think once he gets some energy he will be much better.

 

[ChamDE86]

there is no swelling on the leg, that was the ankle joint at a funny camera angle. I can assure you that there is no swelling

and as of the comment above suggestion I give him a varied diet... I do, but i cannot force him to eat the insects he wont eat, that would be more stressful to him. I try him with different bugs each week, if he doesn't eat them, he doesn't eat them.

I also have 13 leos, 2 cresties and tree frogs. I have many variety of insects in my house on a day to bay basis. I offer them all, but if he only eating mealworms what else can i do? I know he will eventually move out of his 'mealworm only' phase as this happens very regularly.

and hes just managed to eat a waxworm about 5 mins ago. I think once he gets some energy he will be much better.

No force feeding is needed. The widely used method is to not give into what he wants. A chameleon his age can go a couple of weeks without eating, as some will do this when on a hunger strike. You can continue to give him the variety of bugs and he will more than likely break out of his mealworms diet than starve to death.

 

[Reptilia]

Okay...fair enough.

Now any clues why my chameleon has lack of balance?

 

[greenfielda2009]

It is really a bad thing when our pets get ill.
There are a number of reason why the
Chameleon could be feeling bad.

Questions-
When's the last time you have replaced/tested
the UVB source?
Supplements? Exactly what Brand? And how offten?