Sick juvenile Jackson's Chameleon

[MrsNelson]

I recently rescued a jackson's chameleon that has a weird thing going on with her jaw. It almost appears to be dislocated, however she has no problems opening and closing her mouth; it protrudes slightly on the right side and there is a mucousy film around it. She hadn't eaten in a few weeks but i was able to force feed her some of Flunker's Repta-Boost and she seems to be doing a little better. Any ideas on the jaw? The inside of her mouth seems fine to me, and her jaw isn't swollen. I think it may be a birth defect...but i'm not sure. I'm new to Chameleons, so any thoughts, help, advice would be very appreciated!
Aj

 

[kinyonga]

Can you post a photo please.

 

[Solid Snake]

Good afternoon, welcome to Chameleon Forums. The best chameleon keeping resource and community on the internet.


Youll want to fill out this form. It is understandable that you just recieved the chameleon, and may have limited information as to its history, but please give it your best shot, being as thorough as possible, and you will receive the same as response.

Understand that by filling out this form thoroughly, you will give a multitude of experienced keepers the information they need to not only asses the animals current issue, but also give advice on any corrections, or information you may need to start keeping the animal correctly, thus preventing any further detriment to the animals existence, as much as possible. So thorough information is critical.

The form:


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.


Pictures are helpful

Im going to go ahead and assume that you have some reptile experience, that will be helpful. However, its good to understand that chameleons are not quite as resilient as other herps when it comes to improper keeping. Proper husbandry will indeed give the animal the best chance of a thorough and timely recovery.

Here are a few resource guides to get you started.

The sites own Care Resources guide, and caresheet for that species specifically:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/jacksons/


Also, Jdog1027's Jacksons Chameleon Video. This video is a great overview, and resource for any jacksons keeper:



Again, welcome to Chameleon Forums, we are glad you have found your way here.

Be sure to ask any questions you may have, as well as any follow up questions necessary to fully understand any responses/information that is provided to you.

 

[MrsNelson]

So a little about her:
- She is a Jackson's Chameleon and she is young, not sure exactly how old but she has a bump on her nose that looks like she may get one horn, but it is still small. When I weighed her this morning she was only 14 grams. I have had her under my personal/direct care for 2 days and I worked at the pet shop that I rescued her from, so I have been around her for three months.
-I have handled her a lot over the last few days.
-She hadn't eaten for two weeks before I got her and this morning I fed her Flunker's Repta-Boost. I tried putting crickets in her cage and she ignored them until they died.
-I am not providing any supplements as of now (shes not eating).
-I have a small water dish in her cage, I have also taken a water bottle and poked some holes in the bottom so that it slowly drips near her perch.
-She has not pooped at all since she has been in my care.
-I do not have a lot of history on her.
My set up
First, I know my set up is not ideal, I am in process of getting a good Chameleon set up from a friend who has raised chameleons for years.
- My cage is a converted 20 gallon fish tank with a screen top. I have a reptile carpet on the bottom and a plastic tree thing for him to climb on.
- I have a 75 watt neodymium basking bulb by All Living Things and a 13 watt UVB 150 bulb by EXO-Terra. I have been leaving the basking bulb on for about 20 hours a day and the UVB for about 14. I've been worried about keeping the cage warm enough consistently. My thermomiter sticks to the outside of the tank and reads between 80 and 84 during the day and 70 and 74 at night.
- I do not have a humidity gauge yet, but I have been keeping the carpet at the bottom wet, and about once every few hours I add a small dish of steaming water in the opposite corner of the lights and where my Cham hangs out.
- I have no live plants.
- My tank is about 4 1/2 feet off the ground and is near a window no fans are on around her. It sits in the bedroom, so not a highly trafficked area.
- I live in Salem, OR.
There are a few problems:
First, she isn't eating on her own, the first time she ate in weeks was when i force fed her this morning.
Second, her jaw is skewed to the right. It appears like an under bite on a child would only protruding to the right not straight out.
Third, she has an odd large bump on the left front inner foot right above her toes. She also has a matching, smaller bump on her left hip.

I have had a bunch of reptile experience, but never chameleons. I took her in kind of spur of the moment. She is sick and would have died by now, I'm sure, at the pet store. I don't have a lot of spare cash at the moment, so any things that I could try before taking her to the vet would be so helpful!

 

[Solid Snake]

So a little about her:
- She is a Jackson's Chameleon and she is young, not sure exactly how old but she has a bump on her nose that looks like she may get one horn, but it is still small. When I weighed her this morning she was only 14 grams. I have had her under my personal/direct care for 2 days and I worked at the pet shop that I rescued her from, so I have been around her for three months.
-I have handled her a lot over the last few days.
-She hadn't eaten for two weeks before I got her and this morning I fed her Flunker's Repta-Boost. I tried putting crickets in her cage and she ignored them until they died.
-I am not providing any supplements as of now (shes not eating).

Smash the crickets up, into a "juice" and feed her small amounts at a time. Id stop with the flukers product.

-I have a small water dish in her cage, I have also taken a water bottle and poked some holes in the bottom so that it slowly drips near her perch.

You do not need the water dish. It serves no purpose.

-She has not pooped at all since she has been in my care.
-I do not have a lot of history on her.
My set up
First, I know my set up is not ideal, I am in process of getting a good Chameleon set up from a friend who has raised chameleons for years.
- My cage is a converted 20 gallon fish tank with a screen top. I have a reptile carpet on the bottom and a plastic tree thing for him to climb on.
- I have a 75 watt neodymium basking bulb by All Living Things and a 13 watt UVB 150 bulb by EXO-Terra. I have been leaving the basking bulb on for about 20 hours a day and the UVB for about 14. I've been worried about keeping the cage warm enough consistently. My thermomiter sticks to the outside of the tank and reads between 80 and 84 during the day and 70 and 74 at night.
- I do not have a humidity gauge yet, but I have been keeping the carpet at the bottom wet, and about once every few hours I add a small dish of steaming water in the opposite corner of the lights and where my Cham hangs out.
- I have no live plants.

This is a much more awful setup than you think it is. I understand that you have put thought into it, and are trying, and youve even come to some logical conclusions, but its simply not good for the animal.
Shed do better if you went and picked up a small ficus or hibiscus tree, and you simply set her on it, without an actual enclosure. You could do this in your bath tub, and suspend the lighting above the tree. You could have it in any closed off, climate controllable room in the house.
I highly doubt shed leave the tree, especially in this state.
She needs mistings at least three times a day, and the other care requirements listed in the care sheet I posted.

- My tank is about 4 1/2 feet off the ground and is near a window no fans are on around her. It sits in the bedroom, so not a highly trafficked area.
- I live in Salem, OR.
There are a few problems:
First, she isn't eating on her own, the first time she ate in weeks was when i force fed her this morning.
Second, her jaw is skewed to the right. It appears like an under bite on a child would only protruding to the right not straight out.
Third, she has an odd large bump on the left front inner foot right above her toes. She also has a matching, smaller bump on her left hip.

I have had a bunch of reptile experience, but never chameleons. I took her in kind of spur of the moment. She is sick and would have died by now, I'm sure, at the pet store. I don't have a lot of spare cash at the moment, so any things that I could try before taking her to the vet would be so helpful!

Im quite serious about not needing an enclosure, and that on a unenclosed tree would be a better environment for her. Then, when you can, get some screen material, or hardware cloth, and wrap it around it, if you still cant afford a cage.

The animal really does need to see a vet though, theres no getting around that. Its important.

Im unfamiliar with the lighting youre using, but it needs to be on a 12 on 12 off schedule. The animal needs complete darkness to sleep, and its best to have this schedule set with what the suns doing in your area.

Does the store you work at not provide veterinarian care for the animals in their care?

If they were keeping the animal improperly, which I can pretty much guarantee was the case, and they caused this damage, they should fix it.

Its livestock, not a product.

 

[Carlton]

I know your pictures aren't that great, but I highly doubt the knob on her snout is the beginning of a horn. It looks like some sort of injury or abscess to me. I can't really see what you mean about her jaw, as in the one photo showing it looks more like some sort of swelling below it. Might be another pocket of infection that could be connected to the jaw itself. Might even be an advanced infection of the bone which has deformed it. Jax are prone to infections of the temporal glands that are located at the corners of their mouth. Nutritional deficiencies, stress, poor care could all lead to one. And, they can and do spread under the skin of the face, through sinuses, and to the jaw bone.

 

[MrsNelson]

Thanks for all the tips.
Unfortunately, she passed away early this morning. It was very tragic and I am quite devastated....
If I decide to get a chameleon again, it most certainly will not be from the same pet shop and I will be sure to have a set up appropriate to chameleon care...