Sick Veiled Male Chameleon---HELP PLZ

[davea]

Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Male Veiled, about 6 months old
* Handling - 1-2 times a week
* Feeding - Every other day small crickets, with cal. powder
* Supplements - Cal. with every feeding
* Watering - Three times a day spray misting for about a minute. And he was drinking, not sure now. Haven't seen him recently.
* Fecal Description - It was white some days, and dark others.
* History - He has been rubbing his eyes in the past, and I've seen him licking them from the buldgeing his tongue makes.


Cage Info:

* Cage Type - Glass with mesh top
* Lighting - UVB and basking lights from 9AM to 9PM
* Temperature - 75-85 basking, around 70-75 night
* Humidity - 70-85 with a Hyrdometer
* Plants - Fake vines and folaige
* Placement - In second floor bedroom on a shelving unit off the ground 2 feet
* Location - Toronto Canada


Current Problem - My Veiled has been great since I got him, but I saw him the other day eat some of the substrate dirt that I have on the bottom of his terrarium. Since then he's been walking on the ground alot and having both yes closed ALL the time. He might not be drinking enough also, and eat very little. I'm wondering if he's constipated and that he needs to flush out what he's eaten. Is their some way for this other than having him try and drink alot more water. He does move around, but stumbles with his eyes closed. I think they might be open a bit, I do see him reach for branches to grab.
Any help is welcome.

 

[JaxyGirl]

Hi there..welcome to the forum! It sounds like your guy has some problems that may be because of impaction because he ate some of the substrate. You need to remove the substrate. Also, I would suggest taking him to a vet ASAP.

 

[bridgofaith]

I agree, I would remove the substrate, it is unecessary. What brand and type of calcium are you using? Is it plain calcium or calcium with D3? Also, what type and brand of UVB light are you using? Coil or linear?

 

[Matt1851]

Can i ask where in toronto you are located? and where you got your cham?

 

[carol5208]

why are you feeding a 6 month old every other day? Should be every day. Also, how many crickets is he eating?.

 

[Elizadolots]

How long has it been since you saw him eating the substrate?

Meanwhile, you need to a) follow the advice to take the substrate out and b) hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and c) do whatever else you can to encourage a poop. Lots of people report putting them in a shower for 30 minutes will encourage poop. Lots of people report putting them in the sun for a while (supervised, with shade available) will encourage poop. I can guarantee mine will poop if I take him out and have him walk around on my hands for 5 or 10 minutes.

 

[davea]

I have taken out the substrate. The calcium is a multi-vitamin one from Rep-Cal. The light is a linear UVB 5 Sun Glo from EXO TERRA. I got my guy from the Toronto Reptile show from Port Credit Pets. I'm feeding him every other day because he wasn't interested in food when I left it for him, but he was when I started to feed him every other day. I feed him 8-10 crickets that are the size of his head or a little smaller. He usually eats them all, but sometimes leaves one or two. I haven't seen him eat any of the substrate in awhile, but that doesn't mean he hasn't. I have taken out the substrate, so that's not an issue anymore. Any ideas other than as much water as possible. I fed him some mixed fruit baby food today and he loved it, and gave him some water direct into his mouth. I'm trying my best to try and get him to poop out the blockage if that's what it is. Anything else I might do. I did contact a vet who told me that he wouldn't be able to do much other than what I tried today with feeding and watering him. I even bathed him in warm water for awhile.

 

[Elizadolots]

Did you try an extended shower? Put him on a plant, put it in the shower. Bounce the water off a wall. It should be warm coming off the wall (not hot). The fruit baby food is a great idea. You can also drip water right onto this nose. That will often trigger drinking.

 

[beeze]

Multi vitamins should only be used once or twice a month. Calcium with out d3 should be used at most feedings and calcium with d3 twice a month.

 

[Thompson]

I read somewhere on here that grapes can make a chameleon go. Will he eat fruits and veggies?

 

[kinyonga]

Baby food pears might help to get his bowels moving...but IMHO there is still something wrong here. Is the UVB light the long kind or the compact??
I would try to find another vet.

 

[bridgofaith]

I have taken out the substrate. The calcium is a multi-vitamin one from Rep-Cal. The light is a linear UVB 5 Sun Glo from EXO TERRA. I got my guy from the Toronto Reptile show from Port Credit Pets. I'm feeding him every other day because he wasn't interested in food when I left it for him, but he was when I started to feed him every other day. I feed him 8-10 crickets that are the size of his head or a little smaller. He usually eats them all, but sometimes leaves one or two. I haven't seen him eat any of the substrate in awhile, but that doesn't mean he hasn't. I have taken out the substrate, so that's not an issue anymore. Any ideas other than as much water as possible. I fed him some mixed fruit baby food today and he loved it, and gave him some water direct into his mouth. I'm trying my best to try and get him to poop out the blockage if that's what it is. Anything else I might do. I did contact a vet who told me that he wouldn't be able to do much other than what I tried today with feeding and watering him. I even bathed him in warm water for awhile.

You state you are using a linear 5.0 Sun Glo UVB. Could that possibly be a REPTI Glo 5.0? Is it a new bulb? How close is the basking spot to the bulb? As always, a vet visit is recommended above any advice you receive.

Glad the substrate was removed. At 6 months old, it is ok to go to every other day feeding. The amount you are feeding him is plenty for every other day, as long as he is growing properly and in good health. Another reason to find a good vet with chameleon experience. The multi-vitamin is not a calcium supplement. It should only be given 1-2 times per month. You need a plain calcium with NO D3 for use at each feeding, every other day in your case. You can use a calcium WITH D3 1-2x per month also. You want to concentrate on your gutloading. That is where the main vitamins and calcium should be coming from, the well gutloaded feeders. Read these links for great info:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html

 

[kinyonga]

Oops...missed the word "linear".

You said..."He has been rubbing his eyes in the past, and I've seen him licking them from the buldgeing his tongue makes"...what do you mean by this??

What was the substrate?