Starting all over

[cowchick]

I am just losing my Male Veiled Cham, Shrek...so I'm sorta heartbroken and not sure what direction to go. I had some hope that he would recover, but he went downhill in last two days and he's literally on his deathbed as we speak. I've been pondering what I would do should this happen and am turning to you experienced people for help.

I'm not sure if I should be looking for an adult male veiled or selling Fiona and starting with a pair of youngsters. I'm concerned buying an adult from someone else due to my recent experience of purchasing ones that weren't well hydrated in past and housed incorrectly ultimately leading to Shrek's death.

I have a 3 foot tall flexarium on the way and have spoken with Will to purchase a 4 foot screened cage as he is local. I am much more prepared now in knowing how to take care of my guys now...so I would like to start off on the right foot.

I am really in love with the nosy be's and a couple other panthers...so I'll be in search of local babies and options. I'd love to get another adult male veiled, but good breeders are few and far between now, and Fiona needs some time off anyways from mating due to her clutch of 77 eggs last week...so I'm not sure what to do! In 8-9 months I could raise some pretty healthy chameleons from babies now that I have more experience and some help from you guys...what would you all suggest if you were in my shoes?

 

[Julirs]

All of the breeders on this forum could get you a male. I would think about one 4-6 months old, and that way it could grow and mature and Fiona could recover. Don't give up. Fiona sounds like a healthy good producer!

 

[cowchick]

Ok...well if there's one bonus to all this...I now have time to start over with a good healthy chameleon!

Thanks Julirs...much appreciated. Fiona is on the road to recovery after such a big clutch...counted her eating 8 crickets yesterday!!! Now I just have to try her on silkworms cause so far not interested.

I guess I should stick with what I started and look for a competent breeder with some good size males. Thanks.

 

[Julirs]

My male is HUGE! Nearing 9 months and over 16". I got him from Mike at FL Chams. Where are you located?

 

[cowchick]

Ontario, Canada!

 

[cowchick]

Here are pics of him tonight...he's showing nice colour considering the situation....I'm convinced he's giving up though.

PSST...don't freak on me....I only put him on top of the papertowel on the soil because it's not freezing cold and it keeps him closer to the lightbulb to keep warm. He was freezing cold in his old one and this was the only ingenius way I could think of to keep him from feeling frigid!

 

[Julirs]

His eyes look bad. I would consider taking him back to the vet tomorrow to do the most humane thing. Tissue towards the vent looks red. I am sorry you have to go through this. Having kept animals for as long as I have, I have been through it a few times, and it is just plain hard.

 

[cowchick]

His eyes are definitely the tell tale sign. Really sunken and not opening much at all. His vent is reddened, but he had just pooped out reddishbrown food...it's actually pinkish when cleaned...sorry yucky I know!

I actually hate to say it but I hope he doesn't make the night. When I picked him up to change his papertowel and clean him a bit he latched on for dear life...poor little guy! And when I rubbed his tail and cheek he cocked his chin way up as if to tell me he liked it! Poor guy.

Thanks for all your help...sorta a bummer way to figure this out. I've dealt with animals my entire life as that's my profession and my hobbies/growing up on farm thing, man I actually shed a tear over a lizard I've had two months...ugh, I'm such a girl

 

[Julirs]

I'll tell you-that tiny Veiled I lost in December was one of the hardest losses-it made no sense to my head but it broke my heart. I am a chameleon addict-I would have a house full (and probably will).

 

[ColorCham427]

Sorry for whats happening man. My 6 month old male Sambava wasn't doing so good a few days ago. I gave my little guy alot of time in the natural sun, as well as extra dripper time. Also gave him a "cage shower" too.

 

[pohchunyee]

i know how you feel...........i literally put my female Panther to sleep two days ago...i have been pissy ever since!!!

 

[Ren]

Its never easy loosing a pet. I just lost my miniature pincher last month due to a poor driver in my neighborhood, so it doesn't get any easier, only thing you can kinda look forward to is the eggs hatching, and perhaps one that will look and perhaps act as he did...sorry for your recent dealings are maybe your very near future loss...

 

[stevereecy]

You might be able to save him

Looking at the picture, it looks like he is prolapsed. A vet might be able to fix this.

I have to admit, though, that I have spent lots of money at the vet and still lost chameleons. You have to catch them before they go too far downhill, otherwise, no amount of money or care is enough.

Let me just tell you that there isn't a chameleon keeper out there that doesn't have setbacks. I rationalize mine by the fact that I breed way more than I lose, so it helps protect the wild caught ones. But its ethics that we all wrestle with.

Whatever you decide is right.

Steve

 

[PardalisGirl]

So sorry about your boy Cowchick His eyes do have that "look of death" look. I would get healthy male for Fiona. You should be able to get a nice healthy one through this group. I'm glad you have some eggs to watch and think about. And you have Fiona so think about. I loved your silkworm riding Fiona pics.....

 

[cowchick]

Thanks Stevereecy...but he has been to the vet and he has stitches if you looked closely. There was another thread on everything I went through...sorry if it's not all in this one.

Anyways...thanks everyone for all your kind wishes. Shrek died peacefully today. He was surprisingly alive this morning when I woke up. I gave him some water and meds to be comfy for the day, but was on his side dead when I came home! At least I was ready for it, and I learned one heck of a lot. I went back to the girl I purchased him and gave him a quick rundown on all the things she did wrong that contributed to him dying...feeding him solely a diet based on superworms, not in a dish but fed directly on sand bedding, and only watering one hour a day, and housing them both in a 18X18X24 together...ya pretty sure that combo set him up for disaster!

THanks everyone and I'm going to proceed to look for a new beau and raise him properly for FIona!

 

[Julirs]

I am glad any suffering is over for the both of you. Everything is a valuable learning experience with this hobby. I hope you find Fiona a wonderful husband!

 

[kinyonga]

So sorry for your loss but I'm glad he didn't linger any longer. I hate to see them suffer. He was a beautiful chameleon and I hope you have lots of good memories about him.