Status of my new female veiled
- Thread starter cushcameleon
- Start date
Syn
Avid Member
Was she always hanging out in the basking spot? I know veileds have a tendency to try to bake themselves even if they don't need to.
chambabysitter1
New Member
I think what you did was commendable, you did what you could to support the chameleon. Although she didn't make it, you tried and learned.
I hope you don't continue supporting the store however. Although you directly helped the chameleon, at the same time you indirectly supported the same store that put her in that sad state in the first place.
I hope next time you can take the chameleon off their hands, instead of actually supporting the store with your money. Stores will offload a sick animal, just to get rid of it, as long as you ask. What happens when another sick veiled shows up at the store? Will you buy it?
It's sad, but at the same time the store gets to make a sale, so in turn they would just buy another sick chameleon until you, or hopefully someone else buys it. Another day, another profit made. Hopefully you take your business elsewhere after informing them.
I hope you don't continue supporting the store however. Although you directly helped the chameleon, at the same time you indirectly supported the same store that put her in that sad state in the first place.
I hope next time you can take the chameleon off their hands, instead of actually supporting the store with your money. Stores will offload a sick animal, just to get rid of it, as long as you ask. What happens when another sick veiled shows up at the store? Will you buy it?
It's sad, but at the same time the store gets to make a sale, so in turn they would just buy another sick chameleon until you, or hopefully someone else buys it. Another day, another profit made. Hopefully you take your business elsewhere after informing them.
cushcameleon
New Member
No, she was actually thermoregulating pretty well. I watched her heat herself up and cool herself off several times. I also misted a couple times in the night, just incase it got to dry and hot (I made sure to carefully watch the temps and humidity when I did this). I even ran a dripper just in case.
chambabysitter1
New Member
Why mist or run the dripper at night? Wasn't she sleeping?
cushcameleon
New Member
Yes she was sleeping, but as requested by the vet, I had a night bulb on that was emitting higher temperatures than normal. Since she was in a custom enclosure, it would easily heat up and dry out the environment. The dripping and occasional misting helped keep the humidity high and the temperature from getting way to hot.
chambabysitter1
New Member
Ah I see, didn't know you ended up finding a night bulb.
Anyways, I hope you took my advice to heart. I know it wasn't about the money, but to the pet store it is, as long as you support them, they'll continue to support sick dying chameleons.
The place where my neighbors got this sickly veiled, before I passed her to Elisa, came from a very convenient location. Since then I have avoided the place at all costs, and have discouraged manly local herp keepers from even going to the place. You can educate the staff, if they don't give a shit, then I would just take my business online or elsewhere.
Vegas Chad
Avid Member
She looks like she needs water! Did you take her to a vet in Vegas or SD?
Syn
Avid Member
She already passed away Chad. >_<
cushcameleon
New Member
I took her to an animal hospital in San Diego.
Vegas Chad
Avid Member
doh.. sorry to hear that
cushcameleon
New Member
So I went back to the pet store and they refunded my purchase. The manager I talked to was very helpful and seemed confident in his knowledge of chameleons. I showed him the vet bills as well as the name of the reptile expert; the manager referred to the reptile expert as "the reptile killer". He says that he has had several customers come in with dead pets that have been treated by that specific reptile vet 
. He also referred me to better reptile vets if I ever have a problem in the future. Then he went on about how the veiled chameleon was actually a breed from Europe and implied that European breed veileds are of a higher quality. Is this true? I told him about the dangers of coil bulbs, but he shook his head and said there is to much speculation. He did not deny that certain coil bulbs cause problems, he did however defend the bulbs he was using. Maybe the death of the chameleon will help him think differently.
. He also referred me to better reptile vets if I ever have a problem in the future. Then he went on about how the veiled chameleon was actually a breed from Europe and implied that European breed veileds are of a higher quality. Is this true? I told him about the dangers of coil bulbs, but he shook his head and said there is to much speculation. He did not deny that certain coil bulbs cause problems, he did however defend the bulbs he was using. Maybe the death of the chameleon will help him think differently.
Syn
Avid Member
Sounds to me like he didn't care about the animal in the first place, he won't learn.
ChamNovice
New Member
So I went back to the pet store and they refunded my purchase. The manager I talked to was very helpful and seemed confident in his knowledge of chameleons. I showed him the vet bills as well as the name of the reptile expert; the manager referred to the reptile expert as "the reptile killer". He says that he has had several customers come in with dead pets that have been treated by that specific reptile vet
He HAS to sound confident when talking about his knowledge of the animals, why would anyone purchase an animal of any kind from a pet store that says they aren't real sure if their care is correct and don't really know anything about them. Why does he even have "several customers come in with dead pets that have been treated by that specific reptile vet"?? He is apparently doing things wrong and not willing to change, if he has several people even requiring vet visits with animals they purchase from him.... Sound like he's just trying to pass the blame IMO. Some of his "better" reptile vets might be some he has in his pocket, willing to tell you what he would like for you to hear about his animals.
Take a look at some of the forum members non-"european" veilds, then see what happened with the help of his care to his "higher quality european veiled" and compare them. Who would you say has higher quality veileds? I think it's a more husbandry based than saying they are just an all around better quality animal. Sounds more like a sales gimmick for the naive.
jojackson
New Member
Sorry to hear the cham didnt make it cush, you tried hard though, be proud of yourself.
I think despite the fact you'll learn from that, I think you would learn much more, on a positive level and have a vastly happier experience if you begin with a healthy animal, prefrably not from any store.
Somebody here will know where you can get a healthy animal ,followup advice etc from somebody who's passion is breeding these animals rather than just a dollar turner.
Probly worth it to save and pay more initially.
Best wishes
I think despite the fact you'll learn from that, I think you would learn much more, on a positive level and have a vastly happier experience if you begin with a healthy animal, prefrably not from any store.
Somebody here will know where you can get a healthy animal ,followup advice etc from somebody who's passion is breeding these animals rather than just a dollar turner.
Probly worth it to save and pay more initially.
Best wishes
cushcameleon
New Member
When I went into this, I knew it would be my last time buying from a pet store. I also got my rudis chameleon from a pet store, mainly because I did absolutely no research on it at all before I bought him. I will never again buy a chameleon from a pet store, I only bought this one cause I wanted to see if I could save her. For several weeks now I have been anxious to buy a panther chameleon and a sunburst chameleon. However, I will not be making those purchases until later on. I will also definitely be using on of the sponsors of this forum.
