Syringe-feeding sick baby need a lil advice

[JlaPinska]

just an update: she now has a swollen eye. well not exactly swollen as she keeps popping it in and out. i am leaning towards vitamin a deficiency since the problem first presented in both eyes, and because she is doing better on the high nutrient slurry diet. TODAY she has both eyes open! Now my only issue is that she has lost soo much weight from the liquid diet, i need to get it back on her. She still isn't well enough to shoot for feeders. A friend told me to get wax worms and add them to the slurry to put weight back on. But the only way to get them where i live is to order them and my mail man will NOT deliver insects of any kind, it would probably take a week for them to even get here, and i don't have a car to pick them up from the post office. What else can i do? I have access to horn worms, dubia, crickets, supers- that's it.

 

[zordtaz]

Hornworm is also fine too. They have the same fat as wax worm.

 

[kami baby]

Yes hornworms are great for sickly chams. That’s what I would get. And thumbs up for the eye!

 

[JlaPinska]

Okay, i can do that. Oh boy this is gonna be totally gross. I don't own a blender lol gonna have to use the ole elbow grease

 

[kami baby]

Good luck

 

[kinyonga]

You can try sticking an insect into her mouth while it's opening and shutting when she is drinking or eating. You can dust the insects too before you give them to her.

 

[JlaPinska]

I was wrong i don't think its vitamin deficiency. she is gaping. that's an RI, right? what are the chances she'll get better without antibiotics? Still seeing more improvement every day. She is stronger now, little feets are like vice grips again. Still got her on the slurry, and she's being really good about it now, like she knows whats going to happen every time i take her out of the cage. due to my fiance being out of work due to ice on the road, we are behind and money is a problem for at least one more week.

 

[kinyonga]

The gaping can be from an RI or a number of other things. Is there any excess bubbly looking mucus in her mouth? Are you sure she didn't aspirate anything from the syringe feedings you are giving her? It could be organ failure too. It might even be that you're overfeeding her. What is the basking temperature in the cage and is she basking?
Please post some recent photos of her.

 

[JlaPinska]

i don't have a way to take pictures unless my fiance is home with his phone. her basking area is between 85 and 90. she hasnt aspirated, i'm very careful when feeding her. I'm using the smoothest syringe that i own. I am only feeding her 2mL twice a day. She has lost a lot of weight from the liquid diet. There's no crust, no bubbles, nothing. She was checked by the vet the day i took her in as well and her mouth was fine, still looks fine. Her poo and urates look normal (they didnt the week i took her in). I don't understand how you derive that she could be worse off when she is slowly getting better every day? And yes she is basking under both lights like normal. I will try to get pics if fiance gets home before the cage lights shut off

 

[Dylan.Wallace]

what do you Feed her and where do you get it? i have a sick baby jacksons right now and hes not eating as well. been trying to hand feed but i think im going to have to do it this way soon. hes on medication and antibiotics soon but the not eating is worrying me the most

 

[kinyonga]

@JlaPinska said..." don't understand how you derive that she could be worse off when she is slowly getting better every day?"....I didn't derive anything....I gave you possible reasons why she might be gaping and why chameleons in general gape. If she has no bubbly saliva or mucus and the only sign of a respiratory infection is the gaping and the vet even said everything was fine why do you think she's got a RI? I hope you find out what's wrong with her and that she recovers.

 

[JlaPinska]

i think u were right. i found her on the bottom thismorning. looks like she died while writhing. i'm so confused. it must have been catastrophic whatever it was

 

[JlaPinska]

i'm not sad cause she wasn't really my pet, but i am a bit angry that all my efforts were in vain. i know that these things happen, and chameleons are fickle, especially when they have been deprived of vitamins etc. i really would like to keep the skeleton, but not sure if she was old enough. need some flesh eating beetles.

 

[JlaPinska]

One last question!! Since i have no idea what she died from, what is the best way to sterilize her old cage, plastic plants, and fake+real branches? Can i stick it all in the tub w/bleach n water? Or should i use antibacterial soap? I'm going to donate the cage and accessories to my LPS because they lack a floor cage needed for chameleons

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

I am so sorry for your loss! I haven't checked this thread in a while and I haven't been up to date. That is so awful, to lose a little one like that. Makes me so sad to hear. It really is a feat to take on a sick juvenile chameleon. Well done, either way. Again, so sorry for your loss @JlaPinska