Think my cham is sick

[PantherAddictt]

Hello there,
My male panther chameleon about 1yr old. Last few days been staying at bottom of his cage. Under or near a bottom of a plant pot. Little lower then center of cage. Usually would try to bite when my hand got near him. Now just stays put an seems harden. Put my female panther in there with him got alittle brighter in color. But wasn't interested so I put her back in her cage. Nothing has changed in his setup. Hasn't even tried to eat but did look interested. Is it time of year they go into a brumation? Just think something is off. Can't get into a vet until end of the month 29th. Anything I can do for him in the mean time. Took this photo of him today. With arcadia 6% do they last 6 or 12 months? Can get a uvb reading also.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome. Without more info, there’s no way to tell what may be going on. I would avoid putting your girl in with him as that will only cause stress. Panthers don’t brumate. Arcadia is supposed to be good for a year.
If you want to answer the following questions (copy & paste) someone can look it over and maybe get an idea of what could be going on with your guy.
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.

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Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[kinyonga]

we need more information to try to help you. Please answer the questions in missskittles post with as much detail as possible.

You said..."My male panther chameleon about 1yr old. Last few days been staying at bottom of his cage. Under or near a bottom of a plant pot. Little lower then center of cage. Usually would try to bite when my hand got near him. Now just stays put an seems"...what's the basking temperature? Cage temperature?

You said..."Put my female panther in there with him got alittle brighter in color. But wasn't interested so I put her back in her cage"...I wouldn't out her in there right now in case he's sick. You don't want her to get sick too.

You said.... "Nothing has changed in his setup. Hasn't even tried to eat but did look interested"...what are you trying to feed him?

You said..."Is it time of year they go into a brumation?"....shouldn't be trying to brumate unless your cage is very cold.

You said..."With arcadia 6% do they last 6 or 12 months? Can get a uvb reading also"... @Beman knows more about Arcadia than I do.

 

[Beman]

Arcadia bulbs are a 12 month bulb. With use of a solarmeter 6.5 you can check the output to see if you can go a bit longer with the bulb.

 

[PantherAddictt]

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Sambava male panther an is around 1 yr old. Had him since October 2021.

• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Rarely mostly for health checks an caging maintenance.

• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed crickets an hornworms. 12-15 medium size crickets daily an hornworms twice a week 1-2 at a time. I use collard greens, peas an sometimes squash an blueberries for gutloading an bug burger.

• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? repashy supercal NoD every feeding an calcium plus LoD 1st an 15th of every month twice a month.

• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I use a misting system every 2 hours an hand mist during the day. An use fogger an humidifier when lights go off. 11pm to 4pm if the water last. Haven't seen him drinking leaf drips in a while.

• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Brown an white urines. Never been tested for parasites. Actually been see what his next fecal looks like. Hopefully next few days.

• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Always been skittish with eating an would go to bottom of the enclosure few hours before lights go off. Has his two sleeping spots with what I noticed.


Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Screen with window insulation kit on left an right an back of the enclosure. It is a 18"18"36" tall cage.

• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Reptisun t5 hood with a arcadia 6% t5. I have lights on 10am to 10pm

• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? 86f with basking temps using a flukers 75 watt bulb. Have the bulb on a environment control center by zoomed with dimming setting with probe. Not to experience with this dimming unit. Floor temps range from 72-73f an use a temp gun. 67-69f with overnight temps.

• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Usually 50-60% but not 100% my testing device recently stopped working. Not sure on what to Measure humidity levels with.

• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Mostly pothos an umbrella plants.

• 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? It is located on the floor in a family room. Near a fireplace for that effect. 3 feet from the floor.


• Location - Where are you geographically located? Central America


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. Not eating much an staying at bottom of the enclosure. Been misting his mouth for water. Could be dehydrated. Would usually try to bite of hand goes near him. Now doesn't seem to bother him.

--------------

Please Note:

• The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.

• Photos can be very helpful. Can post whatever photos needed. Recently posted current photos of him.

 

[PantherAddictt]

Arcadia bulbs are a 12 month bulb. With use of a solarmeter 6.5 you can check the output to see if you can go a bit longer with the bulb.

Thank you for this information. I have a solar meter but alot of people say isn't right one.

 

[Beman]

Thank you for this information. I have a solar meter but alot of people say isn't right one.

If it is the solarmeter 6.5 or 6.5R then it will give you the actual UVI level for the output. With a panther you want a 3 uvi.

 

[Beman]

Your husbandry is basically on point with the exception of these two areas.

12-15 medium size crickets daily an hornworms twice a week 1-2 at a time.

This is too much for an adult Panther. Should be feeding more like 4-5 feeders every other day at this age.

It is a 18"18"36" tall cage.

This is much too small for an adult. Needs to be upgraded to a 24x24x48 sized enclosure.


I want to note that with the amount of food he is being given I would expect him to be much larger than he is. They stop converting food for growth and it becomes fat. However he is not looking at all overweight. If you have not gotten a fecal tested it is always a good idea just to rule out parasite issues.

 

[PantherAddictt]

If it is the solarmeter 6.5 or 6.5R then it will give you the actual UVI level for the output. With a panther you want a 3 uvi.

This is uvb meter i have. But heard it's wrong one for measuring t5 an t8 linear bulbs an megarays I use. With arcadia I get a reading of 0.80 but thinking it isn't enough uvb. The Arcadia 6% is only few months old.

 

[PantherAddictt]

Your husbandry is basically on point with the exception of these two areas.


This is too much for an adult Panther. Should be feeding more like 4-5 feeders every other day at this age.

This is much too small for an adult. Needs to be upgraded to a 24x24x48 sized enclosure.


I want to note that with the amount of food he is being given I would expect him to be much larger than he is. They stop converting food for growth and it becomes fat. However he is not looking at all overweight. If you have not gotten a fecal tested it is always a good idea just to rule out parasite issues.

So I should only offer basically 4-5 crickets every other day. Size between the chams eyes? That I can do.

With caging been looking to get a x-large 2'2'4' reptibreeze an do the size with current cage. Just been having hard time finding one. But found one thinking of getting this Friday. With current issues at hand should I make the change. Soon or later? Just don't wanna cause any added on stress with being sick.

I have seen alot of chunky panther chams an this boy been having a hard time. Getting him to put weight on. His rear legs concern me with having rounded knees. Hard to notice in photo but easily noticed in person.

Will get a fecal done once one develops. Can a vet get a fecal from him? Know they can with dogs. Not sure with reptiles. Also how do chameleons come in contact with parasites? Can it be transferred by hand? I have bearded dragons an a rock iguana but know rock iguana was negative for parasites.

 

[Beman]

This is uvb meter i have. But heard it's wrong one for measuring t5 an t8 linear bulbs an megarays I use. With arcadia I get a reading of 0.80 but thinking it isn't enough uvb. The Arcadia 6% is only few months old.

I believe this is the one that does not give you the actually UVI level. You have to find the conversion. Which is far over my head and honestly I do not understand when people have tried to explain it to me. @nightanole understands this conversion and can tell you if your solarmeter is not showing an actual UVI level like the 6.5 and 6.5R do.

 

[Beman]

So I should only offer basically 4-5 crickets every other day. Size between the chams eyes? That I can do.

With caging been looking to get a x-large 2'2'4' reptibreeze an do the size with current cage. Just been having hard time finding one. But found one thinking of getting this Friday. With current issues at hand should I make the change. Soon or later? Just don't wanna cause any added on stress with being sick.

I have seen alot of chunky panther chams an this boy been having a hard time. Getting him to put weight on. His rear legs concern me with having rounded knees. Hard to notice in photo but easily noticed in person.

Will get a fecal done once one develops. Can a vet get a fecal from him? Know they can with dogs. Not sure with reptiles. Also how do chameleons come in contact with parasites? Can it be transferred by hand? I have bearded dragons an a rock iguana but know rock iguana was negative for parasites.

So get the fecal done first before reducing feeders. They can pick up stuff from other reptiles if stuff is cross contaminated and they can pick up stuff from feeders. You will take in a fresh fecal in a plastic baggy. Call around and find a vet that can run or send out the fecal to be tested.

Honestly this would be where I would start especially since you say you have had a hard time getting him to put weight on. This is one major sign of parasites.

 

[nightanole]

This is uvb meter i have. But heard it's wrong one for measuring t5 an t8 linear bulbs an megarays I use. With arcadia I get a reading of 0.80 but thinking it isn't enough uvb. The Arcadia 6% is only few months old.

Something may be wrong with your meter. Even the worst used bulb on earth should read at least 5 uw, even a non UVB bulb would read around that. A good 6% will read like 3 UVI around a foot. And a rule of thumb is uw to uvi is about 35-40:1. So 3 uvi would be around 105-120 uw/cm2.

As a backup you could spend a few bucks on those color changing cards that turn purple at the correct UVI level.

 

[PantherAddictt]

So get the fecal done first before reducing feeders. They can pick up stuff from other reptiles if stuff is cross contaminated and they can pick up stuff from feeders. You will take in a fresh fecal in a plastic baggy. Call around and find a vet that can run or send out the fecal to be tested.

Honestly this would be where I would start especially since you say you have had a hard time getting him to put weight on. This is one major sign of parasites.

Gotcha going call vet tomorrow ask them. If they can get a head start on fecal check. Just hasn't made a new one in a couple of days. If parasites are found medicine would be given. So probably would be by syringe?

 

[PantherAddictt]

Something may be wrong with your meter. Even the worst used bulb on earth should read at least 5 uw, even a non UVB bulb would read around that. A good 6% will read like 3 UVI around a foot. And a rule of thumb is uw to uvi is about 35-40:1. So 3 uvi would be around 105-120 uw/cm2.

As a backup you could spend a few bucks on those color changing cards that turn purple at the correct UVI level.

I'll take a reading tomorrow with this meter an post the reading. With current age of bulb an distance. Have a label with day of first used. This uv meter was 200 plus shipping an was brand new. See if I can find these changing cards. Only filter is mesh used with reptibreeze cages. From bulb to reptile.

 

[Beman]

Gotcha going call vet tomorrow ask them. If they can get a head start on fecal check. Just hasn't made a new one in a couple of days. If parasites are found medicine would be given. So probably would be by syringe?

It depends on the parasite. So first lets see if the fecal comes back clean or positive. If positive we will need to know the type of parasite. Cleaning for parasites is different depending on parasite type.

 

[kinyonga]

Also...just because a fecal comes back clean of parasites once, doesn't mean it's free of parasites. It can take more than one test since the parasites might not be shedding at the time of the first testing.

 

[PantherAddictt]

Finally got a stool today an doesn't look to good. Has two non white urines. Any idea what it could be an if it's normal?

 

[PantherAddictt]

Arcadia 6% t5 first used October 12th 2021. Current readings am getting are from device photos. See if it correct readings or a new bulb is needed. Was thinking maybe a reptisun 10 could get it to the 120cm needed?

 

[Beman]

Arcadia 6% t5 first used October 12th 2021. Current readings am getting are from device photos. See if it correct readings or a new bulb is needed. Was thinking maybe a reptisun 10 could get it to the 120cm needed?

No 10.0 bulb... You are in a 3 uvi range from what Nightanole posted above a 105-120 uw/cm2 would be a 3 UVI level. You do not want a 10.0 because you will put the cham into over exposure levels.

Take the fecal in to be tested. The urate is still within normal range since it is half white. Just because part is orange does not mean dehydration it can mean it took longer to pass.