Tip of tail fell off

[CryptKeeper]

So my Panther Cham has had a respiratory infection for like 3 weeks now. First vet gave him oral meds for 10 days and it didn’t work at all so took him elsewhere and got injection antibiotics (2x a week for 6 weeks) he’s only had 2 so far so still sick but it’s mild I was told yet he’s still barely eating, just some wax worms now and then maybe some crickets when I’m not watching. Anyways today after I gave him his injection I notice on the floor what I thought was a tiny nail but pretty positive it was the very tip of his tail. It was hard and brittle it broke in half when I picked it up. It was about 1” long. The rest of his tail looks completely fine. But does look like the tip broke off it doesn’t come to a sharp tip now. Could this be due to the infection and just keep an eye on it?

 

[Decadancin]

Any pics of your Cham? Would like to see the tail. Where are you doing the injections?

 

[CryptKeeper]

Any pics of your Cham? Would like to see the tail. Where are you doing the injections?

Yeah I was trying to get a good pic when I posted this but was after the shot I didn’t want to bother him. I’ll try and get one now he’s in his sleeping spot right now it’ll be through the cage so will be hard to see detail. And the shots have been going into his up legs in the meaty part switching each week.

 

[CryptKeeper]

Any pics of your Cham? Would like to see the tail. Where are you doing the injections?

He’s in such a weird position right now to get a pic of tip of tail lol heres best I can do I’ll get better tomorrow

 

[CryptKeeper]

Any pics of your Cham? Would like to see the tail. Where are you doing the injections?

This is where he is and why it’s so hard right now

 

[GrannyK]

He’s so sweet!! hopefully he gets better soon.

 

[CryptKeeper]

He’s so sweet!! hopefully he gets better soon.

Thank you! He should now he’s on these injections I’ll keep posted and gonna ask the vet about his tail but I think he’s fine

 

[CryptKeeper]

He’s so sweet!! hopefully he gets better soon.

Just wish he’d eat normal again.

 

[GrannyK]

Just wish he’d eat normal again.

I know too well the hunger strike due to meds. My guy would only eat supers for months. He came through though out of the blue. I just kept offering.

 

[CryptKeeper]

I know too well the hunger strike due to meds. My guy would only eat supers for months. He came through though out of the blue. I just kept offering.

Oh man it lasted that long?! He’s been on hunger strike since before the meds bc he was sick I assume. Crickets keep going missing I’m assuming he’s eating some bc I’m not finding them in the cage anywhere

 

[CryptKeeper]

Any pics of your Cham? Would like to see the tail. Where are you doing the injections?

Here’s his tail seems pretty normal no?

 

[Beman]

Just wish he’d eat normal again.

So I just want to comment on this aspect... Even if he barely eats he is ok. This boy is holding quite a bit of extra weight. you can tell by how full his casque is along with his cheeks and how thick his limbs are.

I would evaluate how much you are feeding, what you are feeding, and how often once you get him through the illness. Holding extra weight like this can be very hard on their renal function.

While getting treatment and moving forward I would avoid fatty feeders like wax worms. Moving over to something like silk worms would be a very good nutritious option but also provide more hydration.

per the tail, his looks totally normal. I do not think what you found was the tip of the tail.

 

[kinyonga]

Where do you give him the injections? What is the medication you’re giving him?

I think the tail looks fine, BTW.

 

[CryptKeeper]

Where do you give him the injections? What is the medication you’re giving him?

I think the tail looks fine, BTW.

I forget the name I’ll check when home and I’ve been giving it to him in his legs the meaty part

 

[CryptKeeper]

So I just want to comment on this aspect... Even if he barely eats he is ok. This boy is holding quite a bit of extra weight. you can tell by how full his casque is along with his cheeks and how thick his limbs are.

I would evaluate how much you are feeding, what you are feeding, and how often once you get him through the illness. Holding extra weight like this can be very hard on their renal function.

While getting treatment and moving forward I would avoid fatty feeders like wax worms. Moving over to something like silk worms would be a very good nutritious option but also provide more hydration.

per the tail, his looks totally normal. I do not think what you found was the tip of the tail.

Ok sounds good and yeah I’m gonna cut the wax worms out. Also I normally just keep food in the cricket feeder mainly crickets and horned worms, he’s very picky just eats crickets, horned worms (which he loves but hasn’t eaten any I now have like 30 pupated ones gonna try the moths) and wax worms. Sometimes BSFL but have to mix wax worms with them for him to eat them. He used to like Dubia but not anymore but haven’t tried in awhile, ima buy the bigger ones and give a try again bc I hate keeping crickets. I’ve been trying to find silk worms and always sold out. I also bought one of those fake plant drippers for him to drink from since I just mist and humidify to get him hydration.

I’m completely redoing his enclosure and may go bioactive adding the dripper plant and more mist king valves hoping this will help with hydration.

Thanks for the reply I wasn’t sure when to stop feeding him as much as he wanted, the problem is he doesn’t have much a schedule with eating since I’d leave food in there I guess I gotta work that out or maybe just leave a couple of each every other day?

 

[Beman]

Ok sounds good and yeah I’m gonna cut the wax worms out. Also I normally just keep food in the cricket feeder mainly crickets and horned worms, he’s very picky just eats crickets, horned worms (which he loves but hasn’t eaten any I now have like 30 pupated ones gonna try the moths) and wax worms. Sometimes BSFL but have to mix wax worms with them for him to eat them. He used to like Dubia but not anymore but haven’t tried in awhile, ima buy the bigger ones and give a try again bc I hate keeping crickets. I’ve been trying to find silk worms and always sold out. I also bought one of those fake plant drippers for him to drink from since I just mist and humidify to get him hydration.

I’m completely redoing his enclosure and may go bioactive adding the dripper plant and more mist king valves hoping this will help with hydration.

Thanks for the reply I wasn’t sure when to stop feeding him as much as he wanted, the problem is he doesn’t have much a schedule with eating since I’d leave food in there I guess I gotta work that out or maybe just leave a couple of each every other day?

You do not want to use the fake plant drippers they are dirty and grow bacteria so they are not advised for chameleons. You can simply put a plastic solo cup with tiny pin holes in the bottom and fill it with ice cubes. This will provide a slow drip through the screen to the plants below.

There are quite a few places that offer silkworms and have them in stock. I know Framschams consistently has them available.

I do not know how old he is now but based on the girth of his casque and limbs he is overweight. I would not feed him more then every 3 days and only 2-4 healthy insects depending on their size. He needs to lose some of that weight or he can have complications with renal function and gout. Both of these are not fun to have to deal with and both lead to shortened life.

 

[CryptKeeper]

You do not want to use the fake plant drippers they are dirty and grow bacteria so they are not advised for chameleons. You can simply put a plastic solo cup with tiny pin holes in the bottom and fill it with ice cubes. This will provide a slow drip through the screen to the plants below.

There are quite a few places that offer silkworms and have them in stock. I know Framschams consistently has them available.

I do not know how old he is now but based on the girth of his casque and limbs he is overweight. I would not feed him more then every 3 days and only 2-4 healthy insects depending on their size. He needs to lose some of that weight or he can have complications with renal function and gout. Both of these are not fun to have to deal with and both lead to shortened life.

Ok good to know! Will do. Yeah ima try and get him back on eating Dubias. Otherwise it’s just crickets and horned worms. If he’s only eating them (the crickets aren’t huge or anything) give him like 3 and a horned worm? I’m really hoping he’ll eat the moths

 

[CryptKeeper]

Ok good to know! Will do. Yeah ima try and get him back on eating Dubias. Otherwise it’s just crickets and horned worms. If he’s only eating them (the crickets aren’t huge or anything) give him like 3 and a horned worm? I’m really hoping he’ll eat the moths

He does seem to eat things that move around. After he stopped eating Dubias one escaped and must’ve hid for awhile and one day I saw it fall from a plant and was gigantic and he instinctively just grabbed it and chewed him up.

 

[Beman]

Ok good to know! Will do. Yeah ima try and get him back on eating Dubias. Otherwise it’s just crickets and horned worms. If he’s only eating them (the crickets aren’t huge or anything) give him like 3 and a horned worm? I’m really hoping he’ll eat the moths

So 2-4 insects every 3 days. No more than that. If they are larger then you want to reduce the amount. Say if you are feeding large crickets or dubia then you would not feed 4 insects.

 

[CryptKeeper]

So 2-4 insects every 3 days. No more than that. If they are larger then you want to reduce the amount. Say if you are feeding large crickets or dubia then you would not feed 4 insects.

Ok gotcha. Yeah the crickets aren’t that big but I’ll try bigger Dubias since I know they’re more nutritious. Do horned worms have much nutrition or is it mostly water? I remember reading they’re mainly water