Unknown Sickness

[kinyonga]

In the list I gave you there was SOUTH FLORIDA Wildlife Center, 3200 SW 4th Ave, Fort Lauderdale....Fort Lauderdale is 24 miles from Hialeah.

Did you add the dripper yet? You said you didn't have time to set it up...it takes two minutes to take a deli cup and punch a tiny hole in it with a pin.

You can buy LIQUID calcium sandoz or gluconate at pharmacies usually....so you could be working on the chameleon's calcium levels.

Don't spray water with calcium into the reptiles mouths....drip the water on the end of the nose and it should start licking it up...or use an eye dropper and EASE it in a little at a time.

If you keep "considering and don't act you will soon have to dead reptiles that suffered to die.

 

[carbyville]

This thread is just so sad. OP, I really hope you do what's best for these poor animals soon. If you don't have time to set up a simple dripper, then maybe caring for these animals is not in their best interest right now. Please consider surrendering them so someone that does have the time can care for them properly.

 

[Candybugs]

I cried when I saw these aren't even his animals he's 16 trying to save his sisters pets he's a good kid

 

[JaniP]

I cried when I saw these aren't even his animals he's 16 trying to save his sisters pets he's a good kid

Good kid or not, he needs to take some of this advice.

 

[The Bearded Derek]

I'll try calling them if they do.

Thanks for the offer but don't worry, I just bought some about 6 days ago, both with and without D3.

Should I just hold him and put him in sunlight with me or the entire cage? He doesn't get stressed when I hold him when he's out in the open.

I haven't tried installing the little dipper yet because I don't know exactly how to fit it inside without needing to drill a hole through the mesh, plus I have to add some sort of mount for the box to stay there without falling.

Technically, it really is my fault, I take almost full care (What I can, at least) for the reptiles, she just buys stuff for it when I need it.

Well, how do I install the dipper without breaking a hole in the cage? When I do install it, should I add calcium in the water? All this time I never noticed he had MBD, I just thought that's how his arms looked, even more so that the arms looked identical to each other. Only way I noticed was that this sub-forum had a pinned topic about MBD

 

[Candybugs]

Ya take him out right on your hand 10 min at a time 4x a day. And glad about the calcium mbd can't be corrected but it's progression can be stopped and he can keep on growing. My Seymore will always have curved arms but it's been 3 mos of rehab and he's good now. Growing at a good rate. So do your supplements and sun. As for the dripper I shoved a pencil through the screen top to make the hole for the tube. The gecko has an infection which I don't know what to do with that. I have a dragon with mouth rot and he's been on antibiotic shots and a fungi type cream to dry up his face. R the chams arms so curved he can't walk or he can . My females were so curved they caught on her horn.we had to put her down. The recovery is slow and steady for the Cham but you have what u need. I believe in you give it your best shot

 

[kinyonga]

Take a deli cup and punch a tiny hold in the bottom and sit it on the screen lid....put some water in it with NO calcium in it...worry about the fancy dripper latest.

Powdered calcium does nor get absorbed as fast as the liquid I told you about. You can buy LIQUID calcium at Walgreens, pharmacies, etc. Make sure it has nothing like D3 or sugar in it.

If you talk to a vet they may arrange for a payment plan for you.

How old is your sister?

 

[JaniP]

I'll try calling them if they do.

Thanks for the offer but don't worry, I just bought some about 6 days ago, both with and without D3.

Should I just hold him and put him in sunlight with me or the entire cage? He doesn't get stressed when I hold him when he's out in the open.

I haven't tried installing the little dipper yet because I don't know exactly how to fit it inside without needing to drill a hole through the mesh, plus I have to add some sort of mount for the box to stay there without falling.

Technically, it really is my fault, I take almost full care (What I can, at least) for the reptiles, she just buys stuff for it when I need it.

Well, how do I install the dipper without breaking a hole in the cage? When I do install it, should I add calcium in the water? All this time I never noticed he had MBD, I just thought that's how his arms looked, even more so that the arms looked identical to each other. Only way I noticed was that this sub-forum had a pinned topic about MBD

You are making excuses to not even give the poor thing a dripper! Use a cup and poke a hole in it and put it on top if you are so worried about holes in the mesh. I think that very advice is on here multiple times. If you are realizing that a small hole in the mesh could save his life then why are you not doing it? Is his life not worth it? Please either take the advice or surrender your animal to a vet. Don't wait for your sister. Take the bus if you have to. Stop "considering" and start acting so that you hopefully don't have to mourn the poor chameleon.

I'm not trying to be mean but step back and surely you can see how frustrating it is to be giving very simple, easy and free (because taking your animal to the vet and saying help, it's dying please take it IS FREE) and have it only be considered. We all care very deeply for these animals.

 

[The Bearded Derek]

Sorry for not replying in the past 3 days, it's been busy for me with school. Luckily, now that's it's Friday I have a good amount of time for these things.

How long should I wait per session? 10 minutes every 2-3 hour or so? If the dripper is really that simple, then I'll do it right now. He still walks, no where near as easily and fast as a healthy chameleon but he manages to do it, sometimes when he walks, his claws get hooked on his lip. As soon as it gets sunny tomorrow, I'll take him in the sun. Today was a rainy day.

How much doses would the calcium need? I have a Walgreens right by my house, I could get some right now. If I do it with a cup, where should I place it on top? let it drip on a fake plant, a vine, or the bottom? He has carpet as a substrate and the water gets absorbed in it pretty quickly. My sister is 24

I'll see if I can finally take him on Sunday.

 

[Candybugs]

Yes every few hours and 10 crickets a day with the plain calcium dusted on them I put the crickets in a bag and add the powder and shake. If your gonna get the kind the the guy suggested I don't know anything about that kind. Hopefully he'll come on soon. The minute you start his treatment is the minute he can start to recover everyday matters . So hurry and I'd take him out even if it seems too cloudy . I'm glad you came back on I was worried.

 

[Lovereps]

How much doses would the calcium need? I have a Walgreens right by my house, I could get some right now. If I do it with a cup, where should I place it on top? let it drip on a fake plant, a vine, or the bottom? He has carpet as a substrate and the water gets absorbed in it pretty quickly.

The calcium/mbd answers you need are in this post--which was written by a veterinarian https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-metabolic-bone-disease-mbd-looks-like-how-happens-how-fix-95071/

One way to rehydrate the cham and not soak his cage is this:


"Shower - Another method of providing water, especially to dehydrated chameleons, is by using a shower. Place a large plant in the tub, aim the shower head against the wall, and run the water so that only a fine mist reaches the chameleon. The water should be room temperature (not hot!). They may drink for up to 30 minutes. Make sure to supervise your chameleon at all times while using this method."
Taken from the forum page linked at the bottom of this post.

Carpet makes for a bad substrate for exactly the reason you mention--it gets soaked.

Of course you can take it out of the cage and dry it and put in a clean dry one, if you feel the need for carpeting.
Why not just put a clean towel in the cage to absorb the water while it drips?
Here's some excellent info, written by the forum moderators about the subject https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/water/.

 

[kinyonga]

Go by what ferritinmyshoes says...she's a vet. I would give mine about three drops a day...which isn't much different.

 

[The Bearded Derek]

Go by what ferritinmyshoes says...she's a vet. I would give mine about three drops a day...which isn't much different.

I'll try the shower method. Does it necessarily have to be a large plant? I don't have one at the moment. I'll get one right now if it's needed.

I took him out today for about 8-10 minutes, after that it started to rain a bit, soon as it get's sunny outside I'm taking him out again. What time should I take him out best? I heard 9-10 AM sun would be best (I heard it's good for kids, but I don't know about chameleons) but I'm not sure.

While I took him outside I let some calcium water drip down his nose. Initially, he didn't drink it. About a few minutes later, he tried to bite me and while he tried doing that, I sprayed a tiny tiny amount on the tip of his tongue, after that he began drinking normally and I sprayed some water as it was coming down. This time he drank a lot and he didn't seem to struggle to breath like last time. No water bubbles coming out his nose either. When I took him inside, I tried feeding him a cricket, he looked at it and opened his mouth, but it looked like he didn't have the strength to shoot his tongue out, so I ripped off a cricket's head (So it wouldn't struggle) and put it in his mouth while it was open. For a few minutes he had it just sitting there in his mouth, so I sprayed the cricket a little bit to see if it'll be easier for him, as soon as I sprayed about 3x, he chewed it a bit and swallowed it. I didn't put calcium on it because I wasn't sure if he was gonna eat it or spit it out. Should I continue giving him more that way?

 

[Candybugs]

That's good he's getting at least a little of everything. I wish the sun would come out for you. Just keep at it.

 

[Candybugs]

Can you send a pic of his arms and legs I'd just like to see how curved they are.

 

[Lovereps]

I'll try the shower method. Does it necessarily have to be a large plant? I don't have one at the moment. I'll get one right now if it's needed.

I took him out today for about 8-10 minutes, after that it started to rain a bit, soon as it get's sunny outside I'm taking him out again. What time should I take him out best? I heard 9-10 AM sun would be best (I heard it's good for kids, but I don't know about chameleons) but I'm not sure.

While I took him outside I let some calcium water drip down his nose. Initially, he didn't drink it. About a few minutes later, he tried to bite me and while he tried doing that, I sprayed a tiny tiny amount on the tip of his tongue, after that he began drinking normally and I sprayed some water as it was coming down. This time he drank a lot and he didn't seem to struggle to breath like last time. No water bubbles coming out his nose either. When I took him inside, I tried feeding him a cricket, he looked at it and opened his mouth, but it looked like he didn't have the strength to shoot his tongue out, so I ripped off a cricket's head (So it wouldn't struggle) and put it in his mouth while it was open. For a few minutes he had it just sitting there in his mouth, so I sprayed the cricket a little bit to see if it'll be easier for him, as soon as I sprayed about 3x, he chewed it a bit and swallowed it. I didn't put calcium on it because I wasn't sure if he was gonna eat it or spit it out. Should I continue giving him more that way?

The important things about the shower method is to not accidentally drown the cham or burn him.
As long as the plant is large enough to support him and has had the leaves cleaned of any pesticides/fertilizers, then it shouldn't matter much.
The large plant idea is so the plant won't fall over with your cham on it.
You can put a towel underneath the plant, so that if the cham himself falls, he will fall on something softer than a hard bathtub.

For outdoors--and especially Florida-- there is usually UVB coming through the clouds.

Since your cham has not been outdoors and the sun in your area is stronger than in most of the rest of the USA, it would be fine for him to enjoy some outdoor time in the rain and partial shade when temps are in an OK range for him, so he doesn't quickly get overheated by the sun.

 

[kinyonga]

Please don't spray water or calcium INTO the mouth. If he gets it into his lungs you will have another health issue. Drip the water on the end of his nose at the rate of one or two drips per second...or use a needless syringe or eye dropper and EASE a little water or calcium into its mouth at a time giving him time to swallow.

I would be dusting the insects with calcium even if he doesn't eat them when hand feeding him. It's good that you took the head off so he won't get bit...but try to place the cricket so he will bite down on it too.

 

[The Bearded Derek]

Just gave him 2 crickets with calcium in it, I couldn't give him more, he refused opening his mouth.

Yesterday I gave him a caloric supplement that also boosts up his appetite. My sister put a little too much and too far back and he damn near choked. Should I give it to him when he's hydrated? Its like a brown pasty goo.

 

[Candybugs]

You have to be very careful putting things in his mouth his windpipe is there and he'll get respiratory infection if liquid gets in there

 

[The Bearded Derek]

Yea the supplement thing was an accident, definitely not putting the syringe that far in.

As for the crickets he'll just have it in his mouth for a while. Since he's dehydrated I didn't want to give him too much crickets and even more so covered in dry calcium powder, I thought it would be bad for his stomach knowing he hasn't had much water. I at least tried spraying the cricket in water to make it easier.

I tried the shower method, he doesn't seem to drink, he just sits there and does nothing, if not he'll try to climb away from the mist.