Urgent, cutting own arms

[rpgamer97]

My vieled chameleon keeps grabbing his front legs with his back, then he falls cuz he lets go with front thinking he is holding a branch with back legs... The big problem is he is clawing himself so bad he has pierced his skin and making himself bleed... I don't know what to do or how to stop him from doing this

 

[SaintJimmy]

How old is he? Do you know if he has MBD?

Can we get any pics?

And also if possible take him to a vet.

 

[carol5208]

Grabbing of the legs is a sign of Metabolic Bone Disease. Please post some pics and also, fill out the ask for help form in the health clinic. If it is MBD, there is more than likely something lacking in your care that is causing it( calcium, and or uvb)

 

[szpond]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Please be as detailed as possible.

 

[chameleonowner32]

Grabbing of the legs is a sign of Metabolic Bone Disease. Please post some pics and also, fill out the ask for help form in the health clinic. If it is MBD, there is more than likely something lacking in your care that is causing it( calcium, and or uvb)

You always beat me to the puch gal, I was gunna say that copycat.

 

[rpgamer97]

Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon -vieled chameleon, male, > 1 year old, in my care for 6 months
• Handling - maybe once a week when I deep clean his cage.
• Feeding - crickets, meal worms, super worms, 6-8 a day, 2-3 a day, 1-2 a day feed one feeder a day rotating thru them, fluckers calcium cricket food, carrots, potatoes, cricket quencher.
• Supplements - calcium with out d3 every feeding, herpavite every other Saturday, calcium with d3 on other Saturdays
• Watering - mistking 3 min sessions every 3 hours from 8am to 5 pm, so its not wet at lights out. Yes I see him drink
• Fecal Description - solid dark brown/black with white ends. Never tested for parasites.
• History - always been healthy, shedding normally, active, always eats right away, even have his cage open with his tree sitting next to his cage so he can go on it at will. Sleeps outside cage every night. Never left his cage/tree.
Cage Info:
• Cage Type - mesh cage, 2x2x4
• Lighting - reptisun 10.0 from 8am to 8 pm,
• Temperature - basking spot high temp of 95, as close as he can get. Where he sits its at 90. Normal cage temp is 75. Lowest over night is 68. temp gage on side of cage, digital sensor tip in basking spot
• Humidity - 60% humidity, hygrometer with temp gage on side of tank
• Plants - shefflura (spelling) outside cage, fake vines and wood branches inside.
• Placement - cage is in man cave with door shut and vent closed, top of cage is at 4 foot from ground
• Location - fort hood, Texas
Current Problem - cutting skin on arms by holding front legs with back legs and falling.

 

[dom1959]

i had the same experience 4=5 months ago, get to a vet...
check calcium levels, do xray.
you can order calcium glubionate online, that made a huge diff
with my veiled!!!

but mostly don't delay seeking a vet!!!

 

[junglefries]

sidenote

Switch out 10.0 for a 5.0

 

[rpgamer97]

Would that cause this problem?

 

[Olimpia]

No, keep the 10.0, that bulb is fine (better, even.) How old is it though?

 

[sandrachameleon]

what brand of supplements for calcium and calcium with d3?

I suggest vastly improving the gutload. that flukers stuff isn't helpful and neither are potatoes.

It could be that the vitamin and mineral levels are inadequate, or out of balance. and/or that they were inadequate prior to your getting him.


it would also be advisable to add more prey variety. mealworms should form less than 20% of the diet. superworms should form no more than 20%. crickets up to 50% but preferable less. consider adding more choices, like: silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, roaches, indian walking sticks, blue bottle flies, etc.

 

[rpgamer97]

I am limited to the feeders, the only ones I can find around me are crickets, mealworms, and superworms. Currently I am breeding my own mealworms and superworms. I want to start a roach colony but the wife isn't liking that idea.

What would be the best gut load for the feeders? Pre made and diy?

 

[lancaster0861]

I would say cutback one of the D3 saturdays and one of the multivitamin days so that they are being rotated out as twice a month for both supplements. I would def keep the 10.0 that way he gets sufficient uv through the screen and all. If you want to change later you could but i would recommend just keeping it for now unless its an old one wich could be contributing to the problem depending on how long you have had it running. If you have had it for six months or longer and don't have a UV reader than it may be a good idea to just be safe and go ahead and replace it. I personally like the 10.0 for my veiled and his setup. Also, its paramount to get a better gutlaod. I believe it is sandrachameloen who has the Gutload bible posted. This is gonna do wonders. Hope all turns out ok good luck!

 

[rpgamer97]

I do D3 and vitamins on alternating Saturdays. So its each one 2 times a month.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I do D3 and vitamins on alternating Saturdays. So its each one 2 times a month.

what brand calcium? if there is a calcium deficiency, you can more quickly correct that situation through the use of calcium sandoz or calcium gluconate

what was the care like before you got him, do you know?

do you know roughly how old he is? I know you say over 1 year, but was he full grown when you got him or ?

did this start happening recently?

are the photos recent ? - he doesn't look bad.

info on gutloading:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/659-green-leafy-goodness-gutloading.html

a vet could do blood work which might help narrow the possibilities.
short-term, you will want to make sure he has lots of easy branches to grab, and a soft landing (big folded bath towel on bottom of cage or similar)

 

[rpgamer97]

Reptical for both D3 and without.

I think I wrote wrong, he is less then a year. I got him at what I was told was 6 months, had him for 5 months. No idea about the exact care, got from a breeder at a reptile show.

Its only been going on every so often for about the least month. Just now seen that he cut himself with his claws.

the photos are from yesterday actually!

 

[dom1959]

please please find a reptile experienced vet.

if it is early mbd you will make a huge diff in getting proper care.

please take him to a vet

 

[rpgamer97]

Is there any harm in treating him for MBD with a calcium supplement mentioned earlier? Just in case?

 

[dom1959]

probably not

 

[rpgamer97]

Just wanted to know before I did it. I will be gone for 3 weeks out in the field. So the wife will be taking care of him. I think this would be ok to do, and if I can do it with no health risk, why go to the vet to be told to do the same thing?