Veiled Chameleon Dying

Where should I place dripper? I currently have one placed at bottom of tank and it drips into a bowl
Place it on top of the cage where it drips down as many leaves/plants as possible. Do you have an exotics/reptile store near you? They usually have a bigger variety of feeders that you can get ASAP. There are lots of reputable online feeder stores, too, for an even bigger variety
 
Place it on top of the cage where it drips down as many leaves/plants as possible. Do you have an exotics/reptile store near you? They usually have a bigger variety of feeders that you can get ASAP. There are lots of reputable online feeder stores, too, for an even bigger variety
I don’t think there is one near me but I can ask around and find out. I’ll post a picture of my cage in a few. Idk how I can get my dripper to be at the top with such a short tube going to the motor. It’s a dripper that looks like a leaf, with a motor to sit in a bowl of water to pump it through a small tube.
 
For the past 2 weeks he hasn’t really ate anything and barely drinking water, and he’s been losing weight and his eyes are sunken in more and more. Vet says he has a vitamin a deficiency and gave us medicine for him, but it doesn’t seem to be working as its been 5 days now. He’s been sleeping on bottom of cage and moving very slow. Any suggestions how to revive him before he passes away? Vet says he’s too tiny to really do anything.



Veiled Chameleon

Born: March, 2021

6 months old as of September

Bought from: Petco

Mesh tank

Male

Feed him crickets and meal worms, (not gut loaded), currently on medication with vitamin A

Has dripper

Has a humidifier when needed

Has food bowl for worms and crickets (crickets jump out of it, but we place crickets in bowl because he can never catch crickets)

Humidity ranges between 40 - 70 (tries to keep it between 50 - 60)

Temp ranges between 70 - 90 (mainly at 80)

Basking temp ranges between 90 - 95

UVB Light: 10%
Here’s my tank
 

Attachments

  • 46D6A492-8E0A-498B-B8B1-8147CBAF9455.jpeg
    46D6A492-8E0A-498B-B8B1-8147CBAF9455.jpeg
    127.1 KB · Views: 96
  • 494486BE-BCCF-4A72-80BB-B499EE7ACCC7.jpeg
    494486BE-BCCF-4A72-80BB-B499EE7ACCC7.jpeg
    176.4 KB · Views: 93
Place it on top of the cage where it drips down as many leaves/plants as possible. Do you have an exotics/reptile store near you? They usually have a bigger variety of feeders that you can get ASAP. There are lots of reputable online feeder stores, too, for an even bigger variety
Here is my dripper
 

Attachments

  • E8BCADF2-10CC-4435-84D0-E6FD5D2D8DE8.jpeg
    E8BCADF2-10CC-4435-84D0-E6FD5D2D8DE8.jpeg
    203.3 KB · Views: 81
Your basking temperatures are too high as are your cage temperatures. 80F is the most it should be in the basking area.

How long have you had him?

If you're using calcium powder with D3 at all the feedings, then you're likely overdosing him with D3 especially since your using a 10 uvb light. Is it a compact or long linear tube? What brand?
What light are you using as a basking light. No lights on at night...right?

The food should be fed/Gutloaded with a nutritious diet since you want the chameleon to have healthy food. Has he been eating at all lately?

Can he shoot his tongue out?

Please post photos of the cage including the lights.
Here is my cage and lights. Left light is natural light with no UVB, right light is 10% UVB.
 

Attachments

  • BEE5452A-E42F-4BB9-B00E-032FB0B9DADA.jpeg
    BEE5452A-E42F-4BB9-B00E-032FB0B9DADA.jpeg
    253.5 KB · Views: 70
  • 0C21F349-E39A-4430-B805-BF5CDB17EF3A.jpeg
    0C21F349-E39A-4430-B805-BF5CDB17EF3A.jpeg
    187.8 KB · Views: 82
For the past 2 weeks he hasn’t really ate anything and barely drinking water, and he’s been losing weight and his eyes are sunken in more and more. Vet says he has a vitamin a deficiency and gave us medicine for him, but it doesn’t seem to be working as its been 5 days now. He’s been sleeping on bottom of cage and moving very slow. Any suggestions how to revive him before he passes away? Vet says he’s too tiny to really do anything.



Veiled Chameleon

Born: March, 2021

6 months old as of September

Bought from: Petco

Mesh tank

Male

Feed him crickets and meal worms, (not gut loaded), currently on medication with vitamin A

Has dripper

Has a humidifier when needed

Has food bowl for worms and crickets (crickets jump out of it, but we place crickets in bowl because he can never catch crickets)

Humidity ranges between 40 - 70 (tries to keep it between 50 - 60)

Temp ranges between 70 - 90 (mainly at 80)

Basking temp ranges between 90 - 95

UVB Light: 10%
I don’t think he will make it to Monday, regardless of what I do at this point, unless someone thinks it’s still possible to revive him. Half his body is gray / black, and half is very light grey, resting on floor of cage.
 
For the past 2 weeks he hasn’t really ate anything and barely drinking water, and he’s been losing weight and his eyes are sunken in more and more. Vet says he has a vitamin a deficiency and gave us medicine for him, but it doesn’t seem to be working as its been 5 days now. He’s been sleeping on bottom of cage and moving very slow. Any suggestions how to revive him before he passes away? Vet says he’s too tiny to really do anything.



Veiled Chameleon

Born: March, 2021

6 months old as of September

Bought from: Petco

Mesh tank

Male

Feed him crickets and meal worms, (not gut loaded), currently on medication with vitamin A

Has dripper

Has a humidifier when needed

Has food bowl for worms and crickets (crickets jump out of it, but we place crickets in bowl because he can never catch crickets)

Humidity ranges between 40 - 70 (tries to keep it between 50 - 60)

Temp ranges between 70 - 90 (mainly at 80)

Basking temp ranges between 90 - 95

UVB Light: 10%
I do appreciate all the suggestions to help care for my chameleon. Thank you all for responding so quickly, I did not expect a response until probably a few days or a week after I posted. I will write these tips down for when I get another chameleon one day.
 
I don’t think he will make it to Monday, regardless of what I do at this point, unless someone thinks it’s still possible to revive him. Half his body is gray / black, and half is very light grey, resting on floor of cage.
can you not take him back to the vet and explain that their treatment isnt working? At this point the kindest thing is most likely euthanasia as you don't want him in pain, you should be able to get an emergency appointment if you explain that he's turning black/grey. Doesnt sound like he has long left but it can take days for them to pass sometimes and you want to do what's in the interest of the cham.
 
I would not inhibit force feeding on this bud, he just seems long gone and the stress/pain of digesting the food/forcing him to eat might just be too much and kill him.

I agree with @Millz&Jukka and would go with putting him to sleep. He might have a chance if he was still active, but the way you’re describing him at the moment, and the way he looks in the pictures just isn’t looking good for the lil bud.

You can try and take him to the vet one last time, but I don’t know if they can do anything. I’m sorry for your situation.
 
I’m so sorry that you are going thru this. 😞 With him turning black and grey and laying on the bottom of his enclosure, I agree that it may be best at this point to take him to a vet to end his suffering. Unfortunately, chameleons seldom show signs that anything is wrong until it’s too late to help them. If you aren’t able to find a vet that is open, just place something soft beneath him and let him pass peacefully. 😥
 
I'm so sorry that you're going through this. It is never easy to watch them struggle & suffer.

Also future reference the dripper you have is not recommended because the bowl is a breeding ground for bacteria. Typically you want a dripper on top of the cage & the container or tube just sits on top of the cage & drips in on top of a leaf.

I hope he pulls through, but the way you describe sounds like he's done 😭😭. You should probably concider calling the vet & talk about other options.
I'm sorry.
Hope you are well.
 
I am so sorry. It sounds like he is on his way out.

I just read through everything. This is a situation of temps being too high daytime and at night, incorrect supplementation, incorrect UVB lighting. You were given a lot of incorrect info about very important aspects of husbandry.

There could be additional things contributing as well. Because there are other aspects tied to the ones I mentioned above that were not correct.

Should you ever get another chameleon you want to read through everything in this link https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

If you have questions come back and ask them in the forum.

Since it is unknown if there was also a parasite issue I would be vigilant in cleaning the cage. All porous items should be thrown away. Then take the cage and clean the heck out of it with hot water and dawn soap until all soap is totally gone. You do not want cross contamination to another cham should this one have something.
 
can you not take him back to the vet and explain that their treatment isnt working? At this point the kindest thing is most likely euthanasia as you don't want him in pain, you should be able to get an emergency appointment if you explain that he's turning black/grey. Doesnt sound like he has long left but it can take days for them to pass sometimes and you want to do what's in the interest of the cham.
For the past 2 weeks he hasn’t really ate anything and barely drinking water, and he’s been losing weight and his eyes are sunken in more and more. Vet says he has a vitamin a deficiency and gave us medicine for him, but it doesn’t seem to be working as its been 5 days now. He’s been sleeping on bottom of cage and moving very slow. Any suggestions how to revive him before he passes away? Vet says he’s too tiny to really do anything.



Veiled Chameleon

Born: March, 2021

6 months old as of September

Bought from: Petco

Mesh tank

Male

Feed him crickets and meal worms, (not gut loaded), currently on medication with vitamin A

Has dripper

Has a humidifier when needed

Has food bowl for worms and crickets (crickets jump out of it, but we place crickets in bowl because he can never catch crickets)

Humidity ranges between 40 - 70 (tries to keep it between 50 - 60)

Temp ranges between 70 - 90 (mainly at 80)

Basking temp ranges between 90 - 95

UVB Light: 10%
I’m 90% sure my veiled chameleon has passed now unfortunately, as it’s laying on its side, not moving or reacting when I move / touch him and is gray all over. Vet called and said they suggest getting a chameleon from a breeder rather than a pet store. Anyone suggest any chameleons for beginners? One that would change color would be cool, like a Panther Chameleon I think they are called? But if it’s a lot more work / challenging to take care of that may not be good then to start.
 
can you not take him back to the vet and explain that their treatment isnt working? At this point the kindest thing is most likely euthanasia as you don't want him in pain, you should be able to get an emergency appointment if you explain that he's turning black/grey. Doesnt sound like he has long left but it can take days for them to pass sometimes and you want to do what's in the interest of the cham.
I have, they said they need poop samples to test for parasites. He was too small and skinny to really do anything else they claim
 
But if it’s a lot more work / challenging to take care of that may not be good then to start.
So it is not that one is easier than another. They all have very specific husbandry that is required for them to live long lives. I have a petco Veiled, he is now three and a half years old. But he has had the correct husbandry from practically the first 2 weeks after having him.

Buying from a breeder does not always mean healthy either. There are reputable breeders and people that breed or sell them and do not care at all about the health of the animal.

I am sorry for your loss. I would suggest the first place to start is reading every single module in this husbandry program. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

Also understanding that you will be spending quite a bit on a proper set up. New 2x2x4 cage, proper plant and UVB lighting, Misting system, Live plants, supplements, gauges, solarmeter 6.5, feeders, gutload, feeder run, branches, Dragon ledges, drainage tray, wet vac for drainage tray, etc. Your looking at easily $500 minimum investment. Realistically 1k. And this is only for what the cham needs not the cost of the cham.

This is a wonderful hobby. But it is very expensive and you have to have an understanding of what you need to provide and do it correctly from the jump. There is not much forgiveness when an aspect is off. The result is a health issue with the cham.
 
I’m 90% sure my veiled chameleon has passed now unfortunately, as it’s laying on its side, not moving or reacting when I move / touch him and is gray all over. Vet called and said they suggest getting a chameleon from a breeder rather than a pet store. Anyone suggest any chameleons for beginners? One that would change color would be cool, like a Panther Chameleon I think they are called? But if it’s a lot more work / challenging to take care of that may not be good then to start.
Again, I’m very sorry. 😥
As it can be difficult to tell when a chameleon has passed, I’d suggest waiting another couple of hours before burying or whatever you’ll be doing with him.
All chameleons require very specific care and are a lot of work and expense to do it correctly. A veiled chameleon is by some considered to be best for beginning chameleon keepers. Caring for a panther is not any easier. Before thinking about getting another, you need to thoroughly research all that they need and the time and expense of it all and if you are able to meet those needs. If you have any doubts about it, a chameleon isn’t a good choice for you right now. The best place to learn about proper care and all that chameleons need is https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ . Take time, learn and think it all over. If you later decide that you are able and want to try again with a chameleon, we can help make sure that you‘re getting set up correctly, answer whatever questions you may have and just help to ensure that you have a positive and successful experience in keeping a chameleon. So very many have taken advantage of doing exactly this and are enjoying their healthy and happy chameleons.
Yes, I agree that Petco and other chain stores are not good places to buy healthy animals and are the worst places to learn about proper care of them.
I wish you peace in your heart and healing. 💗
 
I’m 90% sure my veiled chameleon has passed now unfortunately, as it’s laying on its side, not moving or reacting when I move / touch him and is gray all over. Vet called and said they suggest getting a chameleon from a breeder rather than a pet store. Anyone suggest any chameleons for beginners? One that would change color would be cool, like a Panther Chameleon I think they are called? But if it’s a lot more work / challenging to take care of that may not be good then to start.
I have, they said they need poop samples to test for parasites. He was too small and skinny to really do anything else they claim
I'm sorry for your loss, it's always hard losing them. Although if they thought he was really that bad and couldn't be treated they really should have euthanised him rather than sending home to suffer (that's on them, not you, i just think their decision not to offer that to you was very unethical considering the state he was in) because it's more humane. I agree about going to a breeder not a pet shop but once you've got it its all about the care. Out of curiosity how long did you wait before taking him to the vet and did he lose all the weight over that time or did he lose it in a short period of time? Even with parasites I think it would take a while to get this bad and would have been progressing quite slowly, were the vets just really booked up and not able to see him until it was too late?
 
I'm sorry for your loss, it's always hard losing them. Although if they thought he was really that bad and couldn't be treated they really should have euthanised him rather than sending home to suffer (that's on them, not you, i just think their decision not to offer that to you was very unethical considering the state he was in) because it's more humane. I agree about going to a breeder not a pet shop but once you've got it its all about the care. Out of curiosity how long did you wait before taking him to the vet and did he lose all the weight over that time or did he lose it in a short period of time? Even with parasites I think it would take a while to get this bad and would have been progressing quite slowly, were the vets just really booked up and not able to see him until it was too late?
This all happened in a course of 2 weeks. Noticed slight weight loss 2 weeks ago, waited 4 days to see if it got worse or better then called vet for emergency visit, they gave me medicine and that was that. He seemed fine and normal before that.
 
If you’re wanting a good start on reptiles I would suggest possibly staring with crested/leopard geckos. No chameleon is “easier” there’s other species of reptiles that are though. If you really want a chameleon though, do proper research.
 
Back
Top Bottom