Vladislav is Going To The Vet :(

MissLissa

Avid Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - a bit over 6 month old captive bred male Ambilobe Panther Chameleon, has been in my care for just over 3 months.
Handling - Not really handled- he is handfed every day and if he chooses he can climb out on my hand and go to his free range in the living room. This is usually every other day or so, maybe a bit less.
Feeding - we rotate between superworms and crickets, which make up about 50% of his diet, with the rest being silkworms, hornworms, BSFL, as well as a small amount of waxworms/moths, butterworms, and kingworms. He will usually eat 10-15 large crickets daily, or 5-6 superworms, or as many silkworms as you feel like giving him! He is currently being offered food daily, as he is't quite full grown yet. Superworms, crickets and BSFL are gutloaded on wheat germ, carrots, sweet potato, peppers, leafy greens and herbs- pretty much a mixture of fresh veggies, as well as a limited amount of rodent chow and fish flakes. Silks and horns are fed sillkworm chow. However, he has been refusing all food for 2 days.
Supplements - Exoterra Calcium W/O D3 daily, ExoTerra Calcium WITH D3 once every 2 weeks, Herptivite multivitamin once every two weeks, rotating with the Ca/D3.
Watering - Dripper on 6 hours a day. Manual misting 2x a day. Automatic misting 2x a day. He really loves being manually misted, and will almost always come over and drink out of the bottle. Every so often I will offer him a syringe of water, which he will drink out of, and once a week he gets a lukewarm shower where he drinks like crazy. I have never, ever seen him use either the dripper or the automatic mister.
Fecal Description - Large, near-black or dark brown, softish but not loose, usually about 1/3 urate. None since yesterday; usually poops in the morning. Tested for parasites via fecal float three times when he was 4 months old, came back clear.
History - Recently began a behaviour mod regime to help stop him from hunting down my roommate and attacking her. It's been going really well. He's never had a problem shed, never eye issues- he's always been super healthy.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - large SST bird cage, about 4 feet by 2 feet by 5 feet. Bar spacing is 3/8". LOTS of natural wood branches of varying widths horizontally across the cage, Exoterra vines, etc. LOTS of live and fake plants. It can be hard to find him in it!
Lighting - 11 hrs of Arcadia light, equivalent to 5.0 UV output. 12 hours of regular white light basking bulb.
Temperature - Basking spot: about 87F. Lowest: 74F. Overnight temp is usually about 70F, maybe a touch lower. Measured by digital temperature probe and temp gun.
Humidity - Humidity is at about 55%, spiking to 70-90% after misting. Sometimes ambient humidity can get as high as 70%- less than a few times a month. I use manual and automatic misting, as well as the evaporation from the water catch tray to maintain the humidity. There is a range- the lower in the cage, the higher the humidity. I use a digital hygrometer to measure the levels.
Plants - Live plants: large bromeliads, ferns, small parlour palm, Ficus, Pothos with organic fast-draining soil that I make myself, and covered with large stones to prevent him from eating it! The stones are much, much to large to swallow. I don't even think he could pick them up.
Placement - In a bedroom. Not near any vents, fans nor is it a high-traffic area (more's the pity :p ). Top of the cage is near the ceiling- about 6 feet from the floor. Also has a free range tree that he can access from his cage, and another in the living room.
Location - Canada, the Prairies

Current Problem - I already have a vet appointment later this day. He hasn't eaten since Monday, which is extremely weird. He is ALWAYS hungry. He won't even pay attention to waxworms or silkworms which are his most favouritest things ever. He wont eat for me or my roommate, not from our hands, the forceps, the cup or freehunting. He is just not interested. He is still drinking well, but I haven't seen any poop today. He's been very dark the past two days, too; not his usual vibrant happy self. He is spending more time near his basking spot, too, sometimes resting there with his mouth agape (no bubbles, clicking, wheezing, mucous, etc- I am not currently suspecting pneumonia) which is not something I've seen with him before. I'm worried he's trying to raise his temperature to help fight off something. He is also grumpier; he gaped and hissed at me this morning, which is the first time he has ever done so. He just seems not himself, and I'd rather get to the vet earlier and find nothing wrong, then wait and see and suddenly he's skinny and dehydrated and very sick.

Anyways. He is NOT going to be happy with me. Oh well.
 
Is he starting a shed? It may be nothing to worry about, but I agree with the finding out nothing and taking him now than waiting too long theory. Hopefully everything is ok with your little baby boy. >.<
 
....

Actually, you might be right. He is due for a shed in the next 2 weeks or so. That didn't even occur to me. Sometimes I'm a doofus.

The vet didn't find anything wrong- even took x-rays and his bones are good and strong! No signs of MBD, pneumonia, mouth rot, injuries, parasites, or anything else. In fact, my vet said he is the healthiest looking chameleon to ever walk in the doors :p

Also possibly the angriest. He is busy glaring at me from the very back of his cage. Poor boy Oh well, at least I know his bones are good! That's good news.
 
Well at least he's a healthy boy ^^ it's always good to get a check up lol XD. I would keep a watch on him just in case but I bet he's going to shed ^^
 
Uh yeah. I'm a doofus. He shed. Didn't eat for six days, though, four before and two after. So weird. Didn't lose weight, was still drinking. Oh well. I guess I'll know better next time.

At work, I'm chill as a cucumber when something goes wrong with the chams. At home, I'm just a mess! :p
 
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