Okay so I got a 9 month old male veiled a bit over a week ago. To my horror when I went to mist him this morning he was laying in the bottom of his enclosure dead! He had been eating about 8 crickets a day supplemented with Calcium and with Calcium + D3 once a week. He had been eating, and drinking daily. I wonder if there was something I missed. His color was good, eyes looked fine. He didn't seem to be in any distress. The only thing I noticed that was surprising was that he was eating some of his Pothos, which I repotted with organic fertilizer and had thoroughly washed before placing it in his enclosure. I had a 60 watt basking light and a uvb light as well which were on for about 12 hours a day. Does anyone have any idea as to what could have caused this? I am mortified and I don't plan to rush to replace him until I can figure out what was the problem. He was my first chameleon although I have owned other snakes and a few lizards which lived out healthy and normal lifespans. I don't rush into situations I have not researched and thought out. I truly feel disheartened and don't know what I could have done better.
What could I have missed?
- Thread starter Jmdotson
- Start date
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
Most likely he came with some unknown illness before you got him. One week in your care and from what you described the way it was set up should not have been detrimental to his death. If he ate something poisonous like an insect or plant that was toxic that is a possibility, but pothos are safe and you said you thoroughly cleaned it. We have had owners who have had chamneleons just pass suddenly for no apparent reason. One had a necropsy done and the chameleon had an enlarged heart. Honestly, from what you said it does not sound like anything you did contributed to his death. I am sorry for your loss and hope this does not discourage you from future chameleon ownership.
laurie
Retired Moderator
I am so sorry you last your cham. I have kept chams for years, I am always learning, and trying to better how I care for my chams. I just lost my sweet TJ last Friday. You most likely received a cham who already had a problem, I didn't and can't explain what happened to TJ, but I must have let him down in some way.
This is the thread, just read what happened. Hopefully you will feel better and know you can & should try again to give a cham a good home.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/tj-off-6-hour-drive-vet-104827/
This is the thread, just read what happened. Hopefully you will feel better and know you can & should try again to give a cham a good home.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/tj-off-6-hour-drive-vet-104827/
little leaf
Avid Member
not to take away from this thread- but Laurie - you STOP- you are one of the MOST dedicated people I know to their animals- and you are a fountain of knowledge - and a pretty darn good walkingstick egg picker too
- it is like what happened to this little guy- you both gave them everything they needed - but sometimes THEY just seem to fail, not you - Jmdotson, dont give up - it is heartbreaking to lose them, and you could go crazy trying to figure out what happened - it is good you care enough to try to figure it out- but I agree, he must have had an issue before you got him- this is the BEST place to learn, and I still think of myself as " new " to chams, but with each one, you learn more and more- and get more addicted
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