donnak0125
New Member
Truly, Galileo is as happy as ever. She doesn't act any different, apart from she won't eat on her own.She is drinking on her own though.
She's showing no intentions of wanting to lay the rest of them naturally, sadly.
One of the best things you can do for now is make 100% for sure that your linear-tube bulb (you have a reptiglow, right?) is a 5.0 reptiglow uvb, and since she's not eating give her pediolite (sugar w/salts & water for infants at the grocery store). It will keep her from starving, when not eating important while she's possibly ill.
My female died the first part of January this year (~9mos old) because I thought I had the correct bulb but it was only a uva heat bulb. I found these forums too late to realize it was a deadly mistake. She died on the way to the vet clinic (80 mi. away). The vet told me he thought she died of complications caused by the incorrect lighting which worsened her condition during the time she tried to lay eggs.
I didn't realize how critical her condition was getting because she looked as beautiful as usual. She wasn't eating which I've read here is apparently fairly normal during egg-laying, but she hadn't eaten for two or three weeks only drank water & I'd just started her on pediolite but too late. Senior forum members say even if they don't eat they must drink even if you have to slowly force her with a dropper or syringe. Mine was also getting a "gular edema" too (big sac of fluid developing under her jaw), but i didn't know that was unusual. It looked similar to when she'd get mad/scared and blow up the skin sack under her bottom jaw to look intimidating, but with gular edema it stays that way 24 hours a day. That edema had grown very slowly over weeks so I hadn't noticed until it was big, but I still didn't realize it was a problem/illness. When it gets big like that it can make it impossible for a cham to swallow their food, eventually only liquid can get through the throat (as it grows it will cause death by choking, suffocation, and/or starvation). Mine began to stay on the floor of her cage a lot as well.
I've learned a lot from the forums since then, and I have a male that I have been able to get healthy. I bought him shortly before my female died to possibly breed w/her if she didn't lay eggs (she'd just failed at her second try). When I got him (an adult) he was already ill and had a seriously infected elbow. So, the vet was able to treat him & along with the husbandry changes I made, he is health finally!
I sure hope you can get things sorted out with you chameleon. I can tell you are very attached as I was to my female. Keep in touch, and privately message one of the senior forum members if you have questions or get worried. They are invaluable help, esp kinyonga who has responded to some of your questions on this tread (she just received an award here for being so helpful to other members). She's a quick responder too.
