Wild caught
- Thread starter Vilk14
- Start date
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’m not experienced in wc chams, however I would imagine a wellness check with a good vet and most definitely a fecal to check for parasites would be in order.
Be careful if it has parasites that it's treated properly. If they have a really heavy load and you kill them all at once, they become "garbage" that the chameleon's system has to deal with and it can cause an overload and death.
Some wild caught some will do well and some have difficulty acclimating so try not to stress it out too much when you first get it. Getting here will have been stress enough.
I used to give them a bit of time before I took them to the vet as long as they seemed healthy. Vet visits are stressful too.
Some wild caught some will do well and some have difficulty acclimating so try not to stress it out too much when you first get it. Getting here will have been stress enough.
I used to give them a bit of time before I took them to the vet as long as they seemed healthy. Vet visits are stressful too.
Vilk14
New Member
I bought it from a morph market store they claim they had it for 3 months i also asked if they did any parasite treatment they said no that he had no sighns or reason to but ive had him for 2 days know he walking normal no damage ,eyes are nice and perky no dehydration and he is eating good should i still do the vet check ? And thanks for the info
Vilk14
New Member
Oh and he dosent sleep during the day eyes are always open till about 8:30 9 ish as all my chams do
The vet visit is something you're going to have to decide. It's not a decision I want to make for you. What follows may help you decide.
The vet check will at least show whether the chameleon has parasites or not. If the vet will allow you to have a fecal done without having to take the chameleon in for a checkup it's sometimes the best idea because you don't have to stress the chameleon out by taking it in when it's already likely stressed.
With WC's, parasite loads can be heavy (if they do have parasites) because the stress allows/causes the parasites to "bloom" (increase in numbers). Waiting to go to the vet so that it can have time to settle in first can allow the "bloom" to die down....but the "bloom" can also kill the chameleon. IMHO it's always a crap shoot with a WC.
Treating them when it is a "bloom" has to be done carefully....as I explained above.
Good luck!
The vet check will at least show whether the chameleon has parasites or not. If the vet will allow you to have a fecal done without having to take the chameleon in for a checkup it's sometimes the best idea because you don't have to stress the chameleon out by taking it in when it's already likely stressed.
With WC's, parasite loads can be heavy (if they do have parasites) because the stress allows/causes the parasites to "bloom" (increase in numbers). Waiting to go to the vet so that it can have time to settle in first can allow the "bloom" to die down....but the "bloom" can also kill the chameleon. IMHO it's always a crap shoot with a WC.
Treating them when it is a "bloom" has to be done carefully....as I explained above.
Good luck!
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Personally, I take all of my animals for wellness checks and fecals. Especially when I bring in a new animal that could spread something nasty to my other animals.
Fecal check like asap... And a check up with a good reptile vet that knows chams. They carry parasites some are much much worse then others... If you have other chams then it becomes a cross contamination risk as well. Parasites are internal so their excuse of no reason to is kinda a bunch of BS.
Some reading for you...
Notice he says SAMPLE should be taken....
"A fresh fecal sample should be taken to a vet"""...
"In some species blood born parasites are more prevalent and must be diagnosed through blood tests"...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/04NovDescamps.html
" I dont agree with treating fresh wc's for parasites until they have had a chance to get acclimated first and get those numbers of parasites under control naturally before doing the worming"...
" A lot of keepers wait a few weeks or months to give the animal a chance to settle in before beginning any medical treatments as the medications are often as hard on the animals as the parasites themselves"...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/wild-caught-chameleons-please-help.58463/
https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-18-wild-caught-chameleons-acclimation/
Don't want to swamp you....so I'll quit now.
BTW...I didn't just look this up and post it...I lived it. When I first started keeping chameleons they were almost all WC.
Some of you younger keepers wouldn't believe the condition they came in to us in.
Notice he says SAMPLE should be taken....
"A fresh fecal sample should be taken to a vet"""...
"In some species blood born parasites are more prevalent and must be diagnosed through blood tests"...
http://www.chameleonnews.com/04NovDescamps.html
" I dont agree with treating fresh wc's for parasites until they have had a chance to get acclimated first and get those numbers of parasites under control naturally before doing the worming"...
" A lot of keepers wait a few weeks or months to give the animal a chance to settle in before beginning any medical treatments as the medications are often as hard on the animals as the parasites themselves"...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/wild-caught-chameleons-please-help.58463/
https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-18-wild-caught-chameleons-acclimation/
Don't want to swamp you....so I'll quit now.
BTW...I didn't just look this up and post it...I lived it. When I first started keeping chameleons they were almost all WC.
Some of you younger keepers wouldn't believe the condition they came in to us in.
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