Worried :-(

[harmona1]

Starting to get worried about my little guy DaVinci (4-6mo old Panther). I've had him 5 days now, and he's only eaten well once (Tuesday, when we were outside and he was catching his own food). He'd been alert though, and I'd been patiently waiting on all the insects I ordered from various places to be delivered, hoping something would strike his fancy. Well, this morning he didn't even open his eyes when I turned his lights on or misted the cage. He perked up a bit when I took him outside, but wasn't showing any interest in the roly polies or the flies everywhere. His eyes are even more sunken than before. AND I discovered a problem with his left front leg that I hadn't noticed before. It seems weaker than the other limbs and he won't fully extend it.

We have a vet appt this afternoon, but I'm not all that confident she'll be able to do much for him. That clinic is one of the better ones for exotics, but it doesn't sound like anyone there has extensive reptile experience. Depending on what she says, I may start calling places in Indianapolis when I get home and try to get him in somewhere tomorrow.

Will update when we get home. Please send healthy vibes his way!!!

 

[Elizadolots]

I'll be thinking good thoughts. I look forward to your update.

 

[carol5208]

wishing you good luck! Let us know what the vet says.

 

[cstorms]

Good luck to DaVinci. Do you think it could have something to do with what he ate outside? I am a new owner and I have been very paranoid about mine eating bugs from outside.

Aren't flies bad for chameleons because they feed on fecal matter? Maybe some types are ok, but is there a chance he ate something bad?

 

[froggielog]

Aw best of luck DaVinci! Well wishes for a full recovery

 

[harmona1]

Not looking good

Well, it doesn't look good. Vet said he's most likely been sick a long time. She must have said six times "he's just so thin." He only weighed 27 grams. She gave him sub-q fluids and sent home some Oxbow Critical Care (though it's for herbivores, but I guess getting him to eat anything at this point is good?) to syringe feed him, but there wasn't much else she could do except print out a bunch of cham info for me and tell me repeatedly that chams are hard to keep. She said she didn't know if he would make it, and wished me luck. (Did get to see him hiss for the first time while he was being manhandled.)

She DID suggest a rep vet in Indianapolis that she refers tough cases to, and it happens to be one of the two I was going to contact anyway. So I called up there as soon as I left. They didn't have any appointments open til next week, but said that it sounded like he was in such bad shape that I could drop him off in the morning and they'd work him in sometime tomorrow.

So I syringe fed him about 2.5 mL of the Critical Care and will give him more water later. Tonight I have to get to bed early so I can get up super early to feed him again and and drive him all the way over there by the time the clinic opens. I REALLY hope the Doc can fix him up. It will absolutely kill me to lose him. It's only been 5 days, but I am VERY attached!!!!

 

[froggielog]

Awww Im sure he will make it, he seems pretty hardy.
In the mean time you could feed him bug juice...It well bugs grinded up in a liquid form in a food processor, fed through a syringe....Gross but it is worth it to get some food into him.

I would just take him outside and give him a longggg shower.

Did the vet give any cause? Or was this just to send you on your way?

He sounds like a fighter, Maybe it was fate bringing him to you b/c you would take care of him well

 

[Dr O]

you don't need to name names if you prefer not to, but I assume that he is captive born and not wild caught? At the very least he should be checked for parasites as well.

 

[carol5208]

keep taking him out in the sun if weather permits. Natural UVB is very good for them. I know it has been hot up there though! Good luck and I hope he makes it!

 

[harmona1]

you don't need to name names if you prefer not to, but I assume that he is captive born and not wild caught? At the very least he should be checked for parasites as well.

Actually I don't know. He came from a dealer at an exotics expo who said he'd had him about 2 weeks. I was so excited that I actually an across a Panther that I didn't think to ask the guy at the time where he came from. The vet thought he was older than the guy told me, too. Isn't it funny how when you see something you want, all the tips and rules you had set for acquiring a chameleon go out the window? I'm half kicking myself for buying him at all, but then the other half of me wonders how long he would have made it otherwise.

 

[Dr O]

Actually I don't know. He came from a dealer at an exotics expo who said he'd had him about 2 weeks. I was so excited that I actually an across a Panther that I didn't think to ask the guy at the time where he came from. The vet thought he was older than the guy told me, too.

yeahhh........ I am glad that you will be seeing a vet with more experience!

 

[harmona1]

yeahhh........ I am glad that you will be seeing a vet with more experience!

The doc I saw today said this woman can work wonders on reptiles. I'm just not sure he'll make it til morning. I cannot believe how quickly he's gone downhill.

 

[harmona1]

I am crushed.

He didn't make it. I guess it was a good thing I could sleep a wink tonight, because I was holding him at the very end. I just can't believe the sudden crash and how quickly he deteriorated afterward.

 

[Rambully]

Im so sorry to hear he didn't make it! Sorry for your loss

 

[reptoman]

Sorry for your loss. These guys are very fragile and can go downhill quickly once something gets a hold of them. I hope you try again and have a more positive experience.

 

[Trillian]

I'm so sorry you lost him, I second what Reptoman says, please try again.

Am I right in remembering you got him from an expo? I bought 3 chameleons from similar places, all of them I felt I was rescuing because they looked so unhappy. I found out later that they were all wild-caught and very recent imports (yours was probably captive-bred) and that nothing I could have done could have saved them. They all died within a few weeks. A wonderful member on here said that she found it so sad when good keepers had a bad experience and just couldn't bear to keep chameleons again, when in reality they did everything right.

I researched for months after my third bad experience (I'm a slow learner!) which is why I've been on this board months but only had a chameleon for a few days! I read what everyone else recommended new keepers and prospective keepers, followed dozens of stories of rescues similar to mine and realised why it isn't always the kindest thing to do to rescue.

This week my first planned chameleon arrived, bred by Reptoman! She is wonderful and because I'm not jumping in with a sickly animal, I'm happy to let her acclimate to her new environment without panicking if I don't see her eat or drink. It's a completely different experience.

Please try again when you feel ready.

 

[Psychobunny]

Awww, I am so sorry you lost him
That is so heartbreaking.

Dont give up on chams though.
I would suggest getting your next one from a breeder with a sterling reputation, even though it will likely cost a little more, it's worth it for sheer piece of mind.
A breeder like the Kammer's for example.

 

[froggielog]

When your ready....

Chamalot Chameleons has some brilliant ambilobes and ambanjas...

 

[Dr O]

If you have the information I would try and contact the person that you bought him from only five days ago. If he is reputable at all, he would want to know and may offer you some compensation. If he's not, well at least you tried.

I am so sorry for your loss. But it looks like you have been doing the right thing from the get-go, so I hope that you don't give up but try again whenever the time is right for you.