Zelda Is Still Hanging In There...

Breezy9

Breezy9

New Member
So...Where do I begin since the last time I checked in?

Zelda was touch and go there for a couple days (still not out of the woods yet). Pretty sure we started the antibiotics just in time to save her. She's still a bit weak but alert and not "napping" as much. Today she got her 2nd dose of antibiotics while drinking droplets off of the spray bottle for over 20 mins! lol. She also was getting a bit mad at me-opening her mouth-because I was checking her out maybe a bit too long, so I quickly grabbed a cricket and put it in! She ate it so I did it once more and then I think she caught on to my trick. Clever Girl!:rolleyes:

I've been watching her from afar since then and she has drank a bit more water but still not eating on her own. I'M SO HAPPY that I was able to get a decent amount of antibiotics and some food/water into her that I could seriously CRY. :)


P.S. I went to look at chameleons with my friend yesterday (for her, not me-not yet) and I saw a 10 month old male veiled that I just had to hold. Long story short, the thing was a monster and bit me!!! My first chameleon bite EVER. Luckily, it was in the meat just below my thumb on the palm of my hand so it wasn't too bad. He didn't break the skin but I do have a nice heart shaped mark now. lol. The breeder was so surprised that I didn't fling him off of me. I just waited for the cham to let go while thinking, "so this is what it feels like/it's not as bad as I thought/glad it wasn't my finger" all at the same time. lol. Just thought I'd share!:p
 
Glad to hear that Zelda is showing some improvement. May she continue to improve. Keep up the good work with her.
 
Thank you Jannb! Keeping my fingers crossed but she looks absolutely terrible at the moment. I can't even tell with her anymore. She's great one minute and then terrible the next. If she's not going to make it I almost wish she'd just let go already. I know it sounds terrible but I'd rather her not be suffering while I string her along, you know? :(
 
Breezy9 said:
Thank you Jannb! Keeping my fingers crossed but she looks absolutely terrible at the moment. I can't even tell with her anymore. She's great one minute and then terrible the next. If she's not going to make it I almost wish she'd just let go already. I know it sounds terrible but I'd rather her not be suffering while I string her along, you know? :(
Click to expand...

Have to took her to a qualified chameleon vet yet? That could make all the difference in the world.
 
Yes. She just needs to EAT something and drink otherwise the MBD is under control with the correct supplement schedule and the respiratory infection is definitely improving. She actually drank more out of the spray bottle. For about 20 mins this evening then perked up again.
Her lights are going off soon...SHE'S KILLING ME! lol. I hope she looks even better tomorrow morning. As long as I can keep popping some crickets in her mouth every day, I'm hoping she will be less weak.
 
I am glad she is improving slowly. I have been waiting for an update after the other day when you thought she was dying. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she continues to improve and you can get some food and water into her. Good luck.
 
Zelda is MUCH stronger today!!! She drank for about half an hour off the spray bottle today and I was able to pop 2 more crickets in her mouth again. She's due for more antibiotics tomorrow (every 48 hours) and hopefully more drinking/popping crix sessions then!
 
GOOD reactions, I think! She is ALMOST back to normal today! I can't believe it! She is drinking on her own (plus I give her water droplets from the spray bottle 2-3x daily), but still not eating on her own. This morning she had her antibiotics, approx 7mls of water, and I popped 2 more crix. She didn't try to "spit" them out like she did yesterday and the day before. This time she chomped them right down so I'm hoping she will be eating on her own within the next few days.

Here are some pics from today. The difference makes me so hopeful...

Zelda2 5-20-13.jpg

Zelda 5-20-13.jpg
 
This is Zelda's 3rd day of improvement. She is no longer rallying between looking terrible and looking slightly better.

I do have to say that all of this has been so much work! Not that I mind but, WHOA! I feel a little bad for my 2 daughters because I've been so involved with Zelda. Luckily, they love her as much as I do so they understand.

Also, in a weird way, thank goodness for the MBD! That's what made me start watching her more closely and posting that something was a bit off with her. Thank goodness for everyone's help with Zelda! She owes her life to all of you who have helped me, especially Jannb. I know we aren't totally out of the woods yet but at least I can see a very green clearing...with lots of bugs for Zelda to "hunt" and chomp!
 
YES! She is VERY alert! Still resting a lot but her eyes are open most of the time now following everything.:D
 
I was following your progress with Zelda, going through pretth much the same with our baby beardie that also have mbd due to incorrect set up in the petshop. I'm so glad that she is better, gives me hope for little Rogef as well. Good luck with the road forward, and it's great that she made such good recovery
 
Thank you so much! I really hope Zelda continues to improve and trust me, I KNOW it's A LOT of work with a sick reptile. I wish you the best of luck with Rodeg! Please let me know how it goes! Just take every day as it comes and do what you can!
;-)
 
There is a definite difference. Well done on bringing her back to health. You have done a brilliant job and so has Zelda. I hope she continues to improve but she is going in the right direction :)
 
Zelda is on her 4th straight day of improvement! It was extremely humid and in the 80s on Long Island (southern NY) and I felt Zelda had made such an improvement that I felt comfortable bringing her outside to hang out with me while my kids played. Rather than sit in her terrarium with simulated conditions, why not bring her outside for the real thing! lol. She's continuing to do wonderfully and I am so hopeful for a full recovery now. She is drinking like a champ on her own but she's still not eating on her own. She did, however, practically chomped my finger off while I was popping (3 crix today!) because she wanted them so bad. She's still not eating on her own but there aren't many crix in the cage with her because they were picking on her while she was really weak and couldn't fight them off on her own. Tomorrow I will get her small crix so we can start off slow. I am such a happy chameleon mommy right now! I can't believe what she's gone through. I'm so proud of her! :D

Thank you all for your kind words! I couldn't have done this without your support and advice!
 
More of Zelda's colors are back this morning and she continues to do great! She is due for more antibiotics today (every 48 hours). I will also be getting smaller crix today. She was eating medium size before she was sick. I haven't been worried about the MBD part of her illness because I needed her to get well and eat on her own first. Now that she's doing better I can get correct my supplementation schedule. Hopefully she will eat the smaller crix on her own today or tomorrow.
 
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