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BunnyGirl

BunnyGirl

New Member
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Full Screen, 24x24x48 Reptibreeze Cage. Just put him in it yesterday
Lighting - (Strip light)Reptisun 5.0 UVB, and 50w Exo terra Basking light
Temperature - Not posetive, since cage is new, haven't been able to read it yet.
Humidity - High, I mist twice a day, have a humdifier going all day, the humidifier has a gauge it is on high, I haven't been able to get a reading on actual humidity yet
Plants - 1 Large Rubber plant, putting a swedish Ivy in there as soon as I can figure out how to hang it.
Placement - In my bedroom, low traffic. not near any vents. He is about four feet from a window, but it has no draft. he is directly on the ground so max cage height is 4 feet
Location - Seacoast of New Hampshire

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Ambanja Panther, approx 8 months, had him for about a month
Handling - almost never. When I clean, or need to move him
Feeding - (trying to feed) Silworms, Crickets, wax worms, hornworms
Supplements - Rep-Cal Herptivite, Rep Cal Calcium with and without D3, miner all o, and vitamin A
Watering - Mist three minutes 2 times a day, He does drink once a day I watch him. I have a humidifier going all day long.
Fecal Description - None, He hasn't eaten anything n atleast two weeks, so none at all. He does pee it is mostly white with a tiny but of yellow
History - NONE
Current Problem - When I first got him he would eat a tiny bit, maybe once or twice a week. The last two weeks he hasn't eaten anything, He did shed the end of last week. I took him to the vets on friday,and he said there was nothing wrong with him just that he was thin and small for his age. He was very active then, and had been active since the vet visit, he won't move. He only opens his eyes if I pick him up and fiddle with him, He won't move to bask, he only moves to drink then goes back to sleep. He has one eye he opens when I pick him up, It takes alot of annoyence for him to open the other one. I need to force feed him, but i cannot get his mouth open and he doesn't open it wide enough when he hisses for me to get something in there. I NEED HELP I have spent so much money and time and I have put my heart into this little thing. I need advice on what to do.
 
Your husbandry sounds pretty perfect to me. I'm somewhat surprised your vet said there was nothing wrong with him.

The fact that he's so lethargic is worrisome. I'm thinking a vet and a stool sample?

The fact that you've only had him a month, and he went on a hunger strike two weeks after you got him suggests to me that he may have had a stressful transition, which might have gotten him sick? Maybe he's not adjusting well to his new home?

Accurate temperature readings would definitely help.
 
How come you can't read the temperature, you don't have a thermometer?

Also, sounds like your guy has been going through alot of transition lately. Between all the new cages he has been through, and a move to the new house, I would imagine stress is a major factor.

Did his fecal come out parasite free?

btw, Double posting is kind of a no-no for forum etiquitte. I know you are worried, but its like 8:30am on a thursday. People are at work and school, you should give people a chance to respond before making a bunch of threads. Trust me they will respond, just give them time to actually do it.
 
It sounds kinda similar to a problem I had.. Since the husbandry is good it may be his lighting.

Is the UVB light in the same spot of his basking light.

When I started, I first had them in two separate spots, so when my guy would bask, he wouldnt get UVB. If so, try putting them together

As for now though, it sounds like pedialyte would be a good start. Id recommend waiting for others opinions on this matter though since im no expert
 
Well, I think your vet missed something. I would get another opinion. 8 month old chams should be eating you out of house and home. Something is wrong. A combination of blood/fecal testing should get to the source of the problem.
I know that costs more money, but you need to get to the source of the problem quickly.
 
BunnyGirl said:
Cage Info:
Cage Type - Full Screen, 24x24x48 Reptibreeze Cage. Just put him in it yesterday
Lighting - (Strip light)Reptisun 5.0 UVB, and 50w Exo terra Basking light
Temperature - Not posetive, since cage is new, haven't been able to read it yet.
Humidity - High, I mist twice a day, have a humdifier going all day, the humidifier has a gauge it is on high, I haven't been able to get a reading on actual humidity yet
Plants - 1 Large Rubber plant, putting a swedish Ivy in there as soon as I can figure out how to hang it.
Placement - In my bedroom, low traffic. not near any vents. He is about four feet from a window, but it has no draft. he is directly on the ground so max cage height is 4 feet
Location - Seacoast of New Hampshire

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Ambanja Panther, approx 8 months, had him for about a month
Handling - almost never. When I clean, or need to move him
Feeding - (trying to feed) Silworms, Crickets, wax worms, hornworms
Supplements - Rep-Cal Herptivite, Rep Cal Calcium with and without D3, miner all o, and vitamin A
Watering - Mist three minutes 2 times a day, He does drink once a day I watch him. I have a humidifier going all day long.
Fecal Description - None, He hasn't eaten anything n atleast two weeks, so none at all. He does pee it is mostly white with a tiny but of yellow
History - NONE
Current Problem - When I first got him he would eat a tiny bit, maybe once or twice a week. The last two weeks he hasn't eaten anything, He did shed the end of last week. I took him to the vets on friday,and he said there was nothing wrong with him just that he was thin and small for his age. He was very active then, and had been active since the vet visit, he won't move. He only opens his eyes if I pick him up and fiddle with him, He won't move to bask, he only moves to drink then goes back to sleep. He has one eye he opens when I pick him up, It takes alot of annoyence for him to open the other one. I need to force feed him, but i cannot get his mouth open and he doesn't open it wide enough when he hisses for me to get something in there. I NEED HELP I have spent so much money and time and I have put my heart into this little thing. I need advice on what to do.
Click to expand...

out of the blue thats what mine was doing. he got better after i gave him a rather large dose of preformed Vitamin A, and took him outside for 2 hours a day for a week. hes now fine, and pissy again :p

Jim (Chameleon Company) has a really good Vitamin A solution i would pm him
 
Sadly I have more experience than I would like with force feeding.

This is what I do.

Get the feeders and supplement you plan on giving the Cham. Get a small mortar & pestle. Also get a large syringe at the drugstore. The kind that they use to give babies medication. Sometimes if you ask the pharmacist will give you one free.

Pound up the feeders into a consistent bug soup. Add a couple drops of water if it doesn't look hydrated enough. Think baby food consistency. Spoon it into the end of the syringe with the plunger removed. Slowly put the plunger back in and push the bug soup towards the top. Get your cham's mouth open and give it small mouthfuls. Wait until the animal swallows before doing it again. They won't be happy. Some spit it out until they realize you're not giving them something bad then they lick their lips and keep eating.

If the bug soup grosses you out go to the store and get baby food #2. Vegetables is good although I have used chicken and vegetables for the protein. Follow the syringe instructions above.

HTH
 
Thank you Lucky Karma. That helps alot! I cannot get live food inot his mouth at all. I am determined that he will not die. I am trying all I can to save him. I have no idea what happened. He seems to be having an eye issue of some sort. I am going out to the store to get the stuff then i am feeding him.
 
When my veiled had an eye problem I was suggested Vitamin A, I don't remember what the medicine was... Maybe edit:BAYTRIL! I believe.

edit: I'd like to add, upon reading about Crested Geckos(NOT CHAMELEONS, but I would assume it can be similar?) and the use of baby food, over time their bones became thin and weak, and it's high in sugar. I'll assume this won't be long term if you can't handle the bug juice, but I'd just like to add that.
 
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I just put vitamin A on his mouth and Think I got some in. I don't know it's really weird. One eye he will open some, The pupil is really small on both of them.
 
What are you using for vitamin A? The pupil is small..? Seems like something is too bright.
 
Syn. Please be careful on this. I have worked with baby food in emergency situation for years. Probably 7 years now. This is an emergency. I'm not suggesting she stay on this for the long term even though I've had to have chams on it for a month before I figured out the bug soup.

The animal needs nuitrition and needs it fast. Baby food also have good liquid to it and #2 will the the vitamin spectrum the animal needs. An overdose of vitamin A has long been discussed on this board so be careful recommending it.

Bunny Girl. Just get food into the animal. Immediately refrigerate the baby food once its opened and throw it out after 3 days. Open a new on after that. Hopefully in 3 days or so the animal will be picking up. Keep offering it live food and see what happens. You should be able to see the change.
 
I wasn't going to recommend any type of vitamin A, and even so the edit:BAYTRIL I received was prescribed by a vet.
I wanted to see what she was using and ask a friend on the forums if that is a usable type. Thanks.

Bunny I hope your little one gets better.
 
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I must have missed something here... How is it that suddenly Panacur is tied with Vitamin A? :confused:
Panacur or Fenbendazole is a drug to treat gastroinstestinal Parasites.
There is no vitamin A at all in Panacur nor will it treat hypovitaminosis A.

Since chameleon can overdose easily on vit A, you should proceed with caution.
Closing one eyes or both eyes can mean a lot of things... not just hypovitaminosis A.

My suggestion is to get a second opinion from another vet.
 
Thanks Fran. I meant to mention that in my post back to Syn.

I agree with Fran. Most likely your Cham needs some antibiotics. I suggested food only as sustenance while you get another vet appointment. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.
 
dodolah said:
I must have missed something here... How is it that suddenly Panacur is tied with Vitamin A? :confused:
Click to expand...

Oh fudge, it wasn't panacur, that's what I got for my bearded dragon.. I'm sorry about that, there was panacur and something else.. *zips mouth*

I went back to my old vet post.. It was actually Baytril, I'm so sorry about that.
 
Hello,
Okay, I gave him pedialyte, and #2 Baby Food. I know he atleast got pedilyte. I think he got a little baby food, He was sleeping so he was really angry with me. I will do this agian in the morning. How many times a day should I give this mixture to him (considering he eats some of it) and about how much? Sorry for all the questions, It's just this is my first Cham, and my other reptile have neer had a problem like this. Thank you everyone for your help!
 
Pedialyte is to combat dehydration. Is he dehydrated?

Just give him food once a day while you find another vet. You should know if he's eating it. If it goes in his mouth and doesn't come out - well.

About how much baby food did you give him?
 
Syn, Baytril is an antibiotic medication (commonly used for combating bacterial infection; i.e: URI/ LRI);
to my knowledge, it does not have anything to do with hypovitaminosis A.

Bunnygirl, if you really need to force feed him, perhaps Flukers ReptiAid (not to be confused with REPTAID) will do a bit better than baby food.

Or you can make your own bug juice.

Feeding: Bug Juice
created by Susan James and Ken Lopéz, DVM
Bug Juice Recipe
This recipe is the soley owned by the creators, Susan James and Ken Lopez.

Crushed or blended insects (Add only enough of the below ingredients to liquefy the crushed insects enough to draw into a syringe)
Ensure Plus,
Pedialyte,
Raw egg yolk,

Refrigerate remaining bug juice for no more than 48 hours. Discard if not used within two days.

I think you really should find another herpvet and ask for 2nd opinion.
 
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