5-yr-old Veiled not looking so great

[Chloe Chameleon]

Hi. For a couple of months my male veiled chameleon has been shedding frequently (almost constantly to some degree). I now see he has no urates in his cage and upon reflection, this has decreased. We live in arid Colorado, so I have a small humidifyiner near his cage and and have been giving him a short spray of warm water daily thinking he's dehydrated...He is moving less and his colors seem dull. I do get the sense that if I pinched his skin it would not go back into shape. He's still eating well. (I have a misting system and change a small bowl of water in his cage daily)

 

[Beman]

Hi there. You only want to use room temp water. Can you post some pics of him and his enclosure?

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

Just took these. Great to know about room temp - I was definitely going with warm water!

 

[Beman]

So if you are dealing with a dry climate the enclosure he is in is not going to help with holding humidity levels. Per the shedding. Has he been eating more lately?

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

So if you are dealing with a dry climate the enclosure he is in is not going to help with holding humidity levels. Per the shedding. Has he been eating more lately?

So if you are dealing with a dry climate the enclosure he is in is not going to help with holding humidity levels. Per the shedding. Has he been eating more lately?

Hmm, hard to say, as I have a feeding schedule that's pretty regular. Typically one day on and one day off as you informed me a few months ago he was fat! So yesterday I gave him 2 sikworms - often I give him only one - with calcium yesterday and he ate both. I did give him a small piece of strawberry this morning that he ate very tquickly as usual (I do that less than once a week, sometimes not even once a month, but he just loves them). I have had a sense of strong appetite (looking for food, going to it soon) but his actual intake has not increased due to limited access.

 

[Beman]

Hmm, hard to say, as I have a feeding schedule that's pretty regular. Typically one day on and one day off as you informed me a few months ago he was fat! So yesterday I gave him 2 sikworms - often I give him only one - with calcium yesterday and he ate both. I did give him a small piece of strawberry this morning that he ate very tquickly as usual (I do that less than once a week, sometimes not even once a month, but he just loves them). I have had a sense of strong appetite (looking for food, going to it soon) but his actual intake has not increased due to limited access.

So you really should not be feeding him fruit or veg. Their bodies do not process it especially fruit. They are insectivores so to add the fruit and the sugars from it you could compromise his system. I know he likes them but it really is not healthy for him.

He still looks overweight from the pics you provided. What are your actual basking temps? Basking temps can impact their metabolism making them more hungry.

Per the shedding. It can take longer if he is not getting the ambient humidity he needs or if humidity levels are too high. Having all live plants in the cage would help with this. Note the fake plants in the cage are particularly dangerous with veileds. They can suffer an impaction should they get pieces off.

At his age making sure he is hydrated is extremely important. They can end up dealing with renal failure due to lack of proper hydration. So ensuring you have a dripper going so he can drink from leaves would be important. They drink from moving water not standing water. So having a bowl is not recommended as a hydration method for chameleons.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

Hmm, hard to say, as I have a feeding schedule that's pretty regular. Typically one day on and one day off as you informed me a few months ago he was fat! So yesterday I gave him 2 sikworms - often I give him only one - with calcium yesterday and he ate both. I did give him a small piece of strawberry this morning that he ate very tquickly as usual (I do that less than once a week, sometimes not even once a month, but he just loves them). I have had a sense of strong appetite (looking for food, going to it soon) but his actual intake has not increased due to limited access.

So you really should not be feeding him fruit or veg. Their bodies do not process it especially fruit. They are insectivores so to add the fruit and the sugars from it you could compromise his system. I know he likes them but it really is not healthy for him.

He still looks overweight from the pics you provided. What are your actual basking temps? Basking temps can impact their metabolism making them more hungry.

Per the shedding. It can take longer if he is not getting the ambient humidity he needs or if humidity levels are too high. Having all live plants in the cage would help with this. Note the fake plants in the cage are particularly dangerous with veileds. They can suffer an impaction should they get pieces off.

At his age making sure he is hydrated is extremely important. They can end up dealing with renal failure due to lack of proper hydration. So ensuring you have a dripper going so he can drink from leaves would be important. They drink from moving water not standing water. So having a bowl is not recommended as a hydration method for chameleons.

Early on I had a fountain (got rid of it per your advice), and I've tried dripping systems but he's never drunk from them (that I've seen). I moved back to standing water as that seems to be what he prefers. I'll let go of the strawberries. Basking temp ranges from 83-90. We are in a drafty old Victorian in winter so temps really vary. Down to about 63- 64 at night. Just now I saw a new urate (pic attached). I switched to a larger humidifier about a half hour ago (see pic) and a few minutes later, he'd become very pale (attached pic but it doesn't do the paleness justice). I'm thinking he doesn't like the humidifier? Wish I were a mind reader but thank God for this forum. Oh, the bottom plants are all live and safe for chameleons, however I've never seen him eat or even touch any of the plants live or artificial. No nibbles on the leaves, etc ever.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

Early on I had a fountain (got rid of it per your advice), and I've tried dripping systems but he's never drunk from them (that I've seen). I moved back to standing water as that seems to be what he prefers. I'll let go of the strawberries. Basking temp ranges from 83-90. We are in a drafty old Victorian in winter so temps really vary. Down to about 63- 64 at night. Just now I saw a new urate (pic attached). I switched to a larger humidifier about a half hour ago (see pic) and a few minutes later, he'd become very pale (attached pic but it doesn't do the paleness justice). I'm thinking he doesn't like the humidifier? Wish I were a mind reader but thank God for this forum. Oh, the bottom plants are all live and safe for chameleons, however I've never seen him eat or even touch any of the plants live or artificial. No nibbles on the leaves, etc ever.

So you really should not be feeding him fruit or veg. Their bodies do not process it especially fruit. They are insectivores so to add the fruit and the sugars from it you could compromise his system. I know he likes them but it really is not healthy for him.

He still looks overweight from the pics you provided. What are your actual basking temps? Basking temps can impact their metabolism making them more hungry.

Per the shedding. It can take longer if he is not getting the ambient humidity he needs or if humidity levels are too high. Having all live plants in the cage would help with this. Note the fake plants in the cage are particularly dangerous with veileds. They can suffer an impaction should they get pieces off.

At his age making sure he is hydrated is extremely important. They can end up dealing with renal failure due to lack of proper hydration. So ensuring you have a dripper going so he can drink from leaves would be important. They drink from moving water not standing water. So having a bowl is not recommended as a hydration method for chameleons.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

I'll hook up a dripping system again just in case. Why not.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

Early on I had a fountain (got rid of it per your advice), and I've tried dripping systems but he's never drunk from them (that I've seen). I moved back to standing water as that seems to be what he prefers. I'll let go of the strawberries. Basking temp ranges from 83-90. We are in a drafty old Victorian in winter so temps really vary. Down to about 63- 64 at night. Just now I saw a new urate (pic attached). I switched to a larger humidifier about a half hour ago (see pic) and a few minutes later, he'd become very pale (attached pic but it doesn't do the paleness justice). I'm thinking he doesn't like the humidifier? Wish I were a mind reader but thank God for this forum. Oh, the bottom plants are all live and safe for chameleons, however I've never seen him eat or even nibble them. He doesn't hang out in he leaves generally.

 

[Beman]

Ok Per the fountain they are not my preference... However with his age if that is what he is used to put it back in, just make sure you are cleaning it everyday and adding clean water. His urate is showing dehydration. Which we want to avoid especially at his age.

For basking temps 90 is going to be way too hot. Your looking for 80-85 max.

With the humidifier do not have it aimed at the cage during the day you can have it aimed in the room though to increase ambient day time humidity. With it aimed at the cage with the heat lamps this can lead to a respiratory infection. This is fine to have aimed at the cage at night due to the colder temps.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

Ok, super helpful as usual. I'll remove one of the heating lamps which should bring it to the desired temp. Re: fountain, I don't mean to use that (got slimy quickly and didn't feel confident re: sanitation). Right now he could drink off leaves that get wet with the mister if he wanted to (never seen him do it though), and I'll continue to use the small water bowl with daily cleanings. I'll move the humidifier but keep it going in the general area. What do you think about the daily spritzing?

 

[Beman]

Ok, super helpful as usual. I'll remove one of the heating lamps which should bring it to the desired temp. Re: fountain, I don't mean to use that (got slimy quickly and didn't feel confident re: sanitation). Right now he could drink off leaves that get wet with the mister if he wanted to (never seen him do it though), and I'll continue to use the small water bowl with daily cleanings. I'll move the humidifier but keep it going in the general area. What do you think about the daily spritzing?

Sounds good. for hydration it may be hard to get him to understand since he is older. Just keep trying different methods.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

Oh no, I think he may be dying. We was under his basking ligh this morning, now lying in this bizare way not moving (see his eyes moving). He's lying on top of a magnetised feeder dish.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

Oh no, I think he may be dying. We was under his basking ligh this morning, now lying in this bizare way not moving (see his eyes moving). He's lying on top of a magnetised feeder dish.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

This is really hard - not sure what to do (and beating myself for not catching dehydration sooner). Should I turn off his lights - looked like he was crawling away from his basking area. ?

 

[Beman]

This is really hard - not sure what to do (and beating myself for not catching dehydration sooner). Should I turn off his lights - looked like he was crawling away from his basking area. ?

So I do not know that it is dehydration... He is old for a Veiled at 5 years old. He is a bit overweight which can compromise organ function especially as they get older.

Is he able to stand or just laying? His body may be shutting down.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

So I turned off his lights/lamp, came back after posting and he's up! Maybe trying to get to his sleeping spot? So I turned everything back on, no doubt stressing him which is the last thing I want to do. What's the best thing for him at this point? Should I try a last-ditch hydration measure or is this just how a 5-yr-old+ chameleon dies?

 

[Beman]

So I turned off his lights/lamp, came back after posting and he's up! Maybe trying to get to his sleeping spot? So I turned everything back on, no doubt stressing him which is the last thing I want to do. What's the best thing for him at this point? Should I try a last-ditch hydration measure or is this just how a 5-yr-old+ chameleon dies?

So he is not showing the typical signs of a dying chameleon. Eye turrets are normally the giveaway for this. They will start becoming very sunk in. Maybe he just lost his footing and fell. When they start to decline most commonly this is not a quick process. It can take days.

Providing proper hydration regardless would be important.

 

[Chloe Chameleon]

So he is not showing the typical signs of a dying chameleon. Eye turrets are normally the giveaway for this. They will start becoming very sunk in. Maybe he just lost his footing and fell. When they start to decline most commonly this is not a quick process. It can take days.

Providing proper hydration regardless would be important.

Days...oh boy. Thanks as always.