Abnormal behavior

[Boba-faye]

Hello!
I have a 3 year old male veiled chameleon, named Yoda, with some progressing new behaviors.
I have a large mesh zoo med enclosure sitting on a window bench in my living room, consistent heat and humidity for the last 3 years, and a hurricane mister on a timer. Natural light as well as blue light/UVB bulb hood. Yoda also has a fake ficus for outside of cage activity. I feed him large crickets, dusted with calcium (no D3) almost daily, and large gut loaded super worms (his usual favorite). Recently I’ve notices his loss of balance and lack of appetite. It started a few weeks ago, he lost grip of a branch and almost fell. I thought maybe it was a fluke thing since he’s usually very active. But then it started happening more and more. This morning I found him hanging by one foot and cold. He let me help him up, I placed him up to his basking branch around the time his heat lamp turns on via timer. And btw, he’s not big on being handled, only on special occasions does he feel like being handled, usually I have to do so with a stick from his enclosure. (So it was odd for him to let me help him up this morning)
Worried about neurological issues...... any advice?
I have two local exotic vets in my area but I know being handled stresses him out. Worried a vet visit will be too much for him. I don’t have a picture of him being clumsy but attached is a photo of Yoda in his tree He also used to like climbing on the blinds

 

[Rontti]

Does he get any calcium with D3 or any multivitamin?

 

[Boba-faye]

I was using the calcium powder with D3 until I read about overdose symptoms awhile back. I do feed his super worms and crickets gutload supplement and flukers orange blocks. I’d like to try a multivitamin if I knew a good brand to add. Part of the problem is that Yoda hasn’t seemed interested in food the last week, he finished a peel earlier this week but that doesn’t usually interfere with his appetite. He’s always been a good eater. I’m not sure if his appetite and clumsy behavior is related.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

He's probably malnourished and not to mention to much D3. I'd recommend some Repashy Calcium Plus no D

 

[Beman]

Here is a helpful gutloading graphic. You want to mix up your gutload each week. Don't just use the same items.

 

[Boba-faye]

He's probably malnourished and not to mention to much D3. I'd recommend some Repashy Calcium Plus no D

I haven’t been giving the supplement with D3, but I’d like to add a multivitamin and some variety to his diet if I can get him to eat

 

[Boba-faye]

Here is a helpful gutloading graphic. You want to mix up your gutload each week. Don't just use the same items.
View attachment 228265

Good chart, thank you

 

[Syreptyon]

I was using the calcium powder with D3 until I read about overdose symptoms awhile back. I do feed his super worms and crickets gutload supplement and flukers orange blocks. I’d like to try a multivitamin if I knew a good brand to add. Part of the problem is that Yoda hasn’t seemed interested in food the last week, he finished a peel earlier this week but that doesn’t usually interfere with his appetite. He’s always been a good eater. I’m not sure if his appetite and clumsy behavior is related.

For the record, the orange fluker's cubes are totally useless for chameleons. All they do is keep crickets alive, but they offer no useful nutrition to chameleons. Take a good look at the list of gutload items in the picture above and switch over to those. If you need a pre-made gutload, try Cricket Crack. Fluker's is unfortunately so widely available that people mistakenly think it isn't garbage

 

[Thehippie]

if you want we can do a husbandry review for you to see if there are any other changes to make for you're care to make his life better... please fill out this form so we can help you and your chameleon https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

also just wanted to add that he looks gorgeous

 

[Boba-faye]

Just thought I’d follow through with an update. Yoda has passed. Took him to the vet soon after posting and she recommended supportive care by force feeding and dropper for water and vitamins added in. He possibly suffered an injury from falling causing him to be lethargic from pain. Not sure what caused the fall considering he was always very sure footed. For about 2 weeks it was going well until he decided to no longer accept food by hand. Found him getting weaker and weaker, put him down because it was too hard to watch him suffer. Thank you all for the advice.

 

[Beman]

Just thought I’d follow through with an update. Yoda has passed. Took him to the vet soon after posting and she recommended supportive care by force feeding and dropper for water and vitamins added in. He possibly suffered an injury from falling causing him to be lethargic from pain. Not sure what caused the fall considering he was always very sure footed. For about 2 weeks it was going well until he decided to no longer accept food by hand. Found him getting weaker and weaker, put him down because it was too hard to watch him suffer. Thank you all for the advice.

Sorry for your loss hun.

 

[janjan20]

Just thought I’d follow through with an update. Yoda has passed. Took him to the vet soon after posting and she recommended supportive care by force feeding and dropper for water and vitamins added in. He possibly suffered an injury from falling causing him to be lethargic from pain. Not sure what caused the fall considering he was always very sure footed. For about 2 weeks it was going well until he decided to no longer accept food by hand. Found him getting weaker and weaker, put him down because it was too hard to watch him suffer. Thank you all for the advice.

Sorry for your loss!