An update: It's MBD...

asock

New Member
I'm going to do a bit more digging and research, but after reading the stickied topic above about MBD(what causes it and comparing it to my handleing and care since i've had her it all makes sense), and noticing all the signs, including, the most important, a deformity in for thigh, it curves and she has a not too big but larger than the rest of her knees. It is just in this one limb, and having read about cases far worse making a tremendous come back i'm hopeful.

some concerns, she hasn't drank any water in the last two days which i attribute to a messed up metabism do to the disease. and she hasn't eaten anything in the last to days, despite having aquired a new variety of foods, waxworms dragon flies and grasshoppers.

some questions i have, maybe i can get a quick answer to, I'm going to start her on intensive UVB therapy by letting her outside. my only concern is this https://www.google.com/search?q=342...la:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb is my forecast for today.

how long should i let her stay outside for a daily dosing of uvb? im afraid with the ambient temps reaching 88-93 degrees F it will be to hot

I have screened in patio next to a pool, so if i put her under the over hang /awning will recieve UVB rays from reflections from atmosphere and the water in the pool even though this isn't directly in sunlight?

and if i do put her out in direct sun with these temps, for how long, even with frequent mistings to cool her down?

EDIT: i will post her info in the following reply just in case people did not read my first post a week ago about my previous concerns.
 
info

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
jacksons, female, 1.5 years

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
i do not handle her.

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
crickets x4-6 a day, super worms x4 every 2-3 weeks/more often now becasue she isn't eating anyting, and now not even super worms, gutload with potatoes and carrots every other week.

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
flukers calcium with d3 on 4 crickets once a month.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
i mist by hand, once in the morning, afternoon and evening, i mist a until a littel after she is done drinking, yes i see her drink all the time.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
clear yeallowish, runny syrupy like, no solids, usually theres a marble sized clump of brown digested crickets. and a trail of orange.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
retarium screen 65 gallon, 16.5in x 30in x 28in

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
uvb 5.0, 40 watt incandescant for heat, 12hrs on 12 hhrs off. anywhere from 6am-9am i turn on and then 12 hrs later depending, ill turn off

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
i don't have any way to tell, but based on this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKTbUaOQ0aA
with a 40 watt bulb at an angle, even if it gets above 80 degrees f its only a small portion. in colorado during the fall thru the winter it was a constant 65-70 thru out the day and deffinately droped 10 degress every night. in florida it's in my room in the central ac which is kept at 70-75.
but like i said i have no way of actually measuring this, but its very obvious there are varying degrees of temperatures within the enclosure by her behavior.

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
even in colorado it was easy keeping humidity at 70% between mistings and 90-100% during and for a few hours after, especially living in a basements and both enclosures had live plants. moving to florida has only made humidity stay at a higher constant.

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
yes, umbrella tree plants

Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
the cages have always been in my room behind closed door, a vent 20ft away on the ceiling, and a fan pointing away from the cage to me on my bed at night when i sleep. top of the is about 6ft from the floor, ive always had them on tables, and about about 1ft from the wall.

Location - Where are you geographically located?
they were bred in greeley golorado, and i lived in aurora from the time i bought them in spetember at 6-8 months old. and moved to florida in march of this year 2014.
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another update

after a week: she's improving greatly with being out in the sun for several hours everyday firs thing in the morning until about mid afternoon.

temps are low 70 in the morning and rising to high 80s to low 90s by the afternoon, this being said between mistings every 15-20 minutes to cool her off i always catch her moving about the cage to either be in sunlight or in the shade behind the thick umbrella tree plants.

her movement was always ok but it's getting alot better.

she drinks a little everyday but not nearly as much as before, probably due to constipation. her appetite is increasing,(couldn't find a source for liquid calcium so i made a home remedy) i have moved her from a liquid diet of multivitamin with d3 on the first day, and without d3 for the next 4 days, and days 5,6, and 7 i am able to drop wax worms into her mouth while she is basking with her mouth open(EDIT: WHILE GIVING HER DROPS OF LIQUID MULTIVITAMINS I GENTLY TAP THE CAGE AND WATCH FOR AIR HOLE INSIDE HER MOUTH TO CLOSE SO I DO NOT DROWN HER OR GET ANY LIQUIDS IN HER WINDPIPE), i can tell between her being constipated and having a slightly rubbery jaw she is reluctant to catch her own food with her tongue, but she is very receptive to me hand feeding her.

she has used the bathroom every other day but when i see it happening, she is pressing her stomach on a branch to help move things along, and shes a dark color and probably frustrated, BUT i have seen her have bowels movements, as unpleasant as they look it's progress and in the right direction

her overall attitude and mood has jumped leaps and bounds and i have a really great feeling that in a few more weeks time she'll be back to her peppy old self, along with some new healthier habits!

also, i wouldn't recommend this type of treatment to everyone, if you can afford it take you pet to a SPECIALIST in YOUR SPECIFIC BREED of CHAMELEON. unfortunately every vet localy wants 100+ dollars just for a visit, not including any treatment, shots and continued visits. in the end of the day i couldn't afford that(due to being laid off in march) especially for some one only "familiar" with reptiles.

only you know your chams as well as anyone can, do research and be smart.
 
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Putting her out in the sun will allow her to produce he D3 needed to help her bones and other systems in her body....but only if she has enough calcium for her system to use with the D3. It's also important that there is a balance between the calcium, phosphorous, D3 and vitamin A.

Supplementing is usually done as follows...phosphorous - free calcium powder at most feedings, phosphorous - free calcium D3 powder twice a month lightly and a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene ( prOformed ) source of vitamin A twice a month....after you have corrected her MBD issues.
She will need extra calcium until the MBD is corrected.
 
After her daily dose of natural sunlight I'd make sure she's under the constant rays of a reptisun 5.0 the remainder of the day for the next month. This will help speed up the recovery process along with the supplementation mentioned in the previous post. I've had and seen a few adopted/rescued chams do a full 360 after they began receiving solid care/treatment. Also Gut load your feeders with organic veggies high in calcium it will do wonders(collard greens, dandelion, mustard greens)
 
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