Baby With Back Leg Issue

[Brad Ramsey]

Not sure there is much I can do for this little girl.
She finally emerged last night after taking a couple of days to get out of the egg and her back left leg is bad.
She is moving around okay, of course not eating yet.
Just looking for opinions from people with experience ... I have little hope of this problem correcting itself, but I have no experience with raising a "special needs" baby like this.
Sorry for the bad picture (it's the best of the ones I took ... at least you can see the problem)
Thanks for your input.

-Brad

 

[Brad Ramsey]

forgot to post the picture
She is (obviously) the chameleon on the left.
You can see that her leg is literally backward ... she tries to use it but ends up grabbing herself ... so there is movement and use.

-Brad

 

[Syn]

edit: sorry for asking.

 

[blackbetty]

Removing my comment since it doesnt include experience. All Apologies.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Just looking for opinions from people with experience

-Brad

Thank you for regarding the post.

-Brad

 

[sandrachameleon]

I've experience with a "special needs" chameleon, though not the same issue. I can tell you it is a great deal of responsibility and time to look after a chameleon that cant look after itself. Feeding and watering by hand several times a day, every day, ...and if she cant move to thermoregulate....
Can the messed up leg be amputated? Perhaps if it can get around on three legs, her life is worth saving?

 

[PardalisGirl]

May learn to cope....

She is still really young and may, in time, learn to get around and not grab herself. If her eyes and tongue work correctly she can eat and drink. After awhile she may learn to grab branches with that leg sideways. If I hatched her out I would watch what happens over time. I would also take her along on the next vet visit just to see what the vet says. I think she will be easier to keep than the mostly blind chameleon I have. I do have to hand feed him and make more of an effort to keep him hydrated. He can see a little but can't focus to zap his prey. I don't think this little girl would be as much work. It is also possible that she has unseen birth defects that show up over time and cause her not to make it on the end. Let us know how things go with her....

 

[BocaJan]

I had one like that that I was babysitting for. I noticed that the spine seemed to be twisted also. It couldn't get around well enough to eat and laid on a leaf laping up water every now and then until it finally died.

 

[Lancecham]

Years ago, I had acquired a juvenile veiled. well a couple days after I got it, one of the back legs turned upwards like the baby in your picture. They leg wasn't like that before, so what happened to my guy, I am not sure. But I though maybe he dislocated it somehow. So I carefully put the leg back in the original position. The cham did not show any pain to my big relief. The leg stayed in the correct position, but once in a while in the following weeks the same leg would invert. Obviously, I put it back the way it was. After time, he had no further problems.
So, is your baby's leg dislocated? I don't know. Did it just genetically grow crooked. I am not sure. It's hard to tell by the picture. It doesn't appear to be fused to the body. Hopefully, it may be dislocated when it came out of the egg.
A vet might be able to tell you if anything can be done.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Lance I think it is dislocated.
It is not fused to the body and he (yes he, not she) is able to use it.
Trace pointed out when I spoke with her tonight that the legs are positioned this way in the egg.
The animal is so tiny, I am not going to attempt to do anything to the leg and hope that it works itself out.
I am going to call our reptile vet tomorrow and see if he has any suggestions or thinks he can fix it at this point, I now have a feeling that it may correct itself .. but I have not seen this, so ... the learning never ends!
For those of you who may be concerned for this animal, he does not seem to be experiencing any discomfort or pain and is able to get around.
He is sleeping and quite green right now.

-Brad

 

[dondeb562]

I know this is a little different, but I had a bird whos joint was formed backwards from birth and got around fine. Yes she was handicapped in certain aspects, but did just fine. I would suspect she would adjust and be ok if you can not safely correct it.

 

[jojackson]

Are you prepared to put a young cham through the stress of surgery and post op recovery? Somtimes euthanasia is kinder option.

 

[coolmoon]

My rescue male has a similar problem with his front leg. He is my avatar and you can see the bad leg. He has learned to use it quite well. He will still grab his other legs once in a while and uses the leg backward but does fine. I have extra vine and branches in his viv so theres a wide walkway. Just give him extra attention. Are you raising them for sale? I would be willing to buy him. I have a soft spot for the under dog.

If you can seperate him from the rest in a very small enclosure and pad the bottom. Stupid would fall until he learned to get around. I would also cup feed. He is fighting to live, I wound not put him down unless there is a more serious problem.

 

[PardalisGirl]

You've got a plan....

Sounds like you've got a plan Brad....I'm thinking she has a real shot at happy life

 

[beeze]

Brad, I hope all will work out for the best with this little guy. I'll have my fingers crossed.

 

[crablady]

i've no experience, but best of luck to the little guy. humans born with missing limbs or deformed limbs learn live very productive lives. and use what they have since they've known no other way. so if the little guy can move around and eat, perhaps he'll do just fine.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Situation is still the same.
I think He will go and actually see the vet this week ... he advises waiting a bit to see what happens. He is only 2 days old now so I don't see a problem with this.
Still not disabling the animal, or in any way stopping him from getting around.
Hasn't eaten yet but I have seen him drink.
Coolmom, thanks for the pm .... we'll see what happens.
I think in a lot of cases letting nature take it's course is a good plan, however, if this little guy can eat and get around ... better yet if we can fix his leg .. I am willing to give him a chance.

-Brad

 

[Eric Adrignola]

I had a veiled hatch out with a dislocated-looking back leg. I was going to cull it if it did not improve. Fortunatly, it popped back into place, and everything is fine. 100% normal after about a week. Give it some time, and maybe it'll right itself.