Black runny nose

[CreeperCham]

Hey y’all,
I don’t really know how to work this site so i’m hoping people can find this post easily,,
My chameleon (Creeper, 1 month away from 1 year old, female) recently stopping drinking water and got pretty unwell, i upped her water and humitity and she went back to normal. Just to get sick again in a few days. Her eyes have sunken and she hasn’t been eating. I figured it was dehydration and have been setting her little tree in the shower with her to spray water on the leaves near her (but not directly on her) for three days and have started forcing hydration on her today. I started using wax worms for the first time because i heard it would be easier for her to eat than crickets and super worms (her usual diet)(7-9 crickets and 1-2 super worms a day) She started spitting them out/ throwing them up so i though mashed bugs might be easier for her to eat and to feed her through a syringe like how i give her the water. she threw up once and has started keeping her mouth open for about 5-10 seconds at random (maybe 2 times a minute?) and black stuff is coming from her nose. I have 0 idea what the black stuff is ( just started happening about 30 minutes ago) but for about 2 days she keeps her eyes shut when she can and her grip has gotten horrible. I love her so much and i feel so horrible she’s gotten to this state, i wish i payed attention faster. i had no idea she stopped drinking and brought her to my local exotic shop (to see if they could help me identify any problems and help at all) as soon as i noticed she wasn’t eating but that was 3 days ago and it seems it’s a bit late. I’m not giving up hope and trying my hardest to take care of her. i’m praying someone here can help me, especially with the black runny nose considering i can’t find a thing about that.

 

[elizaann2]

Hello and welcome. I am so sorry to hear your sweet girl is not feeling well. It sounds to me that she needs an exotic vet with chameleon care experience ASAP. Chameleon's hide their illness very well and once we start seeing symptoms they are well on their way out the door. You need to act quickly. I've attached a spreadsheet with a list of recommended exotic vets with chameleon experience. Its organized by state then city.

Meanwhile, can you send pictures of your full set up, including your lights and photos your chameleon?

I'll tag some knowledgeable chameleon people here and see if we can get you more help. But first contact that vet!

@Beman @kinyonga @MissSkittles

 

[Beman]

I am wondering if what you are seeing is dried blood. It sounds like you really need an exotic vet that deals with reptiles. I can not really offer much more feedback without seeing pics of her along with the enclosure.

Has she laid eggs yet?

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m not sure I can offer any help other than to agree she needs help from a good vet asap. No idea what could be coming out of her nose…dead aspirated bugs maybe? Can you post some current pics of her and her enclosure, including lights? Use ‘attach files’ & then pick your pic & choose size. Has she ever laid eggs?

 

[Flick boy]

Hi what type of chameleon and what plants do you have?

 

[kinyonga]

We really need photos of her and her cage, including the lights.

What colour are her rates? White, yellow tinge, yellow, orange?

You said…you feed her ”7-9 crickets and 1-2 super worms a day”…that’s too much for a female that age If she’s a veiled or panther.

What’s the basking temperature?

Where are you putting the water or mashed bugs in the syringe in her mouth…at the front or the back? Are you shooting it in quickly or easing it in slowly?

You really need to get her to a good chameleon exotics vet asap…like yesterday!!

 

[CreeperCham]

Hello and welcome. I am so sorry to hear your sweet girl is not feeling well. It sounds to me that she needs an exotic vet with chameleon care experience ASAP. Chameleon's hide their illness very well and once we start seeing symptoms they are well on their way out the door. You need to act quickly. I've attached a spreadsheet with a list of recommended exotic vets with chameleon experience. Its organized by state then city.

Meanwhile, can you send pictures of your full set up, including your lights and photos your chameleon?

I'll tag some knowledgeable chameleon people here and see if we can get you more help. But first contact that vet!

@Beman @kinyonga @MissSkittles

Thank you so much, i plan on taking her to a vet as soon as i possibly can. I have no idea where the original box for the lights are to be honest and her plants are out of her original setup for now as i plan on deep cleaning the tank and she’s in a little “re-hab” tank as of yesterday. It’s just a really big plastic box. way over 20 gals, i keep the fogger in there and spray very often. She just has basic heating lights as of yesterday as i need to find a way to hang the lights above said box without burning her. Once again thank you so much, it’s pretty foggy in the photo but i had the fogger turned up a little higher since it looked like she needed a bit more, but i turned it down more after about 5 minutes. Should i still take photos of the lights in case they could be recognizable?

 

[CreeperCham]

I am wondering if what you are seeing is dried blood. It sounds like you really need an exotic vet that deals with reptiles. I can not really offer much more feedback without seeing pics of her along with the enclosure.

Has she laid eggs yet?

I’m really hoping it’s not somehow blood, thankfully i’m trying to see a vet asap. i responded to another person with photos of her current enclosed as her regular one isn’t set up at the moment, the current one isn’t ideal but as she’s been having really weak grip lately i rather she not fall 5 ft and land in the wrong spot. i do plan on getting more climbing plants in there though

Yes she has laid eggs, ive only seen one to be honest and it’s been within the past month

 

[CreeperCham]

I’m not sure I can offer any help other than to agree she needs help from a good vet asap. No idea what could be coming out of her nose…dead aspirated bugs maybe? Can you post some current pics of her and her enclosure, including lights? Use ‘attach files’ & then pick your pic & choose size. Has she ever laid eggs?

I’m just hoping it’s not blood like another person said,, and i don’t have good photos i don’t think of her regular enclosure as it’s not set up as normal right now but i’ll do some digging in my photos and edit my comment lol, currently she’s in a rehab tank i stated everything in another comment i just replied to if your interested in seeing that. I don’t happen to know where the original box for the lights are but if you think you could identify it i’ll be glad to take photos. Yes she has laid eggs, i’ve only seen one and it’s been within the past month or so.

 

[elizaann2]

Thank you so much, i plan on taking her to a vet as soon as i possibly can. I have no idea where the original box for the lights are to be honest and her plants are out of her original setup for now as i plan on deep cleaning the tank and she’s in a little “re-hab” tank as of yesterday. It’s just a really big plastic box. way over 20 gals, i keep the fogger in there and spray very often. She just has basic heating lights as of yesterday as i need to find a way to hang the lights above said box without burning her. Once again thank you so much, it’s pretty foggy in the photo but i had the fogger turned up a little higher since it looked like she needed a bit more, but i turned it down more after about 5 minutes. Should i still take photos of the lights in case they could be recognizable?

Understood. What are your temps and humidity levels in the hospital bin? You’ll want low temps and high humidity at night with higher temps and low humidity during the day.

 

[elizaann2]

can you send photos of your girl? The more information you can give us the better.

With the vet keep in mind once you see chams decline you have days if that left. If you can get her into an emergency vet that would be best for your little one.

 

[CreeperCham]

Understood. What are your temps and humidity levels in the hospital bin? You’ll want low temps and high humidity at night with higher temps and low humidity during the day.

I’ll go grab a thermometer/hygrometer right now and check. Thank you so much for telling me, i’ve been having high temp and high humidity during the day and low humidity low temp at night, there currently isn’t a lid on the bin so i feel the humidity shouldn’t be too high

 

[elizaann2]

I’ll go grab a thermometer/hygrometer right now and check. Thank you so much for telling me, i’ve been having high temp and high humidity during the day and low humidity low temp at night, there currently isn’t a lid on the bin so i feel the humidity shouldn’t be too high

You never know. They will be temp and humidity pockets. With high temps and high humidity you run the risk of an upper respiratory infection.

 

[CreeperCham]

can you send photos of your girl? The more information you can give us the better.

With the vet keep in mind once you see chams decline you have days if that left. If you can get her into an emergency vet that would be best for your little one.

of course, I’m really hoping the vet can give me a diagnosis and she’ll end up ok, she seriously is part of my soul

 

[CreeperCham]

You never know. They will be temp and humidity pockets. With high temps and high humidity you run the risk of an upper respiratory infection.

This may come off as a dumb question but what would be a good temp and humidity for her right now? should i go with a little lower than normal?

 

[elizaann2]

of course, I’m really hoping the vet can give me a diagnosis and she’ll end up ok, she seriously is part of my soul

I really hope so too. And I feel you on that. My chameleons are my life.

Do you see all these lumps by her back legs? I believe she is egg bound. Our girls decline quickly from being egg bound, unfortunately she will need surgery to remove these. I'm not trying to come across as pushy but you really do need to get her to a vet. This will be something only a vet can fix.

 

[elizaann2]

This may come off as a dumb question but what would be a good temp and humidity for her right now? should i go with a little lower than normal?

Not a dumb question at all. We all started at the beginning in this hobby.

This is the care guide I follow for my female veiled. Lets get your girl through this rough patch first and then we can work on getting your husbandry in order. Do you need help finding a vet? I'm happy to help you search for one.

 

[CreeperCham]

I really hope so too. And I feel you on that. My chameleons are my life.

Do you see all these lumps by her back legs? I believe she is egg bound. Our girls decline quickly from being egg bound, unfortunately she will need surgery to remove these. I'm not trying to come across as pushy but you really do need to get her to a vet. This will be something only a vet can fix.

View attachment 340737

Not pushy at all don’t worry! i do plan on going in tomorrow, i really really hope it’s not egg binding and just a weird angle

 

[CreeperCham]

Not a dumb question at all. We all started at the beginning in this hobby.

This is the care guide I follow for my female veiled. Lets get your girl through this rough patch first and then we can work on getting your husbandry in order. Do you need help finding a vet? I'm happy to help you search for one.

Thank you i’ll check through that when i get a chance, it’s very late where i am right now and i’m on the verge of sleep haha. I just found a highly recommended exotic vet in my area but thank you so much for offering! I plan on trying to take her in asap sometime in the afternoon as i’m all booked up in the morning. How would you recommend getting them to lay? i have a nesting box and plenty of straight climbing opportunities for her yet she might not have fully laid

 

[elizaann2]

Ok please keep us updated on how your little lady is doing.

I hate to say it but I’m pretty positive that’s what it is. I can see clearly defined eggs in her little belly. Hopefully you caught it in time.