Black scales?

[Beman]

update on the scales! he is currently shedding and that discoloration came off with the shed and showed his normal colors!

regarding the shedding however, it has been a few days since he has taken food and yesterday he wouldnt drink water. today he has kept his eyes closed for the most part and isnt moving too much. unfortunately i just do not have the money to take him to the vet and all the vets around me will cost at least $100 just to get in the door. his colors are bright and hes not sleeping, he just wont open his eyes. they also look a little sunken in but again he wont drink. i know the first thing to do is take him to the vet but i cannot afford it right now. any other options? should i just watch him and hope hes ok?

I need pics of the entire cage set up including lighting down along with pics from today of him. And to be as thorough as possible if you can do the husbandry review by copy pasting the form below into your reply and then answering the questions with detail.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[emma_5774]

I need pics of the entire cage set up including lighting down along with pics from today of him. And to be as thorough as possible if you can do the husbandry review by copy pasting the form below into your reply and then answering the questions with detail.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

He is a 2 year old male nosey faly panther chameleon. I got him in june of 2022.

I dont handle him every day but I handle him often and he comes right to my hands and doesn't seem to mind being held.

I feed dubia roaches and superworms for the most part. He will sometimes take bsfl and he gets waxworms and hornworms very rarely as treats. I feed him every couple days, he will only take 4-5 bugs at a time even if I wait for him be ready for more, he just wont take them. I feed my dubia roaches the dubia chow from dubia.com and feed the worms leafy greens (collard greens, mustard greens and kale)
I use Flukers calcium without D3 regularly and Flukers calcium with D3 once a month.

I mist by hand right when the lights turn on, middle of the day, and when they turn off for 2-3 minutes. I see him drink the water during the misting sessions.

White urate, I have noticed when he eats superworms his poop tends to look chunky so I try not to feed them as often. other than that poop is usually formed, not runny but not rock solid and it all comes out in one piece. He was tested for parasites when I first got him and he did have them so I treated him with the dewormer the vet gave me.

Other than the weird discoloration on his bottom he has never had any sort of health issues.

He is in a screen cage 18 x 18 x 36. I want to move him into a bigger one.

I have a uvb light and a heat lamp. the uvb one says Nano Tech T5 Reflector. as for the heat lamp I honestly dont remember and cant find the box it came in. Lights turn on at 8AM and turn off at 8PM.

His basking spot is in the mid 80s and the cage floor is in the 70s. lowest temp at night is 68, it never gets any cooler than that. His temps were higher but the vet told me to lower them. the basking spot was around high 80s- mid 90s and she said it was too hot. i have thermometers in the cage.

Humidity used to be in the 60s-70s but then the vet said it should be in the 40s-50s so that is what it is at now, the thermometers measure that. I mist the cage 3 times a day.

He has pothos and a spider plant (i think i have had it since i got him and cant remember lol)

I will take photos of him and the cage right now and attach them!

 

[emma_5774]

also my phone wouldnt let me copy and paste the form so i just typed my responses out

 

[Beman]

I use Flukers calcium without D3 regularly and Flukers calcium with D3 once a month.

Supplements are incorrect. He is not getting a multivitamin with A in it.... I would buy repashy calcium plus LoD this would be used 2 times a month only say the 1st and the 15th. You would no longer using the calcium with D3 because the repashy has D3 as well as vitamin A. Then all other feeding you would use the calcium without D3.

He is in a screen cage 18 x 18 x 36. I want to move him into a bigger one.

This has to be upgraded. He is far too large for this small of a cage.

I have a uvb light and a heat lamp. the uvb one says Nano Tech T5 Reflector. as for the heat lamp I honestly dont remember and cant find the box it came in. Lights turn on at 8AM and turn off at 8PM.

This is a huge area of concern. I see you have the sunblaster T5 fixture attached to the side of the cage. This is not correct all lighting should come from the top of the cage only. I need you to look at the bulb in this fixture and see what is printed on the end on the glass. My concern is that it is not a UVB bulb. Sunblaster fixtures normally come with a daylight bulb that only works for plants not a UVB bulb. It will have something printed on the end of the bulb on the glass. Take a pic of that so I can see exactly what is being used.



He is showing signs of shut down. This is really not a good thing.

 

[emma_5774]

Supplements are incorrect. He is not getting a multivitamin with A in it.... I would buy repashy calcium plus LoD this would be used 2 times a month only say the 1st and the 15th. You would no longer using the calcium with D3 because the repashy has D3 as well as vitamin A. Then all other feeding you would use the calcium without D3.

This has to be upgraded. He is far too large for this small of a cage.

This is a huge area of concern. I see you have the sunblaster T5 fixture attached to the side of the cage. This is not correct all lighting should come from the top of the cage only. I need you to look at the bulb in this fixture and see what is printed on the end on the glass. My concern is that it is not a UVB bulb. Sunblaster fixtures normally come with a daylight bulb that only works for plants not a UVB bulb. It will have something printed on the end of the bulb on the glass. Take a pic of that so I can see exactly what is being used.



He is showing signs of shut down. This is really not a good thing.

oh my god i had no idea. what do i do??? i dont wanna loose him

 

[emma_5774]

Supplements are incorrect. He is not getting a multivitamin with A in it.... I would buy repashy calcium plus LoD this would be used 2 times a month only say the 1st and the 15th. You would no longer using the calcium with D3 because the repashy has D3 as well as vitamin A. Then all other feeding you would use the calcium without D3.

This has to be upgraded. He is far too large for this small of a cage.

This is a huge area of concern. I see you have the sunblaster T5 fixture attached to the side of the cage. This is not correct all lighting should come from the top of the cage only. I need you to look at the bulb in this fixture and see what is printed on the end on the glass. My concern is that it is not a UVB bulb. Sunblaster fixtures normally come with a daylight bulb that only works for plants not a UVB bulb. It will have something printed on the end of the bulb on the glass. Take a pic of that so I can see exactly what is being used.



He is showing signs of shut down. This is really not a good thing.

My dad told me his basking lamp is both heat and uvb and all of our reptiles have it. the grow light is just for the plants.

 

[Beman]

My dad told me his basking lamp is both heat and uvb and all of our reptiles have it. the grow light is just for the plants.

Ok the grow light still would need to go on the top.

There is only one type of bulb that does UVB and heat and would go into a screw in dome fixture. These are called mercury vapor bulbs and are extremely dangerous for chameleons especially when they are in cages like this. They produce UVB levels that are far too high for a chameleon along with temps that can kill a chameleon. They are only recommended for use in a large free range area with the use of a solarmeter to determine the UVI output the chameleon is getting. These are typically used for reptiles that require high temps and much higher UVI levels than chameleons.
This would be a major component for the decline.

The only bulb recommended for a chameleon is a T5HO bulb in a linear T5HO fixture. This bulb should be a 5.0 or 6% bulb and the distance from the bottom of the fixture sitting on a screen top to the branches below it should be 8-9 inches with this type of fixture and bulb strength.

 

[emma_5774]

Ok the grow light still would need to go on the top.

There is only one type of bulb that does UVB and heat and would go into a screw in dome fixture. These are called mercury vapor bulbs and are extremely dangerous for chameleons especially when they are in cages like this. They produce UVB levels that are far too high for a chameleon along with temps that can kill a chameleon. They are only recommended for use in a large free range area with the use of a solarmeter to determine the UVI output the chameleon is getting. These are typically used for reptiles that require high temps and much higher UVI levels than chameleons.
This would be a major component for the decline.

The only bulb recommended for a chameleon is a T5HO bulb in a linear T5HO fixture. This bulb should be a 5.0 or 6% bulb and the distance from the bottom of the fixture sitting on a screen top to the branches below it should be 8-9 inches with this type of fixture and bulb strength.

the one i have is currently in a dome and i was not aware of this! i will move the grow light and get new lights all together! is the t5ho just uvb or heat too? what kind of bulb to you recommend for heat?

 

[Beman]

the one i have is currently in a dome and i was not aware of this! i will move the grow light and get new lights all together! is the t5ho just uvb or heat too? what kind of bulb to you recommend for heat?

So the T5HO fixture and uvb bulb is only UVB. FOr that dome fixture you will remove the MV bulb and use a regular incandescent white household bulb. 60 watt should be fine for the size of that cage. This will be your heat. Make sure it is not an LED version. basking temp should be 80-85max. Do this asap. It is far worse for him to continue to be under these extreme UVB levels then to go without any UVB for a few days until you get the right stuff.

You can buy the T5HO reptisun fixture and it comes with the 5.0 bulb. or order the arcadia ProT5 with 6% bulb kit. Either of these will work. You want to only use these bulb strengths for him. I would buy the 24 inch kit because he will have to be upgraded to the 2x2x4ft cage.

Order the correct supplement too.

If you have questions let me know.

 

[emma_5774]

Just wanted to come on here one last time to inform everyone that Clyde did pass away at 830. Thank you for all of your help. I do not think I will be getting another cham any time soon (if i ever do) but i will make sure next time i have all the correct equipment

 

[Beman]

Just wanted to come on here one last time to inform everyone that Clyde did pass away at 830. Thank you for all of your help. I do not think I will be getting another cham any time soon (if i ever do) but i will make sure next time i have all the correct equipment

I am so sorry to hear this sweetheart. Should you get another come back and let us walk you through everything so you do not have to go through this sadness again. Chameleon keeping I have learned is a world of its own with so many specifics. It took me quite a bit of time to figure it out and here I am 6 years later still learning everyday.

Again so very sorry it went this way hun. Sending hugs.

 

[MzLaurie]

I am so sorry for your lose!! RIP Clyde. Unfortunately we see this too often. Misinformation relayed to new owners by pet stores I am so sorry this happened to you.

 

[emma_5774]

Thank you guys for your support! If I get another one in the future I will certainly make sure I get all of the correct things and do it right!

Side note, I am in Pittsburgh, PA and I want to get my baby cremated but I can't find a place that offers cremation for a cham. I haven't called places yet because its too early for anyone to be open so I thought I would ask on here!

 

[Gloriawood]

I just wanted to come on here and offer my condolences. I’ve been following this thread. You obviously loved him and were doing what you thought was right. You knew something was wrong and sought help. You are open to advice and changes. This is much more than many people do. Often we see people who refuse to accept that something needs to change. I commend you for that. You can’t beat yourself up when you were doing all that you were capable of to the best of your knowledge. Take your time to grieve. And if you feel like it, stick around here. We would love to keep you in the community.

 

[Beman]

Thank you guys for your support! If I get another one in the future I will certainly make sure I get all of the correct things and do it right!

Side note, I am in Pittsburgh, PA and I want to get my baby cremated but I can't find a place that offers cremation for a cham. I haven't called places yet because its too early for anyone to be open so I thought I would ask on here!

Most vets will offer this service. You will need to call their office to get the details. It is not always inexpensive though. My vet charges almost $200 for cremation and return of ashes.

 

[IrohtheVeiled]

I’m sorry for your loss

 

[MzLaurie]

My friend the Bird Lady wraps her birds that pass in a scarf and buries them in her large planters outside. That way if she moves she can take them with her. I live in an apartment so I can’t do that so I wrapped my little guy in a bandana and took him to Griffith Park and went on a hike with him and a trowl. Once I found the perfect place off trail I buried him under a tree still wrapped in the bandana. I also released his feeders right there too! Also there is a woman on Etsy that can make you a doll of him from pictures. I had my boy etched in glass and have it on my wall. So there are many ways to honor your little guy.