lysinlight87
New Member
Riker, my male oustalets is on hunger-strike & for some bizarre reason his head is nearly always black and white where the rest of him is brown. He has also lost weight. I've also had to help him with removing sperm deposits from his vent. His background can be found here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/generally-stressed-unwell-115552/
My vet took bloods and got the results today- he says everything is perfect aside from a slightly elevated white blood cell count suggesting a minor infection (he has had antibiotics but they were perhaps the wrong type.)
As nearly everything appears normal, he has asked to examine my husbandry- specifically temperatures. Now, I have had a LOT of trouble with his temps. He got a burn earlier in the year which is now healed and he sustained another mild burn while I was on holiday. Today I have moved his thermometer & thermostat sensor to the mesh directly below his basking lamp & the temp was well in the 90s. I've fiddled with it until the temp went down to 90F. I have also placed another thermometer on the cool side of his viv. I'm frustrated that this has happened to him, as I haven't had temp issues with my other 6 chams, I can only guess it's cos his viv is twice the size of the others & I just didn't get the sensor in the right place.
I would also like to note that I have experienced a loss of appetite with other male chams when they were the same age, but I was much less concerned- am I being other-protective of Riker? Is he just going through that stage in life?
Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm extra sensitive about Riker's health because of his burns. They were my fault and I want to make it right for him.
I have also been giving him warm showers and installed a dripper in addition to misting him 4 times daily- his hydration seems good.
My vet took bloods and got the results today- he says everything is perfect aside from a slightly elevated white blood cell count suggesting a minor infection (he has had antibiotics but they were perhaps the wrong type.)
As nearly everything appears normal, he has asked to examine my husbandry- specifically temperatures. Now, I have had a LOT of trouble with his temps. He got a burn earlier in the year which is now healed and he sustained another mild burn while I was on holiday. Today I have moved his thermometer & thermostat sensor to the mesh directly below his basking lamp & the temp was well in the 90s. I've fiddled with it until the temp went down to 90F. I have also placed another thermometer on the cool side of his viv. I'm frustrated that this has happened to him, as I haven't had temp issues with my other 6 chams, I can only guess it's cos his viv is twice the size of the others & I just didn't get the sensor in the right place.
I would also like to note that I have experienced a loss of appetite with other male chams when they were the same age, but I was much less concerned- am I being other-protective of Riker? Is he just going through that stage in life?
Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm extra sensitive about Riker's health because of his burns. They were my fault and I want to make it right for him.
I have also been giving him warm showers and installed a dripper in addition to misting him 4 times daily- his hydration seems good.
