Chameleon been acting sick :(

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

Our Cham Ceelo has been lethargic, not hunting by herself, isn’t as active as usual, and keeps losing her grip and falling off her branches to the bottom.we are really worried. We went to the vet and they gave her a vitamin shot and an antibiotic shot but we still don’t know what might be wrong with her. We aren’t sure how old she is but we’ve had her for a year so she’s probably almost two. If anybody can help or has had a previous experience with those symptoms what can we do?

 

[caoilinnf13]

That sounds like calcium deficiency. I'm not an expert that is just what it seems.

 

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

That sounds like calcium deficiency. I'm not an expert that is just what it seems.

We give her calcium powder everyday when we feed her we dust her food with it

 

[caoilinnf13]

We give her calcium powder everyday when we feed her we dust her food with it

aw ok then I don't know ): I'm so sorry I hope your friend feels better!

 

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

aw ok then I don't know ): I'm so sorry I hope your friend feels better!

Thank you

 

[Gingero]

That is a severe case of metabolic bone disease (MBD). If your vet was unable to tell you that or figure that out, you need to see a new vet ASAP because any good reptile vet should know about MBD in chams. MBD doesn't happen over night. It is the result of improper husbandry over a period of time. Has she laid eggs before?

Can you please post pictures of her set up top to bottom? Can you also answer these questions:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/


Tagging @kinyonga to help out.

 

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

That is a severe case of metabolic bone disease (MBD). If you vet was unable to tell you that or figure that out, you need to see a new vet ASAP because any good reptile vet should have been able to tell you that. MBD doesn't happen over night. It is the result of improper husbandry over a period of time. Has she laid eggs before? She’s never laid eggs before.
She is a 2 year old Veiled Chameleon
She gets handled like once every week because she’s doesn’t enjoy being held.
We are feeding her crickets, meal worms, super worms. Most of time she is fed everyday sometimes she doesn’t get hungry. She usually eats 5-6 worms or 4-5 crickets. The crickets get fulkers calcium, and cubes. The worms are just out of the package and are dusted in calcium when we feed her.
The brands we use are pictured.
We use an automated mister that goes off every two hours for about 20 seconds.
She used to drink water but recently she hasn’t so we’ve been using a dropper.
Her pee and poop sack are pictured they look normal and she’s never been tested for parasites.
She was rescued from a little tank that was horizontal cage that didn’t have lights.
The cage is a screen cage 48x 24 x 24
The lights are halogen 75 watt
The uV light is 18 inch uvb
She has her lights on from 8 to 8
82-88 Fahrenheit.
75-80 is probably the lowest overnight.
We don’t have a humditt measurer.
We create the humidity with her mister.
No live plants.
In the corner of the living room. It isn’t too high traffic as it’s on the other side of the doorway and not too many peoelel come over.
It is on the ground.
We are in Long Beach California:
Can you please post pictures of her set up top to bottom? Can you also answer these questions:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/


Tagging @kinyonga to help out.

 

[Gingero]

Here is a great resource that will teach you more about MBD: https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

I don't think your picture of calcium brands came through. Can you try again or type it out?

A chameleon with severe MBD has to have proper UVB and supplements. The UVB you're using right now is inadequate and needs to be replace with a linear T5 HO UVB ASAP.

Here are two videos that cover those topics:

 

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

Repti calcium. Thank you for your help we are gonna replace the bulb today. We are also gonna change vets because he didn’t mention MBD.

 

[kinyonga]

She definitely has MBD and it needs to be treated. You need to make sure the supplements are right, that you feed/gutload the insects properly, provided be light either from the proper bulb or exposure to direct sunlight, proper temperatures and water...but until the bones and muscles, etc. are strong enough again she will also need a liquid calcium. You have to be careful with the liquid calcium too...when you give it to her, you have to be careful not to get it into her lungs. The opening is right at the front of the mouth (red arrow).
https://images.app.goo.gl/duYbj7rHCziytjar7

MBD affects not only the bones but the muscles and other systems in the chameleon too...so they can also have difficulty laying eggs if they have it...and difficulty shooting their tongue out, etc

We recommend lightly dusting the insects just before you feed them to the chameleon, with a phos free calcium powder at all feedings but one a week. Every two weeks on the first and third week of the month dust the insects lightly with a phos free calcium/D3 powder and on the other two days dust with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A. This leaves it up to you to decide if/when your chmeleon needs some prEformed vitamin A. D3 from supplements and vitamin A from prEformed sources can both build up in the system and lead t health issues. D3 produced from exposure to the UVB should not build up as long as the chameleon can move out of the UVB at will.

Once the MBD is corrected, the liquid calcium can be dropped....but all the other supplements need to be continued.

You said you were giving her calcium every day...but did she get any D3? I don't think she could get close enough to the UVB to get the good of it by the looks of the cage set up...but I'm not sure about it.
If she wasn't getting any D3 or proper exposure to UVB, then the calcium would do no good. (I can't read the labels on the bottles so I don't know what's in them?)

The best UVB light seems to be the Reptisun 5.0 long linear tube light. @Gingero has given you some good links.

For a female veiled it's recommended that the basking temperature be in the low 80'sF.

She should get enough water that makes her urates almost white. A tinge of orange is fine. Do you use a dripper?

In addition to her having MBD...in the first photo it looks like she may have an infection in half of her right hand. If so, it will need to be cleaned out by a vet and she will need a course of antibiotics to clear it up. (You'll need a good chameleon vet to prescribe the liquid calcium anyway.)

I'm not sure if she has eggs or not. Has she laid any since you've had her?

Hopefully this will help. Hope you can get her back to good health!

 

[AmandaS]

Im so lost. How many chameleons do you have @MyGfHasAChameleon??

 

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

Im so lost. How many chameleons do you have @MyGfHasAChameleon??

This was my girlfriends she got me into them.

 

[kinyonga]

And now you're addicted!
Again ...sorry about Ceelo.

 

[AmandaS]

And now you're addicted!
Again ...sorry about Ceelo.

I think it was @MissSkittles who said her chameleon is a "gateway pet". You get addicted to them, and learning about and collecting feeders and plants and buying spare cages...
It is just the beginning! ?

 

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

I think it was @MissSkittles who said her chameleon is a "gateway pet". You get addicted to them, and learning about and collecting feeders and plants and buying spare cages...
It is just the beginning! ?

Thank you for being so understanding and patient and helpful I’m still learning and know I was not doing the best for both mine but now I will do better because of you guts

 

[kinyonga]

We all seem to have a learning curve...sad for the chameleons....but the forum helps a lot of newbies skip a lot of the problems.

When I started (over 30 years ago) there was no info anywhere. My first chameleon was lucky that I got a lot of things right by accident.

 

[MyGfHasAChameleon]

We all seem to have a learning curve...sad for the chameleons....but the forum helps a lot of newbies skip a lot of the problems.

When I started (over 30 years ago) there was no info anywhere. My first chameleon was lucky that I got a lot of things right by accident.

Yes I’m glad there is information for me and I asked to try and be proactive thank you

 

[AmandaS]

Yes I’m glad there is information for me and I asked to try and be proactive thank you

If you are unsure, the best thing,you can do is ask! We all just want what is best for our chameleons. Thats what all of us are here for. And yours is no different. ?
I am happy to help when I can. And it makes it worth it when people take the advice and turn into excellent keepers! So i cant wait to watch your journey like others have seen mine.