Chameleon keeps falling
- Thread starter bhealey
- Start date
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'm sorry to hear that your chameleon is falling. He must not be healthy or he wouldn't be falling. Please post some photos of him and his enclosure. It would also be very helpful if you'd fill out the Ask For Help form so we can try to help you figure out what's going on with him.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/
Blu bar panther male about 14-15 months had him since he was 3 months.
We handle our cham daily.
We feed him crickets, dubia, and super worms.
We dust our food with calcium with d3 and without.
We must him 3 times a day plus he also has a dripper.
No previous history of problems.
Our cage is a screen 48x24x24.
We use a reptisun uvb 10.0 and a heat bulb that's 60w
We handle our cham daily.
We feed him crickets, dubia, and super worms.
We dust our food with calcium with d3 and without.
We must him 3 times a day plus he also has a dripper.
No previous history of problems.
Our cage is a screen 48x24x24.
We use a reptisun uvb 10.0 and a heat bulb that's 60w
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
That back leg looks really swollen. Poor boy. That could be gout, an infection or a broken bone. He needs to go to the vets right away for an x-ray and some bloodwork to determine what it is and for a course of treatment. Do you already have a good chameleon vet? If not you can tell me where you live and I might be able to recommend one.
Last edited:
ChameLIonLover
Member
If your cham, an arboreal animal "keeps falling" as you say, then he is not healthy. Better to take him to see a herp vet before he hurts himself (if he hasn't already). Best of luck and skill!
brieannab
New Member
junglefries
Avid Member
Chams usually only fall: flight or fight response or health issues. I notice there is plastic on the inside of the cage, this offers no grip. Vines and branches also need to be the appropiate size for a cham to grasp. They need to be able to firmly grip them. Smaller cage mesh can rip toenails out of their feet making climbing hard, also. From your pic, I have to say like the others, his leg IS swollen and foot is not fully grasping the vine. The next posting of pics is his other side and of no real value to the debate, except what looks to be possibl MBD in front elbow. Find a second qualified vet IMO.
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
The second pic his legs do look ok. As the other have said, it is not normal for chameleons to fall and if you have had him for 3 months you know that yourself. I mean that is why you came here asking for help as you know something has changed. Being a vet tech, I would take your chameleon in and have his bones xrayed. We had another member on here whose chameleon looked fine, but I believe was falling also or there were some other issues. Turns out he had multiple broken bones but you could not tell by looking at him. How old is your uvb bulb? Are you changing it out every 6 months? Does he get natural sunshine? Does he eat the dusted food immediately, or does it stay in the cage for awhile so the calcium can wear off?
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
If his nails are ripped out, he might not be able to hold and will fall. I have a little female that has destroyed her toes on a screen cage (I HATE screen cages) and has fallen often. And, yes, she has been in to the vet about it.
They need their toe nails to grab on. I've found smaller branches--twigs really--was best for my little girl who has the damaged feet.
They need their toe nails to grab on. I've found smaller branches--twigs really--was best for my little girl who has the damaged feet.
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
That is a good point. If his nails are ok, then I guess they can rule that out
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
I go INSANE when they climb the screens. If I hear a screen sound, I jump up and take them off or do something to make them choose to go off the screen. Mine are in Dragonstrands as well.
My ideal cage would be a screen bottom (that the Drangonstrands and Reptibreezes have) but the rest of the front acrylic. They would have good airflow that way.
