Chameleon Lifespan. How old is your older Cham?

[KRGEE21]

humm this another story, with all the med it might create puffy edema (with in a picture I can confuse with fat). what kind of eyes problems (what does it look like, how does it started). Can you tell me more about your vitamins? (what kind, what brand, how many time/week) and your lamps? (amp things, what kind, how old what brands)

And, is your vet done any fecal test on him?

Also curious on the supplements you're using. You mentioned calcium without d3, and multi vitamin. Does the multi contain d3 and how often are you using?

 

[Multivitamins]

help form may allow us to dial in any issues that are overlooked. I'm sure the freezing cold temps are not making things easier.


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.

 

[JacksJill]

Just a side note healthy or not male panthers have cycles in nature related to how vibrant their colors are displayed. In captivity dull vs vibrant can be random as they do not have true seasons indoors.
Here are some pictures my friend's panther at different stages just to illustrate. This is Vossen a TK Chameleons sire. These were taken a several months apart.

 

[Vnessinessa]

humm this another story, with all the med it might create puffy edema (with in a picture I can confuse with fat). what kind of eyes problems (what does it look like, how does it started). Can you tell me more about your vitamins? (what kind, what brand, how many time/week) and your lamps? (amp things, what kind, how old what brands)

And, is your vet done any fecal test on him?

No fecal was done..that makes sense that he could be bloated from the meds!

I will send you a photo of his eye. The pic is when it is not inflamed. So, I feel like a terrible owner. I bought a chameleon kit, and the UVB bulb was just a bulb and apparently these can be too harsh on their eyes. The UVB is too centralized. So, unfortunately it did do damage. Went to this same vet, and he told me to get the linear reptisun 5.0 bulb. Things got SO much better, but the damage was done. Yes, I feel like a horrible owner, but I was not knowledgable to know a single concentrated UVB bulb would cause problems. Especially when it was sold as a chameleon kit! I feel so so terrible about it, but I just did not know any better. Not trying to make excuses for myself, but I do feel devastated. Anyhow, it has always been an issue since. Sometimes it is good, but other times it gets infected. I feel like a horrible owner. Ugh. I care so much that I was asking about if it would be humane to put him under, but he did say it would be like him having a headache. This still concerns me, because is it fair for him to seem depressed in his cage with a headache? He said he was too old to remove the eye, and it is not nearly as bad as I think and thst he would not euthanize at this point.

So, I have a brand new reptisun 5.0 linear UVB bulb. I have 100 watt heat lamp, which he never sits under! I hate how they jump from 100 watt to 150 watt. Last time I got the 150, his spine seemed to be getting a touch burnt, so I had to go with the 100. This is also brand new.

I give him a multivitamin with D3 by Zoo med called reptivite. I give this to him about twice a month, but when he seems to get weak, I give him a small dose.

I give him zoo meds repti calcium without D3 daily, but he only eats once or twice a week, so not sure how much he actually gets. I do dust his food often just incase he eats, and the other dust fell off.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[Vnessinessa]

Just a side note healthy or not male panthers have cycles in nature related to how vibrant their colors are displayed. In captivity dull vs vibrant can be random as they do not have true seasons indoors.
Here are some pictures my friend's panther at different stages just to illustrate. This is Vossen a TK Chameleons sire. These were taken a several months apart.
View attachment 257542View attachment 257543

Oh wow! Thank you for sharing

 

[kinyonga]

@Vnessinessa ...I have a lot of questions.
How many insects does he eat in a week? What size?

What brand of calcium and vitamin are you using? Does the vitamin powder have D3 in it or prEformed vitamin A ( palmitate, retinyl, retinol)?

What UVB light (brand and type...long linear or spiral, etc) do you use and when was it changed last?

What's the basking temperature? The rest of the cage?
When you take him out of the cage what's the temperature of the room he's in?

What specific meds is he on or has he been on...names of each?
What was wrong with his eye?

 

[Vnessinessa]

You can see in this photo how his pupil is deformed, and even his eye opening is restricted

 

[Vnessinessa]

@Vnessinessa ...I have a lot of questions.
How many insects does he eat in a week? What size?

What brand of calcium and vitamin are you using? Does the vitamin powder have D3 in it or prEformed vitamin A ( palmitate, retinyl, retinol)?

What UVB light (brand and type...long linear or spiral, etc) do you use and when was it changed last?

What's the basking temperature? The rest of the cage?
When you take him out of the cage what's the temperature of the room he's in?

What specific meds is he on or has he been on...names of each?
What was wrong with his eye?

He will eat about 6 insects a week. Only hornworms and superworms. I know not the healthiest, but he won't eat otherwise. I get the biggest hornworms possible.

Both zoomed vitamins. I do actually give vitamin A on his food twice a month. I just get it from a human grade pill.

Reptisun 5.0 linear UVB.
Zoo med 100 watt heat lamp
Both were changed this month, and very often.

His basking temp is about 83 f and the rest of the cage is about 73 f.

When iut of the cage, about 73 as well

Eye was initially burnt because of using a spiral uVB bulb. Never been the same since. Posted a picture above.

I don't have the names of the meds, but he has been on antibiotics to be put on eye directly, and also by mouth. He has been on anti inflammatories and pains meds as well. Been on them for the past few months, and just threw out the bottles! Now I am kicking myself.

Does this help?

Thank you

 

[kinyonga]

It does help...because it eliminates things. Sorry I didn't realize that you had already answered a lot of my questions...it was a timing thing.
Does he drink well?

 

[Vnessinessa]

Hes! He does drink well. Very hydrated.

 

[JacksJill]

Too much vitamin A it stays in their system for 6 mos so once a month is plenty and may still be too much.

 

[Vnessinessa]

Too much vitamin A it stays in their system for 6 mos so once a month is plenty and may still be too much.

K! I will absolutely not do this then so often. As a side note, he may not be getting any of it since he does not like to eat.

 

[Vnessinessa]

All mine kick the bucket 5.5-6.5 years

As others have said, keep them a bit skinny and they last longer. This has been known for "subjects" of scientists for decades, if you want your lab rats to last the longest, do not over feed.

Thank you !

 

[Mawtyplant]

No fecal was done..that makes sense that he could be bloated from the meds!

I will send you a photo of his eye. The pic is when it is not inflamed. So, I feel like a terrible owner. I bought a chameleon kit, and the UVB bulb was just a bulb and apparently these can be too harsh on their eyes. The UVB is too centralized. So, unfortunately it did do damage. Went to this same vet, and he told me to get the linear reptisun 5.0 bulb. Things got SO much better, but the damage was done. Yes, I feel like a horrible owner, but I was not knowledgable to know a single concentrated UVB bulb would cause problems. Especially when it was sold as a chameleon kit! I feel so so terrible about it, but I just did not know any better. Not trying to make excuses for myself, but I do feel devastated. Anyhow, it has always been an issue since. Sometimes it is good, but other times it gets infected. I feel like a horrible owner. Ugh. I care so much that I was asking about if it would be humane to put him under, but he did say it would be like him having a headache. This still concerns me, because is it fair for him to seem depressed in his cage with a headache? He said he was too old to remove the eye, and it is not nearly as bad as I think and thst he would not euthanize at this point.

So, I have a brand new reptisun 5.0 linear UVB bulb. I have 100 watt heat lamp, which he never sits under! I hate how they jump from 100 watt to 150 watt. Last time I got the 150, his spine seemed to be getting a touch burnt, so I had to go with the 100. This is also brand new.

I give him a multivitamin with D3 by Zoo med called reptivite. I give this to him about twice a month, but when he seems to get weak, I give him a small dose.

I give him zoo meds repti calcium without D3 daily, but he only eats once or twice a week, so not sure how much he actually gets. I do dust his food often just incase he eats, and the other dust fell off.

Thank you so much for your help!

hey don't feel so bad! we all make mistakes! important things is to learn from those mistakes and to correct the situation!

I suggest you to do a fecal (just to be safe on the parasitic note, I have seen nice CB with high amount of parasites and this can explain the poor appetite)

150w you right this is absolutely too high event 100w I consider this intense but depending on how your setup are made this can be ok.

for the system maybe you can consider to add some probiotics for reptiles? god the names of the medications?