Charm very sick barely moving

W

wetrippymaine

New Member
I have a juvenile veiled chameleon and just two days ago she was perfectly fine, though for the past week I have noticed she's always been in the top corner of the cage face nearly pushed up against the screen very close to the light, and she's kinda new so I thought she just found her spot. I should also mention that she shares her cage with a male veiled chameleon, and I can tell it does stress her very much. This morning I found her laying on her side in the dirt underneath the plant and the thought occurred to me maybe she pregnant but as I tried to pick her up to take a look at her she could barely even hold onto my finger. The only explanation I could think of is that two days ago I fed them a few moths, I didn't see her eat one but I saw the boy eat a few (he is fine). I'm going to call my vet immediately and get her in as soon as possible and I also have been in the process of building a new cage for them so they have room away from each other (it's going to be very big) and later on building another so I can separate them.

As for their living specifications, I have a small "8x8"x12" tank that the sales rep at pet Co told me would be fine for them but after doing my research a week later when I noticed them fighting had found its faaar too small the cage totaled out to about 200 though (rip off) so I couldn't buy them a bigger one so I've been making one, I plan on finishing it tomorrow she I can get her some room. I also have a dual light bulb fixture with two 60 way new uvb bulbs, one day and one night, it's a steady 90-95 degrees at the very top and room temp at the bottom. I feed them about 4 crickets each a day and about 15 meal worms each a day, and they do eat it all. I also have a reptifogger for humidity.

And insight on what this could be while I wait for the vet appointment would help greatly, and also any information on how to nurse a generally sick chameleon.
 

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Please thoroughly read this care sheet and make adjustments accordingly:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

From the picture she is dehydrated and extremely stressed. If she is that coloration all the time that means she is constantly stressed, which is very likely in a tiny cage like that shared with a male. When they are stressed they will often not eat or drink, and it can easily kill them. Petco/Petsmart have zero knowledge of chameleons in general.

As long as you did not buy your equipment a long time ago you should be able to return it all to Petco and get your money back. The male should have a 24"x24"x48" screen cage as an adult and the female should have a 18"x18"x36". Depending on their age you can use smaller cages until they get older.

How are you watering them? Mealworms are a treat food so you should feed mostly crickets or dubia and use worms as treats. What kind of UVB bulbs are you using?
 
Horrible advice you were given by the pet store. 8 X 8 X 12 for two chameleons? Not big enough for ONE. That is cruel to keep an animal in something that small. I know you know to separate them, but please make sure you find adequate housing for the male also. You temps are way too hot in that tank for any chameleon. And as the others have said, she is totally stressed.
 
I will try to be nice, I don't mean to be harsh. Unless you move those chams apart NOW, you are killing that female! i don't know where you live or what your home is like, but could you go get a couple ficus or umbrella trees, put them in some cheap plastic tubs from walmart, them put different rooms. This might not be great but it would give your female a chance, most likely that will be her only chance.
 
Why don't people research animals before they buy them? No offense to the original poster (I'm sorry your girl isn't well), this is a question for a broad umbrella, whether it be breeds of dogs, leopard geckos, snakes, etc. It's not solely the stores fault, but I do agree that they should have, at the very least some, knowledge of the animals they sell. But you can return everything within 60 days, and the animals within 15 days. Should vet care be required, call the store you got them from FIRST and get approval or it will not be covered.

Please, also, what Petco was it? Who helped you? I work at a Petco, and am trying to build an argument for us to stop carrying chameleons, to present to the higher-ups.

Are you dusting the feeders with and on what schedule? When you do take her to a vet, ask if she has early stages of MBD, as I have found this to be a common issue with posters who buy from retail chains. The temperature should only be that hot if you are trying to help them fight off an infection.
 
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I did the recommended and while waiting to go to my other house to build her cage I put her on some Impatients, I checked if their safe on a list of safe plants for chams and they are, She seemed to perk up a bit she's looking around now while before she was just staring in one direction no matter what I did she's also holding herself up on the leaves which seems very hard for her at the moment. I had her in the sun for a few hours and she started exploring the plants and it really cheered her up. Right now I can't be outside so I have a 60 watt uvb bulb on the plants and considering she isn't even moving I don't really need to enclose the pot, she's not going anywhere, but I have been watching her just in case. Still not eating or drinking either.
 

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In regards to sharp I dust crickets and meal worms and make sure they have plenty of both at all times. I have a water dropper that goes down the leaves and they're pretty good about drinking it when they're thirsty, though they both seem to be convinced at times the tube is a snake... lol. Also I have two zoo-med 60 watt bulbs, one day and one night.
 
What ever you do, please don't put her back in that tiny enclosure with the male. Whoever told you that is completely uniformed and has no idea about chameleon husbandry.
 
As to my irresponsibility with properly housing the chameleons to be 100% honest I was aware of not putting a male and a female together but they seemed to LOVE each other at first. For the first few nights she literally slept on his back and they would intertwine tails it was the cutest thing in the world. I also never noticed the male trying or make a move towards her, he would actually do the opposite most of the time and completely ignore her. I figured they would be fine for a week or two while I build my new cage. I claim 100% responsibility for this and really can't complain, I'm trying to be as nurturing as possible in her time of need but there's only so much I can do to help her until I go to the vet and make sure stress is what's doing this. She seems content now in those flowers but of course still very not okay.
 
Also just out of curiosity is anybody else aware of or practice crystal healing? I'm very into it and it's a massive component of my spirituality. I of course ,thinking out of rationality, recognize the possibility it could all be placebo affect and understand I have to get her go a vet as soon as possible. But in correlation with my beliefs I decided to practice some crystal healing on her, I first withdrew all the energy she had stored in her chakras with a full quartz wand, then did the opposite and deposited some of my power, plenty of universal power, and a touch of power from a deity that I'm very close with who agreed to help her. Then I placed her in a grid of ascensionite stones which are believed to transmute negative energy to positive energy, and placed an aragonite pyramid in it which has the same affects. After an hour or so in there I held her and went over her body with a copper coil pendulum to detect blockages in her chakras. The only one blocked up was her root, which makes sense, so I cleansed it withdrew the power, out the same energy as before focused into her root, then expanded its electromagnetic field with my pendulum. If you do not believe in these things no hate please, just thought I'd share with you guys.
 
Unfortunately she was probably already sick, due to poor care, before you got her. I researched 60w uvb and the only thing I am finding are the day/night combo lights. Is is blue? If so it does not emit UVB just UVA. Also chams don't need a light at night. It disturbs their sleep and the temperature drop is good for them.

Definitely read that caresheet! It will give you the info that you need for them.
 
Yes... that is the combo pack I got, the red and blue "uvb" lights. I'm not so sure about it not emitting uvb though, it's illegal to market an item and lie about it like that.
 
wetrippymaine said:
Also just out of curiosity is anybody else aware of or practice crystal healing? I'm very into it and it's a massive component of my spirituality. I of course ,thinking out of rationality, recognize the possibility it could all be placebo affect and understand I have to get her go a vet as soon as possible. But in correlation with my beliefs I decided to practice some crystal healing on her, I first withdrew all the energy she had stored in her chakras with a full quartz wand, then did the opposite and deposited some of my power, plenty of universal power, and a touch of power from a deity that I'm very close with who agreed to help her. Then I placed her in a grid of ascensionite stones which are believed to transmute negative energy to positive energy, and placed an aragonite pyramid in it which has the same affects. After an hour or so in there I held her and went over her body with a copper coil pendulum to detect blockages in her chakras. The only one blocked up was her root, which makes sense, so I cleansed it withdrew the power, out the same energy as before focused into her root, then expanded its electromagnetic field with my pendulum. If you do not believe in these things no hate please, just thought I'd share with you guys.
Click to expand...

This is one of the best posts I've read on CF. Thank you and may the Force be with you.
 
Dufuq did I just read? Please follow the care sheets. That's their best hope for happy and healthy lives. Vest of luck to your chams.
 
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