dehydrated chameleon

[Bmjo]

Two nights ago zeus fell at night and spit up a worm i fed him and i thought he was dead and i didn't want to see him like that so i was going to deal with it in the morning. at 3 am my dad woke me up and zeus was standing and drinking so i went to a lady that i know and she gave me critical care and last night i gave him his first dose and he is walking around but he is dehydrated but he is drinking now i am giving him the critical care twice a day and he is eating crushed up wax worms mixed with pangea he is climbing and opening his eyes now. I can't take him to the vet until after Christmas does anyone have any tips to help me until then

 

[absolutbill]

You can use the shower method with Zeus - have him on a plant in the shower, and angle the shower head so that it doesn't hit him directly, but that he gets hit by the mist. Make sure the water is warmish, but not too hot. Also, you can feed him hornworms and silk worms which both have a higher water content and should help hydrate him. If he's still falling you'll want to make a hospital tank, or otherwise prevent him from falling to the bottom of his cage. Use towels or something to protect him if he starts falling again. Good luck!

 

[Bmjo]

You can use the shower method with Zeus - have him on a plant in the shower, and angle the shower head so that it doesn't hit him directly, but that he gets hit by the mist. Make sure the water is warmish, but not too hot. Also, you can feed him hornworms and silk worms which both have a higher water content and should help hydrate him. If he's still falling you'll want to make a hospital tank, or otherwise prevent him from falling to the bottom of his cage. Use towels or something to protect him if he starts falling again. Good luck!

i think he is too dehydrated to digest right now he spit up a hornworm two nights ago

 

[Thehippie]

smash them up and syringe feed him the hornworms, set up a hospital tank like @absolutbill said to do and i dont know if he will bw strong enough for a shower. can you fill out the how to ask for help form in my signature so we can get an idea of what your set up is and how to help you prevent this in the future

 

[Bmjo]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - veiled chameleon. 1 and a half years old i've had him for a year
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Never
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham?hornworms What amount?1 What is the schedule?every other day How are you gut-loading your feeders? hornworm food
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? i've been slacking on the calcium
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? mistingHow often and how long to you mist?around 4 or 5 times a day Do you see your chameleon drinking? sometimes but not recently
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?yellow urate watery
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. He had some troubles when i first got him. guy at the pet store said he's had him there for 3 months (wonder why) and he suckered me into buying him because it was an impulse buy

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?repti breeze 18 18 36
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?100 watt heating lamp 5.0 reptisun
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)?75 - 90 Lowest overnight temp?70 How do you measure these temps?temp gun
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels?40%+ 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?no
• Placement - Where is your cage located?in a corner 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?6 feet
• Location - Where are you geographically located?Michigan

 

[Bmjo]

smash them up and syringe feed him the hornworms, set up a hospital tank like @absolutbill said to do and i dont know if he will bw strong enough for a shower. can you fill out the how to ask for help form in my signature so we can get an idea of what your set up is and how to help you prevent this in the future

how would i crush up the worm i took out the "shell' Thats the best way i can explain it

 

[Thehippie]

well how did you crush up the waxworms???

 

[Bmjo]

well how did you crush up the waxworms???

i put them in a bag and mashed them up with a meat tenderizer

 

[Uzuri]

Hello! If you are saying he is dehydrated, I would use the shower method like @absolutbill said. Its the best thing you can do for your cham at the moment, unless you want to force him to drink.

 

[absolutbill]

If you are afraid that he's too weak for sitting on a plant in the shower, you can get in there with him and hold him so he doesn't fall. The lack of calcium in his diet is troublesome as well, and what specifically do you mean when you say that he had troubles when you first got him? Re-hydrating him needs to be your number one concern, but looking deeper into your husbandry needs to follow soon after.

 

[Thehippie]

mash the hornworms the same way

 

[Bmjo]

If you are afraid that he's too weak for sitting on a plant in the shower, you can get in there with him and hold him so he doesn't fall. The lack of calcium in his diet is troublesome as well, and what specifically do you mean when you say that he had troubles when you first got him? Re-hydrating him needs to be your number one concern, but looking deeper into your husbandry needs to follow soon after.

his growth was stunted and the vet said that he had a broken leg at some point he had dried up shed stuck in his eyes when i first got him

 

[salty dog]

Ouch!! I would also feed him bsfl larvae, and whatever else he will eat, a good variety will keep him healthy, with added calcium and a superfood multi vitamin, repashy or rep-cal is what I use twice a month, I hope he gets better!!

 

[Bmjo]

Ouch!! I would also feed him bsfl larvae, and whatever else he will eat, a good variety will keep him healthy, with added calcium and a superfood multi vitamin, repashy or rep-cal is what I use twice a month, I hope he gets better!!

I've been crushing up horn worms and feeding them with a syringe his grip is still strong enough to puncture my skin I think he has a respiratory infection because he has build up on his nose I'm planning on taking him to the vet Wednesday or friday

 

[salty dog]

What were you feeding him prior to infection?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I've been crushing up horn worms and feeding them with a syringe his grip is still strong enough to puncture my skin I think he has a respiratory infection because he has build up on his nose I'm planning on taking him to the vet Wednesday or friday

Got a pic of the build up? Do they resemble white crystals?

 

[Bmjo]

Zeus has passed away on the 24th. Thank you everyone for the help.

 

[ChamChamChangeForMe]

So very sorry about the loss of your Zeus. Sending love.

 

[JoshD49]

So sorry to here that. I hope you don't give up on the hobby and we are you again .

 

[Bmjo]

I'm thinking about getting another but not a veiled I'm thinking a panther but one that is a little more grown so I know that he was taken care of right