Does my chameleon have metabolic bone disease?

[Mountain Dragon]

Ur cage should end up like this
Could someone add a photo of their enclosure



this is Neptune the chameleons enclosure @Gingero

 

[Nicburch]

Welcome to the forum!

As @Beman said..."Yes, he does. And it is a rather extreme case.... You need a reptile vet and you should do a husbandry review to correct the aspects causing it before it worsens and causes deformity in other parts of his body."...I agree with this.

To correct it, you do need a vet IMHO... And your chameleon needs proper UVB, proper supplements, well fed insects, appropriate temperatures and in addition, will need a liquid calcium until the bones, muscles and other systems in your chameleon are strong again. The damage that's already done will likely remain...and I would keep her in a hospital type cage until she is stronger so she won't fall and break more bones. A hospital cage is just a lower cage with less things to climb on...but you need to be careful with the lighting so you don't burn her or overheat her or overdo the UVB because she may have difficulty moving around until the MBD is fixed.

Once it's fixed you will be able to drop he liquid calcium and continue with proper husbandry to stop it from returning.

How long should he be in a hospital cage for?

 

[Nicburch]

Ur cage should end up like this
Could someone add a photo of their enclosure



this is Neptune the chameleons enclosure @Gingero

going to the pet store right now i have $250 to my name at the moment il most likely have to use it all.

 

[Nicburch]

Ok so lets start with feedback. I am sure your overwhelmed but I am going to lay it all out there for you so you do not even have to go search for items. Yes, the cham needs the vet for the correct liquid calcium. But you have lots of husbandry changes to make. The thing is all of this will cost money. So I know you said you were tight on money. Unfortunately these changes are a have to do thing. If you are not going to be able to do this then please let us know. We want to help you and the cham. Which means we can give you resources to rescues as well.
So lets begin. See my feedback in bold.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - I've had this piebald veiled chameleon for about 2 months and he was 3 months old when I got him so he's 5 months old. Looks to be a male, I am seeing a tarsal spur. Which is good since MBD is particularly dangerous for females as they lay infertile eggs.
• Handling - I used to handle him 3 times a week for about 15 to 20 minutes but recently over the past 2 weeks I can tell he does not want to be handled. Little man probably hurts trying to move around also at 5 months he is starting to hit maturity. They are known for not being fond of people.
• Feeding - I'm feeding my cham 10 crickets in the morning and 10 at night. I put calcium with vitamin d3 on the crickets once a week. I'm using Flukers orange cube complete cricket diet for the crickets. Ok so no feeding at night at all. Only in the morning so he can digest them. 15-20 a day for now is good. BUT you need to go buy calcium WITHOUT D3 today. This will be given at every feeding. Then you will buy Reptivite without D3. So you will use the reptivite every other week rotating with the calcium WITH d3. So each is given 2 times a month total. Then at all other feedings you will dust the feeders in the calcium WITHOUT d3. Orange cubes do not work. Buy repashy bug burger and mix as directed or get fresh gutload see image below.
• Reptivite link https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptivite-without-Vitamin/dp/B00167S5GC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=VCM9X7K0GB4G&dchild=1&keywords=reptivite+without+d3&qid=1630020672&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=reptivite+,pets,202&sr=1-2
• calcium without D3 https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Calcium-without/dp/B000UJPHL8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=RTMBS9L9GVHW&dchild=1&keywords=calcium+without+d3&qid=1630020716&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=calcium+wit,pets,210&sr=1-3
• Repashy bug burger gutload. https://www.amazon.com/Repashy-Burg...g+burger&qid=1630020757&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-1
• Watering - I use a mist sprayer and I spray it over the top about 3-4 times a day. I see him drinking all the time. So typically we recommend 2-4 minutes morning and evening and then a dripper during the day. BUT this is with a screen enclosure that has airflow.
• Fecal Description -My cham has never been tested for parasites. His poop is brown and his pee is white.
• History - When I first got him he was a tiny little guy with skinny little arms. His arms looked like toothpicks but they looked normal compared to other chameleons. A few weeks ago, I started noticing some changes in his behavior. It appears as if he isn't climbing as well, although he still does it. He also doesn't like to be handled at all anymore. If I stick my hand in his terrarium, he opens his mouth wide and hisses at me most of the time. The one good thing I've noticed is that he's starting to get some beautiful colors. If this is Metabolic Bone Disease, I'd really like to know what I can do to fix this problem. I wasn't expecting this at all and I understand it will probably be an expensive fix. Yes, It is going to be a bit to get everything corrected. Everything is going to cost money. So all the cage changes I will be telling you have to be done regardless or he will die. Now for the vet... Yes, because they will need to do possibly do xrays and bloodwork. And you will have to buy the liquid calcium.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Glass 10 gallon cage. It has a wire roof so he can climb... NOPE hard pass. So he is not a fish... This cage never should have been sold to you. You need a screen cage. Right now due to his MBD this would need to be turned on its side so he can not fall. But you need a 2X2X4ft enclosure. Might as well buy this right off the bat as you will need it when he matures. This one https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Rept...een+cage&qid=1630020835&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-4
• Lighting - My daily lighting schedule is 60w daylight blue UVA light around 9 am, then 50w night heat lamp around midnight. NO heat at night at all unless temps fall below 50 degrees. And then you can not use a light producing bulb. The 60 watt for day is fine. But you need a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 linear bulb. This is why he has MBD incorrect UVB lighting and supplementation. You want to buy this one https://www.amazon.com/Reptisun-T5-...&keywords=t5ho+fixture&qid=1630020434&sr=8-36 and then you need 8 inches between where this sits and the highest point he can get to. No closer then that or he will be overexposed.
• Temperature - I do not measure the temperature You have to... Needs 80-85 degrees at basking no hotter. So buy this... and tie in the probe at the highest branch below the heat. Use a zip tie to keep it in place https://www.amazon.com/REPTI-ZOO-Th...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
• Humidity - I do not measure humitidy, I just mist his cage when I think it looks dry. You have to.... do not mist the probe. should be 30-50% during the day no higher. https://www.amazon.com/REPTI-ZOO-Thermometer-Temperature-Terrarium/dp/B07SZ7NYHJ/ref=sxin_13_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?cv_ct_cx=temp+gauge+reptile&dchild=1&keywords=temp+guage+reptile&pd_rd_i=B07SKJW61S&pd_rd_r=b5bca796-bcfb-47fa-b3f8-abe55937a3b0&pd_rd_w=WwftG&pd_rd_wg=dFGkW&pf_rd_p=3b2adfc6-e3ad-467a-9f38-271e811048b0&pf_rd_r=6AGTHAEYGWCXGSVS86M7&qid=1630020528&sr=1-2-a73d1c8c-2fd2-4f19-aa41-2df022bcb241-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySExaTFdNUU9KSFM5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTYzNjM3MlY4WUxPMzNPUzRETyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDQ1NjU1Mk1CVFo3RzkyR1lKVSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3NlYXJjaF90aGVtYXRpYyZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1
• Plants - I was using a live plant but it died. Other than that I have 5 fake plants. ALL fake have to be removed. You need live plants. See the image below you want the ones that say veiled tested. PUt one inch or larger stones on the dirt in the pots so he can not eat the dirt.
• Placement - The top of his cage is about 4 1/2 feet above the floor. There is no fans blowing into the cage. My room is normally pretty warm
• Location - San Antonio, Tx

Now then you want to read through everything in this husbandry program. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

Please understand EVERYTHING I am suggesting and giving you links for are have to buy items. UVB and supplements need to be ordered right now. Then the entire cage needs to be corrected. This cham is at risk for also developing a respiratory infection if it is left in the fish tank.

This is a ton of info but right now the MBD can be stopped from progressing. If you wait it will get much much worse until he dies. This is not an easy death this is painful for them. With MBD the calcium is literally being sucked from their bones making them weak and brittle. They bend and break.

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Should I leave space for my crickets to move around instead of keeping the little cardboard cup holder thing that comes with them? Do they need more space to stay alive?

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Should I leave space for my crickets to move around instead of keeping the little cardboard cup holder thing that comes with them? Do they need more space to stay alive?

Get a large tote and put them in there with some egg crates (clean)

 

[Mountain Dragon]

going to the pet store right now i have $250 to my name at the moment il most likely have to use it all.

Yea u will use it all and need more I wouldn’t go to a pet store I would order online there’s better stuff and don’t ask for advice from the pet store people depending on where ur going

 

[kinyonga]

How long should he be in a hospital cage for?

Until the bones and muscles are strong enough that he won't fall when climbing and break something.

 

[Beman]

going to the pet store right now i have $250 to my name at the moment il most likely have to use it all.

What all did you buy? Take pics for me so I can make sure they sold you the correct stuff.