Does this look like swelling around her neck?

[Frigga]

have you tried anymore kinds of food like silkworms

I don't have access to silkworms locally, but I think I will pick up some horn worms this afternoon, to see if she shows any interest there, good idea.
Hornworms are always a big hit in my house for all the lizards lol so it's worth a try

 

[my chams name is karma]

if she/he doesn't eat them just give them to the other lizards

 

[Frigga]

I couldn't get her the hornworm tonight, it was almost 7 by the time I got back from the petstore, only an hour before lights out. So I'm going to try in the morning. She did turn herself around, still in the same location, but hiding is more her style, so maybe that's a good thing.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Chams can eat at any time of day, if she will accept it, give it.

 

[Frigga]

Well, I've tried to get her to eat the horn worm today. I tried placing it in there, I tried holding it on a stick in front of her, I have left it walked away. But still she won't eat it.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Well, I've tried to get her to eat the horn worm today. I tried placing it in there, I tried holding it on a stick in front of her, I have left it walked away. But still she won't eat it.

So when did she eat last again?
How much?
Edema clear still?
I want you to adjust the basking spot, move it closer to wherever she has been hanging out lately.
Tried the Repative yet?
Do you have kids liquid med syringes?

 

[Frigga]

So when did she eat last again?
How much?
Edema clear still?
I want you to adjust the basking spot, move it closer to wherever she has been hanging out lately.
Tried the Repative yet?
Do you have kids liquid med syringes?

Ok so good news, I just got off work and the horn worm is gone! I looked all around her cage and don't see it anywhere, she's also moved closer to where I had left it, so I think she ate it!

It's been a week since ate, I believe it was Thursday or Friday, probably 8 crickets, give or take? I didn't really pay attention cause I didn't know she was going to start a hunger strike.

The edema appears to be back now.

I actually did move her basking spot
yesterday, not directly above her, but closer to her. She has moved a little now to get to the horn worm, but still not under the basking light.

I didn't try the reptivite yet, it came in yesterday and she wasn't touching the crickets. I'm going to try tomorrow with some dubias (picked some up yesterday when I got the horn worms)

I have many syringes in many sizes if I need them.

 

[Frigga]

Pictures before and after horn worm. You can definitely see the edema is back.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

You mentioned a hunger strike, I think that’s all this was, just continue what your doing and keep an eye on the edema.

 

[my chams name is karma]

at least she ate the hornworm

 

[Frigga]

You mentioned a hunger strike, I think that’s all this was, just continue what your doing and keep an eye on the edema.

It could be. But the combination of symptoms still makes me nervous.
I called the vet and they can get her in tomorrow morning.

 

[cloverthechameleon]

Are you sure the calcium you dust with daily is just calcium? Most common causes for edema are over supplementation specifically vit A and D3, or right before egg laying or right after. Its a very common problem. I have had it with afew females who were not gravid and i cut out the multivitamin and d3, used just calcium for afew weeks and made sure to keep them well hydrated and it solved its self.

 

[Frigga]

Are you sure the calcium you dust with daily is just calcium? Most common causes for edema are over supplementation specifically vit A and D3, or right before egg laying or right after. Its a very common problem. I have had it with afew females who were not gravid and i cut out the multivitamin and d3, used just calcium for afew weeks and made sure to keep them well hydrated and it solved its self.

Yes I'm sure it's just calcium.
Zoomed repti calcium without d3, it says pure calcium.

 

[Frigga]

Are you sure the calcium you dust with daily is just calcium? Most common causes for edema are over supplementation specifically vit A and D3, or right before egg laying or right after. Its a very common problem. I have had it with afew females who were not gravid and i cut out the multivitamin and d3, used just calcium for afew weeks and made sure to keep them well hydrated and it solved its self.

But it could be because she's getting getting ready to lay soon, she doesn't appear to be gravid yet, but that could very well be what's causing it.
She's my first and only female, I might be a little over cautious and a bit of a worrywart over her.

 

[Frigga]

We went to the vet today. As you can see she was very mad about it. The vet said she has an infection of some kind which they believe is causing the edema. Her respiratory is clear and everything else looks very good. She's ofcourse still very small, but has put on a lot of weight since being in my care
I'm waiting to hear back about the blood test results. They want to start her on antibiotics, but the blood results will determine more. I'll let you all know what they say when I hear back from them.
Thank you all again for all your support!
And I truly appreciate you @Brodybreaux25 and all your advice!

 

[Frigga]

I just heard back from the vet, she said it's a very good thing I brought her in today, her white blood cell count was VERY high.
They were originally telling me we would 3 to 7 rounds of antibiotics (depending on the results of the blood work) but due to the high levels they want to do 10 rounds. (Ceftazidine once every 3 days by injection, I have no idea how I'm going to inject her when she won't even let me hold her! Yikes!)
Once we've completed the antibiotics I'm going to take her back for another blood test, hopefully then she'll let them get all the blood they need to preform the full work up so we can get a complete understanding of her organ function and all that good stuff.
I just knew something wasn't right with my poor baby, hopefully this helps gets her back on track. ❤

 

[Frigga]

Update: we just finished the last of the antibiotics today! Hela is really thriving again, her appetite has returned to normal and she's active, doing her normal rounds of her cage.
Giving her shots was no easy feat! She has an attitude that doesn't quit! Every 72 hours I was taking her out for her shot, she would spend most the time trying to attack the towel I used to hold while I administered the shots. She has a serious hatred for that towel now, which is great that she now hates something more than me!
After the holidays I'll be taking her back to the vet for a follow up and full blood workup, since we weren't able to do the full test last time, I'd like to know if the infection is really gone and see how her organs are functioning. The edema still kinda comes and goes, but I think it is much less noticeable then it was.
So just wanted to share and few pictures of her on some of our "shot nights" lol

 

[Mawtyplant]

Are you sure the calcium you dust with daily is just calcium? Most common causes for edema are over supplementation specifically vit A and D3, or right before egg laying or right after. Its a very common problem. I have had it with afew females who were not gravid and i cut out the multivitamin and d3, used just calcium for afew weeks and made sure to keep them well hydrated and it solved its self.

in fact.. some oedema hypothesis can also be a vitamin A deficiency than a over supplementation of A

 

[ChamChamChangeForMe]

Thank for the update! Glad she is thriving!