Edema/Swelling in my 1 year old Ambjina Chameleon

[nicolerich]

My one year old chameleon "Charlie" has developed these man boobs. I am quite concerned because I do not have a vet in my area that specializes in reptiles. I have done alot of research and have even seen pic that looks just like Charlies problem on this forum but they never followed up with what happened. It seems like it has to do with supplementation. I was giving him calcium with vit d, calcium with out vit d and a mult vit. Now I only give him calcium without d. I have see him shooting at soil and eating leaves. Does any one know about this that can help me. Here is more info about his setup.

cage: 4x2x2
misting sytem: mist king sprays 3 time as day for 5 min.
live plants
food: crickets,superworms,silkworms,hormworms

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[Iluvheidi]

I hope he is fine! he just looks buff!

 

[bradley]

I could be the amount if D3 be was getting. You want to be giving
Plain calcium daily
Calcium with D3 twice a month
A multivitamin with no D3 twice a month.

 

[Garrett]

I've only ever experienced this once years ago when using a multivitamin... won't say which one
I would continue with just the straight calcium for a few months and get him to drink lots and lots of water. If it's supplement related it should clear up.
If he's having renal issues\kidney failure from chronic dehydration that's another matter, the extra hydration should help there as well. Gutloads with high sodium\protein can also cause this (cat food)

 

[carol5208]

I am gonna jump in here and tell you my experience with this. About 16 months ago I took in a chameleon that had gular edema. Now according to the owner he had it for about 2 years prior to that and he never though much about it other than he was fat. He barely used any supplementation at all he said. Once in awhile, a calcium on the crickets. So this kinda bucks the notion that is caused by supplementation. Well, he is going on 5 years, maybe 6 (hatchdate he was not sure of) and I can tell you I have tried everything under the sun to get rid of it. It comes and goes in severity. I give him no d3 at all. He basically lives outside and gets plenty of natural uvb. He gets a varied diet, plenty of water, etc. I guess I can tell you it is not fatal, or not going to cause immediate death anyways as he has had it going on 4 years now. I am not saying what the others have stated is incorrect, just my experience with it and I can say it is definitely not caused by over supplementation, atleast in my case. I have changed gutloads and tried various things to get rid of it. There are days when it is barely noticable and other days when he looks like Dolly Parton! He has been seen by a vet and honestly, there is nothing they can do to cure it. If you find a cure, please let me know!!!!! Oh and he only fed him crickets that were gutloaded with lettuce or romaine he said.

 

[cubanbee]

Oversupplementation in my case

Just a +1 to what a couple others have said. I had this issue when I first got my cham, turned out to be over supplementation and over eagerness on my part really. I was using both wet and dry homemade gutloads as well as dusting everyday with a calcium +multi-vitamin supplement that was labeled for everyday use. I cut that to once a week and plain calcium at most other feedings. Edema went away within a week or two in my case.

 

[nicolerich]

Thanks guys I will keep you posted. I have also seen edema because of dehydration, I am worried about him being dehydrated. When I used to use a dripper before I got the mist king he used to shoot right at the tube that came down in his cage to drink. Now I don't ever see him drinking. He is wet from the mister and his eyes are not sunken in but I don't physically see him drink. It has been a very hot couple days here so around 6 pm he has been gaping so I have been trying to train him to drink out of a syringe so I can be certain how much fluids he is getting. Hopefully getting only calcium and more water will help!