falling straight over
- Thread starter LBonawitz
- Start date
BocaJan
New Member
My first thought is the Megaray lamp. You should be using a linear UVB preferable 5.0. Weakness and MVB take awhile to develop with improper lighting and I'm thinking this could be it.
Get the correct fixture and bulb, then give your guy some outside time to get some great UVB's. Just make sure he has sunlight and shade.
Get the correct fixture and bulb, then give your guy some outside time to get some great UVB's. Just make sure he has sunlight and shade.
hun73r
Member
The Megaray lamp is not the issue just because it is not the most commonly used fixture on the forum.
Many experienced keepers and zoos use MVB bulbs very similiar to the Megaray with great success. The UVB output from these bulbs can actually penetrate a little deeper into a tall enclosure and if done correctly can have some very positive results on the look of the environment, plant growth and the overall health and well being of the captive animal.
I would think that since he has had the animal for 3+ years in the environment and with the husbandry that something else is the issue. Either a reaction to the medication recently administered or a new illness has surfaced.
Many experienced keepers and zoos use MVB bulbs very similiar to the Megaray with great success. The UVB output from these bulbs can actually penetrate a little deeper into a tall enclosure and if done correctly can have some very positive results on the look of the environment, plant growth and the overall health and well being of the captive animal.
I would think that since he has had the animal for 3+ years in the environment and with the husbandry that something else is the issue. Either a reaction to the medication recently administered or a new illness has surfaced.
FFSTRescue
New Member
I think this is something other than husbandry. People tend to always assume it is husbandry (as it is with many new owners), but you know your husbandry very well and animals (including humans) are very complicated physiologically, so it could very well be a condition that is idiopathic and undiagnosable, as in many humans. It could be an ocular issue causing disruption with the vagus nerve, which could cause instability, or any other issue affecting the vagus nerve (he could be having a vasovagal type response). Also, if your vet suspected anemia, which is usually autoimmune in origin, that would cause weakness as lack of red blood cells would mean lack of oxygen and therefore weakness. I would start treating the symptoms and consider this idiopathic, so more time should be spent preventing the falling over than from trying to figure out what is wrong. Ask your vet to go on VIN because I'm sure there are other vets that have experienced similar things and have recommendations. Good luck to you guys! You seem like an exceptional owner 
LBonawitz
Member
We still have found nothing wrong. Pokey also has a swollen right front foot that he can't grip with very well and my initial thought was gout, but we did a full body x-ray yesterday from 4 different angles to see if anything was "off" inside him. his arm showed no gout, his kidneys have no signs of mineralization, no broken limbs. according to his x-rays he is completely healthy. I'm continuing with the reptaid and liquid calcium as the vet recommends. and I'll keep my fingers crossed. He is getting a lot of natural sun since we have it for a few days here in Seattle
LBonawitz
Member
again, the vet and i have done everything that we can with this swollen foot/arm. my first thought was gout, the vet looked at it and said no, maybe another abcess that has surfaced. we treated him for a month with amikacin 2 weeks and baytril 2 weeks (even though his cultures were clean). it made no difference to the swelling. i've talked with dave weldon on here about it and we have come to no real answer. His vet thinks that cutting into the tissue there would be more of a problem than a benefit. the xray showed the area as tissue, no pockets of anything, no spaces or gaps, nothing wrong with the bone.
i'm not one of those keepers that looks at their chameleon with sunken eyes when its half dead and says "ah, shit'll buff out" My chameleons nick name at his vets office is "the million dollar baby"
I posted my original question so vague just for some other possibilites since his vet has exhausted all others.
LBonawitz
Member
You said..."His vet thinks that cutting into the tissue there would be more of a problem than a benefit"...its a crap shoot IMHO. In most cases a chameleon will wall off the infected area and seal the infection in....however, in my experience eventually the bacteria will find a way out. I have also seen cases where the injured area will end up developing fibrous tissue and become a non-issue.
You said..."I posted my original question so vague just for some other possibilites since his vet has exhausted all others"...but its like asking for a diagnosis without presenting all the facts.
You said..."I posted my original question so vague just for some other possibilites since his vet has exhausted all others"...but its like asking for a diagnosis without presenting all the facts.
