Female Jackson not eating

[Vince]

I have a female jackson chameleon that went from not eating well to not eating at all. I bought her pregnant, and after giving birth i have never been able to get her back to full health. She has a case of MBD now. Swelling in her joints went down and she seemed to be getting better but now that she quit eating i worry about her, Simply because she isn't getting her vitamins supplement.

I am waiting on some different food (silk worms) hoping she will go for though's.
She normally just eats wax worms and crickets. She has never liked meal worms (the only cham i know that wont eat meal worms.) She looks real interested in eating the mouths from the wax worms but she don't have enough ambition to go get them.

Just wondering if anyone here has had this problem and if there is anything i can do to help the pore girl?

 

[opihiman]

To be able to help you better fill out the questionaire.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? 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?
Location - Where is your cage located? 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?

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

Pictures are helpful

Also any detail regarding her clutch.

OPI

 

[kinyonga]

Are you sure that the swelling is a calcium defeciency and not something else??
Where is the swelling (at the joints or ?)

Can you post a picture?

I would recommend a visit to the vet. She should be back to normal almost immediately after giving birth.

 

[Vince]

quetions complete

Cage Info:
Cage Type – Wooden cage with one full side screen, and the other two sides are 1/3 screen covered 26” wide x 34” long x 4’ tall
Lighting – reptisun 10.0, model, 18” florescent tubes, light sched. 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM?
Temperature – Temp range 75 degrees, basking 85 Degrees. Lowest overnight temp? 65 Degrees How do you measure these temps? Thermometer
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? 60 to 70 percent How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? Hydrometer
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Croton, ficus tree, and pothos.
Location - Where is your cage located? Bedroom Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? No At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?3 foot off the floor

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, Jackson , sex, Female, and age of your chameleon don’t know. How long has it been in your care? 4 months
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? Never
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Crickets Wax worms, What amount? 2-3 crickets 1-2 wax worms. Worms not every day. What is the schedule? Crickets everyother day. How are you gut-loading your feeders? Apples, carrot, oatmeal.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Rep-cal Phosphorus free Calcium with vitamin d Ultra fine powder
Watering - . What kind of watering technique do you use? Complete mist king system How often and how long to you mist? 3 times a day. 5 mins every time Do you see your chameleon drinking? yes
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Brown kind of mushy. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Yes results were Negative
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. She was bought from petsmart. After first month she had babies 18. Ive had 50 percent success with them. But she has had several problems after them. She had sworllen joints the swelling went down, then back leg fractured. It started getting better.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about. She quit eating. Im waiting on some silk worms im hoping she will go for them. My next attempt would be to try preymantice

Pictures are helpful will post soon

Also any detail regarding her clutch.

 

[opihiman]

Pictures of your cham and your set up will be helpful

Have you tried flies or moths to stimulate her?

Also think visit to the vet may be needed at this point too.

OPI

 

[Vince]

I have fed her moths but no flies. Can i purchase flies somewhere?

Or are you talking about fruit flies?

And yes she will be going to the vet ASAP!

 

[opihiman]

either or....if you can start with just house flies to see if you can get her interested.

OPI

 

[Sepioteuthis]

Hi Vince!

One thing I see missing in your husbandry description is a vitamin supplement like reptivite. The MBD-like symptoms (broken leg) could be caused by the lack of vitamin A in the diet.
The swollen joints could be gout which could indicate a kidney problem.
But definitely take her to a vet first and get his/her opinion. If it were my chameleon I would ask the vet to do a blood panel.

Good luck with her!

 

[Vince]

thanks i will keep the blood panel in mind.

she does get a vitamin supplement though. calcium with vitamin D, phosphorus free. Is there a supplement with the vitamin A as well. I always thought she got the vitamin A from what i fed the crickets. (Apple, carrot, oatmeal, and sometimes cloves.

 

[BMXICAN]

thanks i will keep the blood panel in mind.

she does get a vitamin supplement though. calcium with vitamin D, phosphorus free. Is there a supplement with the vitamin A as well. I always thought she got the vitamin A from what i fed the crickets. (Apple, carrot, oatmeal, and sometimes cloves.

There is this stuff LLL sales called Sandfire Super Foods by T-Rex. It had Calcium, D3 AND Vitamin A. Only like 4 bucks. Worth it...

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/vitamins-medicines-and-cage-cleaners/-/t-rex-chameleon-dust/

 

[Sepioteuthis]

Yes, Reptivite contains vitamin A and many other things. Here is a list:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/add_info.cfm?pCatId=6415
BTW Jacksonii are sensitive to oversupplementation. I only give my adults a few dusted insects per month - about 3 with Reptivite and 5 with calcium/D3.

 

[Vince]

Good news she ate the silk worms today. Just wondering do silk worms cause any impaction problems or anything i should know about before she gets to many?

 

[skeeta]

Actually the opposite. Too many silkies and the poo becomes runny. No worries ... she's eating!

Didn't notice if you were supplementing with calcium WITHOUT D3. (gotta watch the D3 buildup and subsequent poisoning or calcium won't process and MBD will occur)

Good luck!

 

[JoshCrane1]

be sure to put down some paper towels, cuz worm poo is nasty splattering stink-ness.

 

[Vince]

thanks man will look forward to that.