Geriatric Chameleon Care

[Connorology]

Have any keepers with experience keeping older panther chameleons altered husbandry at all for their older animals? Spicoli, my male F. pardalis, is almost 6 now. I wish he would live forever, but he has slowed down quite a bit in recent months. No specific health problems to speak of, I am just wondering if anyone who has kept this species into the upper end of its lifespan has any thoughts about geriatric care.

 

[JacksJill]

My friend that has had some older panthers and makes ladders for them to make it easier for them to get around. Anti-inflammatory meds can help them when they really get creaky.

 

[jannb]

I would recommend a good check up and x-rays by a qualified chameleon vet. I would also recommend short cages and or trees and catch nets. They can get hurt even worse if they fall. I've had several older panthers with arthritis and my vet give Adequan injections to keep the joints lubricated and Metacam, an anti inflammatory for pain. They seem to get just about the same issues as us humans do as we age. I also had a panther with high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. They have strokes and they also get cancer.

 

[kinyonga]

"Reptiles are stoic and show few signs of aging, but subtle changes in behavior, mobility, reproduction, weight, or appetite may all signal the onset of senescence to the vigilant caregiver. Serial, for example, yearly or biannual physical examination, blood sampling, and imaging initiated at maturity or earlier are probably the most powerful tools in diagnosing, monitoring, and managing geriatric issues"...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20159540/

 

[Connorology]

Thanks for all the suggestions - I'm looking mostly for successfully employed at-home options at this point in time, he is up-to-date on his veterinary care.

My friend that has had some older panthers and makes ladders for them to make it easier for them to get around.

I would also recommend short cages and or trees and catch nets.

Any photos of the ladders or catch nets? Seeing what has worked is probably better than reverse engineering. I don't think he's quite at the point where he requires that kind of setup but he may be trending in that direction and I'd like to have something like that ready before it's needed.

 

[jannb]

My guys all free range inside but here’s how we set up Spike’s outside enclosure when he got old so he wouldn’t fall and hurt himself.

Here’s a tree we added a net to for Mufasa when he got old.

 

[JacksJill]

You can use the ladders they make for parrot cages or make your own with branches and zip ties.

 

[Connorology]

Thanks, both of those are helpful suggestions. I will likely be employing these ideas when the time comes. Is the net the firm plastic bird mesh from home depot?

 

[Hawaiian Rose]

I would recommend a good check up and x-rays by a qualified chameleon vet. I would also recommend short cages and or trees and catch nets. They can get hurt even worse if they fall. I've had several older panthers with arthritis and my vet give Adequan injections to keep the joints lubricated and Metacam, an anti inflammatory for pain. They seem to get just about the same issues as us humans do as we age. I also had a panther with high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. They have strokes and they also get cancer.

Thank you for sharing your info. My daughter just got a wild cham. Thank you again.