Has my beloved Karma got MBD?

[Elizadolots]

You don't need a photobucket account. If your picture is on your computer where you can find it, then you can do it without your husband's help.

You can make it an attachment here. Just click "post reply" then the "paper clip" then "browse"...find the file on your computer.

It will show up in your post as a thumbnail.

(Note, I had to put that in photobucket because the "attachments" here don't support the animated gif files)

 

[lizard120371]

Can't flipping do it!!!! So frustrating. Did everything you said but the photos don't seem to be there. I know thay are coz I saw them on here last night! Hubby at work now, I work shifts and finish at 9.30 uk time. Will leave him a note begging him to do this whilst I am at work. Sorry guys for keeping you waiting, don't think I don't want to help my lovely Karma, I could scream with frustration!!!

 

[lizard120371]

OMG I think I've done it! The first picture shows him looking healthy in his 2ft by 2ft viv. I have tried to show his elbow and knee in the next two.

 

[camimom]

His arms and legs look pretty good. But he is dehydrated. Sunken eyes and orange urate gave that away.
I would try a warm shower for 20 minutes a day to help with hydration and see if after some time he keeps his eyes open. As someone else stated I would also improve your gut loading. I use carrots. Mustard greens, potatoes, apples. Bee pollen. I used to use dandelion leaves but it's too cold to find them outside now.
You may also want to vary his diet more. Petco sells calcium worms also known as Phoenix worms. These are high in calcium and can be fed a few off daily. (though not as a staple feeder)
One more thing, I would get a live plant in the cage to help with humidity. A food scheffelara or pothos can help. (also veileds luv to munch them)

I hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[Carlton]

Do I need to get a fogger Charlton? thanks for everybody's help!

First, I would get a good quality humidity gauge (also called a hygrometer) and find out just how dry the cage gets in between your current spraying schedule. If it sits below 50% relative humidity it is too dry. Then start experimenting with additional spraying cycles, putting a room humidifier next to the cage and letting it run several times a day to see how long it will take to raise the cage humidity level. I think you'll find the cage is really a lot dryer than you realize. Adding live plants to the cage will help raise it, draping some sheet plastic on the back and/or sides of the cage will help too. By experimenting you can then decide if you need a fogger or a misting system.

 

[lizard120371]

Have managed to upload some more - getting good at this. Thanks for your advice guys. Have taken everything on board, have misted him for ages today twice. Have chucked out the broccolli, chopped up some apple and carrott. He looks a better colour and has spent less time hiding in amongst the foliage. Will attempt to take him in the shower but he's never been outside his viv. Fingers crossed maybe dehydration is the answer although I feel really guilty for causing it. However his right eye has started bulging today which is a new symptom.

 

[lizard120371]

Will also get a hydrometer and a live plant, thanks guys, keep your fingers crossed for us.

 

[camimom]

He does seem very stressed out as he is showing very dark colors right now.
With the new pics you took, it does appear that his right upper arm seems a bit odd shaped. However, that coudl jsut be the angle.
Does he sleep through the night?
I wuld also recommend replacing his uvb bulb with a reptiglo of reptisun 5.0 (this cant hurt him, may even help)
I know you said the thermostat says its 82. is that the temp in the house, room, or his cage?
You may want to try raising the temp of his cage to around 85, this may help, but keep an eye out for gaping. that is how they say im too hot and i need to cool down.

As fro the eye bulging, that is sometimes normal, esp if you just misted, its how they get stuff out of their eyes.

 

[lizard120371]

Lol he doesn't much like have his photo taken and hissed at me and darked right up. However he is much darker than he used to be all of the time apart from when he is asleep. He is asleep when I turn his uv off at night and is asleep in the morning when I turn it back on, no idea if he sleeps all night sorry. His arm looks ok to me, maybe just the angle? Thanks for taking time to give me advice.

 

[lizard120371]

Thermostat probe thingy is at the top of his viv, set at 82. Thermometer is on the carpet at the bottom and reads 70. Will get a new uv bulb asap as suggested.

 

[camimom]

Thermostat probe thingy is at the top of his viv, set at 82. Thermometer is on the carpet at the bottom and reads 70. Will get a new uv bulb asap as suggested.

Ok those temps are pretty good then.
I would just replace the uvb and try a shower for a few days and see how it goes.

 

[lizard120371]

Have given him and his viv 3 massive soakings today with the spray bottle. Seems to be spending more time at the top of his viv like he used to but has spent some time hiding in his foliage halfway down the viv. Has taken 2 crickets today so far today, will try again later as this is poor, he used to eat 10 one after another. He is still doing the funny wobbly thing with his eyes closed when eating. Have bought a hydrometer which was reading 80 just before I sprayed him a few mins ago. Have also bought a new thermometer which I've stuck at the top of the viv. Top one is reading 85 and one on the carpet of the viv 70, these temperatures are just after spraying. Will buy a real plant for his viv tomorrow. Am just praying now that I can fix him. Have noticed his lower jaw seems bigger than his top jaw. Is this a sign of anything bad? Thanks to everybody that has posted advice so far.

 

[hinoco1225]

Hello, I'm sorry to hear your cham is sick.

First of all, I want to commend you on being an attentive cham keeper and on being so receptive to everyone's advice.

I agree with everyone that you need to make sure he gets and stays properly hydrated, and I agree that it's time for a new UVB 5.0 bulb as well. I also have one more idea though. He could have some sort of vitamin deficiency (tongue problems, closing eyes, dingy color can be signs of this). You can help with that by providing better gutloading items for his crickets like collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, etc. Also, I noticed that you said you are only supplementing him with calcium. Using a reptile multivitamin once or twice a month can be beneficial to your cham as well.

Edit: I have also heard good things about Fluker's Repta-Aid helping severely dehydrated reptiles to recover. I don't know about the availability of this product in your area, but if you feel your cham is in serious condition, you could look into it.

 

[lizard120371]

Crickets have got apple and carrot at moment, have day off tomorrow so will forage in the garden for some dandelion leaves and try and find some mustard greens at the supermarket. Will also buy live plant for viv tomorrow and try and buy a replacement uv bulb. Is the bigger bottom jaw a problem do you think. Does dehydration cause low blood pressure like in humans causing him to go dizzy? But then why would he only be dizzy when eating? So many questions. I want to do the best for my lovely Karma.

 

[camimom]

Crickets have got apple and carrot at moment, have day off tomorrow so will forage in the garden for some dandelion leaves and try and find some mustard greens at the supermarket. Will also buy live plant for viv tomorrow and try and buy a replacement uv bulb. Is the bigger bottom jaw a problem do you think. Does dehydration cause low blood pressure like in humans causing him to go dizzy? But then why would he only be dizzy when eating? So many questions. I want to do the best for my lovely Karma.

Good. Getting better gutload can only help.
As for the jaw thing.. I just went and looked at the pics you posted and I dont see anything wrong.
Im not sure dehydration causes low blood pressure, but i know wheni get that wayi do get dizzy. and if its the same for karma, then he gets more dizzy while trying to eat bc hes exerting himself to catch food. JMO

 

[Carlton]

Crickets have got apple and carrot at moment, have day off tomorrow so will forage in the garden for some dandelion leaves and try and find some mustard greens at the supermarket. Will also buy live plant for viv tomorrow and try and buy a replacement uv bulb. Is the bigger bottom jaw a problem do you think. Does dehydration cause low blood pressure like in humans causing him to go dizzy? But then why would he only be dizzy when eating? So many questions. I want to do the best for my lovely Karma.

The jaw may not cause trouble if he can eat, it might be genetic, and if he's got some MBD going on the correction in nutrition should keep it from getting worse. Herps have pretty low blood pressure compared to a mammal so I doubt dehydration would affect it. You may be seeing his attempts to "hone in" on the prey. Chams will sway, rock, and teeter around while determining the shooting distance and depth of field.

 

[lizard120371]

Just a thought- the blood pressure thing. I work in a hospital as a healthcare assistant and know that low blood pressure makes u dizzy. Got a list of things to do tomorrow to get him sorted (hopefully) as mentioned above and fingers crossed. Love him lots even though he is grumpy and not in the least bit cuddly, lol!

 

[camimom]

Just a thought- the blood pressure thing. I work in a hospital as a healthcare assistant and know that low blood pressure makes u dizzy. Got a list of things to do tomorrow to get him sorted (hopefully) as mentioned above and fingers crossed. Love him lots even though he is grumpy and not in the least bit cuddly, lol!

All veileds are grumpy. I thinkits genetic. Lol.

 

[lizard120371]

Only does the wobbly closed eye thing when he has stuck his prey and trying to chew it. Will do everything I've said I will do and keep my fingers crossed for improvement. Spose I can't do anything more than that but can't help feeling I have let him down making him poorly in the first place.

 

[camimom]

Only does the wobbly closed eye thing when he has stuck his prey and trying to chew it. Will do everything I've said I will do and keep my fingers crossed for improvement. Spose I can't do anything more than that but can't help feeling I have let him down making him poorly in the first place.

WEll you arew correcting issues now, and hopefully (and i think you did) before it became a major problem.