Heating issue for healing Cham

[Ronandex317]

My Cham is in recovery, just layed her eggs but her bone density is really low. Fracture in both front arms. Hand feeding at the moment as well as calcium oral injections. Only had her for 6 months (she's about 8 months old).

Anyway, my issue is that she cannot climb well right now so I took down all the upper perches. She's in a 4 foot viv, and she can no longer get to her basking area. Raised the average temp to around 80-84 but can't get a basking area set up at the lower half of the viv. Any ideas on how to get a basking spot set up for the lower half of my dragonstand?

 

[Virgil1972]

My Cham is in recovery, just layed her eggs but her bone density is really low. Fracture in both front arms. Hand feeding at the moment as well as calcium oral injections. Only had her for 6 months (she's about 8 months old).

Anyway, my issue is that she cannot climb well right now so I took down all the upper perches. She's in a 4 foot viv, and she can no longer get to her basking area. Raised the average temp to around 80-84 but can't get a basking area set up at the lower half of the viv. Any ideas on how to get a basking spot set up for the lower half of my dragonstand?

If I was you I would leave it and put something on the bottom of the cage that is soft so that if she did fall she lands on something soft. A few small pillows would work nice or some towels that are folded up. I don't have any experience with female chams but this is stuff that I have seen work for others in similar situations to yours.

 

[Ronandex317]

If I was you I would leave it and put something on the bottom of the cage that is soft so that if she did fall she lands on something soft. A few small pillows would work nice or some towels that are folded up. I don't have any experience with female chams but this is stuff that I have seen work for others in similar situations to yours.

The vet told me to take them down till her arms get stronger because the climbing is too much after her arms and eggs.

But I might try to raid the whole floor up if I can.... gave me a good idea thank you. But worse comes to worse I'll do that

 

[Virgil1972]

The vet told me to take them down till her arms get stronger because the climbing is too much after her arms and eggs.

But I might try to raid the whole floor up if I can.... gave me a good idea thank you. But worse comes to worse I'll do that

You could put the light on a stand pointing in a downward angle on the side of the cage.

 

[JacksJill]

I would use a card board box to raise the floor UVB is essential for her right now as I'm sure you know.
Cover it in a plastic bag and pad the top with towels.

 

[Andee]

I use catch nets and also towels that are easy to remove for hospital cages. I never EVER remove branches (buts for my really bad cases I have added extra branches and plants that add kind of a platform that is easier to climb on) the thing is if they don't climb they have issues using the new places the muscles grow etc. and it can make their recovery even longer. I have a female Jackson who was in your girl's situation, she had severe breaks in her forelegs when she got to me, almost a 90 degree angle. They have gotten less severe over a year or so of treatment and now I think she's been with me close to two years, other than her general jaw issues and weird looking legs, the way she climbs now you could never guess she had MBD as bad as she did. She was falling a lot and first made me make a catch net and towel combo. I also used the platform branching and plant idea for her. She was the worst I ever had, I didn't see huge improvements until she was 6 months in. She was then able to go out into natural sunlight regularly and that turned her around A LOT. So when you get decent temps, abuse the sun.

 

[Decadancin]

I would totally recommend a type of net to catch her if she falls. You don't want her staying away from the basking and UVB. It will just prolong the issues. I believe @jannb has some cool examples of this.

 

[jannb]

This is how we set up our old or sick chameleons.

 

[Andee]

I did something similar with the branches/leaves but my catch net was a bit lower. If your girl is having a lot of issues just staying on the branches I would definitely recommend doing Jann's way first and then start lowering the catch net slowly as she shows improvements. She very likely will, some of those I have had in my house I never though would get healthy again. It's amazing how much fight they have in their little bodies.

 

[Ronandex317]

These replies make me feel a lot better. Thank you. For tomorrow while I'm at work I have a mic stand for her heating light at an angle above her usual (new) hangout, as well as both my 5 month uvb bulb and my new one up on ton of the viv. Tomorrow I'll work on raising the ground level and getting her usual vibes back up, then my girlfriend has Saturday off and will start on making a catch net. Thank you all so much

 

[Andee]

You got this ^^, and we are here to help you and back you up! Hopefully between us we will get her where she needs to be <3