HELP! Back legs unresponsive, not eating, has not pooped, swollen butt

[Mary Blake Sullivan]

NewI need help!
My two year old female veiled chameleon is having problems.

She lives in a 2x2x4ft cage with a mister that keeps her humidity up with
three pothos plants in organic soil. I would normally feed 5-6 crickets every other day and some meal worms now and then.
The last month she wont touch anything but a couple crickets once a week. I usually dust calcium often and the plus on occasion. Now I came home and her back legs wont grab anymore or seem to engage she kinda wraps them to scoot around. Her tail can hook at the end but will not curl.

Help me! She is two and has never laid eggs. I keep her under a UVB and warming lights she also has a mister to keep it relatively humid. Her butt seems to be swollen.... I do not believe there to be eggs because she hasnt got any lumps or increased size.

She has been walking over to drink regularly and enjoys the spray so I was not worried too much about dehydration but when I got home and her back legs were not working and her usual protests to me holding her were gone I decided I need you all

What should I do, I cannot afford vet care but do any of you know what the issue might be or home remedies to try??

 

[jamest0o0]

2 and hasn't layed eggs? You need a laying bin if you haven't. She may be egg bound!

 

[Mary Blake Sullivan]

2 and hasn't layed eggs? You need a laying bin if you haven't. She may be egg bound!

I do in fact have a laying bin... any other ideas. She doesnt have any increased abdominal size or lumps and bumps. I believe it is something else.

 

[jamest0o0]

Please fill out the help form and post some pictures of the enclosure

 

[andrearamirezo91]

Posting the help form for you here again.

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.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types 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?
• Placement - 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?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[Lennoncham]

What supplements are you using and what is your schedule? U only said calcium often and the plus on occasion.

You should be using a phosphorus free calcium every feeding. A phosphorus free calcium with d3 very 2 weeks and a multivitamin every 2 weeks on alternating weeks.

Also mealworms aren't good I would switch to superworms and try addding more variety like hornworms, silkworms, BSFL, black Soldier flies , and occasional wax worms and butter worms etc.

 

[Graves923]

The fact she cant or is refusing to use her back legs tells me there is something going on that we will not be able to remedy. She needs a vet that can properly diagnose the issue.

If you fill out the help form post above, we can help narrow down possible causes due to lack of proper husbandry (if there is any). Help us, help you...

 

[Mary Blake Sullivan]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - veiled, female, 2 years old. One year and 8 months of her life.
• Handling - once a week.
• Feeding - Crickets and mealworms (super worms on container). 5-6 crickets every other day occasional meal worms (once a week) I have a repashy gut load that turns into gel once mixed and heated that I provide for the crickets.
• Supplements - Calcium (when I said often I meant every feeding) it is repashy. I use regular calcium and then a calcium plus once a week.
• Watering - I have seen her drink. I have a mister that goes for half a minute every couple hours to water the pothos and keep the humidity up.
• Fecal Description - No parasite testing. She has normal poops, brown and solid.
• History - No issues until the last month.

Cage Info: The photos are accurate stick placement wise. The plants are now different but same type. I also use paper towel in the bottom now as the fake moss was too dirty for my taste.

• Cage Type - Screen 2x2x4ft cage. I have a laying bin in the bottom thats about a foot and a half deep and a foot wide.
• Lighting - She has a 75watt light to keep her at about 82 degrees. And UVB bulb i replace when the expiration is due. she gets light for 12 hours a day and lives next to a wall of windows.
• Temperature - She has many branches to bask on, none closer that 7 inches to the fixture so she will not be burned. The coldest she gets is probably 78 degrees. I have a thermometer with a probe.
• Humidity - She has nice humidity with a sprayer to keep it consistent until evening so she isnt sitting in stagnant moisture at night.
• Plants - I have pothos plants in her enclosure in organic soil.
• Placement - four feet tall. It is under a vent that is 8 feet above her cage but it isnt aimed directly at it. She sits next to four large windows so the sun is available rise to set.
• Location - georgia.

Current Problem - She has not eaten much in weeks. Maybe a cricket once a week, if that. She does not poop (wont eat) and she has never laid eggs, she is a female as the toe is not present like it is for males. Her butt seems a bit swollen and if you reference this photo you can see. Her back legs no longer work and she cant seem to grab with them but hooks instead. Her tail is also rather unusable. She has no lumps and bumps, so I do not believe the issue to be one of egg binding.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Can you post some pics of the back of her feet?

 

[martyfrost]

thats not a deep enough laying bin make sure to have a laying bin that deep enough because most female chameleons like the when they can dig deep for example my female chameleon had a small laying been thinking it would be okay and she didn't she would dig and dig but wouldn't lay and she would be angry she wouldn't eat or wouldn't poop for no occasion at all so just make sure to change your laying bin that would most likely solve your problem and also when you do that make sure to give them privacy put a towel around her cage she'll appreciate that

 

[martyfrost]

thats not a deep enough laying bin make sure to have a laying bin that deep enough because most female chameleons like the when they can dig deep for example my female chameleon had a small laying been thinking it would be okay and she didn't she would dig and dig but wouldn't lay and she would be angry she wouldn't eat or wouldn't poop for no occasion at all so just make sure to change your laying bin that would most likely solve your problem and also when you do that make sure to give them privacy put a towel around her cage she'll appreciate that

do it as soon as possible try putting a potter her

 

[Brodybreaux25]

do it as soon as possible try putting a potter her

Where do you see a lay bin?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Where do you see a lay bin?

Nevermind!

 

[Mary Blake Sullivan]

thats not a deep enough laying bin make sure to have a laying bin that deep enough because most female chameleons like the when they can dig deep for example my female chameleon had a small laying been thinking it would be okay and she didn't she would dig and dig but wouldn't lay and she would be angry she wouldn't eat or wouldn't poop for no occasion at all so just make sure to change your laying bin that would most likely solve your problem and also when you do that make sure to give them privacy put a towel around her cage she'll appreciate that[/QUOTE

Where do you see a lay bin?

Old photos.

 

[andrearamirezo91]

Have you been able to take her to the vet yet? I just took my boy to a vet that someone on the forum suggested and he was wonderful. He knew exactly what he was doing, was great with my little guy, and took his time to sit down with me before even looking at my chameleon to make sure I knew what I was doing. I actually learned a lot from my conversation with him and it really was not so expensive.

How is she doing today? Any changes? It's not always easy to know just from a post and some pictures what could be wrong with a pet. I would personally take her to the vet as I'd be terrified of losing her to something that could have been fixed. Maybe if you tell us around what area you live, someone could suggest a good place where you can take your little girl. Good luck and keep us posted!