Help!! Mel isn't doing well...

[noahrg4]

@Gloriawood awesome job!
@noahrg4 make sure your calcium without D3 is also phosphorus free! That’s very important as feeders are high in phosphorus, so we use calcium to help balance that ratio. A couple more things are the two trusted uvb brands are Arcadia and Zoo Med. If possible, get the Arcadia ProT5 uvb kit with a 6% Arcadia T5 uvb bulb (you’ll replace the bulb yearly like @Gloriawood said). Make sure it is at least the length of what his biggest enclosure will be, or longer if you’ll be placing the fixture diagonally across the top of the cage. If you can’t get Arcadia, use a Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 T5 uvb bulb (replace every 6 months). The distance from the uvb bulb to the basking branch will be 8-9” away. How are you measuring your temperatures? For basking temps, you want a probed digital thermometer, with the probe placed where the top of your cham’s back is when he’s on his basking branch (make sure his heat bulb is at least 9” away or more from the basking branch)

I am measuring temps using a probe digital thermometer. Thank you for the extra clarification.

 

[ERKleRose]

I am measuring temps using a probe digital thermometer. Thank you for the extra clarification.

Awesome! Just wanted to make sure

 

[Beman]

If you would not mind posting some close up pics of your chameleon including some close up of the back feet from the side.

 

[noahrg4]

Here are some current photos of him. As you can see he has darker colors, with eyes shut (he isn’t sleeping)

 

[noahrg4]

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Here are some current photos of him. As you can see he has darker colors, with eyes shut (he isn’t sleeping)

Here’s the thing: I’m debating whether I should take him to the vet or not. If I make the changes mentioned above (heat lamp higher, different uvb, and supplements) , could that be the fix alone? I really don’t want to stress him with an hour of driving and the vet process, so I’m not sure. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Gloriawood]

Here’s the thing: I’m debating whether I should take him to the vet or not. If I make the changes mentioned above (heat lamp higher, different uvb, and supplements) , could that be the fix alone? I really don’t want to stress him with an hour of driving and the vet process, so I’m not sure. Any advice would be appreciated.

I don’t want to say 100% that’s what it is since I’m not a vet. But it is very likely the issue. While you are waiting for the correct UVB, if it is warm enough outside, some natural UVB would be good for him. Just do not leave him alone for even a second! They can be fast and predators are even faster.

 

[Beman]

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Here are some current photos of him. As you can see he has darker colors, with eyes shut (he isn’t sleeping)

So this is a little male and he is shutting down. These main things like UVB and supplements are an asap fix. So is making sure temps and humidity are right. If you do not fix UVB specifically baby will continue to shut down. The UVB your using just does not give them what they need so they end up developing MBD along with having immune issues that makes them more susceptible to illness.
A Vet can not help fix the lack of uvb or supplementation. BUT the star gazing concerns me and is a major indicator of a respiratory infection. The only way to know is with a reptile vet and the only way to treat it is with antibiotics from the vet.

The sleeping during the day is a major indicator of shut down. The thing about this is it is a down hill situation where they further decline until death unless changes are made to fix the causes. But with him star gazing as well I would be concerned about RI on top of the husbandry issues. Regardless you would want to make all of the suggested changes to your husbandry quickly. With these not being spot on it just allows for further decline. And I would suggest a vet if baby continues pointing his nose straight up and if he starts gaping with mouth open then the RI is progressing.