help sick veiled chameleon

[r595r]

I think I have a female..first ...there is a small white growth on her side..I thought it was dried poop...but it's part of her..also kinda the same on her butt..
she has been very weak for the past few days..won't eat...I soak her and started to tube feed her...she seems to be a little better..I give her calcium and vitamin d3'...don't have money for vet...can anybody help...Indianapolis.in....

 

[carol5208]

You are very vague in your description. We need more info on your set up, history, and so on, and pictures of the what you are talking about. Go to the health clinic and fill out the "ask for help form"

 

[NHenn]

Just what Carol said, the sooner you can get us more information the sooner we can try to help you and her out.

 

[r595r]

3 years old..had since baby

handle often

super worms, crickets, romain collard greens, strawberries, wild bugs,in summer

rep-cal multi-vitamins & calcium/vit.d3..with feedings

she will drink from dish..i mist her often

droppings white with dark .....no change.....never tested for anything

she always was fat and seemed to like attention.would come to me when I opened her cage never no problems eating....

bio cube terrarium.3ftx2ftx2-1/2ft
EXO-TERRA LIGHTING. florescent day on off at night
78 bottom 85 at top by lights
50% humidity
I have gauges to measure temps
no real plants
high traffic area
I live in indiana

she has never laid eggs...not sure if its a her,,,but I don't see any spikes on feet...hope the pictures will help....its my buddy and im very worried ,,,this is the first time ever been sick.....I been grinding up her food,water and Supplements.and feeding through a tube once a day,,,soaking her in water....all I read off the web....please help....thank you...Richie

 

[Naomi]

I have no idea how to work this site to where I can get my own help but I got a veiled chameleon around February this year and this would be my second chameleon so far. Ever since I got her, she has proved to be a challenge. She doesn't drink from water droplets or any moving water in her tank and will only drink when I put water into her mouth. She never turns green and is now starting to develop good size bumps all over her body. It looks like she is eating fine but seems to be getting a bit weak. Help me too!!

 

[jannb]

I am very sad to say that your little friend looks very ill. You need to take her to a reptile vet right away. One that's experienced with chameleons if possible. She looks really bad.

 

[r595r]

yes I understand she is very bad ...but a vet is to much $$ ,,yes I know I owe it to her...but its just not a option now.....im looking for help I can perform on her....I feel like s... because I am responsible ....if anyone can help me save this little life please help.....thank you ...Richie

 

[Poptartjake]

yes I understand she is very bad ...but a vet is to much $$ ,,yes I know I owe it to her...but its just not a option now.....im looking for help I can perform on her....I feel like s... because I am responsible ....if anyone can help me save this little life please help.....thank you ...Richie

You CAN'T and WON'T save it's life alone. If you continue to let this animal live under these conditions then you are doing nothing but making it suffer.

 

[r595r]

that was very helpful...if can't give medical information...keep opinions to yourself...it does nothing but help you...and you don't need help...my little friend does..no offense.but just saying....

 

[GrimsbyPatchwork]

that was very helpful...if can't give medical information...keep opinions to yourself...it does nothing but help you...and you don't need help...my little friend does..no offense.but just saying....

I understand your position of not having the money to spend on a vet ...the reality is that, just like any other living thing, chams do get ill and will need PROFESSIONAL help.

I really wish that I could give you some advise but I have no idea what those white markings are coming out of her sides ...might be an infection due to retained eggs which are most probably the bumps you are seeing..did you see her trying to dig at some point prior to this??

For now place a laying bin in the enclosure and put her on it...laying bin has to be filled with sand/moist soil or something easy to dig into . It most probably is too late but the next best thing after not visiting the vet .

Hopefully a vet on the Forums can give you some advise ...

My advise > see if you can borrow money for a vet .

Money is replaceable ...she is not

 

[FlChamMom]

I do agree with everyone else- a vet is in order. The lethargy, dehydration and not eating are symptoms of the problem not the problem itself. However if you cannot go to a vet, two things I see you could change:

Calcium with D3 should not be used at every feeding. You may not have meant that, but if you are I would scale it back to 2 x a month. You can overdo the D3 which causes issues.

You said you are soaking her in water- chams are not beardies, they cannot soak in water through their vents. You can put her in the shower on a plant and turn it on with warm water aiming the shower nozzle at the wall not the cham. The steam and water deflected off the shower wall should encourage her to drink.

Hopefully your girl will pull through, I would also make sure you have a laying box and it is ready at all times as well.

 

[r595r]

thank you..patchwork......I'm trying to get to the vet ...I have a lot of experience with animals..I'm Pretty sure I can administer meds.as I have done injections ,tube fed..and nursed few types of animals back to health.....but.....the diagnosis...is where I need a vet I just don't know what's wrong ....even if I could get my hands on the right medications....i don't want to but..it only cost $10 to euthanize....I pray someone can help me be for it comes to that or she dies...when do I give up????

 

[Poptartjake]

thank you..patchwork......I'm trying to get to the vet ...I have a lot of experience with animals..I'm Pretty sure I can administer meds.as I have done injections ,tube fed..and nursed few types of animals back to health.....but.....the diagnosis...is where I need a vet I just don't know what's wrong ....even if I could get my hands on the right medications....i don't want to but..it only cost $10 to euthanize....I pray someone can help me be for it comes to that or she dies...when do I give up????

You give up when you can no longer help them, which is where you seem to be at.

 

[r595r]

..............

 

[FlChamMom]

It seems to me that you are looking for someone to justify you euthanizing your cham. You have some issues you could immediately change to give your pet a chance. Please do something- take any advice given.

 

[r595r]

not true .....I don't want to put her to sleep,,i thought there might be a way to use this forum to help her ,,,,as I can see the health clinic of this forum is a joke...seems everyone has a lot to say but nothing to help....yes a vet may or may not help save her life,,,,but im sure im not the only one ever to have this problem....I mean the vet will see her for five minutes and tell me how to give her meds that they sell me....and charge me .....arm & leg.....trust me if they would take my arm for payment I would give it to them......but im without work and have children ....times have gotten rough since I bought her....judge me as you will ,,,,,,but im sure someone knows of a med treatment I can give her to help her,,,,anyway I will make this my last post ...sorry to put weight on your hearts

 

[Olimpia]

I would euthanize her if you can't go to the vet.

One very possible problem is egg binding. I say this because her face is extremely sunk in, which implies poor body weight, but her torso is extremely rotund and lumpy. So I think she's full of eggs that she hasn't been able to lay because she doesn't have anywhere to do so, and now is at that point of no return without surgery. And even with surgery, it is most likely too late to try - once chameleons look this bad it's usually too late as they don't have the strength to survive.

If this had been caught earlier she may only have needed a laying bin, perhaps some shots of oxytocin to induce egg-laying, and been ok. This is why it's vital to know the gender of any pets, because each one comes with it's nuances in care.

So if a vet really isn't an option I would put her down immediately. She looks really miserable and is just going to wither away.

 

[carol5208]

Has she ever laid eggs? Do you have a proper laying bin for her to lay eggs? She could very well be eggbound. A vet could take xrays and see if she has eggs or not. She looks super deyhydrated by her eyes all sunken in. Is she drinking? If not, I would try dropping some water on her nose for quite a few minutes and see if she starts drinking. As far as the health clinic, it is far from a joke and there are many members on here who saved countless chameleon's lives with their advice.

 

[r595r]

I would euthanize her if you can't go to the vet.

One very possible problem is egg binding. I say this because her face is extremely sunk in, which implies poor body weight, but her torso is extremely rotund and lumpy. So I think she's full of eggs that she hasn't been able to lay because she doesn't have anywhere to do so, and now is at that point of no return without surgery. And even with surgery, it is most likely too late to try - once chameleons look this bad it's usually too late as they don't have the strength to survive.

If this had been caught earlier she may only have needed a laying bin, perhaps some shots of oxytocin to induce egg-laying, and been ok. This is why it's vital to know the gender of any pets, because each one comes with it's nuances in care.

So if a vet really isn't an option I would put her down immediately. She looks really miserable and is just going to wither away.

thank you for info ...im gonna just take her to a vet even if I have to leave her and not go back for her.

 

[r595r]

Has she ever laid eggs? Do you have a proper laying bin for her to lay eggs? She could very well be eggbound. A vet could take xrays and see if she has eggs or not. She looks super deyhydrated by her eyes all sunken in. Is she drinking? If not, I would try dropping some water on her nose for quite a few minutes and see if she starts drinking. As far as the health clinic, it is far from a joke and there are many members on here who saved countless chameleon's lives with their advice.

yes I believe you....but sometimes we need to say things to get a reply...worth reading.....but she has never laid eggs pray for her....