Help with vet costs.
- Thread starter jubanman
- Start date
Fchamel
Chameleon Enthusiast
I agree with being honest. People are going to donate to people who own up to their wrongs, and are honest about the situation. Personally, I would use go fund me for helping a charity or food pantry. I might do one to raise money for endangered Chameleon species, or something animal related. 
Lennoncham
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi there welcome to the forum. We do not recommend a 10.0 or 12% for a veiled... Both Veiled and Panthers need a 3 UVI level. Having a stronger bulb does nothing but require you to have the basking branch farther away to achieve the same UVI level.
The only time we recommend stronger bulbs being used is with the correct distance or if the fixture calls for it such as a dual or quad that share 1 reflector for all bulbs.
cham girl
Avid Member
so how do you get people away from the dome which causes the death of so many chameleons brought into our vet office what light do you recommend?
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
I use the tube style Reptisun 5.0
DocZ
Chameleon Enthusiast
In general, anyone here would recommend a linear T5 high output fluorescent bulb. Both the 6% (or 5.0) or the 12% (or 10.0) can easily produce an appropriate UVI of 3 for a panther or veiled. I think they’re both functional for this purpose.
The issue with a 12% (or 10.0) is that if placed on the screen, the UVI just below the bulb is higher than the highest recorded UVI ever on our entire planet
There is no doubt that UVI can be dangerous at high levels. Used at an incorrect distance a 12% bulb could expose a Cham to dangerous levels of UV exposure
That being said, when at an appropriate distance, a 12% bulb will have a larger effective range of UVI than a 6% bulb. These bulbs are tools that need to be used appropriately
cham girl
Avid Member
Thank you You are correct and I use a solar meter and 14 percent and 12 percent but I free range so the closest horizantal branch is in the 3 UVI... 3 feet away, sometimes they climb closer and chose their time at their level, but for kids and new owners how will they know 3 UVI ? If they wont pay for a $69 dollar light they are not going to pay for a $250 solarmeter. I take them in when people don't want to pay the vet bills or buy the proper lights and supplements necessary and they are dying! AND THER ARE SO MANY DAILY, IT BREAKS MY HEART, I want to learn FROM YOU how to help them care of their own pets properly when I see them leave their pets. I know we are all here to help these amazing animals. Thank you.
Amberbluefrog
Established Member
Honestly I wonder how to spread the word on it too. I see it constantly on Instagram from kids using bulb UVB which is poor. I think YouTubers like @Gingero here aka Neptune the Chameleon have a great positive impact. Even her posting more on tiktok can definitely improve awareness too. It comes down to the ease of a chameleon kits and the pet stores not properly educating new reptile owners about UVB.
We do not recommend compact bulbs at all here. We all have different ways of talking to people but pretty much all of the active members have no issue telling someone that a compact bulb will be the death of their chameleon. Standard recommendation is a 5.0 or 6% linear bulb with a T5HO fixture at a distance of 9 inches through screen reduces the UVI level to approximately a 3.
As you know most will not buy a solarmeter to know exacts for their output level. So we give them the approximate. We try to stay pretty uniform in what advice we give and thorough about it. Since people tend to read bits and pieces of the advice given within the forum. If someone has a free range set up then we make it clear they have to purchase a solarmeter 6.5 to know their cham is getting the UVI level it needs to prevent MBD and ensure it is not being overexposed.
While a stronger bulb can be used it then becomes a situation of what are the distances to basking through the screen and what is the exact fixture they are using. If they insist on using the stronger bulb we make sure they are using the correct distance so they do not over expose the cham to dangerous levels.
You might give people that come in to the clinic this link. It is a fantastic and accurate site done by Bill Strand https://chameleonacademy.com/
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DocZ
Chameleon Enthusiast
I think Bill strand does a really good job explaining implementation of UVB
https://chameleonacademy.com/uvb/
Speaking of TikToks and UVB -- I just posted this one yesterday 
: @neptunethechameleon TikTok
Also here is my YouTube video on UVB which I send to new keepers:
As well as my video on what NOT to buy a chameleon which is gaining popularity. Hopefully people are watching this BEFORE getting a chameleon:
: @neptunethechameleon TikTok Also here is my YouTube video on UVB which I send to new keepers:
As well as my video on what NOT to buy a chameleon which is gaining popularity. Hopefully people are watching this BEFORE getting a chameleon:
cham girl
Avid Member
well he has received $145, p
The learning is never ending , may i share to some newbies
ZEROPILOT
Avid Member
I just came across this post. And I took my 5 month old VOHEMAR Panther Chameleon to my vet this morning for the very same reason.
It was $270 for bloodwork for calcium and phosphorus levels, an x ray and the calcium drops I was sent home with.
No injection was given.
I'm only going back...In one month to see how the xrays compare. This one showed a lot of the bones so weak that they barely showed up at all.
I HAVE SEVERAL OTHER CHAMELEONS. My equipment, enclosures and husbandry are correct.
This one Chameleons I bought a week ago from a less than ideal or professional reptile shop.
Then noticed curved elbows.
The vet today confirmed what I suspected. MBD. Gave me the drops. But did nothing more. There's nothing more she can do. In fact, I got the feeling that I could stop the MBD myself with the correct care that he was already getting from me
How long do you advocate giving the drops? (Without a vet) With correct T5 uvb, temperatures and correctly supplemented/dusted and gutloaded insects?
I know that a return to health takes months and that the curved bones will harden, curved.
This guy is mobile. Eats and drinks well and can poop by himself.
I'd like to save the next $270 now that I already know what to do myself.
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Thompson
Chameleon Enthusiast
I know you just spent a lot of money at the vet for your chameleon but you might try and find a better vet who has more experience treating MBD in reptiles, and especially chameleons. While your vet did correct procedures such as taking x-rays to confirm the MBD and then administering the liquid calcium to help stop the progression, I believe there might be some steps missing in stopping the progression of the MBD immediately (?) so that it does not get worse in the time being (because you cannot reverse it) and also weighing the chameleon to give you a proper dosage of the liquid calcium (how much per day). You do not want to over supplement your chameleon. I am not well versed on what calcium levels are supposed to look like in a healthy panther chameleon but if your guys' levels are far off and your vet saw this, from what I believe, they should have administered an injection of some type of liquid calcium and then another injection which helps the chameleon bind the calcium to his bones so that the MBD does not get worse but I have never dealt with MBD and hopefully someone with experience chimes in to correct me where I may be wrong.
As you stated, though, proper care while your chameleon adjusts is key. I would try and get him as much natural sunlight as possible throughout this process.
*** Look at Kiyonga's post here https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/topical-calcium-drops-for-mbd.34120/ Post #17
