Help!

[Romans]

My baby Ripley is not doing well at all! He's not active, spends all his time sitting on a single branch. He's not eating much. He's losing color and has been going through a shed for weeks. His grip is hardly there and he slacks off his perch and hangs there. Extremely weak. There is no exotics vet near my location and I don't know what else to do. Hot showers aren't helping, increased humidity and heat aren't either. Problems started a month or so ago. Help! I love this boy.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - 4 year old blue bar ambilobe male. Been in my care for a year (was a rescue)
• Handling - only when need be however he is very tame and doesn't mind coming out
• Feeding - I offer 12 crickets and 3 super worms every other day. Feeders are gut loaded on carrots and cricket food. (Same goes for superworms). Sometimes he doesn't eat them all but I put a selection in case he's extra hungry. I also offer silkworms and a hornworm once a week.
• Supplements- I use repcal calcium and herptivite every other day lightly dusted on the crickets (never on worms)
• Watering - I use a pump sprayer for 5 minutes in the morning, 3 minutes in the afternoon and 5 minutes in the evening to retain a solid humidity level. I also have a dropper running 24/7. Lately I have not seen my chameleon drinking but he used to.
• Fecal Description - Droppings appear completely normal. Darkish brown with a nice white urate. However has not pooped in a while even with feeding. Will usually poop after hot shower but seems he can't without it.
• History - Not sure as he was rescued at 3 years old

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen with acrylic front panel. 24x24x48
• Lighting - Zoo Med large dual dome equipped with 100w zoo med basking bulb and zoo med 5.0 uvb. 12 hours on and off
• Temperature - Temps measured with digital thermometers. Basking is 80 F floor goes down to 70F Lowest temp overnight is 68F
• Humidity - Digital hygrometer is used. Humidity is at 80 in the morning drops to 60 mid day then back at 80 later in the night. Increases after heavy misting noted above.
• Plants - No current live plants however the cage is heavily decorated with fake plants. Substrate tray on the bottom with Eco earth for humidity
• Placement - Cage located on main floor up high about 2 feet from ceiling. Away from high traffic, vents and windows
• Location - ON, Canada

Current Problem - Noted above

 

[Lennoncham]

Hmm well your basking temp could be a bit higher but that's not to big of an issue. You shouldn't be using herptivite so much they can overdose on vitamins. Use a phosphorus free calcium without d3 most feedings. Phosphorus free calcium with d3 twice a month. And the herptivite twice a month. you should add some more dark greens to your gut load (dandelion leaves, kale, collars greens etc.)

Substrate on the bottom of cage is not recommended because if your Cham is shooting for a cricket they can get some of the susbstrate and end up getting impacted. It also provides a place for feeders to hide.

 

[Briguy234]

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My baby Ripley is not doing well at all! He's not active, spends all his time sitting on a single branch. He's not eating much. He's losing color and has been going through a shed for weeks. His grip is hardly there and he slacks off his perch and hangs there. Extremely weak. There is no exotics vet near my location and I don't know what else to do. Hot showers aren't helping, increased humidity and heat aren't either. Problems started a month or so ago. Help! I love this boy.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - 4 year old blue bar ambilobe male. Been in my care for a year (was a rescue)
• Handling - only when need be however he is very tame and doesn't mind coming out
• Feeding - I offer 12 crickets and 3 super worms every other day. Feeders are gut loaded on carrots and cricket food. (Same goes for superworms). Sometimes he doesn't eat them all but I put a selection in case he's extra hungry. I also offer silkworms and a hornworm once a week.
• Supplements- I use repcal calcium and herptivite every other day lightly dusted on the crickets (never on worms)
• Watering - I use a pump sprayer for 5 minutes in the morning, 3 minutes in the afternoon and 5 minutes in the evening to retain a solid humidity level. I also have a dropper running 24/7. Lately I have not seen my chameleon drinking but he used to.
• Fecal Description - Droppings appear completely normal. Darkish brown with a nice white urate. However has not pooped in a while even with feeding. Will usually poop after hot shower but seems he can't without it.
• History - Not sure as he was rescued at 3 years old

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen with acrylic front panel. 24x24x48
• Lighting - Zoo Med large dual dome equipped with 100w zoo med basking bulb and zoo med 5.0 uvb. 12 hours on and off
• Temperature - Temps measured with digital thermometers. Basking is 80 F floor goes down to 70F Lowest temp overnight is 68F
• Humidity - Digital hygrometer is used. Humidity is at 80 in the morning drops to 60 mid day then back at 80 later in the night. Increases after heavy misting noted above.
• Plants - No current live plants however the cage is heavily decorated with fake plants. Substrate tray on the bottom with Eco earth for humidity
• Placement - Cage located on main floor up high about 2 feet from ceiling. Away from high traffic, vents and windows
• Location - ON, Canada

Current Problem - Noted above

If I had to geuss I would say MBD, the 5.0 cfl is not very powerful I would recommend a tube light. Increase your calcium supplementation on your feedings to every day on everything, you should also dust with calcium with d3 every weak.

Hope this helps.