Help

[Slattern]

I bought my veiled chameleon this may, knowing he had health problems, mainly he was blind in one eye,
and that he had some vitamin deficiencys. He is about 1.5 years old and male. He gets crickets once a day(about 4-5) and vitamined once a week (without d3), however, he did not have the vitamins for the first four
Months I got him, which brings me to the problem I have right now. Yesterday some of my crickets got out, and I know he got 12 at least. So I didn't feed him anything for the rest of the day, but this morning he didn't eat at all, which doesn't seem strange until you know this: since he is blind in one eye, I feed him from a 5gallon pail so he knows where it is,and he only goes there when he is hungry. He sat there for three hours until I decided to see if he was indeed hungry. He didn't eat those for a an hour when I started to worry because he was shaking, and was very very tightly holding the bucket so I sprayed the habitat to see if he was dehydrated. When the water hit him, he started to run, but it is very weird..... it's like he tries to take to step, but pulled back before he does. This video is of a very light"case" i had, hopefully you get the idea, but multiply the "stuttering" tenfold.
I'm a little worried it might be MBD because of the lack of vitamins for so long. As for the the breeder, I trust the pet store, it's local, and I can't say who they got it from. They were taken element care of, so that is out of the question.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I will answer any questions you may have
[Could not get the video to work, will work on it later]

 

[JacksJill]

Shaking can be a sign of calcium deficiency. If you can get him to drink his water with liquid calcium that would be a first step until you get into see the vet. He may need calcium injections. Just a guess it's hard to tell until you can place the video.
Does he ever get D3? he needs that to use calcium properly.

 

[Slattern]

No I haven't given him the d3, because every website I read said absolutely not, but I'll start now.
the other problem is that there is no hero vet anywhere around here.
I'll add the vitamin to his dropper, thanks for the response

 

[Slattern]

*herp

 

[JacksJill]

You will have to buy the liquid calcium. It comes in a liquid form you can dilute it a little. D3 should be given to Panthers and Veiled twice monthly. Your UVB bulb may not be giving him enough to make his own D3. Natural sunlight may help him make his own if you can get him outdoors.
If you can filling out the how to ask for help form may help people spot any other gaps in his care.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
I'll check back to see the video if you can load it later.

 

[Slattern]

Thank you for your help, I will

 

[Slattern]

Here is a quick update! He is doing fine now, stopped shaking, and last night he ate and drank. I 're did his cage and he is happy once again,

Now I noticed that his frill is quite white, meaning he is dehydrated, right? So now I need tips on improving my dropper, more specifically the drinking portion. What do they like to drink off of, where, does it matter how close it is to the ground?

Thanks JacksJill

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Here is a quick update! He is doing fine now, stopped shaking, and last night he ate and drank. I 're did his cage and he is happy once again,

Now I noticed that his frill is quite white, meaning he is dehydrated, right? So now I need tips on improving my dropper, more specifically the drinking portion. What do they like to drink off of, where, does it matter how close it is to the ground?

Thanks JacksJill

No, absolutely not. He is not happy once again. Nothing has been resolved here. He is just between episodes right now. You must still fallow through with everything discussed above. Based on the basic questions your asking you do not have a working knowledge of basic chameleon husbandry.

If you could please fill out the form like Jill asked and provide complete pictures of your Cham and viv so we can identify the other gaps in your husbandry. Please don’t take offense to the criticism, your chams health depends on it.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

... and the video too!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I’ll make it easy for you, here are the questions we need answered.

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.


--------------


Please Note:

1 The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.

2 Photos can be very helpful.

 

[JacksJill]

Glad he is improving but he’s not out of the woods yet. Let’s see if you were misled about his care anywhere else.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

The link below will take you to one of the better care sheets for veilds. Study it and please ask questions on anything that isn’t clear. You chams life depends on it.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.395/

 

[Graves923]

OP will be back next time this happens... Hopefully the chameleon does better

 

[Brodybreaux25]

OP will be back next time this happens... Hopefully the chameleon does better

He have a history of going MIA after posts? Never mind he’s only been a member a couple days...

 

[Slattern]

Hey guys, I thought it had been resolved, but as is appears, it has not. Sorry for not coming back, I hope you are still checking this feed. I'll get the info on here asap

 

[Slattern]

• 
  
  
  
• Chameleon - He is a veiled chem, male, and is about 2 years old. He has been in my care since May of 2018
• Handling - I handle him daily now, but for the summer he was not handled much due to an emergency
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? Crickets. What amount? 5-6 a day, depending on size. What is the schedule? Once in the morning, all at once, in a feeding bucket. He eats when ever he feels during the day. How are you gut-loading your feeders? With
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I use exo-terra non vitamin D powder, once a week, on his whole feeding of crickets.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? I use a hand sprayer, once in the morning, and usually once in the evening, for about a minute, and of course his5-10 minute shower once a week, sometimes twice. Do you see your chameleon drinking? Yes, but not in the quantities he should be.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Brown, and has cricket remains such as wings and bottoms of legs in them. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? I don't think he has
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. He is bland in one eye, meaning getting him to notice stuff is difficult. When I tried to feed him some strawberry, the puffed and missed. But he can look at him self in mirror for several minutes and not puff. I use a feeding bucket to ensure he gets his food.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - A home made, 3 ft high, four and a half foot deep dog kennel, that was the cage variety before we put plastic chicken wire around the outside and made a better door.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? He has 13 hours of uva and uvb, a exo-terra lighting
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?basking spot 8s 100! Didn't check that! I am so embarrassed! I figured the distance was most important. This will be fixed asap(fixed!) The lowest would be 60. Cage floor temp is75.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?I keep his humidity so that, at max it's 70, and it's only once gone below 45 the hand sprayer, once or twice a day. A zoo med hydrometer
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I have tried to keep several live plants in there, but all have died(any reccomendation, that are really hearty? He's rough on plants.)

• 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?back corner of the house, I have a celing fan, that I keep going most of the time, and the two sides are ventilated, two side are against the wall, so I can keep humidity up, and circulate air. No high traffic in there. It's on the floor, but he have a heated basement so the floor isn't cold.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? In Canada, mid Saskatchewan.

Current Problem - I don't believe he is drinking quite enough. The shaking is completly gone, but now he has a dark spot on his side, and I have read that it may be a fungal infection, a burn, or bruise. The main problem is, no herp vet anywhere around here. So it's all home remidies. This forum is all I have for help. I can send a pic of his encolure and the spot. One more thing about the spot, when he is a light colour, it's dark, when the rest of his body is dark, it's light... So sorry for not getting this on here sooner! I will be checking daily, and give updates as they come.

 

[Slattern]

What I'm debating is that maybe a mister would be best. I can never get a certain schedule down, and maybe it would be best if he has a set schedule to know when he can drink, and get that water...
What is your opinion on misters guys?

 

[Jesspete]

Did you ever read the care sheet that was linked for you? It has all the info you need to fix your current setup.

However, your cham needs more than just the basics now. But if you aren't willing to fix the basics... Looks like you have had problems for months and haven't followed the basic advice in the care sheet. This is not something you fix in a day.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Yes, install a mistking.

You still have not fixed any of the things we discussed last time you popped up asking for help.

Where are your vitamins?
Did you start the liquid calcium?
Still not dusting nearly enough.
Where is your gutload?
Did you update your UVB?
What is all that stuff on the bottom of the viv?
Chams drink off leaves, you have very few. That is definitely contributing to his dehydration.

I’ll catch hell for saying this but We’re not going to keep wasting our time with you if don’t get your crap together.

 

[Decadancin]

I’ll catch hell for saying this but We’re not going to keep wasting our time with you if don’t get your crap together.

No, you won't catch anything for this. It is generally frustrating to have someone ask for advice and seemingly not take it. I would advise that we still support these members as much as possible just in case they did not understand the importance of the advice. We all start somewhere, but when the well-being of an animal is concerned we are not always patient .

To the OP, please look over the thread again and look at the links and advice. Much of your questions are answered in the links and you will not be successful without a good husbandry base.