I NEED HELP !!! ASAP!

[austynkl]

my chameleon is a female, about 6 months. i got her at petsmart (i know now that was a bad idea on my part) but i took her to the vet today for her lethargic behavior. they told me she has metallic bone disease. i’m crying and i don’t know what to do. i don’t wanna lose her. please help me

 

[ERKleRose]

Welcome on here, and take a deep breath! If it is a reputable vet with good chameleon experience, they will be able to treat her (if it is bad enough). Now you need to give her perfect husbandry on your part. Could you fill out this form in as much detail as possible, please, including pics of your chameleon, her entire cage, and her lights?

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.

 

[austynkl]

she’s a veiled chameleon , female, about 6 months old. she’s been in my care since december 5th of last year. i try not to handle her too much because i see that it stresses her out but i try to handle her weekly at least. i feed her mealworms (the vet told me to stop doing that) and crickets. i gut load them with a feeder i got at the pet store (they’re like little orange cubes). i have a water dripped for her that drops throughout the day. her most recent droppings are dark brown. i’m not sure the dimensions of her cage but it is completely mesh (besides the bottom). i yurn her light on at 8am and turn it off at 8pm. the vet also told me i was using the wrong bulb. so he recommended i take her outside. we live in southeast texas and her cage sits on my night stand way from the vents

 

[austynkl]

here’s her right now, we’re on our way home from the vet

 

[ERKleRose]

She is receptive, so she needs a proper lay bin available. Do you have one?

 

[ERKleRose]

What city do you live in, I'm in southeast Texas as well and have an amazing cham vet!

 

[austynkl]

no i don’t. how should i set one up? the vet says she has metallic bone disease

 

[austynkl]

we live in beaumont though, maybe we could make a visit to your vet !

 

[ERKleRose]

no i don’t. how should i set one up? the vet says she has metallic bone disease

Here's a lay bin chart. If you give me some time, I can link lay bin and metabolic bone disease links, as well

we live in beaumont though, maybe we could make a visit to your vet !

It'll be a little drive from Beaumont, but it is Dr. Pacheco at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists at 8042 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024

 

[austynkl]

thank you so much for all your help. you’ve really calmed my nerves. i’ll make sure to keep you updated on how Pistachio is doing <3

 

[ERKleRose]

Make sure to fill out the husbandry form and post pics when you get home, please!

 

[bwin287]

There are a lot of great people here that can help you out that are very knowledgeable. So I will help with what I've learned on this forum first your gonna want a uvb light I will attach a photo its very important you get a HO uvb light asap. Crickets are fine also dubia roaches and silk worms are staple feeders ahow much are you feeding is it everyday every other. the husbandry checklist you left some info out, the more information you provide the better help you can get.
Measure your cage whats the temps in basking spot and other areas of the cage besides the dripper are you misting how long and how many times a day whats the humidity levels during the day and at night. please go back and any question in the husbandry checklist that you didn't answer please answer so that you can get the help you need.this is 1 of the light you can buy I BELIEVE ATLEAST 24 IN.its very important. Again please look at the List and anything you didn't give an answer to please do so. HOOEFULLY SOMEONE WITH MORE EXPERIENCE WILL BE HERE SOON TO HELP YOU OUT. Good luck wish you and your Chameleon the best

 

[austynkl]

There are a lot of great people here that can help you out that are very knowledgeable. So I will help with what I've learned on this forum first your gonna want a uvb light I will attach a photo its very important you get a HO uvb light asap. Crickets are fine also dubia roaches and silk worms are staple feeders ahow much are you feeding is it everyday every other. the husbandry checklist you left some info out, the more information you provide the better help you can get.
Measure your cage whats the temps in basking spot and other areas of the cage besides the dripper are you misting how long and how many times a day whats the humidity levels during the day and at night. please go back and any question in the husbandry checklist that you didn't answer please answer so that you can get the help you need.this is 1 of the light you can buy I BELIEVE ATLEAST 24 IN.its very important. Again please look at the List and anything you didn't give an answer to please do so. HOOEFULLY SOMEONE WITH MORE EXPERIENCE WILL BE HERE SOON TO HELP YOU OUT. Good luck wish you and your Chameleon the best

thank you so much! i’ll do my best to fill out all the info

 

[austynkl]

Make sure to fill out the husbandry form and post pics when you get home, please!

here is her cage

 

[ERKleRose]

she’s a veiled chameleon , female, about 6 months old. she’s been in my care since december 5th of last year. i try not to handle her too much because i see that it stresses her out but i try to handle her weekly at least. i feed her mealworms (the vet told me to stop doing that) and crickets. i gut load them with a feeder i got at the pet store (they’re like little orange cubes). i have a water dripped for her that drops throughout the day. her most recent droppings are dark brown. i’m not sure the dimensions of her cage but it is completely mesh (besides the bottom). i yurn her light on at 8am and turn it off at 8pm. the vet also told me i was using the wrong bulb. so he recommended i take her outside. we live in southeast texas and her cage sits on my night stand way from the vents

If it stresses her out, don't handle her if you don't have to.
Yes, no mealworms. There are less stinky and healthier options than crickets, too, like roaches, black soldier fly larvae, roaches, flies, mantids, stick insects, locusts and more. I'm attaching feeder and gutload charts below (the orange cubes aren't good). Make sure to use as many gutload ingredients as possible, as variety is key for it! A variety of different types/species of bugs is best, as well!
You need to be misting her enclosure down as the main source of water for her. A minimum of two times a day (preferably around lights on and lights off) for a minimum of 2-5+ minutes long each time. A fine mist spray bottle/pressurized sprayer will work, but an automated misting system works best. You can keep the dripper though, as it adds another drinking opportunity.
That cage is too small for her. The dimensions of the cage needed depends on how bad her MBD (metabolic bone disease) is.
You need a T5 High Output linear fixture the length of her cage with either an Arcadia 6% or Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 T5 HO linear UVB bulb of the matching size. It'll need to be 6" away from where the top of her back is when she's on her basking branch.

here’s her right now, we’re on our way home from the vet

She needs live and veiled-tested plants only, as fake plants and fake vines with leaves on them are an impaction risk, which can lead to death.

View attachment 302064
here is her cage

Her cage needs a lot of work, including replacing the moss vines with safe ones, adding branches, and adding safe live plants. Is she kept outside or indoors, or both? I'll go more into detail on everythingonce I review your full husbandry form.
With her MBD, can she climb and grip good enough to not be wobbly or fall over?

 

[ERKleRose]

Sorry, here's the charts and two plant charts, too!

 

[Pearl Fields]

If it stresses her out, don't handle her if you don't have to.

I agree with this. It is better to build trust with them, (by feeding) but that should probably come later after you have the care figured out for her.

 

[Beman]

If you have facebook go to this page https://www.facebook.com/sweetpeathecham
Reach out to the page owner via message. She should be able to give you direct info for rehab. There is a lot that has to be changed in her enclosure and care to get her strong again.

 

[ERKleRose]

Okay, here is two great articles on egg laying/lay bins and two great lay bin/egg laying videos on YouTube:

• https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/egg-laying-and-the-laying-bin.345/
• https://www.madcham.de/en/legenot/

Some links about MBD:

• https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-medical-metabolic-bone-disease/
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2016/12/a-quick-guide-to-metabolic-bone-disease.html
• https://www.madcham.de/en/metabolic-bone-disease/

General Links:

• https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2012/04/how-to-set-up-proper-chameleon.html
  
• http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/2007/12/keeping-female-veiled.html
  
• https://www.chameleons.info/en/
  
• https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/external-resources/
  
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/
  
  
  
  

 

[austynkl]

If it stresses her out, don't handle her if you don't have to.
Yes, no mealworms. There are less stinky and healthier options than crickets, too, like roaches, black soldier fly larvae, roaches, flies, mantids, stick insects, locusts and more. I'm attaching feeder and gutload charts below (the orange cubes aren't good). Make sure to use as many gutload ingredients as possible, as variety is key for it! A variety of different types/species of bugs is best, as well!
You need to be misting her enclosure down as the main source of water for her. A minimum of two times a day (preferably around lights on and lights off) for a minimum of 2-5+ minutes long each time. A fine mist spray bottle/pressurized sprayer will work, but an automated misting system works best. You can keep the dripper though, as it adds another drinking opportunity.
That cage is too small for her. The dimensions of the cage needed depends on how bad her MBD (metabolic bone disease) is.
You need a T5 High Output linear fixture the length of her cage with either an Arcadia 6% or Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 T5 HO linear UVB bulb of the matching size. It'll need to be 6" away from where the top of her back is when she's on her basking branch.

She needs live and veiled-tested plants only, as fake plants and fake vines with leaves on them are an impaction risk, which can lead to death.

Her cage needs a lot of work, including replacing the moss vines with safe ones, adding branches, and adding safe live plants. Is she kept outside or indoors, or both? I'll go more into detail on everythingonce I review your full husbandry form.
With her MBD, can she climb and grip good enough to not be wobbly or fall over?

thank you so much for all the info! looks like i have a lot of work to do!! she can still grip pretty well. she doesn’t fall off of things and she’ll still climb occasionally