Is he OK?

Haze367

Haze367

Member
So my little guy ate about 12-15 small crickets today. And the last 3 hours or so he has just been laying in this position with this coloring.. i thought i read that they shouldn't be laying down during the day. He is NOT sleeping at all. Just laying there.
Doesn't react much when i get in his cage off and on over the last hour or so, He would the last few days start to run and hide when i would enter his cage.
20180111_181016.jpg
 
Hey there!

Could you fill this out to help kind of paint a better picture for everyone?


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.

Also, is that his general basking area? Is that red light coming from his cage? Have you noticed anything that looks like large yawns, mucus when he opens his mouth, small or loud squeeks, and odd sleeping habits?
 
Chameleons laying down during the day, or sleeping/eyes closed is definitely a red flag. But the odd thing is his eyes are wide open, and not sunken at all. I don't think this is dehydration, because dehydration comes with many symptoms, especially when it gets bad. Could it be metabolic bone disease? I am not entirely sure of any of these speculations, I am just tossing out any ideas on what could be wrong. The help form would definitely help, but it might be an internal problem. Has he ever been tested for parasites? What feeder/gutload are you using?
 
pwims21 said:
Wait Chams aren't supposed to lay down during the day??
Click to expand...

A cham should be able to hold up their own body weight... it isn't terrible if you catch them basking here and there while holding themselves to their branch like that, but having long bouts of just laying around and not moving under their basking lamp can indicate something isn't wrong.

Chams can't regulate their bodies like we do when they are sick, so instead of having a fever to help combat what is going on, they will bask for longer and will show signs of being more lethargic. It isn't always a "something bad is going on" sign, but more of a "you might want to go to the vet and get them checked out" sign.
 
davthevieled said:
A cham should be able to hold up their own body weight... it isn't terrible if you catch them basking here and there while holding themselves to their branch like that, but having long bouts of just laying around and not moving under their basking lamp can indicate something isn't wrong.

Chams can't regulate their bodies like we do when they are sick, so instead of having a fever to help combat what is going on, they will bask for longer and will show signs of being more lethargic. It isn't always a "something bad is going on" sign, but more of a "you might want to go to the vet and get them checked out" sign.
Click to expand...
I just took my guy to the vet.. The vet didn't really say anything about it..
 
davthevieled said:
A cham should be able to hold up their own body weight... it isn't terrible if you catch them basking here and there while holding themselves to their branch like that, but having long bouts of just laying around and not moving under their basking lamp can indicate something isn't wrong.

Chams can't regulate their bodies like we do when they are sick, so instead of having a fever to help combat what is going on, they will bask for longer and will show signs of being more lethargic. It isn't always a "something bad is going on" sign, but more of a "you might want to go to the vet and get them checked out" sign.
Click to expand...

This actually reminds me that my veiled rests on her basking branch, and sometimes even closes her eyes when she does it. She is healthy, but she also rest with her body on the branch. Then when she eats, drinks, moves to go to sleep, or just wants to explore, she gets up perfectly fine and wanders like normal. Your chameleon may just be doing this, especially if it 'sleeps' in its basking spot. That could be the reason why the vet didn't say much. Was that the basking area that we saw in the photo?
 
CamrynTheCham22 said:
The help form would definitely help, but it might be an internal problem. Has he ever been tested for parasites? What feeder/gutload are you using?
Click to expand...
not tested for parasites. I've had him a week today. For gut load i am using Bug Burger, Oranges, Banana, apple so far.
Julia777 said:
I would take him to the vet and I would get rid of the crickets and purchase some elsewhere in case something was wrong with that batch. Good luck!
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i got the crickets from the reptile show from a vendor there. they are the 1/4" size
kinyonga said:
Did you change things around in his cage today?
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actually, yes on that particular day i had cut out half the live plant that had aphids on it. That was it though.
Julia777 said:
How is your little guy doing?
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The last couple days he has been fine, still dark most of the day, when he gets up and moves and eats or i hold him he colors up normally.
CamrynTheCham22 said:
This actually reminds me that my veiled rests on her basking branch, and sometimes even closes her eyes when she does it. She is healthy, but she also rest with her body on the branch. Then when she eats, drinks, moves to go to sleep, or just wants to explore, she gets up perfectly fine and wanders like normal. Your chameleon may just be doing this, especially if it 'sleeps' in its basking spot. That could be the reason why the vet didn't say much. Was that the basking area that we saw in the photo?
Click to expand...
YES, the pic was taken with him laying in his basking area. Maybe he was just full and happy and just wanting to lay down soak up the heat and relax?? lol i don't know...



This morning i thought he got out somehow and i took half the stuff out looking for him, GOING CRAZY thinking he escaped!! He was behind the greenery on the back wall not sure how it got there but he got out just fine. good hiding spot he found! lol but i think he scratched himself alittle on his side now. i'll post a pic
 
Last edited:
davthevieled said:
Hey there!

Could you fill this out to help kind of paint a better picture for everyone?


Chameleon Info:
  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Ambilobe, Male, 4 months, 1 week
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? about 5 mins a day
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? 1/4'' Crickets (10-12daily), small Dubia (5-6 daily),
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Repashy calcium+ lightly daily on all feeders, as instructed by KAMMERFLAGE when i got him.
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? Mist King, 1.5 min 30 mins after lights come on, then again for 3 mins 5 hours later, then again for 1.5 min 4 hours later. 3 days out of the week (tues, thurs, sat) I set to run for 5 mins instead of the 3 min afternoon misting. (make sense??)
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Dark with a white piece, looks normak from pics i've seen as "normal". ill get a pic next time. This last week i have only found 3 dropping total. NEVER tested for parasites.
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. NONE

Cage Info:
  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Dragon Strand medium breeder series
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? 14" T5HO with 5% uvb bulb (the one that comes with fixture) on 12 hours with basking light
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? during day from 68 on the lower part of cage middle has a range in the 70's and the top has a mid 70s, and the basking are 82-85. i have 5 digital thermos. at night temps drop to about 65-71 in the cage
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? humidity 50-67% i cant get it higher.
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? i have 1 live plant in the cage
  • 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? In the dining room, no fans, vents or traffice area. top of cage sits about 4.5'
  • Location - Where are you geographically located? In Southern California
i guess
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

Also, is that his general basking area? Is that red light coming from his cage? Have you noticed anything that looks like large yawns, mucus when he opens his mouth, small or loud squeeks, and odd sleeping habits? YES his basking area, not sure on the redish color, maybe just the pic i guess. no i have not noticed any yawns or mucus when mouth is open or noises. just the resting on the branch in a dark color sometimes
Click to expand...

i answered the questions in red in the quotes
 
This afternoon while ELIO was nice and colored up i noticed he had 2 dark black strips on his right side that caught my attention that were not there this morning. When he is dark like in the pic below it turns a white color. im assuming he scratched himself also alittle on the same side on his tail lightly.


Would you agree from the looks of the pics? It's kind of hard to see in the 2nd pic (outside) the "scratch"

elio scratch 3.jpg
elio scratch.jpg
 
I have sometimes seen this on my chameleon, but didn't I didn't think much of it. Maybe it is something more serious? I would kind of like answers as well, as my female veiled always seems to have this somewhere on her body . . . :cautious:
 
CamrynTheCham22 said:
I have sometimes seen this on my chameleon, but didn't I didn't think much of it. Maybe it is something more serious? I would kind of like answers as well, as my female veiled always seems to have this somewhere on her body . . . :cautious:
Click to expand...
i figured it was maybe a scratch from climbing behind the plastic thing i have hanging on the wall. he's actually behind there again tonight sleeping. I'm afraid im going to have to remove it until he is bigger and can not fit through the square hole.
 
It is so odd, because I didn't think anything in my cage was sharp enough to scratch her. When I recently gave her a warm bath, I noticed that the scratch had a little piece of skin at the top of it and I thought it was left over from a shed, so I left it alone. It was still on her abdomen a few weeks past her shed and I had to take it off.
I literally have no idea what it could mean, it is so weird! And apparently I am not the only one.
 
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