Is Something's wrong with my veiled?

Tanker19k

New Member
I have a 6 month old veiled. Up till yesterday she was very active. Today she is not moving much and when she does it's like she's dragging her stomach. She also seems to be having trouble gripping. She was born with a deformed front foot which has never seemed to be a problem. What should I do? Should be patient and give it a few days or is this a sign that something serious is wrong?
 
Do you have a laying bin in her enclosure? I'm no expert but female veileds start devolving eggs at around six months of age. These eggs will be in fertile unless she was bred before you got her, which I doubt because she would be pretty young.
I have a 6 month old veiled. Up till yesterday she was very active. Today she is not moving much and when she does it's like she's dragging her stomach. She also seems to be having trouble gripping. She was born with a deformed front foot which has never seemed to be a problem. What should I do? Should be patient and give it a few days or is this a sign that something serious is wrong?
 
More about my Cham.

I don't think it's mbd. It could be but does it happen that quick? I've had her since she was 3 weeks old and I was giving her calcium and vitamin sups. Twice a week till about a month ago. Then I cut it down to one weekly because I read an article about to much calcium can cause her to produce eggs at a younger age. I feed her 10 to 15 3/4" cricket a day and a one or two super worms a day. I gut load my crickets as well. Plus she was super active three days ago climbing the cage and chasing crickets. I have her in a 18x18x36 cage with a live ficus and some fake vines and plants. Water her four times a day and let the dripper drop in the evening. The only problem I've been having is keeping the humidity where I want it because it's cold in Iowa and the furnace is running a lot.

Other then that I handle her two to three times a week. I have a 5.0 18" tropical bulb and a heat lamp above her. Basking is about 90 95. House temp is low 70's. She is in my living room but it never has really had an affect on her that I have noticed.

I think it might be one of two things:
1st. The crickets. I have read that crickets can carry diseases if they are keep in unsanitary conditions. Mine aren't but I do split 1000 crickets with a friend that wee get from a pet store that sold me a senagal with mbd.
2nd. And most plausible I think is that she fell and hurt herself while I was not home. My ficus tree is in terra cotta pot that's rather big and hard.

Just looking for some opinions. Thanks
 
Your supplements are way off. She needs calcium without d3 every feeding, calcium with d3 twice a month and a multi vit twice a month.
Reducing her calcium will not prevent her making eggs. It will damage her, as she will take whatever calcium she can get to make those eggs, leaving her bones at serious risk of mbd, along with other problems ,ie, being able to lay etc etc.
Some people have success with reducing egg laying/making by reducing the amount of food and lowering the basking temp.
I'm sure someone with a bit more knowledge and experience will be able to clarify this and give you more help.
With regards reducing the food, that would, I guess, depend on the age. As she is only 6 months, this may not be an option just yet. As she's still growing and needs the food.
Hope she can turn around and get better.
A picture may help members too, kath.
 
I don't see anything too crazy with her husbandry, and I don't think her supplement schedule would be the issue. (I don't even think its from the crickets) I would need to see a picture to be able to give a better answer, but if she did fall you would likely see some bruising after a day or two. If you still don't have a clear reason for her behavior I'd suggest a trip to the vet, or at least a fecal exam to rule some stuff out. Does she have access to a laying bin? Even if it isn't the issue I'd consider getting one in there as soon as you can. Its always a good idea to provide one around that age.

Best of luck to her and I hope she is feeling better soon! :)
 
Supplements may not be the issue, but could very well begin to be as she's only giving once a week.
Kath.
 
Update

Well my inexperience has caught up with me. She does have mbd and is also egg bound. That said I am taking the next 10 days to hopefully turn it around. The vet has giving me a strict calcium shot regiment and saline shot regiment. Also I will no longer be getting info from the internet because there are so many things that are false an misleading and very easy for a person to follow the wrong info. I have unfortunately learn a hard lesson and will try not to make any more mistakes with her and any other Cham that I get in the future. I thank those who commented on my thread. How do you upload a pic on here? I want to put one on here to show everyone that she looks very healthy and how misleading that can be. The vet was surprised by the way she looked but knew that my calcium was not enough. I feel like I failed her. She is my baby and I just want her to be alright. Also if you use spray calcium, stop. The vet said that it does not work at all. Update on her in a few days.
 
Fingers crossed for your baby! I really hope she is going to be all right!
Post picture: If you click on "post reply" there is going to be "Additional Options" and there is Attach files-Manage attachments.Click and then you're going to be ok!
 
Live and learn. We all make mistakes but u haven't failed her. Your doing the right thing by getting to the vet and getting expert advice. Your on the right path now. I hope everything works out. Good luck
 
I really wish I still had my female veiled chameleon. I was uneducated at the time also. Many regrets that haunt me with decisions made, I'm glad you are making the right ones before it's too late.
 
So sorry to hear your little girl is having problems but you have definitely come to the right place. Alot of members on this site have breeding projects going on and Im sure someone here will have some experience to share with you. Keep posting whatever questions you may have, and keep us updated on her health. Good luck.
 
Pics of her and her cage.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    236.4 KB · Views: 164
I couldn't get them both on the same post. Up for comment on the cage. Good bad. Let me know.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    256.9 KB · Views: 126
Don't beat yourself up about it. I lost my first cham to inexperience and bad husbandry advice. You thought you were doing the right thing and hopefully have intervened soon enough for her to recover. You will learn a lot from the folks on this forum so keep coming back.:D
 
Back
Top Bottom