Hi Everyone!
Im new to the forum but also new to chameleons and very excited to get started on keeping my new carpet chameleon healthy! Unfortunately I fear I might already be starting on the wrong foot. I have had turtles recently that have MBD, which i luckily was able to save, however it made me very sensitive and paranoid about my reptiles having MBD. I got my chameleon about a week ago. I tried to do everything to make sure that my little carpet does not get MBD but I am open to any input! (PLEASE). I currently keep her in a 12x12x18 exoterra. I know reptibreeze screen cages are better, however it would be too difficult to keep the temperatures and humidity high enough in my house. I will also upgrade the size ASAP. I use a 5.0 UVB bulb and obviously have a basking spot as well. I feed her about 4-5 medium/large crickets that i gutload with flukers. Before feeding them to her I make sure that I dust them with calcium without d3 4 times a week, calcium with d3 once a week, herpavite once a week and 1 day without supplements.
I started getting worried since she normally just sits in a corner at the back of the terrarium (I will post pictures below) and when she when she ventures off her spot she just climbs the top screen and usually get herself into a mess. She will usually fall off, falling only about 4-5 inches and catching herself on vine. It worries me since that is her only movement. She never or rarely climbs the vines and branches (at least when im around). It also started to worry me when I put crickets in. She eats and I have seen that, but she never hunts them. She just waits until they come into her area and at the top of the terrarium and then she eats them. She stops eating after about 2 or 3 sometimes although I had read that juveniles are supposed to be eating 4-5. I started to get seriously worried today, when I saw hanging from the top of the terrarium and I saw this abnormal looking bump (see photo). I read that a sign of MBD is bone deformation and I could not think of what else that could be. Putting it all together Im thinking maybe she is showing signs of MBD. Even though she is eating and drinking and sits under the UVB all day I just want to get some input from all you guys who know much more than me. I read also that sign of MBD are shaking when walking etc, While I have seen her 'struggle a bit' I wouldnt call it shaky. When I was inspecting her today she had a very stable and strong grip on my finger and showed great strength. She only seems to shake with a certain limb when she has difficulty grabbing on something with that particular foot. I have posted a variety of photos below. I fear she might also maybe have fractures from falling. Could anyone help me out here please!
Thanks!
Arian
Im new to the forum but also new to chameleons and very excited to get started on keeping my new carpet chameleon healthy! Unfortunately I fear I might already be starting on the wrong foot. I have had turtles recently that have MBD, which i luckily was able to save, however it made me very sensitive and paranoid about my reptiles having MBD. I got my chameleon about a week ago. I tried to do everything to make sure that my little carpet does not get MBD but I am open to any input! (PLEASE). I currently keep her in a 12x12x18 exoterra. I know reptibreeze screen cages are better, however it would be too difficult to keep the temperatures and humidity high enough in my house. I will also upgrade the size ASAP. I use a 5.0 UVB bulb and obviously have a basking spot as well. I feed her about 4-5 medium/large crickets that i gutload with flukers. Before feeding them to her I make sure that I dust them with calcium without d3 4 times a week, calcium with d3 once a week, herpavite once a week and 1 day without supplements.
I started getting worried since she normally just sits in a corner at the back of the terrarium (I will post pictures below) and when she when she ventures off her spot she just climbs the top screen and usually get herself into a mess. She will usually fall off, falling only about 4-5 inches and catching herself on vine. It worries me since that is her only movement. She never or rarely climbs the vines and branches (at least when im around). It also started to worry me when I put crickets in. She eats and I have seen that, but she never hunts them. She just waits until they come into her area and at the top of the terrarium and then she eats them. She stops eating after about 2 or 3 sometimes although I had read that juveniles are supposed to be eating 4-5. I started to get seriously worried today, when I saw hanging from the top of the terrarium and I saw this abnormal looking bump (see photo). I read that a sign of MBD is bone deformation and I could not think of what else that could be. Putting it all together Im thinking maybe she is showing signs of MBD. Even though she is eating and drinking and sits under the UVB all day I just want to get some input from all you guys who know much more than me. I read also that sign of MBD are shaking when walking etc, While I have seen her 'struggle a bit' I wouldnt call it shaky. When I was inspecting her today she had a very stable and strong grip on my finger and showed great strength. She only seems to shake with a certain limb when she has difficulty grabbing on something with that particular foot. I have posted a variety of photos below. I fear she might also maybe have fractures from falling. Could anyone help me out here please!
Thanks!
Arian
