Loss of Newly Imported Wild Caughts

jajeanpierre

Chameleon Enthusiast
Of the wild caught quads that came into the US mid December, how many have been lost. The ones that actually made it through to be sold to their final owners.

The Quad Collective bought had 21, maybe more. I have 2. Someone else on here has 3 from Backwater. That's a total of 26, but I think more.

I know of two female losses.

What is the "expected" rate of loss of wild caughts? I thought someone posted recently that when they were dealing with imports they expected a certain mortality rate, but I can't remember if it was 10% or 20%. What have others found?

When did these deaths occur? Are there bench marks that, when passed with the chameleon in good condition and eating, we can breathe more easily?

Thanks for your input.
 
Even if someone gave me a benchmark, I don't think I'll be able to breathe more easily until my new imports start eating and behaving normally. My big male, Cerulean, keeps fooling me. I'll think he's turned a corner by eating on his own, then he'll go back on a hunger strike. Still worried about him. The small male, Lazarus, is not eating on his own either. Only the female has eaten normally, but even with her, she has days when I'm concerned about her, strange coloration, etc.. I am so ready to breathe more easily as you put it. :)

Perry
 
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I never breathe easily until I have babies hatching from the eggs laid by the imports. I get a little more comfortable when the imports have been through worming and acclimation and are gaining weight though. But still feel some tension until they have bred and laid eggs and the eggs hatch.

I also got a pair of quads. I didn't say anything because I wanted to see how they will do but I guess I will say so now.

They weren't really in my budget but I have bred them in the past so felt I was qualified and I wanted to be involved and am worried they won't come in again and even if they do, the writing is on the wall for their availability long term I think- in the 90s in the CIN write-up on them there was some speculation their habitat would be destroyed by 2010. I can't see how they can keep coming in and I wanted to at least have a chance at participation in establishing a captive population. Unfortunately I did not know they were coming in ahead of time- I threw down my money on another species in December, so I really didn't have anything left for lizards, but risked it anyway with a single pair. They are looking good and are a young pair, but the male is not yet content- wanders around too much and does not eat as much as I want. The female is behaving normally and feeding a bit better. I got a pair without physical problems other than a few bite marks, but they are pretty young and small- especially the male. Which I am OK with- I am not in a hurry.

Monday will be day 20 and my 3rd hit with fenbendazole for them. So far, so good, but I will be holding my breath for many months I think until I get babies!
 
I never breathe easily until I have babies hatching from the eggs laid by the imports. I get a little more comfortable when the imports have been through worming and acclimation and are gaining weight though. But still feel some tension until they have bred and laid eggs and the eggs hatch.

I also got a pair of quads. I didn't say anything because I wanted to see how they will do but I guess I will say so now.

They weren't really in my budget but I have bred them in the past so felt I was qualified and I wanted to be involved and am worried they won't come in again and even if they do, the writing is on the wall for their availability long term I think- in the 90s in the CIN write-up on them there was some speculation their habitat would be destroyed by 2010. I can't see how they can keep coming in and I wanted to at least have a chance at participation in establishing a captive population. Unfortunately I did not know they were coming in ahead of time- I threw down my money on another species in December, so I really didn't have anything left for lizards, but risked it anyway with a single pair. They are looking good and are a young pair, but the male is not yet content- wanders around too much and does not eat as much as I want. The female is behaving normally and feeding a bit better. I got a pair without physical problems other than a few bite marks, but they are pretty young and small- especially the male. Which I am OK with- I am not in a hurry.

Monday will be day 20 and my 3rd hit with fenbendazole for them. So far, so good, but I will be holding my breath for many months I think until I get babies!

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I guess I'll still hold my breath for a long, long time to come. I've had my first quad from that shipment for a month. He's gained weight and has always been hydrated. Suddenly he developed a small edema a couple of days ago. I think it is less today but that might be wishful thinking on my part; I'm not really sure--he has a lot of greenery he stays in so I can't really see him well.

The second one I bought about a week ago had been gaining weight at the importer's. He's was just blossoming when I bought him. He's never been wormed. I want to get a stool sample in to the vet before I start worming him (with Panacur). My first one has been wormed twice with Panacur (without a stool sample) and is due for another worming this weekend. After the first worming, I did get a stool sample in to the vet just in case he has something Panacur wouldn't touch.

So, how many quads have come into the hands of Chameleon Forum members now? 28? Only two deaths?

Someone posted--I can't remember who it was--that they had dealt with a lot of wild caughts over their many years in chameleons and they "expected" a mortality rate of ???? percent. I want to say 10% but I honestly don't remember.
 
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I guess I'll still hold my breath for a long, long time to come. I've had my first quad from that shipment for a month. He's gained weight and has always been hydrated. Suddenly he developed a small edema a couple of days ago. I think it is less today but that might be wishful thinking on my part; I'm not really sure--he has a lot of greenery he stays in so I can't really see him well.

The second one I bought about a week ago had been gaining weight at the importer's. He's was just blossoming when I bought him. He's never been wormed. I want to get a stool sample in to the vet before I start worming him (with Panacur). My first one has been wormed twice with Panacur (without a stool sample) and is due for another worming this weekend. After the first worming, I did get a stool sample in to the vet just in case he has something Panacur wouldn't touch.

So, how many quads have come into the hands of Chameleon Forum members now? 28? Only two deaths?

Someone posted--I can't remember who it was--that they had dealt with a lot of wild caughts over their many years in chameleons and they "expected" a mortality rate of ???? percent. I want to say 10% but I honestly don't remember.

Hi, How many dose Panacur you did when worming your quads ? thanks
 
Hi, How many dose Panacur you did when worming your quads ? thanks

I tested my first quad after two doses and he was clear. I gave a third dose. I'm dealing with lung worms in the second group that was imported. I think there might be lung worms in the first group based on some necropsy photos I saw of a deceased quad from the December group.

My vets are coming up with a plan to deal with the four I have left from the group imported in February and the two from the group imported in December. All are gaining weight, but I lost one very suddenly who died with three large mature lung worms (probably about 1.5" long each) in his lungs. They had perforated through his lungs. His lungs were a mess. He weighed only 14 grams.

I've only treated one with any type of anthelmintic. The second quad from the December shipment has only been in my possession for about three weeks. The group from the second shipment have been with me for less than two weeks. I'm letting them settle in first. With the discovery of the lung worms, I'll let my vets dictate what I do.
 
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