MBD? Dehydrated? Advice please

[LadyZu]

Hi everyone

I’ve had my little buddy for three days and I’ve been a bit worried. I’ve been reading a lot of chameleon-keeping horror stories and I’m a bit worried that my chameleon might have MBD or possibly be dehydrated? Are the joints on his back legs normal and should the ribs be this visible? Can someone guide me as to what to look out for since there is a lot of different things I’ve read about this? I’m going to include pictures for advice. I do want to mention I am upgrading his light this weekend to a t5 HO 10.00 and I’ve also bought more foliage to add to his enclosure. Any advice and tips would be helpful. I’ve been really overly worried that I may be doing something wrong with his care.

 

[chamnoodle]

im no expert but from my own experience of owning a veiled chameleon, if his ribs only show a little every once in a while and you dont see it other times, hes probably just puffing himself up (self defense mechanism to make themselfs look bigger) doesnt look like he has MBD, if you want to look out for signs for that (and early MBD), symptoms could be him shaking, muscle spasms, twitching, his legs bent like a round shape or looking like there is more than 1 elbow. Once it gets severe enough they could lose appetite/not have good grip on branches. Personally I think he looks healthy. how much food do you give him and what do you give him? Do you give him calcium?

 

[Beman]

Hi everyone

I’ve had my little buddy for three days and I’ve been a bit worried. I’ve been reading a lot of chameleon-keeping horror stories and I’m a bit worried that my chameleon might have MBD or possibly be dehydrated? Are the joints on his back legs normal and should the ribs be this visible? Can someone guide me as to what to look out for since there is a lot of different things I’ve read about this? I’m going to include pictures for advice. I do want to mention I am upgrading his light this weekend to a t5 HO 10.00 and I’ve also bought more foliage to add to his enclosure. Any advice and tips would be helpful. I’ve been really overly worried that I may be doing something wrong with his care.

You do not want a T5HO with a 10.0 bulb. You want a 5.0 bulb and then basking would be about 9 inches below the fixture.

I am not very good with Jackson's but I am not sure that is a male.... @JacksJill and @Kaizen can help you with husbandry

Here is some info that will be helpful... https://chameleonacademy.com/the-jacksons-chameleon-trioceros-jacksonii/

And I would read through every module in this husbandry program to learn what you need to about the enclosure and environment. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[LadyZu]

im no expert but from my own experience of owning a veiled chameleon, if his ribs only show a little every once in a while and you dont see it other times, hes probably just puffing himself up (self defense mechanism to make themselfs look bigger) doesnt look like he has MBD, if you want to look out for signs for that (and early MBD), symptoms could be him shaking, muscle spasms, twitching, his legs bent like a round shape or looking like there is more than 1 elbow. Once it gets severe enough they could lose appetite/not have good grip on branches. Personally I think he looks healthy. how much food do you give him and what do you give him? Do you give him calcium?

Thank you so much for your response. I’ll keep an eye out for those things but he doesn’t seem to show any signs of that. He’s a juvenile so I’ve been trying to feed him about 10 (half inch I believe) dusted+gut loaded crickets and yes I give him reptical and reptivite, but I’ll be switching him to Arcadia Earth Pro-A and Repashy Calcium Lo D. Im also introducing him to new buggies he ate his first hornworm yesterday.

 

[LadyZu]

You do not want a T5HO with a 10.0 bulb. You want a 5.0 bulb and then basking would be about 9 inches below the fixture.

I am not very good with Jackson's but I am not sure that is a male.... @JacksJill and @Kaizen can help you with husbandry

Here is some info that will be helpful... https://chameleonacademy.com/the-jacksons-chameleon-trioceros-jacksonii/

And I would read through every module in this husbandry program to learn what you need to about the enclosure and environment. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

Thank you for that info! I’ll make sure to do that and I’ll read through those resources for sure. I was also not certain on whether my friend is male or female either.
Thanks again!

 

[Benclark]

I really don't see much wrong. He looks healthy to me! If he was dehydrated his eyes would be sunken in, and if it was MBD you would notice bowing of the legs and other skeletal issues like the casque bending.

 

[LadyZu]

I really don't see much wrong. He looks healthy to me! If he was dehydrated his eyes would be sunken in, and if it was MBD you would notice bowing of the legs and other skeletal issues like the casque bending.

Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear he looks good. I think I’m definitely hyper fixating on things because I want to make sure he’s good. I appreciate your input!

 

[chamnoodle]

Thank you so much for your response. I’ll keep an eye out for those things but he doesn’t seem to show any signs of that. He’s a juvenile so I’ve been trying to feed him about 10 (half inch I believe) dusted+gut loaded crickets and yes I give him reptical and reptivite, but I’ll be switching him to Arcadia Earth Pro-A and Repashy Calcium Lo D. Im also introducing him to new buggies he ate his first hornworm yesterday.

NO problem! That sounds good. I dont know a whole lot on Jacksons chameleons but from what I can tell he looks nice and healthy I dont think there is much to worry about

 

[kinyonga]

The legs look thin...male Jacksons chameleons
don't have just one horn...but some females do.
And it looks like it might be gravid to me.
I'm no expert on Jacksons...so I could be wrong.
Who said it was a juvenile?

 

[LadyZu]

The legs look thin...male Jacksons chameleons
don't have just one horn...but some females do.
And it looks like it might be gravid to me.
I'm no expert on Jacksons...so I could be wrong.
Who said it was a juvenile?

I was thinking this is probably a female because of the single horn.
the reptile shop I had got him/her from said it was a juvenile.

 

[Flick boy]

Hi I would go ahead and get a lay bin sorted. I don't know anything about jacksons. But I use a10x10 inch flower pot you can use washed playsand or mix of it with organic soil around 8/9 inches deep kept moist but not soaking. So it can a hold a tunnel.

 

[LadyZu]

Hi I would go ahead and get a lay bin sorted. I don't know anything about jacksons. But I use a10x10 inch flower pot you can use washed playsand or mix of it with organic soil around 8/9 inches deep kept moist but not soaking. So it can a hold a tunnel.

Omg, I’ll do some research on this. I know Jackson’s have live births, they don’t lay eggs. Could you possibly give me a tip on good live plants? I’m using plastic plants in her enclosure but I read if she’s pregnant they usually try to have their babies on plants so the sac sticks. I am in panic mode now lol

 

[Flick boy]

Hi from what I have just researched i would say vou have a lovely ? girl. If you are changing to earth pro a imo you can get them in the states I go would go for the full arcadia range as they are designed to go hand in hand

 

[JacksJill]

Your little buddy is a girl. She is likely an adult. She may be a little dehydrated or thin judging by her tail being thin and the ligaments being prominent. Odds are she is wild caught and may be pregnant but I don't see her at close to term yet. I've been surprised before so be prepared with a baby bin. She will start spending most of her time on vertical branches when she is near term. They have live birth so you need a bin with plants and branches to raise the babies in not a soil bin to lay eggs.
I don't see any evidence of MBD it is rare in this species more common is D3 poisoning from too much supplement. D3 should only be given once a month in regular dose. Low dose can be twice a month if using Repashy Calcium Plus LoD it is also your multi vitamin.

 

[Flick boy]

Sorry I forgot they where live bearing. ?

 

[JacksJill]

The legs look thin...male Jacksons chameleons
don't have just one horn...but some females do.

I've noticed the males tend to have more substantial back legs probably the better to push the competition off of a branch. Males also have three thicker horns and a penile bulge. It's nothing compared to a panther's but you can see it.

 

[LadyZu]

Your little buddy is a girl. She is likely an adult. She may be a little dehydrated or thin judging by her tail being thin and the ligaments being prominent. Odds are she is wild caught and may be pregnant but I don't see her at close to term yet. I've been surprised before so be prepared with a baby bin. She will start spending most of her time on vertical branches when she is near term. They have live birth so you need a bin with plants and branches to raise the babies in not a soil bin to lay eggs.
I don't see any evidence of MBD it is rare in this species more common is D3 poisoning from too much supplement. D3 should only be given once a month in regular dose. Low dose can be twice a month if using Repashy Calcium Plus LoD it is also your multi vitamin.

Oh my goodness thank you for this reply! I’ve been going crazy because she’s been on vertical branches and I was SO worried about that. I was going crazy researching it but couldn’t get an answer! I’m going to work on keeping her hydration and feeding up. What advise do you have for foods for a pregnant chameleon? I am going to change her to Repashy LoD and that’s what the schedule I am planning on her is as well. Thank you SO much! I will make sure to get her ready for her babies! What the heck!

 

[JacksJill]

We'll walk you thru all of this. Don't go too crazy feeding her or she will have more babies and that will be harder on her. No more than two full size crickets full or the equivalent volume per day. You can feed twice that every other day but I feed less daily for my girls. Get her on a regular hydration schedule at least 2 good mistings first and last thing with some cool mist humidifier over night a dripper or ultra short misting for drinking opportunities during the day. Horn worms will help her catch up as well.
My supplement schedule Plain Calcium Mon Wed Friday weekly, substitute Repashy Lod every other Monday. That's just how I do it. Sub out any day you want.
Gut load your feeders there is a list of ingredients in the Resources Tab under food and nutrition.
Get good quality lighting T5 5.0 for UVB and a low wattage bulb 40-50 Watt for your basking. A plant light will keep the plants going.
I'm not a fan of mossy vines as they can lead to foot problems. It's not an emergency but work up to changing those out with natural branches.

 

[MissSkittles]

Safe plant list is all I can help out with. https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/

 

[LadyZu]

We'll walk you thru all of this. Don't go too crazy feeding her or she will have more babies and that will be harder on her. No more than two full size crickets full or the equivalent volume per day. You can feed twice that every other day but I feed less daily for my girls. Get her on a regular hydration schedule at least 2 good mistings first and last thing with some cool mist humidifier over night a dripper or ultra short misting for drinking opportunities during the day. Horn worms will help her catch up as well.
My supplement schedule Plain Calcium Mon Wed Friday weekly, substitute Repashy Lod every other Monday. That's just how I do it. Sub out any day you want.
Gut load your feeders there is a list of ingredients in the Resources Tab under food and nutrition.
Get good quality lighting T5 5.0 for UVB and a low wattage bulb 40-50 Watt for your basking. A plant light will keep the plants going.
I'm not a fan of mossy vines as they can lead to foot problems. It's not an emergency but work up to changing those out with natural branches.

You’re such an angel!! Thank you sooo much for all your amazing tips! Her new light t5 will be in on Friday and it will come with a 5 bulb I just found out I should return the 10.0 that I ordered additional to that and I’ll make sure to get her on a low wattage bulb too. Thanks so much! I’ll look into a plant light and swapping everything out to be natural. This may be a dumb question, but is there precautions I can take with plants? Maybe washing plants? Mainly my concern is pesticides or bacteria, how can I be sure I’m doing this as safely as possible for her? Thank you again!! You’re lovely!