My chameleon has a leg that looks broken

[GioGio]

It doesn’t seem to hurt, he just grabs himself when trying to walk normally, it makes him have a harder time climbing so he likes to stay on the ground, pictures and a video show him, I have wanted to get a homemade splint for him, should I make one? Get an X-ray? Something else? Please tell me, I am very worried for my baby Gon (the video wouldn’t upload here but he is grabbing himself a lot in it and his leg bends unnaturally, he has calcium and all the stuff he needs, he hasn’t been eating crickets so I have to hand feed cut up mealworms, he is very sweet and doesn’t bite

 

[AnamCara]

Your chameleon looks like it has MBD. I would not try home remedies I would take them to a vet immediately.

Also, it appears you have a female.

 

[AnamCara]

Could we also see a full body, clear picture? Front legs included. Make a vet appointment, and put the chameleon in a hospital bin (storage tub or maybe an open-topped tank if you have one -- in the meantime while you wait please fill this form out so we can address husbandry issues that could have lead to this.


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.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[The Wild One]

Vet and laybin ASAP

 

[GioGio]

Your chameleon looks like it has MBD. I would not try home remedies I would take them to a vet immediately.

Also, it appears you have a female.

He has the spurs so I know he is male, thank you for this though, I appreciate it

 

[AnamCara]

He has the spurs so I know he is male, thank you for this though, I appreciate it

Didn't see the spurs. Casque looks small too.

 

[JoXie411]

Also, it appears you have a female

No he’s a male you can tell by the “bars” females don’t have those

 

[GioGio]

Could we also see a full body, clear picture? Front legs included. Make a vet appointment, and put the chameleon in a hospital bin (storage tub or maybe an open-topped tank if you have one -- in the meantime while you wait please fill this form out so we can address husbandry issues that could have lead to this.


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.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

He is a veiled, male, about 1 year old now, closer to 8 months, I’ve had him since he was 1 month, and I got him from a petco, I know, petco sells unhealthy animals, but I wanted to give him a good home.

I handle him if not once a day then once every other day

he usually ate crickets in calcium power, he refuses veggies kale, spinach, lettuce, etc. right now he is eating mealworms cut into thirds and handfed to him, calcium powder put into the worm’s guts by sprinkling it on there. He doesn’t take vitamin supplements because my local supplier doesn’t sell any, he has this calcium I’ve had for a while now, i don’t know the brand though.

We mist him once or twice a day on week days and three to four on weekends or days off, he has some shedding difficulties but I soak him and let him rub against warm damp towels to help get it off. He drinks around me a bit, I usually can’t see him but he does at this big pool of water at the front of his cage

His feces seem fine, they aren’t discolored but he doesn’t seem to have any issues in that matter. He hasn’t ever been tested for parasites.

His cage is a screen cage, it’s one of those ones you get from petco, it was for my original chameleon but he had a stroke and sadly passed, then a crested gecko was in there until we got him a good cage, so now he has it. He disinfected it before letting him in it, we clean it once a month if it isn’t getting a mess fast, and he seems to like it, dimensions are unknown but it’s kinda small, big enough for him.

We have a day UVB and a red night UVB, wattage on both is day- /night- / he doesn’t bask very much.

The temp is unknown at the moment, we need to get a thermometer for his cage, the floor is cool and the top is very warm, not hot, but warm, he stays at ground level usually because of his leg.

The humidity is about 30 without misting, and about 60 with misting. I use a humidity gauge to see the humidity levels.

No live plants, I want to get some eventually

It is in the back of the main gg loot of our house, we have two dogs that are loud outside, he can hear them, but they don’t bother him anymore. He is never showing signs of agitation from the sounds.

I live in traditions, Wake Forest. In a little roundabout with some kids who also like there, they are pound but I never see them because I don’t go outside.

He may have MBD,

Thank you so much, GioGio

 

[GioGio]

No he’s a male you can tell by the “bars” females don’t have those

Thank you, the “bars” and “spurs” show it, he has both.

 

[AnamCara]

He is a veiled, male, about 1 year old now, closer to 8 months, I’ve had him since he was 1 month, and I got him from a petco, I know, petco sells unhealthy animals, but I wanted to give him a good home.

I handle him if not once a day then once every other day

he usually ate crickets in calcium power, he refuses veggies kale, spinach, lettuce, etc. right now he is eating mealworms cut into thirds and handfed to him, calcium powder put into the worm’s guts by sprinkling it on there. He doesn’t take vitamin supplements because my local supplier doesn’t sell any, he has this calcium I’ve had for a while now, i don’t know the brand though.

We mist him once or twice a day on week days and three to four on weekends or days off, he has some shedding difficulties but I soak him and let him rub against warm damp towels to help get it off. He drinks around me a bit, I usually can’t see him but he does at this big pool of water at the front of his cage

His feces seem fine, they aren’t discolored but he doesn’t seem to have any issues in that matter. He hasn’t ever been tested for parasites.

His cage is a screen cage, it’s one of those ones you get from petco, it was for my original chameleon but he had a stroke and sadly passed, then a crested gecko was in there until we got him a good cage, so now he has it. He disinfected it before letting him in it, we clean it once a month if it isn’t getting a mess fast, and he seems to like it, dimensions are unknown but it’s kinda small, big enough for him.

We have a day UVB and a red night UVB, wattage on both is day- /night- / he doesn’t bask very much.

The temp is unknown at the moment, we need to get a thermometer for his cage, the floor is cool and the top is very warm, not hot, but warm, he stays at ground level usually because of his leg.

The humidity is about 30 without misting, and about 60 with misting. I use a humidity gauge to see the humidity levels.

No live plants, I want to get some eventually

It is in the back of the main gg loot of our house, we have two dogs that are loud outside, he can hear them, but they don’t bother him anymore. He is never showing signs of agitation from the sounds.

I live in traditions, Wake Forest. In a little roundabout with some kids who also like there, they are pound but I never see them because I don’t go outside.

He may have MBD,

Thank you so much, GioGio

Could we see a photo of the setup? Is there a linear UVB Bulb or just a dome light? He does not need red light at night. Total darkness is better so they can sleep.

Is your calcium with or without D3?

I'll let an experienced veiled keeper get through you're whole husbandry but a photo of the setup will help them help.

 

[nightanole]

Your lights are odds are the curly CFLs. You are not supplementing with D3 powder. if you take "him" to the vet he should do a round of shots, and send you home with some liquid medicine. And you need to by some D3 powder(repashy Calcium Plus LoD would be a fine all in one) and replace your light with a linear tube like, T5 HO style preferred.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

100% male.

That’s not just your normal break, the bones are completely misaligned. That’s about as bad of a break as it gets.

No splints.

Vet now.

The grabbing of his own limbs is a classic signs of pretty advanced MBD. Basically his nervous and muscular systems are not firing or responding properly. Calcium is critical in both systems.

(Content deleted by moderator)

 

[GioGio]

Didn't see the spurs. Casque looks small too.

Bad angle

 

[MissSkittles]

Oh dear! Your little guy needs a vet ASAP! There is no fixing that on line.
Although I’m quite new to chameleons, I can/will review your husbandry and let you know of crucial changes that need to be made for the long term health of your cham.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ve only had chameleons (veiled) for about six months so my knowledge is limited. I’m sure if I am incorrect or miss something, another member will correct.
He is a veiled, male, about 1 year old now, closer to 8 months, I’ve had him since he was 1 month, and I got him from a petco, I know, petco sells unhealthy animals, but I wanted to give him a good home. One month old?! That’s way too young to sell. In the future, avoid the big box pet stores if possible. Not only do they sell sick animals, they have and provide the wrong information about caring for them. Not criticizing you at all. Just venting my frustration with Petco.

I handle him if not once a day then once every other day Chams in general don’t care to be handled. It causes them stress. Pretty much a look but don’t touch animal.

he usually ate crickets in calcium power, he refuses veggies kale, spinach, lettuce, etc. right now he is eating mealworms cut into thirds and handfed to him, calcium powder put into the worm’s guts by sprinkling it on there. Chams are insectivores. It’s not a concern if he won’t eat vegetables or fruits. Crickets are an ok feeder, but are high in phosphorus which essentially cancels out the calcium. Also, chams like variety, just like we do. BSFL (calci worms, Phoenix worms) are good to add as they naturally are high in calcium. The best feeders imo are roaches and silkworms. You need to gutload the feeders with fresh organic fruits, veggies and leafy things...they will pass that nutrition on to your cham. He doesn’t take vitamin supplements because my local supplier doesn’t sell any, he has this calcium I’ve had for a while now, i don’t know the brand though. Does your calcium have vitamin D3 in it? The best supplement schedule is: dust every feeding lightly with phosphorus free calcium with No D3. Once every other week dust with phos free calcium with D3, alternating with a multivitamin every other week. There is another simpler way to supplement and that is Repashy brand Calcium with LoD at every feeding...no other supplement needed. These supplementation regimens are for maintenance only and can’t fix what is going on with your guy now.

We mist him once or twice a day on week days and three to four on weekends or days off, Is best to mist 2-3 times daily for about 2 minutes each time. If unable to do, you may want to consider a dripper or automatic mister. he has some shedding difficulties but I soak him and let him rub against warm damp towels to help get it off. Chameleons are dry shedders, meaning they shed best when dry. While I know you have the best intentions, soaking him is going to make it harder for him to shed. Usually they shed just fine on their own and is best not to try and help. He drinks around me a bit, I usually can’t see him but he does at this big pool of water at the front of his cage Chameleons don’t drink from bowls (except in very rare cases). They lap the water off leaves, which is why good misting or dripping is needed.

His feces seem fine, they aren’t discolored but he doesn’t seem to have any issues in that matter. He hasn’t ever been tested for parasites. A normal poo is a formed brown pellet with a whitish urate. Is strongly recommended to have his feces tested for parasites.

His cage is a screen cage, it’s one of those ones you get from petco, it was for my original chameleon but he had a stroke and sadly passed, then a crested gecko was in there until we got him a good cage, so now he has it. He disinfected it before letting him in it, we clean it once a month if it isn’t getting a mess fast, and he seems to like it, dimensions are unknown but it’s kinda small, big enough for him. I’m going to guess that it was part of ‘the chameleon kit’ in which case it’s probably 16x16x30 and too small. The minimum size for a male veiled is 24x24x48. It’s kind of like us living in a closet...we could, but it’s too small to be comfortable.

We have a day UVB and a red night UVB, wattage on both is day- /night- / he doesn’t bask very much. I’m going to make another guess that your uvb bulb is a spiral bulb that screws into the double dome. If so, it isn’t adequate. The best uvb is a T5HO with a 5.0 bulb that spans the whole width of the enclosure. Chams don’t need any light at night and I believe some colored lights risk harming their eyes. He probably isn’t basking much as you don’t have a basking bulb. Uvb doesn’t put out much useful heat. Easiest basking bulb is an incandescent light bulb...start with a 60w.

The temp is unknown at the moment, we need to get a thermometer for his cage, the floor is cool and the top is very warm, not hot, but warm, he stays at ground level usually because of his leg. Temps are very important and need to be monitored. Basking should be around 85-90* for an adult male and temps can and should drop much lower at night. Unless your house is freezing, he’ll be fine if the temp drops into the 60’s or even 50’s at night.

The humidity is about 30 without misting, and about 60 with misting. I use a humidity gauge to see the humidity levels. Very good! At night his humidity can/should increase a great deal. Wrapping a shower curtain around 2-3 sides of the enclosure can help keep in humidity.

No live plants, I want to get some eventually These are more important than you know. Live plants help maintain humidity, provide cover for your guy to hide in, help purify the air, provide more climbing area and just look nice. Veileds do nibble their plants so they need to be safe. Pothos is always great. Others are hibiscus, dracaena and Schefflera. You may have to get creative in placing them off the floor. When you’re ready for that, just ask for ideas.

It is in the back of the main gg loot of our house, we have two dogs that are loud outside, he can hear them, but they don’t bother him anymore. He is never showing signs of agitation from the sounds. Chameleons don’t really hear anything. Seeing the dogs though may cause stress. Heavy traffic of people/other animals cause stress. Also, chameleons like to be up high where they can look down at the world...makes them feel safe.

I live in traditions, Wake Forest. In a little roundabout with some kids who also like there, they are pound but I never see them because I don’t go outside.

He may have MBD, While none of us are vets, going by your husbandry, the broken leg and his behaviors, this is the most likely problem.
I know I’ve thrown at you a lot of changes that need to be made. However, the most important are diet, supplements and lighting. Our bones need calcium to stay strong...can’t absorb calcium without vitamin D3. D3 is provided naturally by unfiltered sunlight and/or uvb and dietary supplementation.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Please keep us posted let us know how it goes with the vet.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Vet here. He does appear to have signs consistent with Metabolic Bone Disease. You can use https://arav.org/ to find a reptile vet near you.

 

[kinyonga]

Good to see you come out of hiding once in a while @ferretinmyshoes !

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Good to see you come out of hiding once in a while @ferretinmyshoes !

I keep getting dragged back in to deal with complaints and pettiness but good to be back sometimes.

 

[skoram]

Looks to be an issue with the front right arm too. Most likely there are issues on the left side as well. Chameleon legs should bend at nice, straight and clean angles. Vet ASAP as others have said.