My new wc melleri not eating or drinking

[Battlecat29]

My melleri won't eat or drink and eye is clamped shut
Ambient 75
Bask 85
Humidity 70
Humidity and heat is difficult to keep up even with humidifier. It's cold and dry in Michigan. Bamboo sticks at various angles and umbrella tree.
I built a glass/screen cage 4ftx2ftx5ft. Eventually will build even bigger.
Was prepared to house smaller melleri. But when I opened the box he was about 20inches. The online dealer really screwed me over. A vet check determined he was dehydrated. They also gave me eye drops and antibiotics.
Also food for syringe feeding. I tried crickets and horned worms and he won't go for them. I mist him at least 5 times day for about 5-10 minutes each time. I would shower him but I have well water and not sure if it is safe. I figured I would work on hydrating him, feed and medicate. Then go back to vet for fecal check. I would have done so already but it isn't cheap. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lovereps]

Welcome to the forum!
There are a number of people here who successfully keep Melleri and hopefully they will notice your post.
It's great you took him to a vet.
With antibiotics, it is even more important to hydrate him enough.
I'm sure that showering him would be a big help.
You aim the shower to hit the wall and spray onto the plant that your cham is on, using tepid water rather than hot.
I don't keep Melleri but I do know that they need more water than any other species. Their hydration needs won't be met by a few 5-10 minute mistings throughout the day, alone.
Oerhaps a larger humidifier would help.
More live plants will certainly help. Plastic covering 2-3 sides of the cage will help.
This website is excellent:
http://www.melleridiscovery.com/
Here is a good blog on Melleri care:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chamman7/766-melleri-care-basics.html
An article about themL
http://www.chameleonnews.com/12NovVenaas.html
and another:
http://www.chameleonnews.com/08FebBoomNieberding.html

If no experienced Melleri keepers respond--do a forum search and send some PMs to those who keep them, in the hope they can assist you.
I hope this helps to some extent.
Best of luck.

 

[Lovereps]

Also, if you do a forum search under Melleri, you can find some helpful info such as in this thread:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/trouble-my-mellers-97409/

 

[Battlecat29]

Thanks a lot , do you think well water would be safe??

 

[Lovereps]

You're very welcome.
I'd like to see everyone who likes chams to have healthy, happy, long-lived chameleons.
As far as well water goes, is it water that your family can drink?
If so, then I don't see why it wouldn't be OK for a cham.

 

[carol5208]

Thanks a lot , do you think well water would be safe??

I don't think so. Do you drink it? If you don't, then I would not give it to your chameleons. Some people even frown on using tap water. I use tap for mine, but I have no problems with drinking it either.

 

[flyty808]

Are both eyes closed? And if I were you I'd pm the photo princess she is great at bringing unhealthy melleri back to good shape. The melleri I just got is having a lil trouble but getting through it she has greatly improved from the time I got her. And when I first got her I ordered hornworms and crickets but she wouldent go for either. It was about a week and a half till I got some mantids and she went for them right away and then shortly after I got dubia she would eat them on her own as well but it wasn't until just recently maybe 2 months later that she will eat crickets on her own!
Showers are the most important thing it can take up to an hour till they start to drink especially in dry weather. I live in Arizona and fight my humidity daily but I have mister's in the cage going for about an hour twice daily!
And Electrolytes will help get her hydrated. But ask some one more experienced with them for dosage! And your meller is gonna need extra long showers cause of the meds! Mellers kidneys or liver are small compared to there body size and demand more water especially when being dosed with meds!
When ever I can I use reptaid it's an organic way of fighting many illnesses and diseases. But once again means more water!
Mainly if you can get and keep um drinking you should be heading in the right direction! They can last alot longer with out food then water!
Sorry for such a long post hope it helps and you can hit me up for more help and again I say get I touch with Jeremy and Karen (the photoprincess) on the forums and the chameleon farm on face book! And Olympia here on the forums is amazing along with many more I'd have to check for there names!

 

[Battlecat29]

Wow! Thanks for the help everyone, it means a lot to me, I am determined to my melleri back to good health , I will try mantid and pm photoprincess. Thanks again!!

 

[Battlecat29]

Btw only one eye is closed