My panther male is sick. I need help!!!! Please!!!!

[pinkpanthers]

Okay so I have a panther chameleon I'm not exactly sure how old he is because I did receive him from somebody online and he was malnutritioned and not in very good shape. I've had him back in shape and he's been doing really well for the past year. His cage is outside when natural plants insects. I also give him crickets and silk worms and bugs from the pet store. I guy load them. We live in fla so it's been pretty hot outside I have a mister that mists six times a day for 15 mins. When I'm home and it's real hot I mist more. I also bring him inside where it's free roaming but he usually stays on his branch to sleep. I brought him in 2 days ago like normal and he acted weird and threw up his crickets and now for 2 days he has been sleeping barely moving. I checked the cage and can't find anything out of the normal. Any suggestions? No vet close to me and don't know how much more time I may have with him.

 

[Isaiahht]

Fill this out
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.

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Please Note:
The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
Photos can be very helpful.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi and welcome. Where in Florida are you? There are two great vets for chameleons in Orlando and they are well worth the drive. Dr Diaz here https://www.orlandoexoticveterinarian.com/about-us/ and Dr Bogoslavsky here https://myavho.com/ I know that there are some members from the Tampa area and possibly as far as Naples who make the drive for these vets. I’m on the other side of the state - Space coast and make the 45 min drive for Dr B.
We can review your husbandry and see if there’s anything there to explain why your chameleon is sick, but having his eyes closed, vomiting and lethargy are big signs that he needs a good vet to help him.

 

[pinkpanthers]

Ok so please don't think less of me but someone on. Craigslist was about to just let this poor guy go in his back yard and the picture of him I could tell the guy was so bad off. I actually thought that I would be doing kind of a hospis role but I made a cage outside and I had the guy in the cage for almost a year and I bring him in at night when it's cold I got lighting from a place called pet bizarre it's the only reptile store around. But this little guy actually got really good this past year I had him. He had energy and his bad eye was opening he was also coming and crawling on me and his grip got strong. I don't know much about the humidity cuz I keep him out side with wild everything. I will show you a picture. And I have not done nothing different but the other night I brought him in and he was acting weird and threw up his food. I have tried to get him to eat pears as I thought he could be constipated I have to really work with him to get him to drink water and eat I planned on going to vet later when my husband gets off work. My transportation sucks right now or I would have def taken him. I am pretty sure he has gout. And he has had that since I got him. I am going to post a few pictures.

 

[pinkpanthers]

So the first 3 are his normal cage. There are 2 levels because he wasn't climbing good when I first got him and I didn't want him to fall far to the ground. The other 2 cages I built so I could give him different scenery. I wanted him to be stimulated by exploring something new so that's why there are multiple. The water does mist every other hour for like 15 mins and then a 30 min spray at 130pm. I will post a picture of him

 

[pinkpanthers]

Right now I have him on a heating pad in his hammock. Because he can not climb. I hold him in the sun for like 30 mins every hour during the day and I don't mist him I give him a luke warm bath and I drop water on his head to try to get him to drink. I really am trying. I am posting a picture of his free roam spot in my home. He seem content this whole year until just the past few days. I look up insects and plants but I can't seem to find toxic ones are my yard. I heard the black grass hoppers but I haven't seen those and I am deeply investigating my yard for stuff. Also I feed him gut loaded crickets and silk worms horn worms and super worms. Even those roaches. I noticed he ate a few wasps but I read those are ok. I have never seen him eat a lady bug I haven't seen those in my yard for a while. I'm not saying they are not in my yard but I know I don't have many I would have seen them. I just don't know. He was in his multi level cage so I don't think he. Fell and broke something. I just don't know. My dog eats all the snakes so they aren't a threat. I am going to try those vets and maybe they can tell me. I actually have no clue how old he is so that could be a factor.

 

[MissSkittles]

Ok…poor guy sounds like he’s had a rough life until you got him. Why would anyone think less of you?
I will tell you to get him off of the heating pad and stop the warm baths. Both of those things are big risks for burns as well as stress with the bath. For heat you just want to place a basking light. If he’s indoors, he’ll need uvb too. Best thing is to get him to a good vet asap. Since he’s been vomiting, I’m not so sure you should try force feeding him anything. Offer him some food and trust that if he can eat, he will. Putting more in his stomach could make him feel of get worse.

 

[Beppo]

It looks like you have done something very kind for a creature who was suffering, we all have to learn and let me tell you I thought I was prepared for my chameleon but I was not. Your doing good

 

[Beman]

He could have eaten or been bitten by something toxic. Or it could have been due to overheating. Most people that have outdoor enclosures will cover half of it with the outside sun shade material so that part of the cage is shadowed from full sun. This creates a cooler side for them to retreat from the sun as well.

You said you think he has gout. Why do you think this? Can you post pics of the cham so we can see current condition?

 

[pinkpanthers]

Ok so after I tried to hand feed him and give him water I laid him in his hammock he was laying straight but he has moved around and I hate to wake him up so this is my big guy. He does have a lot of human interaction he just comes straight to me and my husband if we stand next to his cage or branch. Even when there is no food he still seems to like to perch on our shoulders. But now this is his condition. I'm so worried I am starting to think maybe he did fall in his cage. The hieght of his 2 level cage is 2ft on both levels except the part that joins them that's about 4 ft. And the money tree has a broken limb that I recently noticed. I try to make sure every branch and stick is firm and healthy because of his original condition when I got him. He was so skinny with swollen legs. He has a wart on his eye that has actually start to look like it will pinch off on its own in time. I have just worked so hard to give him a better chance.... When I of take him in the sun he does seem to move around he tries to stand but something if just off I can't put my finger on it yet. I will keep posting for who ever is interested to know.

 

[MissSkittles]

Poor guy. His reds are beautiful. The large ball/lump by his eye - is that the wart? Can you get better pics of that and the rest of him? No need disturb him now.
We can review your husbandry and see if there’s anything that’s off, but that isn’t going to help his current condition. I hate to say it, but without a vet there’s a high likelihood that you’ll lose him.
If you want a husbandry review, you’ll need to cut/paste the following with your answers.
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.

 

[pinkpanthers]

Thank you to everyone who has been concerned, I woke up this morning at 630am to the worst morning ever. My red guy has past on. It's been a heart breaking morning I tried so hard I do believe he has been happy during the time I spent with him. If I was more knowledgeable on the subject I could have probably done more. This experience has me now doing as much research on chameloens as I can find and do. Being someone who has no knowledge on chameloens and I took one in that was sick and then to have him ripped from me in a matter of days freaking sucks man. So any leads on info I can read and research would be great. I looked for toxic insect and plants and there isn'tuch on it. All I can find are safe plants. And what to feed them. And insects they can eat. Nothing that has a big do not feed them this or these insects will hurt them and these plants are very toxic. Why? So if someone knows anything I can read please tell me. Thank you

 

[Beppo]

Thank you to everyone who has been concerned, I woke up this morning at 630am to the worst morning ever. My red guy has past on. It's been a heart breaking morning I tried so hard I do believe he has been happy during the time I spent with him. If I was more knowledgeable on the subject I could have probably done more. This experience has me now doing as much research on chameloens as I can find and do. Being someone who has no knowledge on chameloens and I took one in that was sick and then to have him ripped from me in a matter of days freaking sucks man. So any leads on info I can read and research would be great. I looked for toxic insect and plants and there isn'tuch on it. All I can find are safe plants. And what to feed them. And insects they can eat. Nothing that has a big do not feed them this or these insects will hurt them and these plants are very toxic. Why? So if someone knows anything I can read please tell me. Thank you

I’m so sorry to hear that , you did a really kind and loving thing trying to help the chameleon. They sure are tricky. Have you checked out the Chameleon Academy (Bill Strand) here’s a link:
Chameleon Academy https://chameleonacademy.com/

He has over 30 years experience and has a vast vault of knowledge to share! I hope you kind find peace in your heart knowing you did the best you could!

 

[Beman]

Thank you to everyone who has been concerned, I woke up this morning at 630am to the worst morning ever. My red guy has past on. It's been a heart breaking morning I tried so hard I do believe he has been happy during the time I spent with him. If I was more knowledgeable on the subject I could have probably done more. This experience has me now doing as much research on chameloens as I can find and do. Being someone who has no knowledge on chameloens and I took one in that was sick and then to have him ripped from me in a matter of days freaking sucks man. So any leads on info I can read and research would be great. I looked for toxic insect and plants and there isn'tuch on it. All I can find are safe plants. And what to feed them. And insects they can eat. Nothing that has a big do not feed them this or these insects will hurt them and these plants are very toxic. Why? So if someone knows anything I can read please tell me. Thank you

So sorry for your loss. So insects like lady bugs and lightening bugs can be toxic if eaten. These are the two main ones I know of... But basically any spider or insect that is toxic to a cat or dog can be toxic to a chameleon as well. Depending on where you live not all places have the same insects. Where I live we have quite a few toxic spiders so outdoor cages would need to be aluminum window screen to keep stuff out.

As far as plants we have a safe list... These are proven to be ok with chameleons. Unfortunately the only way to know if a plant would be toxic would be if a cham died from it. So most keepers do not stray too far from safe plants. The only plant that I use that is not on this list are different types of Dracaena.

 

[pinkpanthers]

This was him living his best life!!!!!

 

[Lt.WorfReportingForDuty]

I’m so sorry for your loss. I wonder if any of your neighbors have sprayed pesticides and he ate a big that had been exposed. That’s my only thought of what might have happened.

 

[Isaiahht]

I'm sorry

 

[kinyonga]

So sorry for your loss. He was lucky to have found you. Keep him in your heart.

 

[MissSkittles]

Oh no. I’m so sorry. He was beautiful. It’s very possible that he was just old.

 

[GrannyK]

I’m so sorry, he was a handsome boy. They really do capture our hearts. Glad he found you to take such care.