My veiled Chameleon fell about 3 feet. He is not okay today

[tarynb]

Before I start he is over 1 year old I've had him since he was a few months. He actually started off as my brothers and turned into mine so first off he was in a 24x tank and uv and heating lamp it's one lamp, I notice him start to go to the bottom of the cage more and when I would feed him he would just climb up my arm to come out so I researched that he could be hot in the glass tank and needs a screen cage, so I ordered a huge screen cage for him off amazon and he seems like have liked it he was always climbing and hanging there for three days, this morning around 11am my veiled chameleon fell about 3 feet, he was hanging on his screen cage, fell asleep and must have fell. My dad told me he heard him fall so I rushed to look at him I knew right away he was hurt he was squirming his legs and arms around but couldn't walk, when I pick him up I can't explain it he just isn't gripping like he usually does, when he walks his legs are very shakey and seems he doesn't know where to put his back foot it just keep moving and shaking. He's not walking normal at all he really is just laying there and looks in pain. I took him to the animal hospital and the doc gave him an injection of calcium and gave me calcium to give him every 12 hours by mouth. She says that his diet needs to be better to make him stronger cause right now he's so weak. His diet is lots of lettuce apples worms and crickets once in awhile while and I roll them around in calcium must, the vet told me he needs gut loaded crickets which I'm going to get immediately when the pet stores open. I don't think the people at the pet store know how to care for them at all . I always mist and leave ice cubes on the top of the cage so they drip, he drinks out of a squirt bottle,he is an awesome chameleon idk what to do the vet said If he's not better bring him back tomorrow. He just looks so helpless. These guys fall all the time how can this happen? Is it really his diet making him this weak? Or could the fall have broken ribs of his someone please help

 

[tarynb]

These pictures are him tonight I turned his lamp off he's sleeping right now

 

[tarynb]

He was falling asleep in my hand I think he always shuts his eyes so I put my shirt in there . This is him on his good day he likes to climb my curtains

 

[Jordan S]

Hello there! In order to help your situation please fill this out to better understand the situation.
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.

 

[Top Notch Reptiles]

Looking at the second picture it appears like he has MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease)

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I agree. His limbs appear bent which is a sing of metabolic bone disease, which will cause him to fall or be unable to climb branches. Your vet was correct and gave you good advice. You will not see immediate improvement with the calcium supplementation (that is the treatment) but you should make immediate changes to address it. Please read more about MBD here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

Are you sure he light has UVB? Most UVB lights do not give off heat. What kind of light is it? And how old is it because UVB stops being produced after 6 months even though the light looks like it's still working.

 

[ThomasFord]

Looking at the second picture it appears like he has MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease)

yea on the second pic you can see that he has a bended arm, that's what happens to chams with MBD. Do you have a UVB light there too?

 

[ThomasFord]

I agree. His limbs appear bent which is a sing of metabolic bone disease, which will cause him to fall or be unable to climb branches. Your vet was correct and gave you good advice. You will not see immediate improvement with the calcium supplementation (that is the treatment) but you should make immediate changes to address it. Please read more about MBD here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-like-how-it-happens-and-how-to-fix-it.95071/

can you treat chameleons with mbd?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Yes, you can treat MBD depending on the degree of damage already done. Most make good recoveries if treated aggressively.

 

[ThomasFord]

Yes, you can treat MBD depending on the degree of damage already done. Most make good recoveries if treated aggressively.

How do you know they are healing correctly, will you see the legs bend the correct way, and how would you treat it aggressively. I just want to know so in case my cham needs treatment, but so far he's doing great. Besides his tail...

 

[Extensionofgreen]

He needs calcium and UVB/D3. Line the bottom of his cage with folded towels, to cushion falls.
Buy a repartium, 65 gallon or larger, from Josh's Frogs or Amazon and put him outdoors in it, for some sun, on days that are over 70F.
Start dusting his feeders every time you feed, at least 3/4 of them, and use pure calcium, but twice monthly ( once every other week ) use a calcium with D3 and a multivitamin. Repcal is an easy to find brand at Petco, as is Reptivite/Herptivite. Use the vitamin once a week on the weeks you are not giving D3.
Stop feeding fruits to the feeder, they offer lots of phosphorus, which cancels out the calcium. Rely on dandelion greens, from outdoors you can probably find grape leaves, mulberry leaves, even hardy fig leaves are all high in calcium. Online and on eBay, they offer spineless cactus pads, as well as at grocery stores. These pads store well and are high in moisture and calcium. Some fruit isn't bad, but you need to rely on the calcium rich greens....mustard, collards, turnip, and kale are other options, in order of suitability. Water Cress is good also.
Go on eBay or online and order silkworms, soldier fly larvae, and butterworms. All offer excellent calcium levels. Your pet store crickets are woefully inadequate. It takes money and a willingness to read a lot of information and process it for your situation, to keep a chameleon well. That's your start.
Focus on a seperate basking bulb and UVB source, talk to lightyourreptile.com or Venustus on here and get what you need. Once your going in the right direction, the expenses will taper off and level out and you'll find thinks more manageable.
You've done well by improving his cage and getting him to the vet. Now the real work is ahead of you. It will take several months to get him turned around, but he should improve noticeably, week by week.

 

[tarynb]

He is not eating anything there's two little crickets in his cage

 

[tarynb]

I have him in his glass tank so I can watch and handle him better and keep him a little warmer this tank is very warm I have to turn the lamp off when he gets hot

 

[tarynb]

Thank u everyone so much !!

 

[Chachi]

Thank u everyone so much !!

I have a rescued cham that was eaten up with mbd. I'm sure that the doc and extensionofgreen have it all covered but I wanted to help if you should need or want it. I almost lost her and she lived on a towel in a little box w no lid. I covered her and took her to work and took care of her 24/7. This pic is her, healthy and happy. I had to make a special habitat for her because her grip never recovered. She of course became egg bound and I had to get her surgery. But we are great, now.

 

[tarynb]

God bless u and your Cham!!! I really don't want to go to work until he's better I work 8-4 luckily my mom cares for him and watches him while I'm gone ! I'm trying to hard to make him happy idk what to do he still can't walk he's just laying at the bottom of his cage he drank a little water when I was holding him and took his calorie drops the doctor gave us. He's not eating at all

 

[tarynb]

He also hasn't went to the bathroom in maybe a week

 

[tarynb]

Just found out today this whole time he has only had uva lamp so I went and got uvb does he need both? I feel like the uva gives off so much heat

 

[Extensionofgreen]

This is not a rude comment, it is matter of fact. All of the answers to your questions and the key to preventing further problems are easily accessed under the resources tab and care sheets and you NEED to read those, ASAP, so you can start making informed efforts to rehabilitate that chameleon.

Yes, it needs both types of light. The UVB is needed to help him metabolize calcium and his not having it is likely 90% of the cause of his current state of healthy.

 

[Chachi]

God bless u and your Cham!!! I really don't want to go to work until he's better I work 8-4 luckily my mom cares for him and watches him while I'm gone ! I'm trying to hard to make him happy idk what to do he still can't walk he's just laying at the bottom of his cage he drank a little water when I was holding him and took his calorie drops the doctor gave us. He's not eating at all

Did your dr say anything about baby food meat? You might be able to force feed him a bit on his lips. Water. I didn't have drops. Did he give him a calcium shot?