My veiled chameleon is acting unusual?

[ShroomtheCham]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled Chameleon, male, about 4 months or so. We’ve had him 2 months
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? About 3 times a week or so
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? We are currently only doing crickets because he seemed to not like the worms but we are going to try again soon. We try 10 a day but lately it has been around 5 crickets. We have not been gut loading.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? We have been giving the calcium with and without the d3 and the multi all the zoo med brand by dusting 1-2 crickets the days we give him the vitamin
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? We have a fogger in the corner that is always running and we try to spray the cage 5 or so times a day. I have seen him drink water.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? He has one white cylinder shaped and one brown. Has not been tested
• 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? 18x18x48 screen
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? We have a ceramic night bulb a repti basking spot lamp and we have not set up our 5.0 uvb lamp yet. 10am-10pm the light is on sometimes it is left on later
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)?80 Lowest overnight temp? 70 How do you measure these temps? Temp gauges place throughout
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? 50-60% How are you creating and maintaining these levels? We fogger and humidifiers. What do you use to measure humidity? A gouge inside and on the outside of the cage
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Fake plants
• 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? There is a ceiling fan that runs on medium all the time for circulation. The top is about 5 ft from the ground
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Alabama

Current Problem - He has been putting his tongue out and like stretching it when something touches it. I will try to post the video i got. He also seemed to not use it this morning. He has been leaning to a side and not really moving. I recently also got a new basking lamp when all of this things started. He has also been on a off shaking or rocking. I have also seen him do a little jerky motion but only once or twice. And last night he was rubbing his eye on one of the vines.

 

[kinyonga]

Can you post some photos of him from both sides closer up without the screen in the way please.not sure if he's developing MBD or not in the one arm.

There are quite a few changes that you need to make to the husbandry too. I'll be back for hat in a bit if nobody else chimes in in the meantime.

 

[ShroomtheCham]

I do know we need to make lots of changes, we’re just slowly getting there but thank you for your time

 

[Flick boy]

Hi and welcome can you post a picture of the full enclosure. Plz

 

[ERKleRose]

A few things you can do right now is set up his UVB, stop the fogger during the day, and start gutloading your crickets.

 

[Flick boy]

Hi. So supplements you will want to use calcium no d3 every feed except once a week which you will want to rotate between calcium with d3 and and other week a multivitamin no d3. So say on the 1st and 15 calcium +d3 and the multivitamin no d3 the other 2 weekends . As mentioned no fogger during the day ( this can be run at night when temps are lowest below 67/65 o f . When humidity can go up to 80/ 100% . Daytime humidity 30/ 50 % max. You shouldn't need a heat source at night unless your temps drop below 50 f a good nighttime drop in beneficial. What is your 5.0 uvb is it a t5ho is it a long fluorescent tube ? As veileds are notorious plant eaters fake plants are a impaction risk. Live cham safe plant already added live plants also help with humidity levels.

 

[Flick boy]

Also Neptune the chameleon you tube. And casque above. Com are great places for info

 

[kinyonga]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled Chameleon, male, about 4 months or so. We’ve had him 2 months

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? About 3 times a week or so

Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? We are currently only doing crickets because he seemed to not like the worms but we are going to try again soon. We try 10 a day but lately it has been around 5 crickets. We have not been gut loading.
ITS IMPORANT TO FEED/GUTLOAD THE INSECTS. YOU WANT TO BE FEEDING HEALTHY INSECTS TO YOUR CHAMELEON TO KEEP IT HEALTHY. A WIDER VARIETY OF INSECTS WILL ALSO PROVIDE BETTER NUTRITION. BSFL, ROACHES, LOCUSTS, BEES, TREATS OF HORNWORMS, SUPERWORMS, WAXWORMS, ETC WILLA,L ADD TO ITS DIET.

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? We have been giving the calcium with and without the d3 and the multi all the zoo med brand by dusting 1-2 crickets the days we give him the vitamin. HOW OFTEN FOR EACH? WHAT BRANDS? THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR CHAMELEON HEALTHY.

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? We have a fogger in the corner that is always running and we try to spray the cage 5 or so times a day. I have seen him drink water.
THE FOGGER SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING WLL DAY... ITS MEANT TO RUN AT NIGHT. GENERALLY YOU ONLY NEED TO MIST IN THE MORNING AND NEAR BEDTIME.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? He has one white cylinder shaped and one brown. Has not been tested

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? 18x18x48 screen YOU'LL NEED A BIGGER ONE EVENTUALLY.

Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? We have a ceramic night bulb a repti basking spot lamp and we have not set up our 5.0 uvb lamp yet. 10am-10pm the light is on sometimes it is left on later
UNLESS YOUR TRMPERATURES GO INTO THE 50's AT NIGHT YOU DON'T NEED HEAT AT NIGHT. WHAT BASKING LIGHT DO YOU HAVE? IS IT WHITE? THE UVB SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON FROM THE START UNLESS ITS BEEN OUT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT EVERY DAY.
WHAT BRAND IS THE LIGHT?

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)?80 Lowest overnight temp? 70 How do you measure these temps? Temp gauges place throughout

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? 50-60% How are you creating and maintaining these levels? We fogger and humidifiers. What do you use to measure humidity? A gouge inside and on the outside of the cage

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Fake plants
VEILED CHAMELEONS ARE KNOWN TO EAT PLANTS SO THEY SHOULD ALL BE WELL WASHED, BOTH SIDES OF THE LEAVES, NON-TOXIC REAL PLANTS.

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? There is a ceiling fan that runs on medium all the time for circulation. The top is about 5 ft from the ground

Location - Where are you geographically located? Alabama


Current Problem - He has been putting his tongue out and like stretching it when something touches it. I will try to post the video i got. He also seemed to not use it this morning. He has been leaning to a side and not really moving. I recently also got a new basking lamp when all of this things started. He has also been on a off shaking or rocking. I have also seen him do a little jerky motion but only once or twice. And last night he was rubbing his eye on one of the vines. TONGUE COULD BE AN INDICATION OF THE BEGINNING OF MBD OR COULD BE SOME OTHER ISSUE. WHAT IS THE BASKING LAMP? SHAKING AND ROCKING HOW? SIDE TO SIDE OR BACK AND FORTH?

 

[ERKleRose]

My feedback and any questions will be in red. I've attached helpful links below, along with another chart (@Flick boy posted the other 3 already)

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled Chameleon, male, about 4 months or so. We’ve had him 2 months
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? About 3 times a week or so What do you do when he's out?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? We are currently only doing crickets because he seemed to not like the worms but we are going to try again soon. We try 10 a day but lately it has been around 5 crickets. We have not been gut loading. What worms have you tried? Gutloading is super important! Every feeder needs to be full of quality gutload before they get fed off! Use the gutloading chart @Flick boy posted above, and use as much variety as possible! The more variety, the better, for both gutload ingredients and types of feeders!
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? We have been giving the calcium with and without the d3 and the multi all the zoo med brand by dusting 1-2 crickets the days we give him the vitamin How do you dust? Every single bug need to be dusted before getting fed off; it's super important. Each time you dust, make sure every feeder is dusted in the correct supplement for that day. Does the multivitamin have D3 in it? Use the calcium without D3 every feeding, except for one day per week. On that one day, you'll alternate weekly between using the calcium with D3 and the multivitamin without D3, so that each one is used once every two weeks. If you have the Reptivite With D3, you won't use the calcium with D3 at all, just the Reptivite With D3 once every two weeks and the calcium without D3 at all other feedings.
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? We have a fogger in the corner that is always running and we try to spray the cage 5 or so times a day. I have seen him drink water. Is your fogger a cool-mist fogger, and do you clean it? The fogger should only be used in the coldest parts of the night, but only if the temps are at or below 65*F. How long do you mist for each time?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? He has one white cylinder shaped and one brown. Has not been tested
• 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? 18x18x48 screen His cage needs to be completely redone, with tons of veiled-tested safe live plants (cleaned off beforehand and with rocks too big for him to eat covering the soil in the pots; fake plants are an impaction risk which can lead to death), lots of branches (just none from toxic or sap-producing trees), and safe vines (either live, dead live vines, or, if needed, a safe artificial vine, like Fluker's; just no Exo Terra, moss vines, or fake vines with leaves on them). The Exo Terra vines need to come out ASAP since he's rubbing his eyes on them! @Flick boy posted a great veiled-tested plant list chart above from The Chameleon Academy, I've attached the link that has that chart that shows even more plants, too! I've also posted two great cage set-up links!
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? We have a ceramic night bulb a repti basking spot lamp and we have not set up our 5.0 uvb lamp yet. 10am-10pm the light is on sometimes it is left on later He does need the ceramic heat bulb at night unless it gets into the 30s*F. What type of UVB bulb do you have, compact coil, T8, or T5 HO? What are the distances from his basking branch to the UVB and heat bulbs?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)?80 Lowest overnight temp? 70 How do you measure these temps? Temp gauges place throughout Are your gauges digital or analog? His basking temp should be measured with a digital thermometer with a probe, with the probe placed where the top of his back is when he's on his basking branch. Could you get the A/C down to 65*F at night, that way you can use the fogger? Is the 80*F the cage floor or basking temp?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? 50-60% How are you creating and maintaining these levels? We fogger and humidifiers. What do you use to measure humidity? A gouge inside and on the outside of the cage What humidifiers do you use, and when do you use them? That humidity range is too high for a veiled. It should be 30-50% during the day, preferably on the lower end of that range, and it can go up to 100% at night if the temps are at or below 65*F.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Fake plants Veileds need live veiled-tested ones only
• 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? There is a ceiling fan that runs on medium all the time for circulation. The top is about 5 ft from the ground Does the fan create a draft or anything like that?
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Alabama

Current Problem - He has been putting his tongue out and like stretching it when something touches it. I will try to post the video i got. He also seemed to not use it this morning. He has been leaning to a side and not really moving. I recently also got a new basking lamp when all of this things started. He has also been on a off shaking or rocking. I have also seen him do a little jerky motion but only once or twice. And last night he was rubbing his eye on one of the vines. The tongue and shaking could be MBD. Do you have an experienced chameleon vet near you?

Here's the links and chart!

• https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2012/04/how-to-set-up-proper-chameleon.html
• https://www.chameleons.info/en/
• https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/external-resources/
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/

 

[CasqueAbove]

Long story short he is having issues. I see no major signs at this point, but being ready with a vet is a good idea. Your care was off so correcting it as described above will likely slow and stop any problems.
You will want to watch for MBD this includes but is not limited to clumsiness, falling, weak grip, less active and tongue problems.
You will also want to watch for Respitory issues created by in accurate fogging. Holding head up, gaping (especially away from basking area) stringy saliva, listlessness low activity or reduced apatite.

You have mentioned 2 of these already.

A vet can give the right amount of calcium an supplement boost as well as help determine the extent of the issues.

Get the correct UVB and supplement schedule going as fast as possible.

 

[ShroomtheCham]

Here are the full cage photos, thank all of you for your help. We are trying to make sure he is well. He seems to be doing better today. I have turned the fogger off for the day. It seems to be his peeling day! So if there are any suggestions for that as well i would love to hear it. Again thank you guys so much. Just worried about my little guy

 

[Flick boy]

Hi don't know if the tongue thing is the same as my girl but my girl puts her tongue out either looking for water or I'm sure someone will correct me tasting things i don't know but she does it all the time ,but sure if you could add a video that would be great ( lots of reptiles and snakes put their tongue out to well basically check things out

 

[ERKleRose]

Here are the full cage photos, thank all of you for your help. We are trying to make sure he is well. He seems to be doing better today. I have turned the fogger off for the day. It seems to be his peeling day! So if there are any suggestions for that as well i would love to hear it. Again thank you guys so much. Just worried about my little guy

You need to replace all of the fake plants with veiled-tested live ones, replace the Exo Terra vines with safe ones, add lots of branches, take out the floor mat, and take out the humidifier stump, along with adding a drainage system. I posted two great cage set-up links above, along with a great plant list, too! Just pick the plants that are veiled tested from that link. Thank you for wanting to help out, too! What type of UVB do you have?

 

[ShroomtheCham]

You need to replace all of the fake plants with veiled-tested live ones, replace the Exo Terra vines with safe ones, add lots of branches, take out the floor mat, and take out the humidifier stump, along with adding a drainage system. I posted two great cage set-up links above, along with a great plant list, too! Just pick the plants that are veiled tested from that link. Thank you for wanting to help out, too! What type of UVB do you have?

Where do we find the branches? The only branch/vine thing we could find was those black ones. What would those tan branches be called ?

 

[ERKleRose]

You can find branches outside and clean them and/or purchase ones already cleaned for reptiles. It's best to have multiple species and diameters, too! For vines, you can used live veiled-tested vining plants, dead live vines (NE Herp sells some, let me know if you want a link), and if you have to , safe fake vines, like Fluker's (the vine one only, not any with fake leaves on them). Could you post pics of what you're talking about, please?

 

[Flick boy]

this is by no means perfect but I hope it gives you an idea . I good old fashioned pen and paper ( as I'm sure the info you have received could be overwhelming. 1 proper uvb 2 supplements 3 plants 4 feeder variety 5 gutload. You get the idea . Welcome

 

[ShroomtheCham]

You can find branches outside and clean them and/or purchase ones already cleaned for reptiles. It's best to have multiple species and diameters, too! For vines, you can used live veiled-tested vining plants, dead live vines (NE Herp sells some, let me know if you want a link), and if you have to , safe fake vines, like Fluker's (the vine one only, not any with fake leaves on them). Could you post pics of what you're talking about, please?

I would loveeeee a link. And i am attaching a picture of the branches. I kinda live in an apartment and stuff so im not able to get branches like that.

 

[ERKleRose]

https://www.neherpetoculture.com/woodvines

 

[ShroomtheCham]

You can find branches outside and clean them and/or purchase ones already cleaned for reptiles. It's best to have multiple species and diameters, too! For vines, you can used live veiled-tested vining plants, dead live vines (NE Herp sells some, let me know if you want a link), and if you have to , safe fake vines, like Fluker's (the vine one only, not any with fake leaves on them). Could you post pics of what you're talking about, please?

These are the sticks i was talking about.

 

[ShroomtheCham]

Thank you for your time