Boston Pitty
Established Member
I used to be more active here but real life has been all over the place. Some things lately have me concerned.
Long post. Bottom will be simplified to the point if you dont feel like reading it all.
Last month Argo was showing signs of a uri and somehow also burned his tail. I live in Ohio and winter has been all over the place (like all 4 seasons in the last month) during the -20 day our heater (my house not his cage but it is related) broke and the house heat would not turn off. Humidity dropped below 10. I did everything in my power to try to get it up till heat was fixed. We got the heat fixed within 24 hours but the damage I feel was done.
I got a vet app for Agro for the uri and had to wait about 3 days to get in. Well my cat decided that the top of Argos cage was nice and warm and in the process knocked down his heat lamp so it layed on top of his cage. His tail got burned... Atleast we already had a vet app. Set up.
Vet looked Argo over and said that he didnt believe it was an uri but he did have some drool/bubbles in his mouth and with me telling him that ive seen him with his mouth open also with drool that we'll treat with bytril (sp?) And check back in 2 weeks. For his tail just to keep and eye on it. It was just the very tip of his tail and it was only a little black and looked like a tiny scab. Weigth at time of this visit 104 grams.
Fast forward 2 weeks. Argo still opens mouth very rarely but not drooly/bubbly. Tail is still black but hasnt really changed. Vet gave him the all clear to stop meds. If he looks drooly/bubbly in mouth again we need to do bloodwork. For his tail if there is any change let him know. Weight at vet 110 grams
Today(about 2 weeks from last vet visit) while feeding and filling dripper i noticed the burned part of his tail was gone. Fell off. Called vet office and they gave me the exotic vets email and left him a message because he was in surgery. Waiting on the reply to that. For the last week Argo has not been opening his mouth (like he had been) and when I looked while hand feeding its not drooly, but after I saw his tail i pulled him out to take a photo to send to the vet he was clearly not happy. I put him back in his cage and shortly after he took two deep breaths and i heard a pop each time. It looked a little drooly but not to much..might be overthinking it. Ive been sitting here typing this keeping an eye on him and he hasnt done it again so theres where im at right now...sorry for the long post. Photos below as well as more to the point details.
Chameleon Info:
Cage Info:
Current Problem - summery of story:
1) Thought he had uri. Vet gave meds(bytril) for 2 weeks. No drool in mouth afterwards but for the next week would open mouth. Stopped but today took 2 deep breaths back to back and i heard a pop and a little drool but nothing else so far and thats the first time in almost a week hes opened his mouth. Did just handel him for photo for problem 2.
2) he burned his tail. Just the tip. Was black for a few weeks. Vet wasnt to worried just keep an eye on it. Well today if fell off. It isnt bleeding but there is dryed blood where it fell off and where the tail curls and touches the spot.
Photos do include tail photo of how it looked thursday and today. Photo of cage set up as well
Let me know if i left anything out.
Last 2 photos are from thursday. One of him eatting a cricket. Best i could get trying to get an open mouth photo.
Long post. Bottom will be simplified to the point if you dont feel like reading it all.
Last month Argo was showing signs of a uri and somehow also burned his tail. I live in Ohio and winter has been all over the place (like all 4 seasons in the last month) during the -20 day our heater (my house not his cage but it is related) broke and the house heat would not turn off. Humidity dropped below 10. I did everything in my power to try to get it up till heat was fixed. We got the heat fixed within 24 hours but the damage I feel was done.
I got a vet app for Agro for the uri and had to wait about 3 days to get in. Well my cat decided that the top of Argos cage was nice and warm and in the process knocked down his heat lamp so it layed on top of his cage. His tail got burned... Atleast we already had a vet app. Set up.
Vet looked Argo over and said that he didnt believe it was an uri but he did have some drool/bubbles in his mouth and with me telling him that ive seen him with his mouth open also with drool that we'll treat with bytril (sp?) And check back in 2 weeks. For his tail just to keep and eye on it. It was just the very tip of his tail and it was only a little black and looked like a tiny scab. Weigth at time of this visit 104 grams.
Fast forward 2 weeks. Argo still opens mouth very rarely but not drooly/bubbly. Tail is still black but hasnt really changed. Vet gave him the all clear to stop meds. If he looks drooly/bubbly in mouth again we need to do bloodwork. For his tail if there is any change let him know. Weight at vet 110 grams
Today(about 2 weeks from last vet visit) while feeding and filling dripper i noticed the burned part of his tail was gone. Fell off. Called vet office and they gave me the exotic vets email and left him a message because he was in surgery. Waiting on the reply to that. For the last week Argo has not been opening his mouth (like he had been) and when I looked while hand feeding its not drooly, but after I saw his tail i pulled him out to take a photo to send to the vet he was clearly not happy. I put him back in his cage and shortly after he took two deep breaths and i heard a pop each time. It looked a little drooly but not to much..might be overthinking it. Ive been sitting here typing this keeping an eye on him and he hasnt done it again so theres where im at right now...sorry for the long post. Photos below as well as more to the point details.
Chameleon Info:
- Your Chameleon - Jackson Chameleon. Male last weigh 110 grams. A year old
- Handling - Maybe once a week at most.
- Feeding - Mostly large crickets(his favorite). He likes superwirms hand fed to him. Over the last week two smaller hornworms. Every bow and again he will eat wax worms and calci worms. Roaches every so often but he isnt as intrested in them.
- Supplements - zoomed cal. 3 days weekly. Reptivite everyother monday. Herptivite opposite everyother monday.
- Watering - Dripper filled everymorning. Mistking set 9 different times. 4 times in daytime around 5 minutes. Night times 4 times also 5 minutes. 1 time 10 minutes starting 5 minutes before lights on. Every so often maybe 2 or 3 times a week i hold the sprayer next to him very lightly so it drips and he loves drinking that way.
- Fecal Description - white with normal sized poop ball. Havnt tested for parasites.
- History - Captive bred. Friendly. My first reptile. Ive had him a year.
Cage Info:
- Cage Type - Larger parakeet cage as it was a last minute fix due to failing at building a cage. I figured allows for airflow and is water proof so why not....about 2 feet tall and 2 1/2 wide.
- Lighting - 100wt heat in a dimming dome. Repti sun 10 uvb. A daylight bulb for extra light and best for the live plants.
- Temperature - basking varys from 78-84. Lowest daytime spot is about 60 on the cage floor. Night time varys from 56 to 64.
- Humidity - i use an outdoor indoor duel humidity/temp digital monitor. Outdoot fab is in the center of his cage hanging from a vine. Daytime varys from 40-60 %. Night time 50-70%. I am trying to get it to 80% at night but cant seem to get there. Got some screen that im going to put on the back and sides of cage in the next day or two. I did just get a new fogger as well.
- Plants - lots of live plants. 2 umbrella plants(1 large, 1 small). 3 pothos. 1 croton. 1 small weatgrass plant thats for my cats/dogs but its safer in his cage so its now his.
- Placement - front corner of dinning room. Not close to window but across the room on 2 opposite walls there are that let in natural daylight. Not to high traffic except when company is over. He has never minded the company when we do.
- Location - Ohio about 30 minutes from cleveland and get every season this time of year. It can go from a blizzard with over a foot of snow -20 with windchill to 50 in less than 24 hours. No im not joking about that...
Current Problem - summery of story:
1) Thought he had uri. Vet gave meds(bytril) for 2 weeks. No drool in mouth afterwards but for the next week would open mouth. Stopped but today took 2 deep breaths back to back and i heard a pop and a little drool but nothing else so far and thats the first time in almost a week hes opened his mouth. Did just handel him for photo for problem 2.
2) he burned his tail. Just the tip. Was black for a few weeks. Vet wasnt to worried just keep an eye on it. Well today if fell off. It isnt bleeding but there is dryed blood where it fell off and where the tail curls and touches the spot.
Photos do include tail photo of how it looked thursday and today. Photo of cage set up as well
Let me know if i left anything out.
Last 2 photos are from thursday. One of him eatting a cricket. Best i could get trying to get an open mouth photo.
