New Cham owner. Black outline on veil.

[BeatTheBeat]

Hello. I am a new proud owner of a veiled chameleon. He is 5 months old and I got him a few weeks ago. I have a small enclosure at the moment but I'm trying to get another. Where I live it's hard to find big tanks. But his tank is screened and I keep the humidity between 50% and 80%. At basking it's 95 degrees and in cool areas I keep it at 80. The light is a 50w and I have the uvb also. I feed him 5 small crickets a day. I buy themgut loaded. I'm very new to all of this so this is what I have. Recently, I've noticed that there is a black outline on his veil and part of his face. He's constantly falling off the screen ceiling and he's a bit shaky. It just started a few days ago. Before that, he was acting fine. I'm worried if it's the bone disease I keep reading about or parasites. Also to include, I bought some different crickets the other day because the other closest pet store is a ways away. Half of them were dead by morning. I fed them and everything but they just died. Could that be the cause or is it burns? *To also add I am new to the forums and if there is any other info or pictures needed, I'm sorry. I'm willing to post them as requested*

 

[SocialNumb]

Get rid of the substrate. He might eat it causing impaction. Basking site should be at least 6"+ away from the light. It does look like burn. Others with more experience should chime in. He should be eating far more than 5 crickets. Among other feeders. The crickets need to be gutloaded with something good like cricket crack, bug burger and or fruits and vegetables suitable for chameleons. Your veiled looks like a desert dweller not a forest one. He needs foliage, live plants if you could. Get some green in there so he can hide if he wants to. Make sure to have a dripper or misting system for water and or mist several times a day letting everything dry in between misting.


More info here, read it asap https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

 

[jajeanpierre]

Your poor little guy looks like he has several fractures to his left front leg.

Please get him to a reptile vet since those broken bones are likely caused by Metabolic Bone Disease and it is not something a novice can treat.

Please don't handle him and house him so that he can't fall or climb much.

I think your temperatures are too high, especially for a young animal.

Please read through all the care sheets available on this web site. There will be a care sheet for veiled as well, but a good start is here:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/

Also, read this:
What Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) looks like, how it happens, and how to fix it

The black on the casque looks like it could be just normal coloring, but you have a huge issue with MBD.

He needs to have good lighting and calcium. Gut loading won't give him enough calcium. He really needs to be in the care of a vet. MBD is really tricky to treat.

 

[SocialNumb]

Oh man, I didn't see that leg. =(

 

[carol5208]

Where did you get him from? MBD takes awhile to show outward signs, so he must have been sold to you like that. I would contact wherever you got him from and make them aware of the situation. Even if you are going to keep him. they need to know that however they are keeping their chameleons, it is wrong and doing harm to them.

 

[Pitcard]

I would suggest taking him back if possible. If not possible, you will have to take him to a vet asap either for treatment or for a humane way to end his suffering. If he does recover, and I hope that he will, I and everybody here would surely implore you to research, research and research some more. You can't read enough or know enough about the husbandry of these little guys.

http://imgur.com/a/CgK73

I've included an album of a few of my chams. In the first picture, you can see what kind of cage and environment is preferred for a chameleon (although it could use more live foliage). First off you will need a large cage for a mid sized male, cages are available online through exo-terra, zoo med and others. They must have plenty of bendy vines, branches of different thicknesses to climb on as well as plenty of leafs and foliage to hide in and drink water from as it collects from the mistings and water drippings. I have clear water cups set up for ice cubes to drip in as chams will drink from it so long as it's clear and reflective, like a water droplet.

In a few of the pics you can see light bulb housings. The longer bulbs are 5.0 UVB compacts (not coils!) or 5.0 UVB tubes in fixtures. As for heating, I keep 40 watt bulbs in most domes as my house temp is regulated well. I keep my males basking temps in the high 80s at the hottest point, with plenty of cooler spots to retreat to.

I posted my baby's cage because I thought it might be of use to you for the time being while your guy is recovering from MBD. He is in a small Reptibreeze with very bushy fake foliage lining the top and mid section of the cage, almost all the way down to allow hiding and also prevent falling.

I've also included the supplements I use for my feedings. Everyday the crux get regular calcium with NO D3, and every Saturday I alternate between the Repashy WITH D3 and the Multivitamin. So they get Each twice a month.

 

[BeatTheBeat]

I got him at petsmart. I have noticed in eating that he consumes some of the substrate. Do I need to get something different? If so then what? The coloration has lightened today but I am worried about his leg now. Could it have been the picture? I can post another if needed. He doesn't seem distressed about him leg but he keeps digging at corners of the enclosure. Like I said I'm very new to this and I just want him to be healthy and happy.

 

[Pitcard]

Petsmart, that explains it. I don't think its just the picture but post more just to be sure. It looks to be pretty bad. Was it like that when you got him?

As for substrate, just use paper towels. Think bird. They shouldn't be at the bottom digging unless they want out or are female and digging holes for eggs.

 

[SocialNumb]

Are you sure it's a male? Paper towels will work or nothing at all is fine too. Pictures are a good idea. Does your Cham have spurs? Just asking.

 

[BeatTheBeat]

Yes I'm sure he's a male. He has the Spurs and everything. I'll post pics in a second

 

[BeatTheBeat]

Here are the pictures. He doesn't like my phone very much do he's bunched up in one

 

[BeatTheBeat]

Here's another. He's really bunched up in this one

 

[BeatTheBeat]

Here's a pic from when I first got him

 

[Wowbango]

Here's a pic from when I first got him

Ditch the substrate all together, don't use one at all. Additionally, you said tank...like a "reptile tank/fish tank?" Chameleons do best in a screen enclosure, not a tank. 95 degrees is too hot of a temperature for him, his banking spot should be 85-90 degrees. If you're keeping it at 80% humidity with NO ventilation in a glass tank, that could also cause problems with respiratory infections as well.

 

[BeatTheBeat]

It's a reptile tank with a screened ceiling. I'm working on getting another but in my area it's hard to find some. I'll lower the temperatures. I just called petsmart and they said they think it's MBD. I don't quite trust them tho and all the reptile vets here are closed today and tomorrow so I'm lost on what to do. I just hope he's not too sick that he can't make it till Monday

 

[Pitcard]

Just keep him comfortable until Monday. Make sure he can't fall, and remove the substrate. Make sure he drinks and eats and gets calcium for now. And get him some proper vines to hang on to! That way he can hold them and feel secure. Seeing a chameleon laying on a rock like that is just unnatural.

 

[BeatTheBeat]

Ok will do. Thank you for the help I truly appreciate it

 

[Pitcard]

Np. Keep us updated!

 

[JoeVet]

Here's a pic from when I first got him

If this is how he was sold then you were sold an extremely ill animal. With much care and proper veterinary treatment he may recover but he will never be 100%. It is definitely MBD. I would put a soft towel on the cage floor in case he falls. He will be fine until Monday. It takes a long time to get to this shape and will take a long time to recover.

Petco should refund your money as it will cost many times his cost to get him well. Consider taking him back for a refund and starting with a healthy animal. Veileds are very common and inexpensive. There are many good breeders and you can get a healthy animal easy enough. Petco is known for the poor condition of their reptiles. If you do decided to keep him please fill in the https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ so that members can correct whatever bad advice you were given by Petco. And never ask Petco about how to keep an animal. If they knew then they would not have sold you a gravely ill animal.

 

[BeatTheBeat]

If this is how he was sold then you were sold an extremely ill animal. With much care and proper veterinary treatment he may recover but he will never be 100%. It is definitely MBD. I would put a soft towel on the cage floor in case he falls. He will be fine until Monday. It takes a long time to get to this shape and will take a long time to recover.

Petco should refund your money as it will cost many times his cost to get him well. Consider taking him back for a refund and starting with a healthy animal. Veileds are very common and inexpensive. There are many good breeders and you can get a healthy animal easy enough. Petco is known for the poor condition of their reptiles. If you do decided to keep him please fill in the https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ so that members can correct whatever bad advice you were given by Petco. And never ask Petco about how to keep an animal. If they knew then they would not have sold you a gravely ill animal.

I got him at petsmart and I had no idea about MBD at the time. They have a 14 day return policy but it's been about 3 weeks and they will not take him back. I honestly don't care about the money that was spent or will be spent. I care about him getting back to stable condition.