New to the forum but have a question

Kerrie3

New Member
So I have 4 month old veiled Chameleon. He was diagnosed a week ago with MBD i havent had him long and when i got him he wasnt the healthest. He had respiratory infection and now we have been diagnosed with MBD. He is being syringe fed because i need to get liquid Calcium into him 2 x a day prescribed by Dr. He also has weird brown spots that she pointed out but I still dont know what that is as we where more concerned with calcuim. Anyway he wont eat his crickets or worm. i just bough the Phynix worms too. He is eating baby food with Calcuim as i was told so hes getting some food. Should I puree the worms? Not ideal but ill do it. I want him to get better and I am going to Fl in two weeks and bought a cage just for there thats completely wire that can go outside when its above 70 to get nice sun tan:) any help would be great
 
ok ill def do that Ill start tonight and get the worms made to mush..
 

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He definately has MBD. What kind of UVB light are you using? What kind of supplements are you using? Where do you live? If your weather is nice some outdoes time would be excellent for him.
 
100w powersun uvb. And a red heat lamp.The vet gave me a liquid calcium to give orally. But I had a powder. Also I live in NC but travel to FL often so he will go with me to get to take advantage of . I feed meal worms, silk worms and crickets. Flies when I can catch them any more advice would be great to help me turn this guy around he is doing better
 
Black soldier fly larvae, or Phoenix worms are a great natural calcium boost and pureeing them into a worm mix would be great. If you are feeding any sort of baby food to supplement his feedings only feed organic, fruit and vegetable only ones. I have fed fruit and vegetable organic baby foods to veiled chameleon rehabilitation cases when they were on purely liquid diets and I was using Carnivore Care. Which can make certain chameleons constipated. However fruit and veggie based baby foods can help with it. I would never use wild caught flies. And a mercury vapor bulb is usually not as good for a chameleon as a uvb basking light combo. I also wouldn't use a red heat light at all.
 
The house is cold usually we keep it under 70 so I use the red heat light because the fixture doesnt allow ceramics. I took the murkery bulb because theh other options seem to be Coil and I know that can cause its own set of issues. I can cgane out bulbs no problem. I have a good set up otherwise I think. I use only organic baby food and also self puree Kale. I will add Worms to his new puree diet. I do have the Repit sun 5.0 well I did. up until a week ago when it poped this was my spare. So Ill replace it. What do you sugest for extra heat Ill attach a picture of my set up today.

Black soldier fly larvae, or Phoenix worms are a great natural calcium boost and pureeing them into a worm mix would be great. If you are feeding any sort of baby food to supplement his feedings only feed organic, fruit and vegetable only ones. I have fed fruit and vegetable organic baby foods to veiled chameleon rehabilitation cases when they were on purely liquid diets and I was using Carnivore Care. Which can make certain chameleons constipated. However fruit and veggie based baby foods can help with it. I would never use wild caught flies. And a mercury vapor bulb is usually not as good for a chameleon as a uvb basking light combo. I also wouldn't use a red heat light at all.
 
If you get the correct compact bulb they won't cause a problem. They arent preferred usually because the lack of uvb exposure compared to linear bulbs. Look for reptisun compact bulbs. Also heat at night is only really needed if your ambient temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. For a basking light you can use a regular incandescent house light that is 75 watts if it gets the temps you need.
 
I also live in nc and can assure you that he will be fine without a night heat source. My house gets to about 65 at night and my veiled Stark is perfectly fine. I also use a 75 watt heat bulb that keeps his basking spot at the appropriate temperature during the day. The raleigh repticon is the 19th and 20th so you can go if it is close and buy some soldier fly larvae for him! They contain a lot of calcium!
 
Thank you both. I got the Phyinx Worms which are high calcium. I diced up and liquified his worms today and gave it to him with his Liquid Calcium. which he ate. I wish he would just eat normal but at least I know Im getting it into him. I still offer live feedings even though he isnt really eating them. hes a picture of his living space. Hes a little Angry at me here I had to clean him.
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The house is cold usually we keep it under 70 so I use the red heat light because the fixture doesnt allow ceramics. I took the murkery bulb because theh other options seem to be Coil and I know that can cause its own set of issues. I can cgane out bulbs no problem. I have a good set up otherwise I think. I use only organic baby food and also self puree Kale. I will add Worms to his new puree diet. I do have the Repit sun 5.0 well I did. up until a week ago when it poped this was my spare. So Ill replace it. What do you sugest for extra heat Ill attach a picture of my set up today.

If you need extra heat at night it's best to warm the entire room but if you can do that I recommend a ceramic heat bulb like the one in the link to hang above the cage. Keep in mind they need a 10 degree drop in temps at night. You also have an excellent chameleon vet in Charlotte, NC Dr. Matthew Wheelock. He is a member here.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Cera...=1478802919&sr=1-5&keywords=ceramic+heat+bulb

Dr. Wheelock:http://www.dilworthanimalhospital.com/veterinarians.html
 
Unfortunately he's on the Other side of Charlotte from me I'm south of Charlotte. I have a hero vet in town and all she sees is reptiles.. so I guess I'm lucky but I might swing up that way to check him out
 
Is he able to use his tongue at all? If not I would continue the liquid diet. Otherwise he will most likely not start eating on his own until you start weaning him off the liquid diet. However you have to be ready to step in if he's gone too long without food.
 
I think he tried the other day but was unsucessful with the catch. I will feed him anyway I can until i know hes ready to eat on his own. Im not ready to wean him but how would one go about it? should I add anything to the food mix ? i use worms, crickets and his calcium. what else if anything should i add
 
What I would do is either feed him less every time you feed him, like just enough to make him hungry. Or not feed him until three days have passed. Someone else may be able to tell you which route is best.
 
So he has started falling and has Diarreha with mild blood in it. I DO have an appointment with Dr Wheelock on Monday at 3:30 so he is going to be seen. What can I do to help him NOT hurt himself? med box whats that? When im with the Dr Im going to ask about injecting the Calcium instead or orally i just doth think hes getting enough orally to do anything. I have put him out in the sun whenits warm enough but the past few days its only been 50 and i read they should not be outside under 70. I am doing everything in my power to help him but he is stuborn and is getting quiet testy with me latey with hissing. Little jerk.. anyway ANY HELP???
 
Sometime a mush diet and meds can cause diarrhea but seeing Dr. Wheehlock for a second opinion is a wise decision.
 
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