Not Walking/Climbing properly

[Erik Gabriel]

Hi Guys, I was following the forum for a while but now I really do need your help. My Veiled Chameleon is having problems walking/climbing. I took her to a vet. All the bones are okay, she said that might be a pain fact.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, female, 6 months. It has been with me for 4 months
• Handling - Once a week
• Feeding - Crickets. 10 a day. Feed them with high calcium, cricket diet.
• Supplements - Repti Calcium without D3 every day on the crickets and vitamin with D3 once a week. All from Zoo Med
• Watering - Spraying the cage once a day and a cup of water at the top liking once a day. I've seen drinking from the plants not that often.
• Fecal Description - brown most of the time but once or other yellow. Never this chameleon been tested for parasites
• History - Nothing happened before. This is her first problem.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage 24x24x48
• Lighting - Zoo Med. UVB light on 24/7 and bulb light from 6am to 7pm
• Temperature - 80~85F. Lowest 75. Thermometer
• Humidity - No idea. Never measure humidity.
• Plants - 2 fake plants and 1 real. Photos
• Placement - My apartament close to the windom and the AC. But the AC is never turning to the cage. First floor no wind and around 40cm from the floor the cage.
• Location - Canada, Toronto.

Current Problem - She's not walking/climbing the trees. Doesn't stay stand up. Barely eating.

 

[Theveiled]

I see one main problem. You need to turn your uvb off at night.

 

[Theveiled]

I would also only use the vitamin with d3 2 times a month. if your gutload is flukers I would defintely find another as flukers is not very good. there are way better ones

 

[Erik Gabriel]

I see one main problem. You need to turn your uvb off at night.

So both of the lights off at night?

 

[Theveiled]

So both of the lights off at night?

yes if not it will disrupt there sleep. the sun goes down every where right?

 

[Peachypink]

You are only misting once a day, is that correct? You really need to be misting more like 4 times a day and get something to measure humidity. Chams do not generally see a water cup as a water source, but if that's all she's got then I can see why she would use it. They drink from the droplets on the leaves. A cup will only breed bacteria if it is not cleaned daily. Look at the top of the forum under resources and find the care sheet for veilds. The picture is blurry but she looks dehydrated to me. Humidity and misting a are very important.

Did the vet ask about your husbandry? If they did and didn't see the light and misting/humidity as an issue then you need to find a new vet.

 

[alphakenc]

Bring her fresh poop to the vet n have them do a fecal test ,parasite will make the cham stop eating too.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Current Problem - She's not walking/climbing the trees. Doesn't stay stand up. Barely eating.

I'm not 100% clear about what you are describing, but your description and picture suggests you have a very, very ill chamleon.

You say she is not walking or climbing on her trees and doesn't stay "stand up" which I interpret to mean she is so weak she is unable to hold herself in a normal position.

If that is anything near what she is like she desperately needs to get to a vet immediately.

While I can find many many things wrong with how you are keeping her, she has such serious issues right now that she needs emergency veterinary care immediately. She can't wait. You do not have time to change things.

There are so many things that could be wrong, but the posture in the picture is of a chameleon that is critically ill. She appears to be hanging upside down and unable to hold herself on a branch in an upright position.

A dying chameleon will be able to hold onto a branch. I believe their tendon sheaths are similar to a bird of prey's which has a ratcheting like surface so that holding their fist close takes zero effort. The default of a bird of prey's tendon is locked. They must actually consciously open up their tendon sheaths to allow movement. I think chameleons have a similar tendon structure based on the injuries they sustain when collectors rip them off branches and seeing dying neonate babies still holding tightly to a branch, seconds before death.

 

[Erik Gabriel]

Bring her fresh poop to the vet n have them do a fecal test ,parasite will make the cham stop eating too.

So yeah, that's the next step. The Vet said to take the medicine for pain if not work bring her back to do the test.

 

[Erik Gabriel]

You are only misting once a day, is that correct? You really need to be misting more like 4 times a day and get something to measure humidity. Chams do not generally see a water cup as a water source, but if that's all she's got then I can see why she would use it. They drink from the droplets on the leaves. A cup will only breed bacteria if it is not cleaned daily. Look at the top of the forum under resources and find the care sheet for veilds. The picture is blurry but she looks dehydrated to me. Humidity and misting a are very important.

Did the vet ask about your husbandry? If they did and didn't see the light and misting/humidity as an issue then you need to find a new vet.

Yeah, just once a day. I'll check the humidity but about the cup of water, it's one at the top of the cage that I leave leaking water there on the flowers.

And yes, she said the same about humidity.

 

[Peachypink]

Yeah, just once a day. I'll check the humidity but about the cup of water, it's one at the top of the cage that I leave leaking water there on the flowers.

And yes, she said the same about humidity.

Ok, I get it. You use it like a dripper. That's good. You still need to be misting more like I laid out earlier tho. Misting appropriately is vital.

 

[carol5208]

As others have said,. the UVB light should only be on during daylight hours. Sun up, sun down. Lights on, lights off. There is a possibility of her developing eggs also. Even though she is young at 6 months it can happen.

 

[Chachi]

Hi Guys, I was following the forum for a while but now I really do need your help. My Veiled Chameleon is having problems walking/climbing. I took her to a vet. All the bones are okay, she said that might be a pain fact.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, female, 6 months. It has been with me for 4 months
• Handling - Once a week
• Feeding - Crickets. 10 a day. Feed them with high calcium, cricket diet.
• Supplements - Repti Calcium without D3 every day on the crickets and vitamin with D3 once a week. All from Zoo Med
• Watering - Spraying the cage once a day and a cup of water at the top liking once a day. I've seen drinking from the plants not that often.
• Fecal Description - brown most of the time but once or other yellow. Never this chameleon been tested for parasites
• History - Nothing happened before. This is her first problem.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage 24x24x48
• Lighting - Zoo Med. UVB light on 24/7 and bulb light from 6am to 7pm
• Temperature - 80~85F. Lowest 75. Thermometer
• Humidity - No idea. Never measure humidity.
• Plants - 2 fake plants and 1 real. Photos
• Placement - My apartament close to the windom and the AC. But the AC is never turning to the cage. First floor no wind and around 40cm from the floor the cage.
• Location - Canada, Toronto.

Current Problem - She's not walking/climbing the trees. Doesn't stay stand up. Barely eating.

Hi Guys, I was following the forum for a while but now I really do need your help. My Veiled Chameleon is having problems walking/climbing. I took her to a vet. All the bones are okay, she said that might be a pain fact.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled, female, 6 months. It has been with me for 4 months
• Handling - Once a week
• Feeding - Crickets. 10 a day. Feed them with high calcium, cricket diet.
• Supplements - Repti Calcium without D3 every day on the crickets and vitamin with D3 once a week. All from Zoo Med
• Watering - Spraying the cage once a day and a cup of water at the top liking once a day. I've seen drinking from the plants not that often.
• Fecal Description - brown most of the time but once or other yellow. Never this chameleon been tested for parasites
• History - Nothing happened before. This is her first problem.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen cage 24x24x48
• Lighting - Zoo Med. UVB light on 24/7 and bulb light from 6am to 7pm
• Temperature - 80~85F. Lowest 75. Thermometer
• Humidity - No idea. Never measure humidity.
• Plants - 2 fake plants and 1 real. Photos
• Placement - My apartament close to the windom and the AC. But the AC is never turning to the cage. First floor no wind and around 40cm from the floor the cage.
• Location - Canada, Toronto.

Current Problem - She's not walking/climbing the trees. Doesn't stay stand up. Barely eating.

So you said you have been following the forum for a while. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING? Everyday there is discussion regarding lighting, gutloading, the best brands to use. EVERY SINGLE DAY. And yet you are leaving your uvb light on all night, gutloading with garbage, not even measuring your humidity, and giving her a cup-really? A cup of water? Im not sure you can save her. She is very ill. If you read this forum, then you did it full well knowing you were doing it wrong. Its a damn shame. There are people on here that this kind of thing breaks their hearts. Im one of them

 

[alphakenc]

So yeah, that's the next step. The Vet said to take the medicine for pain if not work bring her back to do the test.

Fecal test is a very important test,unlike we go to our doctor ,we can tell the Doc what is our issues and pin point the problem quickly,but still going thru lots tests.....and the cham wont be able to talk to ur vet,so they need to go thru every single test unless its a obvious problem n known to be treated directly,once the Vet find out the problem,then u will have to prevent the cause by correcting all the wrongful doing n things on this cham....diet ....set up....cleanliness etc.

 

[Chachi]

Fecal test is a very important test,unlike we go to our doctor ,we can tell the Doc what is our issues and pin point the problem quickly,but still going thru lots tests.....and the cham wont be able to talk to ur vet,so they need to go thru every single test unless its a obvious problem n known to be treated directly,once the Vet find out the problem,then u will have to prevent the cause by correcting all the wrongful doing n things on this cham....diet ....set up....cleanliness etc.

Ken, this prson says they have been reading the forum. No way. I think this little guy is gonna die unfortunately. Hard to tell from what, so many things were done w/o any f-ing care or concern. TH

 

[alphakenc]

Ken, this prson says they have been reading the forum. No way. I think this little guy is gonna die unfortunately. Hard to tell from what, so many things were done w/o any f-ing care or concern. TH

Maybe they only read partial of the forum,maybe they did read lots forum,the point is if this Vet is doing no wonder for the cham,I will hurry and get another Vets opinion for the cham's sake,then find out what is the real cause ,probing the problem,n fix with the right solution to prevent happening again.

 

[Chachi]

Maybe they only read partial of the forum,maybe they did read lots forum,the point is if this Vet is doing no wonder for the cham,I will hurry and get another Vets opinion for the cham's sake,then find out what is the real cause ,probing the problem,n fix with the right solution to prevent happening again.

If it lives. So sad

 

[Rango's owner]

I'm not 100% clear about what you are describing, but your description and picture suggests you have a very, very ill chamleon.

You say she is not walking or climbing on her trees and doesn't stay "stand up" which I interpret to mean she is so weak she is unable to hold herself in a normal position.

If that is anything near what she is like she desperately needs to get to a vet immediately.

While I can find many many things wrong with how you are keeping her, she has such serious issues right now that she needs emergency veterinary care immediately. She can't wait. You do not have time to change things.

There are so many things that could be wrong, but the posture in the picture is of a chameleon that is critically ill. She appears to be hanging upside down and unable to hold herself on a branch in an upright position.

A dying chameleon will be able to hold onto a branch. I believe their tendon sheaths are similar to a bird of prey's which has a ratcheting like surface so that holding their fist close takes zero effort. The default of a bird of prey's tendon is locked. They must actually consciously open up their tendon sheaths to allow movement. I think chameleons have a similar tendon structure based on the injuries they sustain when collectors rip them off branches and seeing dying neonate babies still holding tightly to a branch, seconds before death.

/if that is what's happening then why? Because the same thing is wrong with my chameleon and I took him to the vet. They said there was nothing wrong with him except for low calcium. They have him 2 injections. And he's feeling a bit better now.

 

[Carlton]

/if that is what's happening then why? Because the same thing is wrong with my chameleon and I took him to the vet. They said there was nothing wrong with him except for low calcium. They have him 2 injections. And he's feeling a bit better now.

You can't make this assumption based on the OP's description. These symptoms are general signs of severe weakness, which could have had different origins. The possible causes range from malnutrition, exhaustion, starvation, MBD, viral or bacterial infections, intestinal damage, or a combination of several. Based on your cham's history it certainly could have been straightforward calcium deficiency (but we can't know as you haven't provided more details about your cham, unless I missed it). Based on the OP's information it is probably due to MBD as well as other husbandry problems.

 

[Oneofthosemegans]

Three things it sounds like you need
1- gut load your crickets better
2- a multi vitamin for your chameleon
3- a new vet.
The vet you took your chameleon to should have asked you so many questions and pointed out what you were doing wrong. The fact that you only left with pain medicine is kind if sad.