Panther chameleon passed away and I dont understand what happened please help!

Marinewife34

Marinewife34

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Pascal my panther chameleon who was two years old past away this morning. I don't understand what happened to him. He was the best pet in the world and I can't cope I just don't understand what happened. I dusted his crickets regularly with calcium without d3, twice a month I would dust them with calcium D3 and also twice a month with vitamins. His crickets were gutloaded. He had a fogger in one side of his cage at all times always had plenty of water, I gave him horned worms every now and then, he was active and healthy just yesterday. But two days ago I decided to bring him to the vet because he was keeping his left eye closed I noticed this for about a week maybe a little more I kept a constant eye on him and was constantly worried about him he climbed with no problems could see had no swollen joints his eyes were always plump and never sunken in, but he would just keep one closed most the time so I brought him to the vet and he told me he thought it was just maybe dry and irritating him so the vet gave me some neopolybac antibiotic to put in his eye, I was hesitant because I know chameleons are stressed easily but my guy has traveled with me he would climb on my hand right out of the cage he was so sweet and loved coming out of his cage didn't ever really seem stressed by much at all I would bring him outside and let him get some natural sun every now and then he had a UVA bulb in his cage and a UVB 5.0 bulb in his cage his temps stayed between 85 and went down the deeper you got in the cage he had a wire cage and his temps would drop to 70s at night. The vet also told me that he looked completely healthy the day I brought him in, I had the vet check him for parisites and he said he was clean and that day he ate 10 crickets out of my hand. His stomach to me looked a little bloated i though But I thought maybe he was just full on crickets. His poop was normal urate was a tad watery but I read that it was a sign he was hydrated his brown looked completely normal I took his cage outside and cleaned it while he was enjoying the sun. The next day I put the meds in his eye and he was fine active but he wouldn't eat. Which didn't worry me to much because he usually eats every other day but I still try just to see if he's hungry. But I woke up this morning to him lying in his plant face down eyes closed I rushed to him picked him up his tail started going crazy but I could tell right there I was going to loose him and my heart just broke, I rushed him outside in the sun to see if I could warm him up I tried to give him some water but he wouldn't open his eyes I rushed him back to the vet and the vet even told me he didn't understand how he declined so fast and he looked so thin but just yesterday he was plump and looked healthy walking around I brought him outside he crawled on me while he was sitting in the sun, but I just don't understand what went wrong why he died he was my baby boy and I hate that I lost him so early in his life. Today would have been my two year anniversary with him. I don't understand what I did wrong. I'm going to upload a picture of him the day before he died it's just of his back not his face he was climbing on me outside. Just please help me figure out what happened to him. His cage was the repti breeze 24 x 24 x 48 screen cage he had a hibiscus in his cage with him I just don't get what happened and it happened so fast
 
I am very sorry for your loss. I can't really figure out what went wrong with your budy. The thing that suprises me is how quickly it all went. The eye was definitely an indicator that something was not right. It could have been some failure in his organs. I am not from America, but in my country it is possible to bring animals that passed away to the vet for an autopsy. This is probably the best way to make sure what happend to him. Again I am sorry for your loss
 
Thank y'all both it really means a lot, he was a very special chameleon and I loved him so much, he was a part of the family, he meant the world to me. I already laid him to rest once we got him home from the vet I just can't go through the autopsy I know he's dead and he's not in his body but I still just can't do it I can't think of his body getting cut open. I just knew something was wrong I'm just so broken that I couldn't figure it out and the vet who said he does chameleons all the time and he knew a lot about them couldn't figure it out either. But I agree I think maybe he had some organ failure and maybe the vet actually didn't know as much as he said he did and didn't catch the signs. He will be missed so much and I don't think I can ever get another one he was just so different then any animal I've ever had so sweet and special. Thank y'all again for your replies.
 
I'm new to keeping chameleons, but what I've seen on several pages is that they are experts at hiding illnesses. I've also seen that things can go very badly very quickly. I'm sorry you lost you cham kid. He sure was a beauty!
 
Marinewife34 said:
View attachment 179596 View attachment 179597 Pascal my panther chameleon who was two years old past away this morning. I don't understand what happened to him. He was the best pet in the world and I can't cope I just don't understand what happened. I dusted his crickets regularly with calcium without d3, twice a month I would dust them with calcium D3 and also twice a month with vitamins. His crickets were gutloaded. He had a fogger in one side of his cage at all times always had plenty of water, I gave him horned worms every now and then, he was active and healthy just yesterday. But two days ago I decided to bring him to the vet because he was keeping his left eye closed I noticed this for about a week maybe a little more I kept a constant eye on him and was constantly worried about him he climbed with no problems could see had no swollen joints his eyes were always plump and never sunken in, but he would just keep one closed most the time so I brought him to the vet and he told me he thought it was just maybe dry and irritating him so the vet gave me some neopolybac antibiotic to put in his eye, I was hesitant because I know chameleons are stressed easily but my guy has traveled with me he would climb on my hand right out of the cage he was so sweet and loved coming out of his cage didn't ever really seem stressed by much at all I would bring him outside and let him get some natural sun every now and then he had a UVA bulb in his cage and a UVB 5.0 bulb in his cage his temps stayed between 85 and went down the deeper you got in the cage he had a wire cage and his temps would drop to 70s at night. The vet also told me that he looked completely healthy the day I brought him in, I had the vet check him for parisites and he said he was clean and that day he ate 10 crickets out of my hand. His stomach to me looked a little bloated i though But I thought maybe he was just full on crickets. His poop was normal urate was a tad watery but I read that it was a sign he was hydrated his brown looked completely normal I took his cage outside and cleaned it while he was enjoying the sun. The next day I put the meds in his eye and he was fine active but he wouldn't eat. Which didn't worry me to much because he usually eats every other day but I still try just to see if he's hungry. But I woke up this morning to him lying in his plant face down eyes closed I rushed to him picked him up his tail started going crazy but I could tell right there I was going to loose him and my heart just broke, I rushed him outside in the sun to see if I could warm him up I tried to give him some water but he wouldn't open his eyes I rushed him back to the vet and the vet even told me he didn't understand how he declined so fast and he looked so thin but just yesterday he was plump and looked healthy walking around I brought him outside he crawled on me while he was sitting in the sun, but I just don't understand what went wrong why he died he was my baby boy and I hate that I lost him so early in his life. Today would have been my two year anniversary with him. I don't understand what I did wrong. I'm going to upload a picture of him the day before he died it's just of his back not his face he was climbing on me outside. Just please help me figure out what happened to him. His cage was the repti breeze 24 x 24 x 48 screen cage he had a hibiscus in his cage with him I just don't get what happened and it happened so fast
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Well I can tell you you whereat giving him enough regular calcium that should be given 2-3 times a week not 2-3 times a month and what kind of UVB where you using? And what kind of supplements like brand names? And send a pic of the cage as well please. what was his basking temp at?
 
Dragon1516 said:
Well I can tell you you whereat giving him enough regular calcium that should be given 2-3 times a week not 2-3 times a month and what kind of UVB where you using? And what kind of supplements like brand names? And send a pic of the cage as well please. what was his basking temp at?
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You apparently read wrong because i clearly said on a REGULAR BASIS every time I fed my chameleon I dusted his crickets with calcium without d3 in it. He at 10 crickets every other day. I dusted his crickets with D3 twice a month and twice a month with vitamins. His calcium with d3 was tetrafauna reptocal without d3 was reptical zoo meds. UVB was 5.0, and basking temps stayed around 85 all this was explained in what I posted above this is his enclosure in the pic you can't tell but there are limbs all throughout the cage that's a piece of tree drift wood, I wrapped foliage around all of it so he can hide so it all blends in and it's a bad angle that I snapped the photo I can't take another because I already took his cage down. He had plenty of spots to climb never fell off his branches had enough limbs enough places he could move if he got to hot I took very well care of my chameleon.
 

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Marinewife34 said:
You apparently read wrong because i clearly said on a REGULAR BASIS every time I fed my chameleon I dusted his crickets with calcium without d3 in it. He at 10 crickets every other day. I dusted his crickets with D3 twice a month and twice a month with vitamins. His calcium with d3 was tetrafauna reptocal without d3 was reptical zoo meds. UVB was 5.0, and basking temps stayed around 85 all this was explained in what I posted above this is his enclosure in the pic you can't tell but there are limbs all throughout the cage that's a piece of tree drift wood, I wrapped foliage around all of it so he can hide so it all blends in and it's a bad angle that I snapped the photo I can't take another because I already took his cage down. He had plenty of spots to climb never fell off his branches had enough limbs enough places he could move if he got to hot I took very well care of my chameleon.
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Ok and how much is regular because you should have been doing it 2-3 times a week max more it will build up in his system and kill him over time. over supplementing can be a big issue too. Im assuming you did it at least 3 times a week sense you said you feed him everyday. But just for future reference too much is bad. Im not blaming in just informing so don't get snippy with me lol. And Okay if you have a dome UVB I have found issues with them and linear UVB bulbs are more reliable and safer unless you have a solar meter and can test your UVB regularly. And his cage it looks like he was able to walk right up to the basking light which is not good, and you said your temp was at 85. you did NOT specify that it was his basking temp. Honestly you seem really rude while i am trying to help you out sense no one else is. you ask for help then are rude to me. Well I guess you will just make the same mistakes and you don't want to learn from them. that will cage another chameleon to die. Don't ask for help then be rude to the one person that is actually trying to help you figure it out. That would be a good tip for life for you.
 
Dragon1516 said:
Ok and how much is regular because you should have been doing it 2-3 times a week max more it will build up in his system and kill him over time. over supplementing can be a big issue too. Im assuming you did it at least 3 times a week sense you said you feed him everyday. But just for future reference too much is bad. Im not blaming in just informing so don't get snippy with me lol. And Okay if you have a dome UVB I have found issues with them and linear UVB bulbs are more reliable and safer unless you have a solar meter and can test your UVB regularly. And his cage it looks like he was able to walk right up to the basking light which is not good, and you said your temp was at 85. you did NOT specify that it was his basking temp. Honestly you seem really rude while i am trying to help you out sense no one else is. you ask for help then are rude to me. Well I guess you will just make the same mistakes and you don't want to learn from them. that will cage another chameleon to die. Don't ask for help then be rude to the one person that is actually trying to help you figure it out. That would be a good tip for life for you.
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He couldn't just walk up to his basking bulb bulb, in the planter at the top I had the bulbs risen up and hanging down not to close to him, I fed him every other day not every day, so it was about three times a week he got his supplements. And I'm not trying to be snippy so I apologize just not a good time right now. I was pregnant had a miscarriage on the first of last month and this this month on the first I lost my other baby. I'm just not in that great of a mood. I appreciate you trying to help. I don't think I'm going to get another one any ways it hurts to bad when they die.
 
OK thats good on the bulb I couldn't really tell. and thats good for supplements. And I realize your upset I have lost chameleons too before so I know how it feels. I won't lie I have cried when I lost a Chameleon, it doesn't make you weak it shows you have a heart and you care. And I'm sorry to hear about your miscarriage i know the tole it takes i have seen it happen to a couple I know 4 times in a row and it took a huge tole on their life. And your right it does suck, but don't give up your love and passion. It will take time but one day i bet you will be looking at getting another one that you can love just as much. Honestly he looks good and I don't see any reason for this to happen. the only thing i can think of is he was full of worms due to how bloated he looks that is the only thing that makes sense to me. The vet may have not caught it which is really common.
 
Wow small world. My panther Caleb passed away out of nowhere too not that long ago. I don't know what happened either. Sorry for your loss.
 
Dragon1516 said:
OK thats good on the bulb I couldn't really tell. and thats good for supplements. And I realize your upset I have lost chameleons too before so I know how it feels. I won't lie I have cried when I lost a Chameleon, it doesn't make you weak it shows you have a heart and you care. And I'm sorry to hear about your miscarriage i know the tole it takes i have seen it happen to a couple I know 4 times in a row and it took a huge tole on their life. And your right it does suck, but don't give up your love and passion. It will take time but one day i bet you will be looking at getting another one that you can love just as much. Honestly he looks good and I don't see any reason for this to happen. the only thing i can think of is he was full of worms due to how bloated he looks that is the only thing that makes sense to me. The vet may have not caught it which is really common.
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That's what I was thinking, maybe it was something I did idk but I researched them for two years before ever thinking of getting one just so I knew what I was doing and I did everything I could to make sure he was happy and healthy checked him on a daily basis a million times a day brought him to the vet everytime I thought something was wrong. He was my kid in a way to me it feels just like a death in the family because he was family in my eyes. I really do appreciate your help and seriously if you think anything else I did was wrong please let me know, I really love panther chameleons it just sucks loosing them. He was a very special one too he never bite anyone or hissed he would climb right out of his cage onto your hand. But to me he did look bloated and like you said maybe the vet just didn't catch it or it was something I did or wasn't doing idk but I did everything I could to make sure he was happy and healthy I just wish there were better signs when they get sick. I would have done everything to make him ok. I'm sorry I'm blubbering he just ment everything to me he was a gift from my husband while he was on deployments so he was what kept me busy. And I focused all my time on him. The day I saw him I fell in love with him.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss- I can imagine your pain, I have a panther too and I love him beyond all compare and dread the day that will come, I'm just enjoying every moment with him now though. Again I am sorry.
 
Marinewife34 said:
That's what I was thinking, maybe it was something I did idk but I researched them for two years before ever thinking of getting one just so I knew what I was doing and I did everything I could to make sure he was happy and healthy checked him on a daily basis a million times a day brought him to the vet everytime I thought something was wrong. He was my kid in a way to me it feels just like a death in the family because he was family in my eyes. I really do appreciate your help and seriously if you think anything else I did was wrong please let me know, I really love panther chameleons it just sucks loosing them. He was a very special one too he never bite anyone or hissed he would climb right out of his cage onto your hand. But to me he did look bloated and like you said maybe the vet just didn't catch it or it was something I did or wasn't doing idk but I did everything I could to make sure he was happy and healthy I just wish there were better signs when they get sick. I would have done everything to make him ok. I'm sorry I'm blubbering he just ment everything to me he was a gift from my husband while he was on deployments so he was what kept me busy. And I focused all my time on him. The day I saw him I fell in love with him.
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No I totally understand, for us animal lovers our pets are family. Honestly from that picture I would say he was full of worms and the vet didn't catch it. How many other decals had you done on him? From how he looks and the information you gave me I would say it wasn't your fault.
 
Dragon1516 said:
No I totally understand, for us animal lovers our pets are family. Honestly from that picture I would say he was full of worms and the vet didn't catch it. How many other decals had you done on him? From how he looks and the information you gave me I would say it wasn't your fault.
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that was the first one I did once his issues started I was going to bring another sample back to the vet and get him to check it again but i never got the chance and he passed before I could get a better sample but that's what I was thinking too he was worrying me about how bloated he was but when the vet said he was fine I had a feeling that he still might have had them but like I said I was gonna bring the vet another sample but never got the chance I should have gotten him checked more often. I had a bad experience with a vet in Louisiana so I was hesitant to even bring him but I found a vet that said he handled and was very experienced with chameleons. Pascal just never showed signs that he was sick until his eye started acting up. I really appreciate your help and everyone else who has replied. Talking to y'all and other people who have lost theirs helps because y'all actually understand how I feel.
 
Marinewife34 said:
that was the first one I did once his issues started I was going to bring another sample back to the vet and get him to check it again but i never got the chance and he passed before I could get a better sample but that's what I was thinking too he was worrying me about how bloated he was but when the vet said he was fine I had a feeling that he still might have had them but like I said I was gonna bring the vet another sample but never got the chance I should have gotten him checked more often. I had a bad experience with a vet in Louisiana so I was hesitant to even bring him but I found a vet that said he handled and was very experienced with chameleons. Pascal just never showed signs that he was sick until his eye started acting up. I really appreciate your help and everyone else who has replied. Talking to y'all and other people who have lost theirs helps because y'all actually understand how I feel.
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I really thing he was full of worms and that killed him. it sucks the vet missed it but i don't know what else it could have been. If anything for your next one i would just suggest getting a fecal done every 6 months. But i think you did the best you could with him he was lucky to have you. Your welcome i hope things get better for you.
 
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