Parsonii Rehabilitation

[jpowell86]

So I was given a female yellow lip about two weeks ago. She was given to me because she was in such rough shape that I think it was a last ditch effort to turn her around. It has been a rollercoaster so far. Day one she was dreadful. Very lethargic, dehydrated, grossly underweight. I left her alone for two days letting her drink her fill. She gained some strength, but as I predicted, began the normal crash that most chameleons exhibit on a rebound.

I have had to help her every day with fluids and nutrients. I have also been giving her a homemade "bug mash" in low amounts to try to reestablish her gut's ability to handle food. Yesterday she was lying flat on the bottom of the enclosure. I immediately got her out and administered more fluids. Today she is back in her branches and she actually ate on her own today. I have worked with parsonii in the past, so they are a dear species to me. This one is going to put me through daily battles to get her back to where she needs to be.

The first pic is day one - I am having to administer fluids.

The second pic is day three

The last two pics are from today.

 

[Virgil1972]

She still has a long way to go but looks much better in the last pic then the first.

 

[WAMBO]

Wow, she was dehydrated. Looking better now. Keep up the good work and best of luck.

 

[JGuinan007]

HOw could she get in that state?

 

[Action Jackson]

Wow rough shape for sure. Looking better though. It's not easy to pull them back from the edge but you're making progress.

 

[Dirtydominican77]

Wow, so far so good, hopefully that trend continues.

 

[FlChamMom]

Holy cow- I cannot believe she has lasted this long from the first pic. You are doing an amazing job with her, please keep us up to date.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Good job! Bring a Parsonii back from that kind of condition is not an easy thing to accomplish.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[MikeT307]

Not out of the woods yet but she looks amazing compared to day 1!

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I'm so glad she wound up with you and you aren't afraid or inexperienced, so you're able to get her the fluids and nutrition she needs, in the right amount, by the right method. I have 110% faith in your abilities to get her up to snuff!

 

[racerdoc]

Nice work! She is not out of the woods yet, but she looks a heck of a lot better!!

 

[Kclarke02]

Poor thing! That makes my heart hurt seeing those before pics. She looks so much better after you've had her. Keep up the good work! She's been blessed to be placed with you!

 

[OldChamKeeper]

HOLY F*** I'm surprised she was even alive based on that first pic. I've rehabbed more than few but never one that could pass for Death's personal mascot riding on his shoulder like a parrot.

Hell I might be able to learn a new thing or two from you. PM me your bug mash, fluids, and her weights if you don't mind sharing.

She's gonna be just fine as long as she doesn't have any lasting kidney damage.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thanks for the update. I've been dreading hearing how she was. What day did she crash really hard, when you thought you would lose her but your vet did his magic? Any idea how old she is?

 

[jpowell86]

Thanks for the update. I've been dreading hearing how she was. What day did she crash really hard, when you thought you would lose her but your vet did his magic? Any idea how old she is?

She crashed really hard on the 6th. That's when she was given fluids for the first time and some other nutritional additives by my vet. She ended up crashing again very hard yesterday. She way lying in the bottom of her enclosure completely limp. I pulled her out and gave her more fluids and some bug mash. It is a rollercoaster for sure.

I have no idea how old she is. She is in such rough shape it is hard to gauge naturally weathering vs. poor health conditions at this point.

My Vet said if I were able to keep her alive longer than four days he would be shocked. It's all just rolling dice right now.

 

[jpowell86]

HOLY F*** I'm surprised she was even alive based on that first pic. I've rehabbed more than few but never one that could pass for Death's personal mascot riding on his shoulder like a parrot.

Hell I might be able to learn a new thing or two from you. PM me your bug mash, fluids, and her weights if you don't mind sharing.

She's gonna be just fine as long as she doesn't have any lasting kidney damage.

That's my fear. How could she not have kidney damage. Even if I get her completely turned around, fact of the matter is, her lifespan has been drastically lessened. I have rehabilitated chameleons in very very poor health back to doing just fine and only getting them to live another year or two. I know that is a vast improvement over knocking on death's door, but it still is terrible to have a chameleon live only 1/3 of it's potential lifespan.

I haven't even weighed her yet. really haven't seen any need to as of yet. It has been so up and down I fully expect to walk in and find her dead. Just reality you know.

 

[bobcochran]

Joel, it is incredibly courageous of you to even take on a project like this!!! Especially when you know the best case scenario is so bleak.
HUGE KUDOS TO YOU! I don't think I could attempt such a huge undertaking.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

That's my fear. How could she not have kidney damage. Even if I get her completely turned around, fact of the matter is, her lifespan has been drastically lessened. I have rehabilitated chameleons in very very poor health back to doing just fine and only getting them to live another year or two. I know that is a vast improvement over knocking on death's door, but it still is terrible to have a chameleon live only 1/3 of it's potential lifespan.

I haven't even weighed her yet. really haven't seen any need to as of yet. It has been so up and down I fully expect to walk in and find her dead. Just reality you know.

Let me cheer you up then.

I had one male given to me back in 88 that was pretty much like yours. In the end he lived another 8 years and weighed over 1000g. I miss him to this day but he was a rescue. Gatoraid mixed with water is your friend for that, your bug mash is a good thing, I used chicken baby food blended with water/gatoraid. Despite the size of the animal I only trickled food down the throat of mine twice a day, just 3cc's. He was showered once a day for hydration. Temps were kept stable in the mid 70's. Humidity around 60% with mistings, stuff you already know. It took me nearly three months before I actually realized the animal had made it. If you let a $80 gold dust day gecko loose near it and she eats it.... well you're in the clear. At least I was of course I didn't know back then they would eat a gecko.....

Make sure she gets some B1 by the way. Just a little twice a month in addition to what you're already doing

 

[brownie64]

Wow! Amazing story Joel I wish you all the luck.

 

[Kclarke02]

Let me cheer you up then.

I had one male given to me back in 88 that was pretty much like yours. In the end he lived another 8 years and weighed over 1000g. I miss him to this day but he was a rescue. Gatoraid mixed with water is your friend for that, your bug mash is a good thing, I used chicken baby food blended with water/gatoraid. Despite the size of the animal I only trickled food down the throat of mine twice a day, just 3cc's. He was showered once a day for hydration. Temps were kept stable in the mid 70's. Humidity around 60% with mistings, stuff you already know. It took me nearly three months before I actually realized the animal had made it. If you let a $80 gold dust day gecko loose near it and she eats it.... well you're in the clear. At least I was of course I didn't know back then they would eat a gecko.....

Make sure she gets some B1 by the way. Just a little twice a month in addition to what you're already doing

This is just so precious and makes my heart happy. I'd love to be equipped to rescue chams in the future. Y'all are angels and making such a positive difference in these little babies lives. Prayers for you and this sweet baby.....