Possibly sick Veiled Chameleon

[rickwalsh993]

I've had my veiled for a few days now and he seems ok for the most part, no signs of stress. He does sometime's scratch his eye on things and keeps it closed but i believe it is because of loose shedding skin. My main concern is though today he has just started to kind of tilt his upper body up and seems to swallow heavily. And I can sometime's hear a popping sound. is this a URI? His eyes aren't sunken and he is very active and does drink and though i have never seen him eat i put crickets in and never see them again. Overall he seems ok, just these popping noises and the tilting of the head. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

He may have preliminary symptoms of a URI. If he is always positioning himself with his head higher than the body, making a popping sound and has excess saliva in the mouth, he will most likely need a vet checkup. Sounds like you may have identified it early, which is good in young Chams.

 

[FlChamMom]

The popping sound and tilting up of the upper body could definitely be the start of a RI, with a closed eye as well that does not sound good. You say you have only had him for a few days, did the person/store you got him from offer a health guarantee? If so they may pay for a vet checkup.

 

[rickwalsh993]

I'm not sure if they did, but the eye that's closed he also itches on things, is that still part of the RI? and he doesn't always position himself with his head above his body but every once in a while he will lift up and do the popping sound, also he likes to climb a loooot and then just rest and almost take a nap, is that normal?

 

[FlChamMom]

Chameleons don't nap- they may have periods where they lounge around basking or whatnot but not with closed eyes. I am on my phone so I can't paste the link but one of the first threads on the health section is "how to ask for help". Copy the thread and answer the questions. That will help us to really try and answer your questions. The closed eye may be unrelated shed, but with everything you have said it does seem your little guy is not doing well. Chams like to hide illness, when they start to "look sick" sometimes it is too late. Taking care of issues as soon as you see them is essential to his health. Post a picture if you can as well. Good luck with your little guy!

 

[rickwalsh993]

Your Chameleon - Veiled, I believe female, not sure on age but I have had it for 4 days
Handling - only twice since initially putting him in cage
Feeding - I'm feeding her crickets with powder, and some meal worms
Supplements - not 100 percent whats in the powder, from Petco
Watering - I have two home made drippers and spray regularly
Fecal Description - usually white and brown, not that i know of on the tests
History - nothing

Cage Type - about 2 ft tall 1 and a half feet deep and about a foot wide
Lighting - 75 watt heat lamp and a coil bulb for uvb, don't remember brand. (i know i shouldn't use those, in process of getting long bulb)
Temperature - around 85 to 90 during the day, 75 to 80 at night. Digital Thermometer
Humidity - Not sure, I don't have a humidity gauge.
Plants - Just one, some Wisteria vines.
Placement -Next to an open window, cage is about 3 feet off ground.
Location - Massachusetts USA

 

[rickwalsh993]

This is generally what he does from time to time

 

[FlChamMom]

Few things you may want to change:

Temps: How old is your cham? If it is a baby, 85-90 is too hot. I keep my veiled's basking spot around 85-87 but he is almost a year. When he was younger I kept it 82-84.
Supplements: Look at the powder you are using, if it says Calcium with D3 only use it twice a month. None of the Petco's I have been to sell the plain Calcium without D3, which is what you use daily. You also need a multivitamin powder, Vitamin A deficiency can also cause eye issues. Use that 2x a month as well.

If you do not have a baby, then the cage is really too small. Adult veiled chameleons need a 4x2, at the least 36".

Look under the care resources section as well-lots of great info there.

 

[rickwalsh993]

Ok thank you, she's not an adult, probably only 6 in long with tail, the stuff i have does have d3 idk about a though I'll double check, right now the cage is at 88, my room gets kind of humid by itself, do you think the humidity is the cause if the RI?

 

[FlChamMom]

This is generally what he does from time to time

That looks like a baby, two months? I would lower the basking temps to 80-82. If you think the eye is shed, you can try and flush it out with plain saline solution- squirt it in the eye until the turret balloons up (I have had to do this twice, no fun..)

 

[rickwalsh993]

Probably about 2 months, and ok, i sprayed her a lot today to try to help with the eye and brought her in the shower, it seemed to help a little but that's when closing both eyes started, do you think adjusting temps and the vitamin a should help? Or should i try the vet a.s.a.p?

 

[FlChamMom]

Ok thank you, she's not an adult, probably only 6 in long with tail, the stuff i have does have d3 idk about a though I'll double check, right now the cage is at 88, my room gets kind of humid by itself, do you think the humidity is the cause if the RI?

The cage needs to dry out completely between mistings. Ambient humidity is usually not the problem, a continuously damp cage is. Veiled chameleons need less humidity than a panther or Jackson's- they are from a more arid climate.

 

[rickwalsh993]

Ok thank you, i did spray her a lot today to try to help with the eye, and showered with her, thats around the time she started closing both though, but the popping and head raising was before, do you think the temp lowering and vitamin a should help by themselves? Or should i get to a vet asap?

 

[FlChamMom]

Probably about 2 months, and ok, i sprayed her a lot today to try to help with the eye and brought her in the shower, it seemed to help a little but that's when closing both eyes started, do you think adjusting temps and the vitamin a should help? Or should i try the vet a.s.a.p?

You have only had he/she (can't see the back feet ) for four days- whatever the issue is it started before you got her. If it were my cham, I would go to the vet, but you also need to contact whomever you got her from. They should be responsible for the bill, or a partial refund on the cham. A responsible breeder would never sell a sick animal.

 

[rickwalsh993]

Well i bought her from a petco near me and I talked to them about the eye thing and they said if it doesnt go away to bring it there and they'll take her to a vet. Should I do that this weekend?

 

[FlChamMom]

Definitely. Most of the big stores have horrible husbandry, the one by me admitted that they don't use UVB bulbs at all- they did not fit in the terrarium... Keep us posted!

 

[rickwalsh993]

Ok thank you so much, I've always wanted a chameleon and am trying to do everything right, she semmed fine the first day but the eye thing did start on the second day, I'll definitely keep you posted! Thanks again.

 

[rickwalsh993]

Also do I seem to be doing ok other than the temp change? I'm new to chams and just want to make sure.

 

[FlChamMom]

Also do I seem to be doing ok other than the temp change? I'm new to chams and just want to make sure.

We were all new once! If you have not bought a tube light yet Todd from Light Your Reptiles (Forum Sponsor) is great. You can pm him with questions about lighting for your setups and his Arcadia bulbs last me almost a year. Search "lighting" on the forums, there are great threads on how to light your enclosure.

If you do have a girl (look on the back feet- boys have a little spur, or nub, girls do not) you are going to have to provide a lay bin. They lay eggs whether they have bred or not. User Dez has a video in the blog section on how to do a lay bin. Basically it is a bucket or trash can with dirt or washed play sand in it. You will have to upgrade the cage, when she gets older, the cages are cheaper online than at Petco.

You will also need to start "gut loading" your feeders. At the very least, at Petco they sell a product called Bug Burger. You feed it to the crickets 24 hours before you feed your cham. It is also good to feed the crickets fresh food. Search gut loading, Sandrachameleon has a blog on what to use. I usually put in veggie scraps left over from cooking.

Chameleons really are fascinating and Veileds have a ton of personality- you will have so much fun with her!

 

[rickwalsh993]

Ok Awesome, thanks a lot. I just got up at around 1030 and she seems to still be sleeping, but she is moved from where she was last night, is that ok?