really sick veiled

Spfxchicky

New Member
Hi all, I'm new here and need any advice i can get.

I just moved him into a new cage, so this is the info for the old cage, and the new one.
* Cage Type - Before Aprrox. 30 X 30 X 16 (Glass front & Back, and Screen Sides). New, all mesh 29 X 29 X 48
* Lighting - before 1 repti glo 5.0 uvb, 100w exo terra ceramic heater. New: 2 5.0 repti glo (light cycle unit) on at 8am off at 9pm, 100w Ceramic heater, and 160w solar glo light + uvb (I bought this because I thought he needed more uvb and heat in such a large cage, and because he is sick, it was also recommended by the reptile store.)
* Temperature - lowest temp 70 highest 85-90
* Humidity - not sure of the levels, mist 2-3x per day
* Plants - 3 pothos
* Placement - in the office, low traffic. Have cage ontop of table approx. 3' off the ground
* Location - new york/Long Island


Chameleon Info:

* Your Chameleon - Male veiled, 5 years old, had him since he was a baby.
* Handling - now have to handle him every day to every other day for feeding
* Feeding - Been feeding him AD (vet recommended), prior to him being sick, he ate lots of crickets, meal and wax worms on occasions.
* Supplements - Dusted crickets 2x a week with calcium w/vit D, and heptivite.
* Watering - Misted him daily always drank when I misted, at least for 15 minutes 2-3x/day
* Fecal Description - has been watery for the past 4 months. He had parasites recently, but was treated and they are all gone
* History - Wow, he has a long one. 4 months ago, he stopped using his tongue to eat, took him to the vet, and she started him on AD (it's is usually used to help sick animals), 5cc/day, plus calcium syrup 1/2 cc/day, and another medication (forgot the name of it right now, he's been on so many). after a few weeks there was no change. He started developing 2 little bumps on his nose area between his eyes, doc didn't like the look of it, so she did surgery and drained it. He did very well through all that and still was very strong. Still trying to fix his tongue problem, so I tried not feeding him his AD for a few days to see if he can start eating bugs. I tried giving him crickets (of course), meal worms, wax worms, silk worms, phoenix worms, silk worms, everything I could thing of, he wanted no part of it. (throughout this whole time I went back to the vet on a weekly visit, (I have some vet bill) each time he gained at least 5g.) So he was doing real good except for not eating on his own. She then did a fecal test, and he had parasites, so that was treated for about 3 weeks, and now they are gone.
I started doing my own research, and decided to get him out of the old cage, and get him a nice big screened cage. This was last week, The vet also changed his diet and put him on ensure, because when his blood test results came back, he had high cholesterol and his bones started to get week. Last wed. is when I put him in his new cage, he didn't move much, and over the next few day became weaker and weaker. He started falling off the branch, not falling to the ground but hanging by his tail. Saturday we took him out for his routine feeding and he was not taking it and was practically falling over in my hands. I put him low down towards the bottom of the cage, afraid he would fall if I put him up high. I had to leave for work, but my husband was monitoring him, not 2 hours later he found him on the ground on his side. He picked him up, called me in a panic and he was going to bring him to the vet, but decided not to because he started to climb to the top. Next morning, still not good, so when I got home from work I called the vet and they said to bring him in Monday morn. 1st thing. So I did.
Thats where he is now. They did more tests and I believe she said he has a low white cell count, so they are treating him with meds now. I will be picking him up later on today. Is there any hope as of now? I'm scared I'm going to loose him.
 
Hi Spf,

It sounds like you're doing everything possible for your little guy. However, I'm not sure you need two uvb, and most people here swear by the 5.0 zoomed Reptisun linear bulb.

High cholesterol and low white blood cell count w/ parasites is a rough deal. I'm not sure more advice than what you have done can be found here. The vet seems to be doing everything he/she can. Chameleons' average lifespan in captivity is generally around the age of your cham. It might be that he's just getting old, and with his illnesses he can't fight them adequately, kind of like a senior dying of pneumonia, or the flu. Try to keep him hydrated as much as possible. Hopefully the vet can do something for him.

Good luck!! :)
 
Im not to familiar with the problems your cham is having, but i do know raising temps can help the immune system. I would raise them a few degrees for the duration of the medications. Hope everything works out!
 
I know age is probably a factor, but I was hoping to squeeze another 2 years out of him, but I guess nature takes it's course:(. Thanks
 
Don't give up hope altogether. Perhaps your vet can allow him to bounce back. When he gets home, raise the humidity and heat, like Dunnigan said, perhaps maybe several more degrees. You might want to pick up a humidifier too.
 
Not giving up hope at all, I have an extra heat lamp that I will connect and I will pick up a humidifier before i pick him up. Thanks for the input, like I said I'll try everything I can.
 
Good luck!! :) Just make sure you don't overheat, I'd use a 60 watt house bulb. Those are pretty efficient for warmth and not too strong to burn.
 
Well, I picked him up from the vet last tuesday, and once I took him out of his carry cage, he was almost gone, he took his last breath in my hands. I've been really heartbrokken over it, which I'm sure we all get when we loose our pets. I changed my avatar to Smeagol, because that was his name, and it's in memory of him. I guess I found this website too late. I don't think my vet had a lot of experience with chameleons, but, we tried our best. He was my first boy, and learned a lot from him. This is a great site for learning! and plan on getting a panther next.
 
Back
Top Bottom