Rescue Meller's chameleon

[Bryonier]

Not even an hour ago I unexpectedly found myself "rescuing" a Meller's chameleon in horrible condition. I have two veiled chameleons currently and I had a Jackson's chameleon at one time, but I've never had a Meller's. This guys background is completely unknown to me. I can't even be sure of his age (but the guy claimed he was two).

I'll call him Pascal for now since it's the only name I've been able to think of.

Pascal is egregiously skinny. He almost seems to be nothing but skin and bone. There are clear indents between the muscles of his thighs and arms. I can see the outline of his kneecap. His tail is kinked. His scales look like some have peeled off (I thought they were bugs at first). He has a bulbous mass on two of his toes. There's a dark patch at the base of his tail (a bruise?).

I'm very concerned! I'm sitting at work with him on my desk. I don't know why I had to jump in like I did. Today is definitely not the day for me to be doing this, but the college kid that had him clearly didn't care about him. I thought I needed to intervene or no one else would. So now I'm at work with a sickly chameleon. Thankfully, the office temp isn't too bad (about 75 degrees). I have him sitting in the window for extra heat but I know it won't be much above the 75 degrees.

Pascal is acting like he has absolutely no energy. And judging by how skinny he looks, it's no wonder! What can I do? Please help me. I plan to run home as soon as I'm able to (I get off work in two more hours) and get him under some heat/UVB lamps. I have a dubia colony that I can offer him. I know that Meller's require a lot of humidity so I was planning to run a long shower for him as well. I don't have a cage large enough for him yet, so I'm going to let him free-range in the bathroom (with the mirror covered).

I mention these plans in case anyone has any better ideas. I need to get some weight on him quickly. Will dubias be enough? Should I try some silk worms instead? He's so big... would silk worms even satisfy him? What are other alternatives to fit his size? Can anyone give me a better concrete idea about his care? I found a few caresheets online but there aren't enough specific to Meller's to convince me that they are 100% correct. I don't feel like this guy can afford even one mistake.

Help!

 

[Bryonier]

Forgot to add: I've made a vet appointment but it won't be until Friday. It's the only vet that I trust my reptiles to and he just cannot fit me in sooner.

 

[Lazereth]

Do me a favor and post pics from every angle then we can go from there!

 

[Carlton]

I would first focus on hydration. If "he's" (melleri are very hard to sex) dehydrated he won't be as able to digest much food anyway. Silkworms would be good, as they are soft and fleshy. "He" won't necessarily need huge food and it might be too much of a strain on a weakened system anyway. Soft fleshy prey would be easier to digest. I'd offer the larger Dubia nymphs rather than adults to reduce the amount of chitin he ingests for now. If he'll drink while you are actively misting him, try dripping warm water on his face from above. If he'll take the water that way you could get some calories and electrolytes into him with Pedialyte. You don't want to cram the food in too fast. The swollen toes sound like infections. Check to see if he's lost the claws on those toes. They often snag them in caging screen or get injured if they are grabbed off tree branches by the collectors. He might need some antibiotics if the infection has spread to the toes.

Check out The Melleri Discovery website. You can trust that info! The thing to know about melleri is that they take things slow...they are tough so they lose condition slowly and take a long time to regain it. They drink long and slowly so give him as much as he'll take. It won't be a quick recovery if he ever does. Kidney failure is a real possibility. Free ranging is a good idea as long as he isn't falling from a height.

BTW, chams don't really have "scales", so he might have an old skin injury or a thermal burn.

 

[Bryonier]

Do me a favor and post pics from every angle then we can go from there!

I'll take some pics as soon as I'm able to. Right now he's in a bag and I don't want to disturb him because I'm afraid it will stress him out. It was incredibly hard to get him into that bag... (For the record, the bag is breathable and quite thin - the kind that feeder insects regularly come in when shipped.)

I would first focus on hydration. If "he's" (melleri are very hard to sex) dehydrated he won't be as able to digest much food anyway. Silkworms would be good, as they are soft and fleshy. "He" won't necessarily need huge food and it might be too much of a strain on a weakened system anyway. Soft fleshy prey would be easier to digest. I'd offer the larger Dubia nymphs rather than adults to reduce the amount of chitin he ingests for now. If he'll drink while you are actively misting him, try dripping warm water on his face from above. If he'll take the water that way you could get some calories and electrolytes into him with Pedialyte. You don't want to cram the food in too fast. The swollen toes sound like infections. Check to see if he's lost the claws on those toes. They often snag them in caging screen or get injured if they are grabbed off tree branches by the collectors. He might need some antibiotics if the infection has spread to the toes.

Check out The Melleri Discovery website. You can trust that info! The thing to know about melleri is that they take things slow...they are tough so they lose condition slowly and take a long time to regain it. They drink long and slowly so give him as much as he'll take. It won't be a quick recovery if he ever does. Kidney failure is a real possibility. Free ranging is a good idea as long as he isn't falling from a height.

BTW, chams don't really have "scales", so he might have an old skin injury or a thermal burn.

Hydration. Got it. I'll pick up some Pedialyte today and use that in my first attempt to get him to drink. I would imagine that's when he'll be most thirsty and most likely to take the Pedialyte.

I'll also start him on the silk worms but include a few dubia nymphs as well.

I don't know if the swelling is really infection... it looks like the kind of abscesses that snakes get. I'll provide some pics when I get home later. I'm sure it will make it much easier if there's a visual. BUT, you do make a good point because he HAS lost claws. The stupid kid I got him from was probably quite fond of yanking him around. That's how he was presented to me - grabbed around the middle and yanked off his shoulder.

I'll go look over the Melleri Discovery! Thank you!

Is there anything I can look for in regards to the potential kidney failure? How would a vet diagnose that?

Good to know about the scales! This poor guy... I hope they're not thermal burns. That just makes my heart weep.

 

[Carlton]

I think the vet would need to take blood and check the chemistry to pick up renal failure. You may not want to do this right now if he's so depleted. You aren't going to solve that one so maybe put that off until he's stabilized. When he drinks, he may drool excessively. Again, a sign of thirst. Once he starts drinking he may continue to drink for 15-20 minutes...slowly, so give him as much as he wants. When he's "full" he'll tip his head straight up and turn away from the dripping. Chams have relatively small stomachs for their size and they don't have a sphincter muscle at the base of the esophagus where it joins the stomach. If they get too full the stomach contents can back up into their throat and be aspirated into the respiratory tract. So, frequent drinks may work better than forcing too much at one time (such as force feeding him liquids).

I get so mad when I see any cham in such a state, but melleri have a special place in my heart. I've rescued a few. Success was about 50/50. To see such magnificent creatures so abused is horrible! they are so dignified and regal. I hope you have good luck with him! He could end up a gentle giant stalking your house.

Those swellings on toes could be fractures or soft tissue injuries from rough handling. Hard to know. I would dilute the Pedialyte initially in case he refuses a strange taste.

Oh, a suggestion for having him at work. The bag might be stressful as its rubbing on him. If you could get a box and wedge a stick inside he might be a little more content in the dark. Put a moist paper towel in the bottom for a little bit of humidity. He will probably just sleep the day away.

 

[Bryonier]

I think the vet would need to take blood and check the chemistry to pick up renal failure. You may not want to do this right now if he's so depleted. You aren't going to solve that one so maybe put that off until he's stabilized. When he drinks, he may drool excessively. Again, a sign of thirst. Once he starts drinking he may continue to drink for 15-20 minutes...slowly, so give him as much as he wants. When he's "full" he'll tip his head straight up and turn away from the dripping. Chams have relatively small stomachs for their size and they don't have a sphincter muscle at the base of the esophagus where it joins the stomach. If they get too full the stomach contents can back up into their throat and be aspirated into the respiratory tract. So, frequent drinks may work better than forcing too much at one time (such as force feeding him liquids).

I get so mad when I see any cham in such a state, but melleri have a special place in my heart. I've rescued a few. Success was about 50/50. To see such magnificent creatures so abused is horrible! they are so dignified and regal. I hope you have good luck with him! He could end up a gentle giant stalking your house.

Oh, a suggestion for having him at work. The bag might be stressful as its rubbing on him. If you could get a box and wedge a stick inside he might be a little more content in the dark. Put a moist paper towel in the bottom for a little bit of humidity. He will probably just sleep the day away.

Okay. I'll see what the vet says but I trust your opinion so I'll probably just wait on the kidney test.

I'm glad you mentioned the potential drool. That probably would have startled me. I definitely don't want to overdo anything, so I'll dedicate myself to making frequent attempts without pushing him for too long.

And yeah, I'm properly horrified at this situation. How anyone could do this to an animal is so beyond my understanding.

Are Meller's generally quite docile? I was able to handle Pascal but I had assumed it to be because he was in such a bad way.

I know the bag isn't optimal but I had nothing else available to me. I don't even have a place nearby to buy a box. BUT, my boss may let me out early so that's definitely good news.

Thank you so much for your help! I will keep you updated on him. And I'll be sure to post pics tonight!

 

[Carlton]

Just like any other species they are individuals. Some of my melleri were quite nice, others not very approachable at all. Just realize this one won't show its personality for a long time.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Most Melleri are imported wild caughts and most die within a few months of import. What you are seeing might be what a wild caught looks like. I've seen some pretty battered Mellers come in to the US. Do you know how long he has been in captivity?

As Carlton said, hydration is critical and Mellers are notorious for taking a long time to drink. I wouldn't use electyrolytes because, as Carlton mentioned, you do not want him or her to have any reason not to drink.

Muscle loss is one of the hallmark signs of end-stage kidney failure, which can be caused by a single severe episode of dehydration or chronic dehydration. S/he could have become severely dehydrated between capture and import into the US.

S/he also is probably loaded with a variety of parasites, but I strongly advise you not to try to even think of getting rid of parasites until the animal is stabilized and on the improve. Even then, it has to be done very slowly and carefully or you will kill the animal. Getting rid of parasites in a wild caught is actually quite risky and I hold my breath every time I first give any kind of parasite medication to a wild caught. (I start with Panacur at about half strength and then wait a month before repeating. I only want to knock the number of parasites down, not eliminate them. Massive die offs of parasites are really dangerous. After a couple of small doses, I'll start slowly increasing to the therapeutic dosage and stop if there is any sign the animal is not thriving. No drug manufacturer knows the proper dosage for reptiles. All drugs used on reptiles is "off label" because there has not been any research. I know, surprising.)

I'll forward this thread to a friend who has a lot of Melleri. Good luck.

 

[Bryonier]

Just like any other species they are individuals. Some of my melleri were quite nice, others not very approachable at all. Just realize this one won't show its personality for a long time.

It angers me so much. That stupid kid insisted he was "hand tame." Tried to congratulate himself on being a good pet owner because his chameleon was too weak to hiss at him.

 

[Bryonier]

Most Melleri are imported wild caughts and most die within a few months of import. What you are seeing might be what a wild caught looks like. I've seen some pretty battered Mellers come in to the US. Do you know how long he has been in captivity?

As Carlton said, hydration is critical and Mellers are notorious for taking a long time to drink. I wouldn't use electyrolytes because, as Carlton mentioned, you do not want him or her to have any reason not to drink.

Muscle loss is one of the hallmark signs of end-stage kidney failure, which can be caused by a single severe episode of dehydration or chronic dehydration. S/he could have become severely dehydrated between capture and import into the US.

S/he also is probably loaded with a variety of parasites, but I strongly advise you not to try to even think of getting rid of parasites until the animal is stabilized and on the improve. Even then, it has to be done very slowly and carefully or you will kill the animal. Getting rid of parasites in a wild caught is actually quite risky and I hold my breath every time I first give any kind of parasite medication to a wild caught. (I start with Panacur at about half strength and then wait a month before repeating. I only want to knock the number of parasites down, not eliminate them. Massive die offs of parasites are really dangerous. After a couple of small doses, I'll start slowly increasing to the therapeutic dosage and stop if there is any sign the animal is not thriving. No drug manufacturer knows the proper dosage for reptiles. All drugs used on reptiles is "off label" because there has not been any research. I know, surprising.)

I'll forward this thread to a friend who has a lot of Melleri. Good luck.

Thank you for this info. The kid insisted that he had had Pascal for two years. But he also insisted that they can live for 40 years so... I don't know what to believe. I hope he's not wild caught or infested with parasites. I am in the habit of quarantining new pets but... oi... This guy is already so mangled. I hate to think he's any MORE discomfort.

What signs can I look as far as muscle loss? I notice a distinct lack of fatty padding, but he does still have muscle.

Thank you for forwarding! Any help is appreciated!

 

[jajeanpierre]

I've seen some pretty beat up animals that were imported. Unless they are expensive--and a Mellers is a cheap lizard in Tanzania--they are not well taken care of prior to export. They are a mess. My group of 9 wild caughts that were imported a year ago or more all still show all the marks and injuries from capture. It breaks my heart. One I just bought from another breeder was quite small at import but you can see the results of a fractured front leg and I just noticed he has a caved in rib cage on one side where someone must have broken his ribs grabbing him. All the rubs and marks are still there a year later.

One other caution: a wild caught who is doing very well in one place can crash and die when moved, even if it is only to the cage next to the one they were doing well in. They are really a lot trickier.

 

[Bryonier]

I must admit... this sounds significantly more daunting than I had thought (and I don't mean to downplay how much effort I knew I was getting into). I hope he's okay. If he's angry, that's fine. I would be, too. I just want him to live. I don't know how people can be so cruel.

Good to note about the aversion to change. I'll keep that in mind as I get him set up.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thank you for this info. The kid insisted that he had had Pascal for two years. But he also insisted that they can live for 40 years so... I don't know what to believe. I hope he's not wild caught or infested with parasites. I am in the habit of quarantining new pets but... oi... This guy is already so mangled. I hate to think he's any MORE discomfort.

What signs can I look as far as muscle loss? I notice a distinct lack of fatty padding, but he does still have muscle.

Thank you for forwarding! Any help is appreciated!

It is my understanding that almost all Melleri are wild caughts. The broken tail is a pretty classic injury of a wild caught. Is his horn broken or bent? Does he have black marks/swellings on the points of his spine? A nose rub? The black marks are injuries and they might be quite old.

The vet is the best one to evaluate his kidney status. Kidney failure is insidious and likely not treatable. It isn't usually complete failure, but more that the kidneys can't keep up with the body so toxins build up. Hydration is critical and can buy you time but having dealt with a few old animals with kidney failure, I would now simply euthanize when the animal started to get sick. They feel really unwell.

 

[Bryonier]

I hadn't even realized it until you mentioned it, but he has no horn. It appears to have been rubbed off. Assuming that there is no liver damage, do you think the black marks will get better? The only concernably large mark is bewteen his tail base and leg, not on any bone portion. I thought it might be something left over from a poo bu it's a bit off-center.

I hope euthanasia isn't the elected solution... I don't know if I could do that to him. I don't want to see him suffer but I just don't like the idea of giving up on him.

 

[Bryonier]

I finally got some pictures. I apologize for their quality. I'm scrambling, trying to get everything together for him.

 

[Carlton]

Thank you for this info. The kid insisted that he had had Pascal for two years. But he also insisted that they can live for 40 years so... I don't know what to believe. I hope he's not wild caught or infested with parasites. I am in the habit of quarantining new pets but... oi... This guy is already so mangled. I hate to think he's any MORE discomfort.

What signs can I look as far as muscle loss? I notice a distinct lack of fatty padding, but he does still have muscle.

Thank you for forwarding! Any help is appreciated!

There's no way he owned it for 2 years if that was the condition it was in! There is muscle on him as you said. Looks like a very neglected import to me. If such a clueless owner had him for 2 years I would expect to see serious MBD as well. Its been a long time since I've seen such a depleted adult. No chameleon lives for 40 years. Ignore everything that stupid kid said. Obviously heartless and inhuman.

I have brought back a couple of chams in this shape, but it took weeks of 2-3 times a day syringe rehydration, daily syringe feeding using mashed insects (mashing up the softer bodied types mixing with water), and patience. All you can do for this little thing is re-hydrate, provide proper temp, humidity and lighting, feed whatever he shows interest in, be patient, and wait. I would not load him up with medications unless they are directly necessary. Subcutaneous fluids might help. Don't inject near the hips...use the shoulder. When you figure out where you are going to keep him (cage?) you might set up some sort of hammock or nest of crossed branches so he can rest himself without using energy to grip a perch. IMHO, If one of my rescues doesn't respond to water, food, light or heat and crouches in the same place just shut down that tells me it might be kindest to put him out of his misery.

I don't think you would need to use major quarantine, just separate setup and do your chores around your other herps first, then handle this guy and clean your hands etc afterward. He doesn't look "sick" in the contagious or infectious sense, just neglected and starved. Yes I'm sure he has parasites, but treating for them right now will probably kill him. When you see a fecal take it to your vet for analysis. If he survives you can treat later.

Glad I am not anywhere close to the kid who gave him to you...I might not be responsible for my behavior.

 

[jpowell86]

Hello Bryonier.

Jajeanpierre sent me a PM about this thread. This poor guy is in rough shape for sure. I have dealt with my fair share of imported melleri and I am going to tell you right off the bat that the only way you will have success is with hydration and tender care. I was reading some of the responses above, and I saw where @Carlton was explaining how important hydration is in melleri. Don't take that lightly.

I am going to be 100% honest with you....if he makes it, it will be miraculous. Melleri stress very easily. This on top of his health conditions just make for a terrible scenario. I am in no way saying to give up...because I wouldn't. I have seen recoveries that I don't even understand, so there is always a chance. My advice would be keep him in an area with no visual stressors. The post directly before this where Carlton was speaking about syringe use and mashed insects....I completely stand behind all of that advice. She has had Melleri and she knows the struggles of getting them back on track.

Yes....please do not treat for parasites. I have many Melleri and that is the last item on the list. Hydration, stabilization and acclimation all come first before putting them through the ringer with medications of that strength.

This is a fabulous forum for help. I live in Texas as well. Do you have a good vet that you know? Please PM if you need any help. I would be glad to do what I can. They are my favorite species and I hate seeing one in this shape.

Glad I am not anywhere close to the kid who gave him to you...I might not be responsible for my behavior

That's the truth!

 

[Andee]

I don't know much about meller's except for what I've read. I've never kept any, but they are an amazing species and I am hoping with all my heart that he/she bounces back for you. That he/she makes an amazing recovery and shows you how awesome a Melleri truly can be. I feel so bad for imports, they are treated so poorly, especially the Melleri, people buy them and don't understand them AT ALL. They aren't exactly the easiest chameleon and don't take mistakes well.

 

[kinyonga]

If you're still at work, do you have a large deep carton or plastic tote? You could put the chameleon in either (without the lid) for now. If you have a desk light with a regular household incandescent light bulb in it you could put it over the box or tote to give it some warmth.