Sick? Back legs weak? Help! :(

[Addie t.]

I purchased a female veiled chameleon not to long ago, at the time she was around 8 months so now she should be around 1/2 years old. She gets fed a diet of around 10 crickets everyday, I put a calcium power on them and feed the crickets vitamin fortified goop stuff. Misted at least 2-3 times a day, droppings show that she is not dehydrated. She knows what plant she drinks from but has seem to forgotten that place? She has always seemed healthy and happy and the only times she gets dark and stressed when I’m working in her cage cleaning.

just recently she doesn’t seem to be moving around as much, I have caught her a couple times even just hanging by her front or back legs like she’s given up.

she seems very lethargic and usually has a certain path she takes around the cage but has seem to forgotten it and moving seems very awkward now.

she reaches around looking for branches, not taking her normal path and now when she can’t find them she either grabs ahold of herself or just gives up.

I don’t think she is egg bound and she isn’t bloated and I believed spayed. I’m afraid it might be that mbd (or however) disease but her leg aren’t curvy (I read that was a defining factor of the disease)

I will add photos tomorrow as it is 4am but I am deeply concerned with her and this is a very abnormal and sudden change .

 

[kinyonga]

Can't tell you much until you post the photos....but could very well be MBD by the sounds of it.

 

[Addie t.]

Here are the photos, looking at her now her legs do seem a bit curvy. I’m not sure what to do from here as our vet is closed from this corona virus stuff going on

 

[JacksJill]

That is what MBD looks like. You need to buy liquid calcium and get him into some full sunlight at least 20 minutes a day. I'm sure there are many other husbandry issues to be addressed.

 

[PabloTheCham]

This is very severe MBD, and that does not happen overnight, you should have caught that months ago.

 

[Gingero]

Awww poor baby. Those are some very curvy legs. All I can do is help address husbandry issues. When you get a chance, please answer these questions in as much detail as possible and post pics of her entire enclosure.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

 

[kinyonga]

Please be very specific when you answer the questions Gingero has asked you to answer. Give brand names and types of supplements...do they have D3 in them or prEformed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl, retinal)? Phosphorous? How often do you use each one of them?
What are the brands of the UVB light and is it the curly type or long linear tube light, etc. Is the basking light a white light or colored? Are the lights all off at night?

 

[Addie t.]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Female veiled chameleon around 1 1/2 old, have had in my care for around 8 months
• handling- max 2 times a week, she’s very grumpy sometimes
  
  
• Feeding - 10 crickets a day, I have this yellow, jello looking, substance which keeps the crickets hydrated and is calcium fortified i also have this mega meal worms I feed her
• Supplements - Repti calcium by zoo med, she doesn’t seem to like the dusted crickets very much but will still go after them if she gets too hungry. I feed her some twice a week.
• Watering - I spray the whole cage first usually takes around 2 minutes then I spray the chameleon, she recoils from Me spraying her but i know it’s what she needs I spray her at least 2 times a day, sometimes my parents will go in there and spray her as well. I sometimes see her drink but my parents see her drink often according to them
• Fecal Description - the large brown poo part then slightly yellow to white urait?(Donno how it’s spelled)
• History - I purchased her at a reptile expo when she was around 8 months old, little information was given to me other than her age and sex, she was quite energetic, which was originally what drew me to her so this behavioral change of her being lethargic and weak was concerning

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - I have connected 2 screen cages together, them both having a combined dimension of about 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3
• lighting- I’m using the lights provided by the cage; I’m unaware if one is a night bulb or not, because there are 2 bulbs in the one light shield and they both turn on by one button. One has a yellow hue and the other a blue/white
• 
  
  
• Temperature - she has a 80- 90 degree basking spot, and the lowest the temp goes in the day is around 78 and at night around 72-70 I measure these using 2 digital thermometers
• Humidity - I don’t have a specific number for these levels? But I have 2 humidity readers on each side of the cage and it has green yellow and red, for a chameleon the package said to keep it in the green. I maintain this by manually spraying the water
• Plants - I am not using live plants yet but and purchasing some
• Placement - There is a fan near the cage but not pointing towards the cage there is an air vent near the cage but the cage stand covers that up and we do not live in a high traffic area the cage is on a 2 foot shelf
• Location - I live in the middle of the lower peninsula Michigan

[/QUOTE]

 

[kinyonga]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Female veiled chameleon around 1 1/2 old, have had in my care for around 8 months
• handling- max 2 times a week, she’s very grumpy sometimes
  Has she ever laid eggs?
• Feeding - 10 crickets a day, I have this yellow, jello looking, substance which keeps the crickets hydrated and is calcium fortified i also have this mega meal worms I feed her the crickets and superworms, roaches and locusts should be fed dandelion greens, kale, endive, mustard greens, escarole, collards, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, and a tiny bit of fruit such as apples, pears, mango, berries, melon. You're feeding her too much....and she only needs to be fed every second or third day. Overfeeding leads to obesity (of course) and in chameleons, producing big clutches and MBD and even prolapses.
• Supplements - Repti calcium by zoo med, she doesn’t seem to like the dusted crickets very much but will still go after them if she gets too hungry. I feed her some twice a week. A phos free calcium powder should be dusted lightly on the insects at each feeding but four a month. Every second week on a day that you won't be using the calcium, the insects should be dusted with a phos free calcium/D3 powder and on the ore 2 days every second week they should be dusted with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A.
• Watering - I spray the whole cage first usually takes around 2 minutes then I spray the chameleon, she recoils from Me spraying her but i know it’s what she needs I spray her at least 2 times a day, sometimes my parents will go in there and spray her as well. I sometimes see her drink but my parents see her drink often according to them Don't spray water on her directly...as you can see, she doesn't like it.
• Fecal Description - the large brown poo part then slightly yellow to white urait?(Donno how it’s spelled) urates...you did pretty good with it!
• History - I purchased her at a reptile expo when she was around 8 months old, little information was given to me other than her age and sex, she was quite energetic, which was originally what drew me to her so this behavioral change of her being lethargic and weak was concerning

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - I have connected 2 screen cages together, them both having a combined dimension of about 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3
• lighting- I’m using the lights provided by the cage; I’m unaware if one is a night bulb or not, because there are 2 bulbs in the one light shield and they both turn on by one button. One has a yellow hue and the other a blue/white it's recommended that you use a regular incandescent household bulb of a wattage that puts the basking area in the low 80'sF and a long linear reptisun 5.0 tube UVB light. Quite likely she hasn't been getting enough UVB. Also...no lights at night....right??
• Temperature - she has a 80- 90 degree basking spot, and the lowest the temp goes in the day is around 78 and at night around 72-70 I measure these using 2 digital thermometers
• Humidity - I don’t have a specific number for these levels? But I have 2 humidity readers on each side of the cage and it has green yellow and red, for a chameleon the package said to keep it in the green. I maintain this by manually spraying the water
• Plants - I am not using live plants yet but and purchasing some
• Placement - There is a fan near the cage but not pointing towards the cage there is an air vent near the cage but the cage stand covers that up and we do not live in a high traffic area the cage is on a 2 foot shelf
• Location - I live in the middle of the lower peninsula Michgan

She has really bad MBD and needs liquid calcium to help correct it as well as proper supplements, proper UVB, proper temperatures, and well fed healthy insects to help her recover. Her arms and legs won't likely ever be straight again but you can get her bones string again. Also, since she's a female she need some laybin in her cage because she can lay eggs without having a mate.

Please post some photos of al of her.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

A few of those are full on breaks, not just curves.

To help you understand:

 

[Addie t.]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Female veiled chameleon around 1 1/2 old, have had in my care for around 8 months
• handling- max 2 times a week, she’s very grumpy sometimes
  Has she ever laid eggs?
• Feeding - 10 crickets a day, I have this yellow, jello looking, substance which keeps the crickets hydrated and is calcium fortified i also have this mega meal worms I feed her the crickets and superworms, roaches and locusts should be fed dandelion greens, kale, endive, mustard greens, escarole, collards, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, and a tiny bit of fruit such as apples, pears, mango, berries, melon. You're feeding her too much....and she only needs to be fed every second or third day. Overfeeding leads to obesity (of course) and in chameleons, producing big clutches and MBD and even prolapses.
• Supplements - Repti calcium by zoo med, she doesn’t seem to like the dusted crickets very much but will still go after them if she gets too hungry. I feed her some twice a week. A phos free calcium powder should be dusted lightly on the insects at each feeding but four a month. Every second week on a day that you won't be using the calcium, the insects should be dusted with a phos free calcium/D3 powder and on the ore 2 days every second week they should be dusted with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A.
• Watering - I spray the whole cage first usually takes around 2 minutes then I spray the chameleon, she recoils from Me spraying her but i know it’s what she needs I spray her at least 2 times a day, sometimes my parents will go in there and spray her as well. I sometimes see her drink but my parents see her drink often according to them Don't spray water on her directly...as you can see, she doesn't like it.
• Fecal Description - the large brown poo part then slightly yellow to white urait?(Donno how it’s spelled) urates...you did pretty good with it!
• History - I purchased her at a reptile expo when she was around 8 months old, little information was given to me other than her age and sex, she was quite energetic, which was originally what drew me to her so this behavioral change of her being lethargic and weak was concerning

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - I have connected 2 screen cages together, them both having a combined dimension of about 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3
• lighting- I’m using the lights provided by the cage; I’m unaware if one is a night bulb or not, because there are 2 bulbs in the one light shield and they both turn on by one button. One has a yellow hue and the other a blue/white it's recommended that you use a regular incandescent household bulb of a wattage that puts the basking area in the low 80'sF and a long linear reptisun 5.0 tube UVB light. Quite likely she hasn't been getting enough UVB. Also...no lights at night....right??
• Temperature - she has a 80- 90 degree basking spot, and the lowest the temp goes in the day is around 78 and at night around 72-70 I measure these using 2 digital thermometers
• Humidity - I don’t have a specific number for these levels? But I have 2 humidity readers on each side of the cage and it has green yellow and red, for a chameleon the package said to keep it in the green. I maintain this by manually spraying the water
• Plants - I am not using live plants yet but and purchasing some
• Placement - There is a fan near the cage but not pointing towards the cage there is an air vent near the cage but the cage stand covers that up and we do not live in a high traffic area the cage is on a 2 foot shelf
• Location - I live in the middle of the lower peninsula Michgan

She has really bad MBD and needs liquid calcium to help correct it as well as proper supplements, proper UVB, proper temperatures, and well fed healthy insects to help her recover. Her arms and legs won't likely ever be straight again but you can get her bones string again. Also, since she's a female she need some laybin in her cage because she can lay eggs without having a mate.

Please post some photos of al of her.

I have just purchased new lighting for her, 10.0 uvb and 5.0 uvb, as well as phosphorus free calcium powder. I have tried feeding her veggies in the past but she has had no interest. I also have moved her into a different container so she doesn’t fall. I have liquid calcium to give her now as well. She hasn’t laid eggs yet

 

[Addie t.]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Female veiled chameleon around 1 1/2 old, have had in my care for around 8 months
• handling- max 2 times a week, she’s very grumpy sometimes
  Has she ever laid eggs?
• Feeding - 10 crickets a day, I have this yellow, jello looking, substance which keeps the crickets hydrated and is calcium fortified i also have this mega meal worms I feed her the crickets and superworms, roaches and locusts should be fed dandelion greens, kale, endive, mustard greens, escarole, collards, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, and a tiny bit of fruit such as apples, pears, mango, berries, melon. You're feeding her too much....and she only needs to be fed every second or third day. Overfeeding leads to obesity (of course) and in chameleons, producing big clutches and MBD and even prolapses.
• Supplements - Repti calcium by zoo med, she doesn’t seem to like the dusted crickets very much but will still go after them if she gets too hungry. I feed her some twice a week. A phos free calcium powder should be dusted lightly on the insects at each feeding but four a month. Every second week on a day that you won't be using the calcium, the insects should be dusted with a phos free calcium/D3 powder and on the ore 2 days every second week they should be dusted with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A.
• Watering - I spray the whole cage first usually takes around 2 minutes then I spray the chameleon, she recoils from Me spraying her but i know it’s what she needs I spray her at least 2 times a day, sometimes my parents will go in there and spray her as well. I sometimes see her drink but my parents see her drink often according to them Don't spray water on her directly...as you can see, she doesn't like it.
• Fecal Description - the large brown poo part then slightly yellow to white urait?(Donno how it’s spelled) urates...you did pretty good with it!
• History - I purchased her at a reptile expo when she was around 8 months old, little information was given to me other than her age and sex, she was quite energetic, which was originally what drew me to her so this behavioral change of her being lethargic and weak was concerning

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - I have connected 2 screen cages together, them both having a combined dimension of about 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3
• lighting- I’m using the lights provided by the cage; I’m unaware if one is a night bulb or not, because there are 2 bulbs in the one light shield and they both turn on by one button. One has a yellow hue and the other a blue/white it's recommended that you use a regular incandescent household bulb of a wattage that puts the basking area in the low 80'sF and a long linear reptisun 5.0 tube UVB light. Quite likely she hasn't been getting enough UVB. Also...no lights at night....right??
• Temperature - she has a 80- 90 degree basking spot, and the lowest the temp goes in the day is around 78 and at night around 72-70 I measure these using 2 digital thermometers
• Humidity - I don’t have a specific number for these levels? But I have 2 humidity readers on each side of the cage and it has green yellow and red, for a chameleon the package said to keep it in the green. I maintain this by manually spraying the water
• Plants - I am not using live plants yet but and purchasing some
• Placement - There is a fan near the cage but not pointing towards the cage there is an air vent near the cage but the cage stand covers that up and we do not live in a high traffic area the cage is on a 2 foot shelf
• Location - I live in the middle of the lower peninsula Michgan

She has really bad MBD and needs liquid calcium to help correct it as well as proper supplements, proper UVB, proper temperatures, and well fed healthy insects to help her recover. Her arms and legs won't likely ever be straight again but you can get her bones string again. Also, since she's a female she need some laybin in her cage because she can lay eggs without having a mate.

Please post some photos of al of her.

The last photo is her worst leg

 

[Addie t.]

That is what MBD looks like. You need to buy liquid calcium and get him into some full sunlight at least 20 minutes a day. I'm sure there are many other husbandry issues to be addressed.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Female veiled chameleon around 1 1/2 old, have had in my care for around 8 months
• handling- max 2 times a week, she’s very grumpy sometimes
  Has she ever laid eggs?
• Feeding - 10 crickets a day, I have this yellow, jello looking, substance which keeps the crickets hydrated and is calcium fortified i also have this mega meal worms I feed her the crickets and superworms, roaches and locusts should be fed dandelion greens, kale, endive, mustard greens, escarole, collards, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, and a tiny bit of fruit such as apples, pears, mango, berries, melon. You're feeding her too much....and she only needs to be fed every second or third day. Overfeeding leads to obesity (of course) and in chameleons, producing big clutches and MBD and even prolapses.
• Supplements - Repti calcium by zoo med, she doesn’t seem to like the dusted crickets very much but will still go after them if she gets too hungry. I feed her some twice a week. A phos free calcium powder should be dusted lightly on the insects at each feeding but four a month. Every second week on a day that you won't be using the calcium, the insects should be dusted with a phos free calcium/D3 powder and on the ore 2 days every second week they should be dusted with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A.
• Watering - I spray the whole cage first usually takes around 2 minutes then I spray the chameleon, she recoils from Me spraying her but i know it’s what she needs I spray her at least 2 times a day, sometimes my parents will go in there and spray her as well. I sometimes see her drink but my parents see her drink often according to them Don't spray water on her directly...as you can see, she doesn't like it.
• Fecal Description - the large brown poo part then slightly yellow to white urait?(Donno how it’s spelled) urates...you did pretty good with it!
• History - I purchased her at a reptile expo when she was around 8 months old, little information was given to me other than her age and sex, she was quite energetic, which was originally what drew me to her so this behavioral change of her being lethargic and weak was concerning

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - I have connected 2 screen cages together, them both having a combined dimension of about 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3
• lighting- I’m using the lights provided by the cage; I’m unaware if one is a night bulb or not, because there are 2 bulbs in the one light shield and they both turn on by one button. One has a yellow hue and the other a blue/white it's recommended that you use a regular incandescent household bulb of a wattage that puts the basking area in the low 80'sF and a long linear reptisun 5.0 tube UVB light. Quite likely she hasn't been getting enough UVB. Also...no lights at night....right??
• Temperature - she has a 80- 90 degree basking spot, and the lowest the temp goes in the day is around 78 and at night around 72-70 I measure these using 2 digital thermometers
• Humidity - I don’t have a specific number for these levels? But I have 2 humidity readers on each side of the cage and it has green yellow and red, for a chameleon the package said to keep it in the green. I maintain this by manually spraying the water
• Plants - I am not using live plants yet but and purchasing some
• Placement - There is a fan near the cage but not pointing towards the cage there is an air vent near the cage but the cage stand covers that up and we do not live in a high traffic area the cage is on a 2 foot shelf
• Location - I live in the middle of the lower peninsula Michgan

She has really bad MBD and needs liquid calcium to help correct it as well as proper supplements, proper UVB, proper temperatures, and well fed healthy insects to help her recover. Her arms and legs won't likely ever be straight again but you can get her bones string again. Also, since she's a female she need some laybin in her cage because she can lay eggs without having a mate.

Please post some photos of al of her.

I have her some liquid calcium and it is comming out of her nose??

 

[JacksJill]

If you are going to force feed it it has to go directly down the throat not just in the mouth.

Medications & Veterinary Care there is instruction on how to give meds in this link.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I have her some liquid calcium and it is comming out of her nose??

Then you got it in her lungs.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

She hasn’t laid eggs yet

100% egg bound and dying.

Respectfully, she will never lay eggs on her own, way past that point. Only a vet can save her.

 

[kinyonga]

You said.."I have tried feeding her veggies in the past but she has had no interest"...I didn't say to feed her the bveggies and greens...I said feed them to the insects. (However the chameleon could eat them if she wanted to).

I think @Brodybreaux25 is right ....she's never going to be able to lay the eggs. She needs a vet.
Good luck with her!