Sick Senegal Chameleon

[dan1mals]

Hello,

I am a new user but I have had my Senegal for somewhere around a year and a half and everything has been fine. Yesterday I began noticing lack of movement and a want to be at the bottom of the cage. I am unaware if it is a male or female but I have presumed male due to lack of egg-laying. I have never had any trouble with him/her and I am hoping I can save and rehabilitate him/her. He/she has a brownish/green skin at the moment and accepted water I force fed him/her. Hasn't eaten in a few days either. I would really appreciate any help from anyone who has any ideas. I just really want him to get through this and become healthy again. However, there are no exotic animal vets in my area so I have a lack of information on how to help. Thank you to anyone giving time to help me out. Have a great day!

 

[xraygirl]

Fill this form out, be as detailed as possible.

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?


Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[carol5208]

Pics of your chameleon and enclosure are always helpful. Someone should be able to tell you if it a male or female also. Senegals are a little trickier to sex than some of the other species though.

 

[dan1mals]

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Sex unknown, 2-3 years in age, I have had it for 1.5 years.
Handling - A fair amount, does not seem to mind, actually prefers to come out to my hand.
Feeding - I am feeding it 3 crickets a day about every two days, feeding the crickets flukers orange cube diet.
Supplements - exoterra vitamin d3 liquid
Watering - Mist every day, with reptisafe solute and water.
Fecal Description - Yellow and grey, slimy.
History - Typically healthy until now.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - Glass walls with cage ceiling, I would say 16Wx16Lx24H
Lighting - Exoterra 125W Solarglo
Temperature - 65-90F with lowest at 65. and I have a thermometer in the cage.
Humidity - 50-90% humidity, misting every day with real plants to help maintain humidity
Plants - ponytail palm and dracaeneus.
Placement - High off the floor on a night stand, by multiple windows and nothing by it really besides my bed.
Location - central ohio


Current Problem - It will not move very much and has not openned eyes in a couple days. Brownish and Green in color, I would say color has been fairly normal besides when I picked him up it turned very dark which is unusual. I have force fed water but it will not do anything really on its own.

 

[dan1mals]

Here is a picture of it, tell me if you want a more detailed or upclose one.

 

[carol5208]

I have never owned a Senegal but can tell you a few things from what I have learned on this forum about them. As far as I know, Senegals do not have tarsal spurs on their back feet which would distinguish a male so they are sexed by the their tail/vent area. The tail on yours seems thin to me, so I am going to say female. I was thinking she could have eggs, but she sure does not look fat in anyway. When was the last time you changed out your uvb bulb? Also, giving artificial d3 in large quantities can eventually take its toll on their health. What you have been feeding him/her is not a very good varied diet. Also, what you are feeing your crickets is not very nutrional as opposed to other avenues out there in commercial gutload and fresh fruits and vegetables. Poor diet, over supplementing of d3 and inadequate gutloading could all add to her current condition. Those are just some possibilities. She could have parasites. Do you have a laying bin in the cage for her to lay eggs in the event she does have eggs? Hopefully someone more experienced in sexing Senegals(Trace, where are you?) and can tell you the sex for sure so you can atleast rule out eggs. Bottom line is, your chameleon is not in good shape if its eyes have been closed and you are having to forcefeed. I would get her/him to the vet and if possible get a fecal done if it poops. You can get bloodwork done to see if levels are unbalanced and also get xrays to check for eggs if it is deemed a female. Where are you located? We might be able to help you find a vet in your area.

 

[Scoobthenoob]

Vet or death.

You must get a vet to him/her asap, I fear the stress of taking to a vet will be to much.

This is just my unqualified opinion on the matter.

 

[kinyonga]

Looks like it may have MBD. Can you post another picture of it from the side so I can see the legs more clearly? Judging from your husbandry this is likely at least part of the problem.

Is the light on your cage a UVB light? Is the light on its cage passing through glass or plastic? If the chameleon does not get exposure to the UVB or enough D3 from supplements to make up for it along with enough calcium it will end up with MBD. (however...it should be producing the D3 from its exposure to the UVB rather than from supplements since too much D3 from supplements can lead to MBD too.

For good bone health the calcium, phosphorous, D3 and vitamin A have to be in balance.

You should improve your feeding/gutloading of the insects. You can feed crickets, roaches, locusts, superworms with a wide assortment of greens such as collards, escarole, endive, dandelion greens, kale, etc and veggies such as carrots, sweet red pepper, squash,zucchini, sweet potato, etc.

You should be dusting the insects before feeding them to the chameleon with a phosphorous - free calcium powder at most feedings to make up for the usually poor ratio of calcium to phosphorous found in most feeder insects.

Dusting with a phosphorous - free calcium D3 powder twice a month will ensure that the chameleon gets some D3 without overdosing it and leaving the chameleon to produce the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB.

It's also recommended that you dust twice a month with a vitamin powder that contains a beta carotene (prOformed) source of vitamin A. PrOformed sources of vitamin A cannot build up in the system and lead to overdoses as prEformed sources can.

Three crickets every second day is not enough....and they need to drink well every day too.

To correct Mbd you need to act quickly to increase its calcium levels by giving it some liquid calcium sandoz or gluconate every day until it's blood levels are good again. Ease it in...don't SQUIRT it in. It really should see a vet to confirm the MBD and start the treatment off.

 

[Trace]

I have never owned a Senegal but can tell you a few things from what I have learned on this forum about them. As far as I know, Senegals do not have tarsal spurs on their back feet which would distinguish a male so they are sexed by the their tail/vent area. The tail on yours seems thin to me, so I am going to say female.

You are correct Carol! Senegal Chameleons do not have a tarsal spur but a large hemipenal bulge. Otherwise the males and females are markedly similar in appearance.

Senegal Chameleons are almost always wild caught specimens and thus are fraught with a multitude of problems to a keeper. I have a blog made up for people attempting to acclimate these species. Considering you have had her for so long there may not be much to help you now but what you are seeing now may be stemming from low level dehydration, stress and malnutrition. She may also just be old too.

Your setup seems to be okay temperature, watering and humidity wise. However you’re feeding and gutloading could use some tweeking. I kept my Senegals like a Veiled but increased the waterings. They do seem to like being misted.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/trace/776-dealing-wild-caught-chameleon.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/

Unfortunately most of us will just guess at the problem. If you provide us with your location we can suggest a reptile veterinarian near you.

 

[Scoobthenoob]

Location Location Location

Yes I second that following my previous post...

Many people here can assist in finding a reptile specialist vet.

There are many lists out there, and many members will have used or trust a particular vet or know someone in your locale who uses one ...


I can see Trace is an expert, and whilst she is not as direct as myself..

I still say VET

 

[dan1mals]

Good news

I took your advice and went straight to the vet. Although they did not specify it was MBD, they gave me a syringe and some calcium glucosonate to give him orally for a couple of days. I will also feed him with the same technique until he shows some action and opens his eyes. He was also a little dehydrated presumably from not drinking anything in two days. Hopefully he will recover and I will put my best efforts into helping him recover. I am planning to change his diet as suggested but have a few questions. Am i supposed to let the insects eat the veggies like kale, sweet red peppers, etc. and then feed those insects to my chameleon after I dust them with calcium powder? But does anyone know where I could get other insects in bulk load like crickets? Also, which are preferred? I am also going to change the soil in the set up to give him a fresh habitat. Any other suggestions would be great, and thank you to all who helped me save him/her. How can I tell if it is a male or female?

 

[Trace]

As far as I know, Senegals do not have tarsal spurs on their back feet which would distinguish a male so they are sexed by the their tail/vent area. The tail on yours seems thin to me, so I am going to say female.

You are correct Carol! Senegal Chameleons do not have a tarsal spur but a large hemipenal bulge. Otherwise the males and females are markedly similar in appearance.

As stated earlier, you have a female.

 

[dan1mals]

Yes sorry about that, I had only skimmed through the responses before I replied and failed to see that until my second time through. But do they typically lay eggs often? I do not think mine has layed any since I have had it. I am getting a container with sand for laying eggs tomorrow but how do I know when she is pregnant?

 

[kinyonga]

In anyone's experience do unmated female Senegals lay eggs?? Mine never did.

 

[Trace]

In anyone's experience do unmated female Senegals lay eggs?? Mine never did.

Same! I don't know if that is the rule but they never did. Same deal for the Chamaeleo dilepis I kept.

My apologies if I sounded snarky dan1mals. I know you are worried about your chameleon and I was a little blunt.

 

[kinyonga]

I'd still like to see a couple more photos that show the legs.

 

[dan1mals]

Are these the type of pictures you wanted to see?

 

[dan1mals]

No worries, I didn't take it as rude. But she seems to be in a less responsive condition this morning. Her grip is almost non-existent but she let out a small cry when I (very gently) lifted her out of her cage to give her a dosage of calcium glucosonate and a lukewarm bath. She is currently on the ponytail palm leaves fairly close to the lamp and is a dark brown with some bright green spots. Is she brown because she is basking or should I adjust something? I have been misting almost triple what I would normally do at the start of my day. Hope everyone started their day off well!

 

[dan1mals]

She does not look to be in any better condition after her second dosage of .01 mL of calcium gluconate, two lukewarm water baths, .01 mL of insectivore supplement, and .005 mL of water. She has cried a few more times after her first one which leads me to believe she is alive but in pain. She is currently sitting in her cage and has almost no mobility at all and only occasionally shows a large respiration. I am hoping this is a good sign but I am not very sure on what I should do to ease the stress/pain as well as keep her from death. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Sorry for the multiple frantic posts, I am just worried and do not want to lose her.

 

[dan1mals]

Unfortunately, I am afraid that she did not make it. Her tongue was out and eyes finally opened as well as being very bright yellow/green around the perimeter of her body but dark black in the center. I hope I can take care of my future friends in a more proper fashion so I can keep them longer. Thank you all for your help and concern.