Sick Veiled Chameleon

morganm · Aug 26, 2018

Hi! I’m new here. My female veiled chameleon of almost two years, Pascal, stopped eating a few weeks ago and I was worried, but after consulting the Internet and seeing that there were a few harmless reasons (like that she was about to start molting), decided to give it a few days. I soon started to notice that she seemed lethargic and wasn’t climbing around her cage as much as she used to, and that her legs seemed swollen. Once again, I consulted the Internet, and metabolic bone disease seemed the most plausible self-diagnosis based on those three things, as well as that not all of her food had been properly gutloaded (I guess I missed that part in my chameleon care research). An “animal expert” in the family thought it was likely an infection, as MBD takes awhile to set it and I’ve only had her for about four months. Obviously, a vet appointment was needed. The vet also said it was an infection, and after two visits and two weeks on antibiotics (Orbax), she still isn’t eating and doesn’t look much better. She does seem a bit more energetic, and the vet tech said she still has a strong grip, which is a good sign. I’m still worried; how long should it take for the antibiotics to work, or could it have been a misdiagnosis? Pictures attached from today.

blue_cham · Aug 26, 2018

Since she appears to digging, she is readying for egg laying. Have you gone through an egg lay with her yet? I also am worried about MDB, her legs don't look right, and that means that she can develop issues during the egg lay like egg binding. Which is lethal, I'm not trying to scare you, but want to be honest. Can you post pictures of her resting on a branch, from the side, to see her legs better? Also copy and post this following form, it's a lot of info, but the forum members can check for areas that would lead to possible MDB.

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?