Sick veiled girl

[aduesler93]

My 3 year old veiled has recently become sick and I can’t figure out what’s wrong with her. She is pale, closes her eyes during the day and when eating has trouble with using her tounge. She still has an appetite to eat and will come to me food. I don’t have a local vet anymore that will see reptiles.
We did replace her UVB bulb about a week ago because it was older than 6 months and twice a month her food gets dusted with D3 and a multivitamin.
She has always been slightly small as I got her as a baby from an unhealthy pet store situation but it is clear she has lost weight as well. How can I help her?

 

[Ghostbirb]

My 3 year old veiled has recently become sick and I can’t figure out what’s wrong with her. She is pale, closes her eyes during the day and when eating has trouble with using her tounge. She still has an appetite to eat and will come to me food. I don’t have a local vet anymore that will see reptiles.
We did replace her UVB bulb about a week ago because it was older than 6 months and twice a month her food gets dusted with D3 and a multivitamin.
She has always been slightly small as I got her as a baby from an unhealthy pet store situation but it is clear she has lost weight as well. How can I help her?

Are you able to share any photos of her?

 

[Beman]

When did she lay eggs last and how many did she lay? Also you would want to use calcium without D3 not the with D3 version. they can be overdosed on calcium with D3. If your multivitamin has D3 in it then you would use that 2 times a month only. But all other feedings would have calcium without D3.

 

[aduesler93]

I'm at work and can post photos later.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • female, about 3 years old, I have had her about 3 years, purchased as a baby from a pet store that was not caring for her properly
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • 1-2x a week, whenever she is feeling like it, I try to bring her outside for 10-20 minutes a time at least once a week when the weather is okay for natural sunlight
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • primarily crickets (5 per feeding) with some BSFL or waxworks mixed in, every 2 days dusted with calcium, 2x/month dusted with calc. with D3, 2x/month dusted with multivitamin
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • zoomed calcium every feeding, flukers calcium with D3 2x/month and reptivite multivitamin with A 2x/month
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • automatic mister, 1 minutes in AM, 1 minute mid day, and 1 minute right before lights turn off at night
  • also have a dripper that slow drips throughout the week
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  
  • until last week her feces have been healthy, wet large brown with some white
  • seems to have not gone to the bathroom much at all over past 2 weeks, I can only find one noticeable brown poo on bottom of cage, may be others in plants but nothing significant
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
  • she has always been small for a veiled, she was not properly cared for as a baby until I bought her
  • she has never laid eggs or shown receptive colors or signs, I am very worried about egg laying and have studied and paid attention to signs I need to prepare for but it has not happened.
  • about 2 years ago she was struggling with some breathing and low weight, I brought her to vet who determined she had a bacterial issue, she was on an antibiotic and probiotic and healed up well and Gained some weight

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • 24x48 reptibreeze screen
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • zoomed T5 UVB, heat bulb (can't remember right now but it was the suggested one on this page), 12 on 12 off for UVB, 8 on for heat lamp
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • overnight goes down to about 64
  • highest basking point during day is around 85-90 with a lot of areas for shade and cooler temps throughout the cage
  • we have a probe thermometer and a temp gun that I have used
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • maintain humidity with periodic misting and natural plants, I live in Florida so there is also some humidity in the air naturally
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • 3 live pathos plants mounted in cage, various sizes to fill most of the cage space
• 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?
  • cage is about 3.5 feet up off floor, there is a partially closed ac/heat vent about a foot away that we have directed away from cage
• Location - Where are you geographically located?
  • NW Florida

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

 

[aduesler93]

When did she lay eggs last and how many did she lay? Also you would want to use calcium without D3 not the with D3 version. they can be overdosed on calcium with D3. If your multivitamin has D3 in it then you would use that 2 times a month only. But all other feedings would have calcium without D3.

she has never laid eggs or shown any signs that she is receptive. I have studied and prepared myself they have just not come.
I use calcium without D3 for regular feedings, a multivitamin without D3 2x/month, and a calcium with D3 2x/month

 

[aduesler93]

she has never laid eggs or shown any signs that she is receptive. I have studied and prepared myself they have just not come.
I use calcium without D3 for regular feedings, a multivitamin without D3 2x/month, and a calcium with D3 2x/month

Sorry I realized the initial post about dusting was not clear! I also added the chameleon info sheet as well.

 

[Beman]

Can you please post pics of her currently so we can see her physical condition?

 

[Beman]

highest basking point during day is around 85-90 with a lot of areas for shade and cooler temps throughout the cage

So this would be far too hot. 80-85 is the max even for a male. 80 would be your basking temp for a female.

Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?

• zoomed calcium every feeding, flukers calcium with D3 2x/month and reptivite multivitamin with A 2x/month

The supplements your using can you confirm if your reptivite is the with D3 version or does it say without D3?

 

[kinyonga]

What form of vitamin A is in the vitamin powder? Beta carotene or retinol?

 

[Beman]

What form of vitamin A is in the vitamin powder? Beta carotene or retinol?

Reptivite is retinol

 

[aduesler93]

So this would be far too hot. 80-85 is the max even for a male. 80 would be your basking temp for a female.

The supplements your using can you confirm if your reptivite is the with D3 version or does it say without D3?

Without D3

 

[aduesler93]

Not the greatest angle but I don’t want to stress her out making her move. I’ve caught her in the middle of hunting a stray cricket. Still moving around and eating like I said but more pale, losing weight and I’ve found her with her eyes closed mid day.

 

[Ghostbirb]

View attachment 358304
Not the greatest angle but I don’t want to stress her out making her move. I’ve caught her in the middle of hunting a stray cricket. Still moving around and eating like I said but more pale, losing weight and I’ve found her with her eyes closed mid day.

She’s not looking to great, and her eyes are pretty sunken in. I’m sorry if someone has already asked this but she hasn’t shown any receptive activity? No going down to the bottom of the enclosure? Cause I do believe I see some possible receptive patterns, they look similar to my girls with those dark brown splotches.

My worry is she may be egg bound. If no one has shared it already, here is the vet list. https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachments/chameleon-forums-vet-list-2024-u-s-a-pdf.353636/

 

[Beman]

View attachment 358304
Not the greatest angle but I don’t want to stress her out making her move. I’ve caught her in the middle of hunting a stray cricket. Still moving around and eating like I said but more pale, losing weight and I’ve found her with her eyes closed mid day.

Additionally her eyes being so sunk in and her body is showing the same signs. She is either extremely dehydrated or very sick. My concern as well would be eggbound. This would require a vet trip and an xray to find out.