Lindasjackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
God bless you for giving this poor fellow a good home! I hope he isn’t in bad condition!
Thinking of rescuing this guy . . .
- Thread starter SueAndHerZoo
- Start date
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
He's home. He looks surprisingly good and even though I think he shut down on the way home in the box he went right for the food dish as soon as I got him into his temporary enclosure. I say "temporary" because it's the cage he came with which is WAY too small, but at least now there is a plant in there and several branches.
Here are photos.... as always I'm appreciative of any observations or comments.
Sue
Here are photos.... as always I'm appreciative of any observations or comments.
Sue
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Lindasjackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’m thinking he looks happier already! Good luck with him! I hope he does really well for you!
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
Thanks. I feel bad for the poor fella.... he has no idea why he's in a strange place with strange people looking at him. Hopefully within a week or two he'll feel like the trauma was worth it.
Sue
Sonny13
Chameleon Enthusiast
When I see what you´re doing he´s settled in within 48 hours
Eating is already a good sign, he also feels the love and good vibes that surrounds him now
Good you gave him a new and worthy home, enjoy him
Agree with this....
Could be some mild mbd... Looking at the forearms and the girth to them. I can not tell if this is all fat or if the bones are not quite right. Right elbow looks to possibly be swollen unless it is the angle of the image. Overall I am not seeing major external issues though which is good. Really watch your basking temps... He is a mature male and it is quite easy for them to get a thermal burn to the casque.
He is overweight... So you will need to put him on a diet with healthy feeders. Feeding 2-3 days a week only with 2-3 feeders each feeding. None larger than medium size. However get a fecal first and rule out any issues there. Right now feed every other day 3-4 feeders max. Then when you get the fecal back if he is clean drop back to the diet.
Need to get him to drop the extra weight. If his casque is that large then he has quite a bit of fat around his organs and this is where we worry about organ function.
He is overweight... So you will need to put him on a diet with healthy feeders. Feeding 2-3 days a week only with 2-3 feeders each feeding. None larger than medium size. However get a fecal first and rule out any issues there. Right now feed every other day 3-4 feeders max. Then when you get the fecal back if he is clean drop back to the diet.
Need to get him to drop the extra weight. If his casque is that large then he has quite a bit of fat around his organs and this is where we worry about organ function.
Ambilobe123
Avid Member
I can’t tell from these photos, but is he missing part of his tail?
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
Thank you. I really wish and hope that reptiles can feel the energy and vibes around them. I'm thinking probably not, but one can hope.When I see what you´re doing he´s settled in within 48 hours
Eating is already a good sign, he also feels the love and good vibes that surrounds him now
Good you gave him a new and worthy home, enjoy him
Agree with this....
Sue
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
Trying not to bother him too much but here's two pics kinda showing the right elbow.
I'm guessing the yellow on his side is a sign of anger.... it got brighter the longer I stood to take a photo. What IS IT with phones that they hate so much!?!?
Sue
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Yeah he is just showing you who is boss. They will flash their colors to tell you to back off. Not necessarily out of anger just defense of their space.Trying not to bother him too much but here's two pics kinda showing the right elbow.
I'm guessing the yellow on his side is a sign of anger.... it got brighter the longer I stood to take a photo. What IS IT with phones that they hate so much!?!?
Sue
I am still thinking he has some MBD going on. Just ensure he has the right lighting now and supplement correctly.
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
I have no idea why that earlier photo showed such a stubby tail, he definitely has a long, functioning prehensile digit!
Regarding the weight, I'm assuming they, like us, burn calories by moving more? Hopefully when he gets into a cage that at least twice as big as the one he's been in he will move more and become active. He really has nowhere to go in the one he's been raised in. Limiting his food is going to be a challenge for me because I was hoping to use food as a means of getting him to trust me, but I'll try to cool it.
Regarding basking temperature, the light he came with is a dark purple/black light? Thankfully it doesn't emit any color but it does throw some heat. His new basking light will be the proper type and I'll be sure to not put any basking branches too close. I have a temperature gauge and a solarmeter so I can check fairly accurately.
Lastly (for now), the previous owner says he eats all types of fruits and vegetables. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I haven't given him any in the few hours I've had him, but should I? Would replacing some of his insects with veggies help the weight?
Sue
Regarding the weight, I'm assuming they, like us, burn calories by moving more? Hopefully when he gets into a cage that at least twice as big as the one he's been in he will move more and become active. He really has nowhere to go in the one he's been raised in. Limiting his food is going to be a challenge for me because I was hoping to use food as a means of getting him to trust me, but I'll try to cool it.
Regarding basking temperature, the light he came with is a dark purple/black light? Thankfully it doesn't emit any color but it does throw some heat. His new basking light will be the proper type and I'll be sure to not put any basking branches too close. I have a temperature gauge and a solarmeter so I can check fairly accurately.
Lastly (for now), the previous owner says he eats all types of fruits and vegetables. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I haven't given him any in the few hours I've had him, but should I? Would replacing some of his insects with veggies help the weight?
Sue
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
Not sure if I mentioned it previously but when asked what supplements/vitamins/calcium he had been given the owner replied "none". So he's got some catching up to do!
Sue
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
Is there any way to determine his age? When I picked him up yesterday I again asked if they knew his age. He said "he's young, I only had him about 6 months." Then when chatting later (owner actually texted to see how he's doing) I asked again about age. He said "maybe 2? I got him from a pet store and had him 6 months and I guess he was about 1 year old when I got him." Do pet stores usually sell adults? Anyway, I guess it doesn't matter too much but are there telltale signs of how to age a chameleon?
Sue
Sue
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hand feeding something like silkworms is a nice way to build up some trust. They are slow enough to stay in place while your cham decides whether it is safe enough to take the tasty treat.
When I put my veiled guy in a double sized enclosure, he actually has gained weight and gotten plump. I believe he now has more room to leisurely hunt his isopods. I don’t think he even realized they were there in the standard sized enclosure.
Feeding vegetable/plant matter isn’t needed at all. Give that to your feeders. Live bugs is all your guy needs, along with safe clean live plants in his enclosure for if he does feel like a nibble of plant matter.
So no this is not how it works. When they are overfed once mature there is very little food intake needed for bodily function so all the additional turns into fat which this guy already has too much. Once in a larger cage this does not mean they use more space. I have an above average sized enclosure and he does not move around any more then he would in a standard. You can hand feed him his meals on his eating days... but no extra or he will not thrive and will die from being overweight.
No feeding fruit and veg. They are insectivores and it has not been proven that they can actually digest or handle fruit. Utilize Veiled friendly plants. If he needs to munch leaves to aid in digestion he will.
No way to determine age other than to tell you he is a mature male. So over a year old for sure. from the weight he is holding the previous owner may be right with him being about 2 or under 2.
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
Thanks for all the info ..... I'm learning so much but also know I have SO MUCH MORE to learn, and am like a sponge. Every hobby I take on I completely throw myself into and become consumed by.
So does that mean he is not going to grow any larger? I never saw a mature male veiled but thought they were larger than this. And along that line, why are we always saying "bigger is better" for cages if they don't utilize the space? I am actually looking at a cage that is 4' wide x 2' deep x 4' tall but if he's not going to utilize and enjoy it, why take up that much space in my room? What's the point of always going as big as possible if they don't use it anyway?
Sue
So does that mean he is not going to grow any larger? I never saw a mature male veiled but thought they were larger than this. And along that line, why are we always saying "bigger is better" for cages if they don't utilize the space? I am actually looking at a cage that is 4' wide x 2' deep x 4' tall but if he's not going to utilize and enjoy it, why take up that much space in my room? What's the point of always going as big as possible if they don't use it anyway?
Sue
So it is not a matter of utilize... They do their perimeter checks and take advantage of the space. But they do not have to go great distances for meals like they do in the wild. This is where the difference is as far as space as a weight reduction tool not being effective. I prefer larger. Mine is the standard except 30 inches wide. I like that I can create better gradients. I had a 4x2x4 as well. My boy that was in it loved it. So yes to space being good and healthier for them. I mean it is the difference of you living in a studio vs a house. Same for them, bigger is always better.
He is done growing... A lot impacts their full growth potential. Genetics, husbandry in the first 9 months, MBD. My male is only 16 inches in total length, genetics being the factor here for growth potential.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have both of my males in double wide enclosures and they do seem to use and enjoy having all of the space. If my house were larger, I’d have my girls in double wides too.
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
SueAndHerZoo
Established Member
And, my new guy scored some great equipment tonight! I found a barely used Dragon Strand cage with all kinds of supplies and equipment! The couple purchased a chameleon, read all the data, ordered all the stuff that was suggested from their research, and then got bored with it after 2 months. Their loss, my win!
Sue
Sue
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