took in a sick chameleon

[ontheairship]

I got a call from a friend that someone had dumped a chameleon off at the animal hospital I used to work at, would I want it? Reluctantly I agreed to come get it on the way to work. When I got there I noticed he was in pretty bad shape. I was told the doctor thought he has a sinus infection and should be on antibiotics. Did he give it anything? No. Was he going to? Probably not, unless someone paid for it. I think the guy is an incredibly knowledgeable veterinarian, but he took an oath to make money...and help animals while doing so, that's why I don't work there anymore.

Anyway...I don't have alot of money right not so I said I would check with another friend as her chameleon had recenetly been sick and she might have some extra meds. She didn't and now the clinic is closed until Monday. If I can afford to pay for the meds, I will and do everything I can to save this guy, but I don't think the vet will even give me meds unless I bring him back in and I definitely cannot afford that!

Right now he's in an 18x12x20 mesh cage with a basking light, UVB light, fake branch and some plastic leaves. I got him to eat 1 small cricket from some tongs, but I basically had to put it in his open mouth. When I mist him he will occasionally sip water from the plastic leaves. His grip is pretty good considering, and he'll hand walk when I'm holding him. I call it "him" but I can only guess it's a male. It seems to have the bumps behind the front legs but he's so skinny, it could just be his bones.

I know I should take hime to the vet and get him treatment, but like I said they are closed and I will call first thing Monday and see what they can do for him. What I want to know is if there's anything I can feed him or anything I can do to sustain him until then. He really looks to be on the way out and I feel really bad for him, but given how I got him I don't know anything about his past.

 

[jade4321]

Hey, here to tell you about my experience.
I am having experience with a veiled chameleon that is special needs. my chameleon Jade has to take meds for coccidia and bones.(orally admitted)
she may have MBD developing also. But shes doing so much better.
and so inform you I'm pretty sure your chameleon is a female because the size of her casqe (cone) is smaller then a males.
It looks to me she has MBD developing also, the mishaped legs and ankles indicate it.
you should gutload your crickets with some kind of a bird feed mash. I forget what I use is called.
Search my post called My pictures of Jade and compare the pictures.
compare the legs mostly.

Good Luck!

 

[Thompson]

Give him a long shower every day for about 30 minutes to an hour until you can get him to the vet. He is extremely dehydrated. Can you also get him outside for a few hours a day? I would also get some silkies and hornworms to hydrate him faster and kinda bulk him up faster too.

 

[ontheairship]

How do I go about giving him a shower? Do I need to get him outside even though he has a UVB and if so for how long?

I threw a carrot in the cricket keeper to give them something to munch on. I can get gut load when I go get silkworms.

 

[Jammonlee]

The difference between UVB and natural sunlight is unexplainable. Almost everyone here who has switched back and forth between the two has posted noticable differences in eating habits, attitudes, and colors. I myself saw my Cham's appetite increase the EXACT day i started taking him out for just 20 minutes a day in the mornings.

 

[ontheairship]

We're sitting outside right now. Would it at all br practical to keep him outside for a day? At least from when I leave for work at 6 until about 10? He'll get some sun without getting fried by the afternoon heat. Im in Orlando, FL so it's also pretty humid all day. After I let him soak up what little is left of the sun I'll run to Petsmart and get him some silkworms. Any other food suggestions? Can you force feed a chameleon like you would a dog or cat? He has currently shows no signs of wanting to eat the crickets I got him.

 

[chino]

I'll hydrate him first, then take him outside....

 

[Jammonlee]

I don't want to run my mouth too much as I'm only a beginner as well having owned my first for 6 months. Leaving him outside unattended though, to me, doesnt sound like a great ideal. Theres no telling what may land on his cage looking at him like prey and stressing him out.

I'd suggest first, filling this out. How to ask for help Doing so will tell us everything you are doing with him and will let myself and others make better decision with your husbandry

 

[ontheairship]

I took more pictures outside. This is his 'good side"

This eye doesn't look so good.

 

[fowlers]

you dont want to be force feeding a dehydrated cham, you need to get some water into him, as said he needs to be put in a shower or hydation chamber. also get a dripper in the vivarium, position it over leaves, the dripping over the leaves should attract his attetion to drink, i also use a pipette to give them water.

sun is much better than any uvb bulb, sun is natural bulbs are man made, need i say more lol. also is the uv bulb new or old? vetark do a product called critical care formula, it may be of some use to you.

that chams does look very dehydrated.

rob

 

[ontheairship]

I already posted all the info I had but if it helps I will post it in this format.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Veiled, unknown, unknown, 31 hours.
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? to clean his cage and now to take him outside
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? 1 cricket, this afternoon. It is all he will eat. Crickets eat Fluker's Hi-Calcium Cricket Feed and Fluker's Cricket Quench at the store I bought them from. I did not dust them.
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I did not do this.
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I have been misting him every few hours. He drank from the leaves once, that I saw.
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? Not to my knowledge. Has not pooped since I have had him. Poop in cage was brown.
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Abandoned by owners who bought him on craigslist

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? 18x20x12 screen enclosure that he came with. [/COLOR
]Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? Turned the lights on this morning. Will probably turn them off before bed. 1 Reptisun basking lamp. 1 24" UVB strip bulb.
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? I do not. I can grab a thermometer for him though.Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? I do not. I will also grab a hygrometer. I mist him. Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? I can buy him a plant tomorrow if someone recommends one
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? He is on the floor of my guest room
Location - Where are you geographically located? Orlando, FL
Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about. Him being sick and dying.

 

[ataraxia]

the guy def has a infection, dehydrated and malnourished.

before he can even start to fight any of this. he will need hydrated. here is a link to some tips to help you.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ataraxia/454-dehydration-solutions-force-fluid-tips.html

here is a basic care sheet. change what needs to be changed.

Cage:24x24x48' SCREEN cage lots of rope, vines and live plants if you can. live plants will help with the humidity. make sure you cover the soil with screen or large rocks. put cage as high up in the room as you can. not near any vents, fans or windows.

Lighting: 5.0 reptisun or reptiglo linear tube (length depends on cage size)/house hold bulb for basking. the house bulb watt will depend on how far your nearest branch is from the light and your ambient room temps.
***change UVB bulbs every 6 months.

Temps: basking temp around 90* for a male low 80's* for female / ambient temps 72* / 60's night time temps, measure all by digital guages.

Hydration: manual spray 2-5 minutes/2-3 times a day. provide a dripper.

Feeders: gutload (24 hours before feeding) with fresh veggies and fruits and once a week with sticky tongues gutload. Crickets, mealworms, superworms, silkworms, hornworms, dubai roaches, reptiworms, BB flies.

Supplements: repcal calcium w/o d3 every feeding, repcal calcium w/d3 twice a month, repcal herptivite twice a month

that infection looks horrible. good luck with your chameleon.

 

[James45]

Wow your gonna have your hands full with this guy. I sure hope he makes a speedy recovery and enjoys the rest of his time with you.Good luck i'll kep him in our prayers.

 

[kinyonga]

The infected area will need to be cleaned out. Chameleon "pus" is about the consistency of cottage cheese and won't be penetrated by antibiotics. The "pus" should have a culture and sensitivity test done on it so that you will know what antibiotic it will need to be on.

 

[ontheairship]

How should I clean his face? I gave him some pedialyte. Not that he wanted any. And I got this reptile boost supplement from pet smart I'll try to give him later.

 

[kinyonga]

You need a vet to clean out the area. If you try to do it you will be putting the chameleon through a lot of pain and how are you going to do the testing to determine what antibiotic is going to work?

 

[jade4321]

His eye looks smashed in, literly SMASHED in. I have no idea what would cause that. I am no help. Maybe eye infection?

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Jade its a sinus infection and the pressure from that is causing the eye to look worse than it would from just the dehydartion issues. Its a combination of the two issues thats making that one eye look worse than the other one. Thats why Kinyongia said to get it cleaned out by a vet. That pus in that infected sinus cavitity is just going to continue to put pressure on that eye and wont go away with just giving them oral meds.

 

[heartben]

i think you should kick your friend in the face for us. good thing the cham got to someone who cares enough to get on here!

 

[bugman]

Mine is suffering from what I fear is a sinus infection but we are treating the sores on his lip with internal medication and applying a small swab of listerine to the infected area.

Hydrate him immediately by using a syringe 3ml he looks small so use 1.5ml to start try twice a day in this critical stage. I would also puree in some bugs and a little vitamins into the water. to administer hold a towel around him place your index and forefinger at the back oy your chameleons head in the neck region, apply a little pressure with the syringe on the back side of his lip and he should open up be careful to keep his head level and dont tip it back allow him to swallow a little at a time half initially the other half after he swallows.