Veiled Chameleon Acting Unusual

[kmorehouse]

My Veiled chameleon is a juvinile, its still pretty small. It has been on the bottom of the cage alot lately and acting very sleepy, I'm wondering if it is going to lay eggs, or if its just too hot. When its on the bottom it just shuts its eyes and sleeps. I'm pretty sure the lamp is ok, bc weve had her since October and ive never noticed her on the ground so much until now. I don't know the sex for sure.

We use two different lamps, both 75 watt. One for day & a red heat lamp for night.
I bought them at petsmart, they say they are for reptiles. i mist 2-4 times a day
And the cage is about 19 cm tall.

I have also noticed white stripes and lately blue spots on him/her. Is this normal?
And for the longest time the anus looks swollen. but its not swollen its a white color and its like a ball. idk if the humidity isnt good and he/she didnt shed enough (im getting a gage soon). idk if this is a sign of eggs?

 

[kinyonga]

First of all...look at the (back) feet to see if there's a tarsal spur there. If there is then your chameleon is a male. If not its a female.

Does your chameleon have a UVB light?? What brand? Compact, spiral, long linear fluorescent?

You don't need any heat (and certainly no light) on at night unless your room gets cooler than the low 60's.

Can you post some pictures of the chameleon and of the anus area please? Is the "ball" hanging out of the anus? If so it could be a prolapse...a serious problem.

Can you fill out the questionaire at the top of the health section under "how to ask for help" please?

 

[Echoezra]

I will say rigt now I'm not the one to give advice, but I know right off the bat your bulbs are wrong for starters. What you need for chameleons is a heat/basking bulb, so the day one us probably okay if it's not too strong. The other red nigt light is necessary unless your room is freezing at night, like below 60. The important light you're missing is a UVB tube, the most recommended one is a reptisun 5.0 they need that absolutely need it. The other heat bulb could just be a normal house bulb but the UVB bulb is necessary. And get the long tube one, not the compact swirley one, those can hurt their eyes.
Secondly, veileds you can usually tell the sex because males will have a tarsal spur on the back of their feet.
Now the first thing the forum members are going tinsel you is to fill out the "how to ask for help" form. It's a list of questions to find out exactly how your enclosure is set up, your feeding, supplements, etc. So find that, should be a sticky, and post that info here so they can help you figure out what the problem is.
Good luck.

 

[Echoezra]

Beat me to it. Good there you go, some real help.

 

[carol5208]

Please fill this out asap! https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/ You might have a female that needs to lay eggs. Can you post some pictures of your chameleon?

 

[kmorehouse]

I'm pretty new at this.

 

[carol5208]

Your chameleon looks to be very ill! How long has that mass been sticking out of its vent? Can it go to the bathroom? Its eyes look to be closed and a chameleon should never have its eyes closed during the day. That is a sign of a serious illnes. Are you providing a UVB bulb? Do you see it drink, eat? You cannot see from the pics if there are tarsal spurs on the feet? Can you? I think it is a female. You need to get your chameleon to a vet immediately! Have you been using supplements to dust your feeders with?

 

[kmorehouse]

Your Chameleon - Has been in my care since i bought her in Oct. as a juvinile, im guessing shes female since i dont see spurs. She is a veiled chameleon.
Handling - I dont handle her very often. When i do she is calm.
Feeding - Crickets, i buy 20 at a time and feed her 5-6 per day. I've never gutloaded them.
Supplements - i dust about 2-3 crickets with Flukers D3 calcium dust about every week.
Watering - I mist the cage and leaves in the cage about 2-4 times a day. i also have a dish of water at the bottom. I've seen her drink water from the leaves and sides of cage after misting.
Fecal Description - droppings are brown and white.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen top, glass sides. lamp sits on top. 19 cm tall 12 cm wide
Lighting - I use a basking combo pack. both are 75 watt. I just stopped using the red heat lamp at night and noticed she climbed back to the top. She was hot!
Temperature - i need a thermometer
Humidity - and need a gage.
Plants - had small bamboo plant in there but took it out. she never really climbed on it, it was in its own little pot wich was pretty small. i dont think it was harmful to her. she has fake vines that she climbs on.
Placement - We have a small apartment, keep her on a stand next to the snakes cage, which they cant see each other. it is about 70-80 degrees in my apartment at all times.
Location - midwest. its cold outside! snow!

 

[kmorehouse]

It ate ok today, and it night time here, so normally it should be sleeping at this time, i noticed the mass a month or so ago?
I'm going to get a UVB light, i thought the one i was using was ok but i found that its not.

 

[kmorehouse]

She also has blue spots on her. even with that mass she was still active, the past few days she become less active, more tired, and at the bottom of the cage

 

[farrahsc]

That mass under his tail is not normal! It needs to go to a vet ASAP!

 

[kmorehouse]

Thanks for your help and opinions!

 

[carol5208]

So you are saying that your chameleon has had no uvb light whatsoever for the past 4 months? You don't know what the temps are, you don't what the humdiity is? The mass has been there for a month and you have neglected to take her to a vet??? Why is that? they will get blue spots when they are gravid(with eggs). Not sure if that is even the case. I don't suppose you have a laying bin in there for here to lay? I am not even sure if she could lay eggs with that mass. You should have been dusting her crickets with calcium without d3 everyday. The d3 calcium a couple times a month although in your case she has been getting no uvb apparently so I guess it doesnt matter.She also needs a multivitamin twice a month. There are so many things wrong here I really don't even know what to tell you other than to get her to a Vet TOMORROW.

 

[kinyonga]

There is no time to wait...she needs to see a vet right now! She has MBD...and if that's a uterine prolapse she can't likely defecate and definitely can't lay the eggs if she is carrying any.

 

[kmorehouse]

I thought the lamp i was using was ok. but now i know its not
I will take her to the vet ASAP.
I didnt know....When i bought her the guy said the bulbs i got were ok. i try not to over do the calcium bc ive seen it come out her nose before. i wasnt completely worried about the mass bc the place i bought her from thought it could have been bc of shedding (although he actually never saw her i just described it to him). it doesnt affect her eating or pooping. it only has been the past few days that she seems down.

I NOW REALIZE I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM AND I WILL GET A UVB LIGHT TOMORROW, AND FIND A VET

 

[kinyonga]

I don't think you would be seeing calcium coming out her nose...it would likely be other minerals...or maybe dehydration.

I hope you get it to the vet tomorrow...IMHO you don't have much time if you hope to save it.

 

[carol5208]

Unfortunately you were given alot of wrong info by the place you purchased your cham from on its proper care. As Kinyonga pointed out your chameleons front legs are curved and that is from a lack of calcium and proper UVB lighting. That is what the MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) is she is talking about. You chameleon is very ill and has numerous health issues. I hope you will see to it to take her to vet tomorrow even if you have to drive a long way to see one. If you are able to save her, get back to us on the forum here and we will guide you on what you need to do in the future, such as Lighting, temps, supplements, feeding etc so you chameleon can hopefully lead a healthy life.

 

[kmorehouse]

Thank you very much for all your help!

 

[Itwas]

I know you have already stated that you have removed the bamboo but dont be tempted to put it back in as if its lucky bamboo then its quite harmful to your cham, It may be worth mentioning to the vet that you had this plant in its enclosure?

 

[kinyonga]

Did you get it to the vets yet??