Veiled Chameleon Dying

If you’re wanting a good start on reptiles I would suggest possibly staring with crested/leopard geckos. No chameleon is “easier” there’s other species of reptiles that are though. If you really want a chameleon though, do proper research.
I’ve had a few geckos before. They were cool and all but I want to try chameleons. Thought I did proper research even before getting him and it still didn’t make it long enough. Everything I read said the opposite or didn’t say what was said from here.
 
So sorry for your loss.

If/when you get another one, make sure you get a male so you won't have to deal with reproductive issues.

Read the information on the link @Beman gave you in Post 56.
Ask any questions you might have on here before you get it so we can help you with the husbandry and all.

Once you have everything set up right and the care set up properly they aren't usually that hard.
 
This all happened in a course of 2 weeks. Noticed slight weight loss 2 weeks ago, waited 4 days to see if it got worse or better then called vet for emergency visit, they gave me medicine and that was that. He seemed fine and normal before that.
Did they not offer a check up appointment to ensure everything was going well? I would have a think about finding a different exotic vet if they weren't offering euthanasia or check ups for future chameleons or other exotic animals
 
Did they not offer a check up appointment to ensure everything was going well? I would have a think about finding a different exotic vet if they weren't offering euthanasia or check ups for future chameleons or other exotic animals
They called every 2 days to check in, we kept saying he’s getting worse. They said there may not be much left to do besides trying the medicine
 
This all happened in a course of 2 weeks. Noticed slight weight loss 2 weeks ago, waited 4 days to see if it got worse or better then called vet for emergency visit, they gave me medicine and that was that. He seemed fine and normal before that.
For the future, take your future chameleon to an exotics vet with tons of reputable chameleon experience as soon as symptoms appear. They hide their sicknesses very well until it is too late.
What kind of dripper would you all recommend for a full mesh tank?
Zoo Med's Little Dripper, homemade/diy drippers, and more are all options
 
For the past 2 weeks he hasn’t really ate anything and barely drinking water, and he’s been losing weight and his eyes are sunken in more and more. Vet says he has a vitamin a deficiency and gave us medicine for him, but it doesn’t seem to be working as its been 5 days now. He’s been sleeping on bottom of cage and moving very slow. Any suggestions how to revive him before he passes away? Vet says he’s too tiny to really do anything.



Veiled Chameleon

Born: March, 2021

6 months old as of September

Bought from: Petco

Mesh tank

Male

Feed him crickets and meal worms, (not gut loaded), currently on medication with vitamin A

Has dripper

Has a humidifier when needed

Has food bowl for worms and crickets (crickets jump out of it, but we place crickets in bowl because he can never catch crickets)

Humidity ranges between 40 - 70 (tries to keep it between 50 - 60)

Temp ranges between 70 - 90 (mainly at 80)

Basking temp ranges between 90 - 95

UVB Light: 10%
Omg poor baby. Sorry i didnt seE post sooner. If you have a syringe without a needle put 5 ml of good water in it wrap baby in cloth and put on side. If u went to the vet they xhould have given you one. Tap around mouth to open and get the water into him. Repeat 4 to 5 times. You might need to pry with fingers and stroke throat to open up. Now find hormworms and buy 25 if you can. Get extra food for them. I dont care if they are too small start hand feeding him themand get some wax worms while you are at it. If he wont take either, smash them to a pulp until you can draw them into syringe. Then feed him they same way you are giving him the water. at this point dont add anything to the mix. This is emergency rescue to save his life. If the baby wont sit under his lights snuggle him next to you. Your body temp is perfect to warm him up. put the uvb near you if you want it cant hurt. If he starts regaining strength call vet and get liquid calcium. Give him 0.2cc every 12 hours administer same as fliud above. This should be done for a month. continue force feeding until he will eat a horn or wax worm on his own. The reason why horn and wax is horn is for hydration and calcium and wax is for fat or lipids. Note this is a rescue diet and should not be used as a long term diet. Both have no exoskelton and are easy to digest. once he poops scope poop and urate (if there is one) into ziolovk for vet to chevk for parasites. Once out of rescue mode, listen to suggestions of other owners to correct husbandry issues. sending prayers your way
 
Omg poor baby. Sorry i didnt seE post sooner. If you have a syringe without a needle put 5 ml of good water in it wrap baby in cloth and put on side. If u went to the vet they xhould have given you one. Tap around mouth to open and get the water into him. Repeat 4 to 5 times. You might need to pry with fingers and stroke throat to open up. Now find hormworms and buy 25 if you can. Get extra food for them. I dont care if they are too small start hand feeding him themand get some wax worms while you are at it. If he wont take either, smash them to a pulp until you can draw them into syringe. Then feed him they same way you are giving him the water. at this point dont add anything to the mix. This is emergency rescue to save his life. If the baby wont sit under his lights snuggle him next to you. Your body temp is perfect to warm him up. put the uvb near you if you want it cant hurt. If he starts regaining strength call vet and get liquid calcium. Give him 0.2cc every 12 hours administer same as fliud above. This should be done for a month. continue force feeding until he will eat a horn or wax worm on his own. The reason why horn and wax is horn is for hydration and calcium and wax is for fat or lipids. Note this is a rescue diet and should not be used as a long term diet. Both have no exoskelton and are easy to digest. once he poops scope poop and urate (if there is one) into ziolovk for vet to chevk for parasites. Once out of rescue mode, listen to suggestions of other owners to correct husbandry issues. sending prayers your way
His Cham has passed.
 
I wanna add this in... Because others come along and read threads. You can VERY easily aspirate a chameleon by force feeding and force watering with syringes... I hate to see where people suggest this but do not explain that their airway is in the front. ANYTHING that you are giving must be aimed at the very back of the throat to avoid the airway and given slowly. This is a good link that explains how to give medicine. Force feeding and force watering would be the same. http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2014/05/how-to-give-different-medicines.html
 
I wanna add this in... Because others come along and read threads. You can VERY easily aspirate a chameleon by force feeding and force watering with syringes... I hate to see where people suggest this but do not explain that their airway is in the front. ANYTHING that you are giving must be aimed at the very back of the throat to avoid the airway and given slowly. This is a good link that explains how to give medicine. Force feeding and force watering would be the same. http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2014/05/how-to-give-different-medicines.html
Thank you behman link very informative. Everyone should read!!!. I like injecting hornworms with liquid calcium must inject closer to head then horn so med does not squirt out when cham bites down. Also using a medium size horn works better then larger ones. FYI medication Orbax causes calcium, zinc, and others not to absorb but adding liquid calcium to regime takes care of that. Explained to me by very knowledgable vet.
 
For the future, take your future chameleon to an exotics vet with tons of reputable chameleon experience as soon as symptoms appear. They hide their sicknesses very well until it is too late.

Zoo Med's Little Dripper, homemade/diy drippers, and more are all options
Yeah, I just had one pass a while back, and she did not really show any symptoms until it was too late. I got an appointment with the vet, but they were backed for weeks, and the only exotics specialist that was anywhere near our area (even up to 3 hours away that I could find) around to get a hold of was also backed up.
 
Right now, I think it’s best to not use any of those supplements if he will even still eat anything. Hydration is most important to focus on. You can try dripping a few drops of water on his head and see if he’ll drink. I hesitate to tell you to put any water in his mouth as their airway is in the front and the risk of accidental aspiration is too high. Also, the stress of that would be too much at this point. Do your best to keep him comfortable. He may go to the bottom and stay there. If he does, you can place something soft under him.
I suspect the problem is with the supplements. Vitamin D3 and Vitamin A are both fat soluble and can build up to toxic levels. Both are used usually only one feeding every other week on an alternating schedule, (the vitamin A usually being in a multivitamin) and plain phosphorus free calcium without D3 is used for every feeding. I’m really not sure if there’s any way to help get the fat soluble vitamins out of his system. Perhaps @kinyonga or another member can better advise you on this.
If you think he's probably going to die anyways, wouldn't a try with the water in the mouth be worth it? I thought I saw Beman post a link to help someone else place liquid medication properly into the mouth. I mean, at this point, if you're right and there's not much that can be done there might not be much to lose anyways, is there? What do you think? I mean, he won't have a chance if he stays severely dehydrated, will he?
 
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If you think he's probably going to die anyways, wouldn't a try with the water in the mouth be worth it? I thought I saw Beman post a link to help someone else place liquid medication properly into the mouth. I mean, at this point, if you're right and there's not much that can be done there might not be much to lose anyways, is there? What do you think? I mean, he won't have a chance if he stays severely dehydrated, will he?
Sorry, the link Beman gave is right above. I have been doing so much reading, I forgot that the link he shared was right here.
 
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