Veiled Male Chameleon- care questions, Is he okay?

[YellowQueenHoney]

Hello,

I have a male Veiled Chameleon.
Not sure if age.
In screened cage size: 16” x16” x 29.5” height.
Lights on 12 hrs. Bulbs UVB that came with kit and 50W Exo aterra Basking bulb
Temps 80-85 in basking
70.5 in ambient
Humidity between 45-65
Water bottle spray multiple times a day.
Put him in the shower yesterday- seemed to like it.
Ordered little dropper, will receive tomorrow.
Cage is in kitchen, high traffic area.
Fake plant, fake vines, real branches, umbrella plant, rocks over soil.
Paper towel on bottom change regularly.
Poo looked a little orange yellow today but usually was white and brown.
Feed horn worms, changed to small crickets, dubia roaches, wax worms, fruit flies.
Hard to know if he eats crickets because they are so small. But I have seen him eat and noticed insects gone.
Gut load with escarole and apple and sometimes the green cubes (total bites)
Supplements: repti calcium on crickets, liquid vitamin A drops on horn worms
Eye drops of saline from vet (last Chameleon who passed away
Tried to give him electrolyte and vitamin D3 today- extro terra brand.

Issues: he has eyes closed a lot of the time. No discharge and can open each but will close again. He usually will have one open but i think he is sleeping during the day and i just worry about him

The vets in here (NYC) are crazy expensive. Of course if he needs medical help I am responsible to take him in, I am not sure I am overreacting. Nervous because my first chameleon passed away, day after vet visit, think that one was sick when I received from pet store only had that one less than two weeks.

I have read all the care sheets and a lot of info on this wonderful forum.
I appreciate any help or advice from the experience experts out there.

Sincerely,
Key

 

[Joseph 1233]

Only thing I can think of is maybe he is scared to drink water after being sprayed because he is in a high traffick area and to much vitamin a can be bad also should just get proper powder formula with all vitamins and one without d3 and dust feeders as required also don't use your other chameleons medication on this one he should have plain calcium every day without vitamins as well if you didnt already do that

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

More photos.
His name is Sven.
I handle him once a day or every other day if he lets me, walks on my hand

 

[Joseph 1233]

Also you shouldnt handle them every day or at all when sick he needs to be somewhere where he can sleep easily through the night as well

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

Only thing I can think of is maybe he is scared to drink water after being sprayed because he is in a high traffick area and to much vitamin a can be bad also should just get proper powder formula with all vitamins and one without d3 and dust feeders as required

Thanks Joseph, I never saw an answer to the correct amount of vitamin A to give. Do you recommend a brand of powered multi-vitamins? Also it is difficult to keep the humidity level up, I spray the leaves a lot and it gets to the right humidity but as soon as it dries up it is back down again. Thank you for your help.

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

Also you shouldnt handle them every day or at all when sick he needs to be somewhere where he can sleep easily through the night as well

Thank you. Well noted.

 

[Joseph 1233]

Thanks Joseph, I never saw an answer to the correct amount of vitamin A to give. Do you recommend a brand of powered multi-vitamins? Also it is difficult to keep the humidity level up, I spray the leaves a lot and it gets to the right humidity but as soon as it dries up it is back down again. Thank you for your help.

I just use exo terra and put shower curtain on a few sides of cage

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

I just use exo terra and put shower curtain on a few sides of cage

I wasn’t sure I could cover a few sides of cage, I think that would help the humidity levels, thanks. And I will look for the mult-vitamins. Do you think he looks sick?

 

[Joseph 1233]

Thank you. Well noted.

Sorry I use zoo med multi v

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

Sorry I use zoo med multi v

Okay, thanks

 

[Joseph 1233]

I wasn’t sure I could cover a few sides of cage, I think that would help the humidity levels, thanks. And I will look for the mult-vitamins. Do you think he look

I wasn’t sure I could cover a few sides of cage, I think that would help the humidity levels, thanks. And I will look for the mult-vitamins. Do you think he looks sick?

Eyes closed and brown or dark usually means not feeling well

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

Do you think I need to take him to the vet? I don’t know when the right time is, I don’t want to wait to long but I also don’t want to go if it is not necessary- it’s so difficult to tell when to go. And the cost is a lot to go, so I want to make sure it is necessary.

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

Now he’s green!

 

[Joseph 1233]

If he has been like this for a while it may be best but you should deffinetley fix your other problems right now

 

[JefferyThePigs]

Well quick question is he been eating recently and tell me what bulbs you use?

Cheers.

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

Well quick question is he been eating recently and tell me what bulbs you use?

Cheers.

He’s been eating horn worms and I think dubia roaches, not sure of the tiny crickets.

I am using the double dome light that was included in the cage kit with UVB bulb and 50W basking bulb - no lights at night

 

[kinyonga]

Your chameleon shouldn't be keeping his eyes closed during the daytime.

You said..."Feed horn worms, changed to small crickets, dubia roaches, wax worms, fruit flies"...why are you feeding him such small crickets and fruit flies? Why not bigger crickets?

You said..."Gut load with escarole and apple and sometimes the green cubes (total bites)"...you should improve your feeding/gutlload. You can use dandelion greens, endive, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, carrots, collards, etc and a small amount of berries, apples, pears, melon.

You said..."Supplements: repti calcium on crickets, liquid vitamin A drops on horn worms"...if the vitamin A is prEformed you need to be careful that you don't overdo it. It builds up in the system and leads to health issues. I also use a phosphorous-free calcium/D3 powder twice a month and a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A twice a month.


You said..."Eye drops of saline from vet (last Chameleon who passed away "...did the chameleon have eye issues? Did you clean the cage out thoroughlynafter it died? Did this chameleon keep its eyes shut the first day you had it? Was it a brand new UVB light you had for this chameleon?

You said..."Tried to give him electrolyte and vitamin D3 today- extro terra brand"... Why?

 

[YellowQueenHoney]

Your chameleon shouldn't be keeping his eyes closed during the daytime.
I know

You said..."Feed horn worms, changed to small crickets, dubia roaches, wax worms, fruit flies"...why are you feeding him such small crickets and fruit flies? Why not bigger crickets?
He would vomit the large crickets up - brown oval mass, I am assuming he vomited them

You said..."Gut load with escarole and apple and sometimes the green cubes (total bites)"...you should improve your feeding/gutlload. You can use dandelion greens, endive, squash, zucchini, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, carrots, collards, etc and a small amount of berries, apples, pears, melon.
I forgot I did also give them dandelion greens but you are right need more variety of what you mentioned.

You said..."Supplements: repti calcium on crickets, liquid vitamin A drops on horn worms"...if the vitamin A is prEformed you need to be careful that you don't overdo it. It builds up in the system and leads to health issues. I also use a phosphorous-free calcium/D3 powder twice a month and a vitamin powder with a beta carotene prOformed source of vitamin A twice a month.
Thanks, noted.

Youmsaid..."Eye drops of saline from vet (last Chameleon who passed away "...did the chameleon have eye issues? Did you clean the cage out thoroughlynafter it died?
Maybe I didn’t clean it thoroughly enough.
I don’t know, I wiped it down and it was empty about a week or two.

Did this chameleon keep its eyes shut the first day you had it?
No.

Was it a brand new UVB light you had for this chameleon?
No. I didn’t have it very long. About a month and on 12hrs a day for 2 weeks

You said..."Tried to give him electrolyte and vitamin D3 today- extro terra brand"... Why?

Because I thought he was very dehydrated from his orange yellow poo

Thank you very much for your help

 

[CJ's Exotics]

You should put some more branches, and some more greenery.

 

[kinyonga]

Why such small crickets and fruit flies?