Worried...

[govna47]

Hey all,
My veiled chameleon Gizmo has developed two bright patches by his rear "hips" that I'm rather worried about. Along with this he does not seem to be using his rear legs at all when moving and climbing about. I'm calling a vet tomorrow, but I would like to know if anyone out here has had this happen to them before. thanks for any help!

 

[chameleoman]

fill this out


Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
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?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.



he looks really thin i would have thought maybe he was a morph but you said hes not using the legs at all? did he just develope those patches or has he had them since you got him?

-Joseph

 

[govna47]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled (all I can tell you), male, unsure age. had him about 10 months
Handling - few times a week
Feeding - Crickets. ~12 each feed. twice a week (wednesday/sunday). Don't gut load
Supplements - Unsure of brand, but i calcium dust each time
Watering - hand mister. daily until the tank is well humidified. Never saw him drink
Fecal Description - Dark brown and white. Kinda solis. Been the same for 10 months... No testing for parasites, calling vet tomorrow though
History - nope

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass with screen top. 18x18x20
Lighting - Unsure. White day, Red night. mornings i turn on white and nights I go red when I get home from work around 9pm
Temperature - Haven't checked the temp lately (I'm a terrible owner, I know)
Humidity - Daily misting keeps tank around 70-80% humidity. nifty humidity gauge
Plants - no live plants
Placement - on top of a table. Tank top around 5ish feet.
Location - Eastern US

Current Problem - The white patches and the seemingly not using his rear legs. The patches have developed over the weekend which is why I am concerned about them now

 

[JCDenton]

He looks really dehydrated man, I know nothing about the leg issue but I'd get him drinking immediately.

 

[lindawaz]

There are somethings that could use a little improvement in his cage and feeders
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled (all I can tell you), male, unsure age. had him about 10 months
Handling - few times a week
Feeding - Crickets. ~12 each feed. twice a week (wednesday/sunday). Don't gut load- link attached
Supplements - Unsure of brand, but i calcium dust each time. They need Calcium without D3 everyday and Calciuum with D3 2 times a month. They also need vitiams 2 times a month
Watering - hand mister. daily until the tank is well humidified. Never saw him drink- At least 3 times a day for 5 mins
Fecal Description - Dark brown and white. Kinda solis. Been the same for 10 months... No testing for parasites, calling vet tomorrow though
History - nope

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass with screen top. 18x18x20
Lighting - Unsure. White day, Red night. mornings i turn on white and nights I go red when I get home from work around 9pmThey need UBV lighting-reptison 5.0 linear tube is what most of us use. NO light at night they need darkness like us to sleep. A basking light this can be just a normal household bulb
Temperature - Haven't checked the temp lately (I'm a terrible owner, I know)
Humidity - Daily misting keeps tank around 70-80% humidity. nifty humidity gauge
Plants - no live plants
Placement - on top of a table. Tank top around 5ish feet.
Location - Eastern US

Current Problem - The white patches and the seemingly not using his rear legs. The patches have developed over the weekend which is why I am concerned about them now



Links you might find useful:
has links to gut loading too
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/pilotman800/548-new-chameleon-owner-information-husbandry.html

overall information as they grow
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

I have no idea about his legs and the white spot. A vet is a good idea

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled (all I can tell you), male, unsure age. had him about 10 months
Handling - few times a week
Feeding - Crickets. ~12 each feed. twice a week (wednesday/sunday). Don't gut load
Supplements - Unsure of brand, but i calcium dust each time
Watering - hand mister. daily until the tank is well humidified. Never saw him drink
Fecal Description - Dark brown and white. Kinda solis. Been the same for 10 months... No testing for parasites, calling vet tomorrow though
History - nope

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Glass with screen top. 18x18x20
Lighting - Unsure. White day, Red night. mornings i turn on white and nights I go red when I get home from work around 9pm
Temperature - Haven't checked the temp lately (I'm a terrible owner, I know)
Humidity - Daily misting keeps tank around 70-80% humidity. nifty humidity gauge
Plants - no live plants
Placement - on top of a table. Tank top around 5ish feet.
Location - Eastern US

Current Problem - The white patches and the seemingly not using his rear legs. The patches have developed over the weekend which is why I am concerned about them now

Unfortunately there are a lot of things wrong with your setup, and your chameleon. Are you sure you've had him for 10 months? He looks like he's about 3 months old at best...so very stunted. Chameleons under a year of age should be fed every day, not just twice a week! Even as adults most people feed at least every other day. He is starving. It's good that you dusted with calcium but you need to be gut loading your crickets before feeding them off so they contain the vitamins and nutrients your chameleon needs for proper growth. Without gutloading crickets are like french fries - he can survive on them (kind of) but he isn't getting what he needs to be healthy or grow properly.

He MUST have a UVB light so if he does not then you need to get one now. Without it he cannot use the calcium you are giving him. You don't need a red light at night unless it is getting below 60 degrees in his cage, which I can pretty much guarantee that it's not since it's a glass cage. You really, really need to know the temperatures of his cage at all times - go get a thermometer now. Basking temperatures really do matter a lot. And your cage is not big enough.

I do not know what the white patches are - my best guess is a fungal problem due to a weak immune system from lack of proper nutrition and environment. Or since it's on both sides and he's not walking well he may have broken or damaged his spine due to the same and metabolic bone disease. Nerve damage affects their color changing ability so that's a possibility. I would take him to the vet for this new problem but you have a lot of changes to make if this chameleon is going to survive. He is severely malnourished, very stunted and most likely has metabolic bone disease on top of whatever this new problem is.

We will help you get on the right track so please ask questions if you need help.

 

[davthevieled]

Welcome to the forums, glad to have you around but sorry for what is going on!

Looking at the picture, he looks pretty dehydrated... His eye turrets are sunk in quite a bit so even with the vet visit impending I would say give him a good shower. In this case I would recommend using a few reptile hammocks... Grab a few clean leafs off of a plant that is safe and pull them off fresh, grab a tub that the hammocks will stick to, and lay him in the hammocks. Direct the shower head so it hits the wall before hitting him. Cover the hammocks with the leaves by the way and sit by him and supervise.

 

[carol5208]

I would get a dripper going as he does look dehydrated. If you can hold him or get near him, I would take an eye dropper and drip water on his nose until he starts to drink. Also as ferrit said, you have been starving the little guy. Would also like to see a pic of your full set up. Do you have any vines or branches for him to climb on? I know he cannot climb right now, but if he gets back on track you need things like that in the cage for him.

 

[govna47]

I have plenty of vines and branches. But thanks for all the info as to how I am doing everything else wrong as I am building my new setup as fast as I can with work and college. Like I said, I am calling a vet Monday. I think I may have found my answer elsewhere on the forums. Someone else had said that they had a very similar problem and it turned out to be almost constipated. I looked at him before when I got home and was misting his tank that it looks like he is trying to "squeeze one out" but he's having problems in doing so. I do have a thermo, I just don't stare at it all day. Aforementioned...Vet ASAP, I'm working on it.

 

[govna47]

I made an appointment with the vet, but I was out for a meeting at work and poor gizmo passed while i was out. So I shall never know what was wrong.

 

[K9Luvn]

Awe... I am so very sorry to hear that Gizmo has passed. My heart goes out to you at this time

RIP Gizmo