Please Help!!

[Animal Lover :)]

I have had Pedro (my chameleon) for about a month now...when I got him, he was taken care of very poorly (he was dehydrated)! He has had a great nature (he was always crawling around and when he drinks I hold him, and he drinks from my spray bottle but he won't even drink now) the whole time except for the past 2-3 days! He wouldn't drink or eat yesterday...and the day before I realized his left eye was a little swollen but today it's bigger and he's hardly moving!! I really need to do something because I can't bring him to the vet...due to it being far away!! Oh yea and he has always eaten perfectly fine until yesterday! Someone please please help!! :confused:

[jarich]

Sorry, Im not sure if we have many members on the forum that keep chameleons. I know there are some forums specifically for chameleons that might be a better source of information for you. Can you take a picture and try to send it to your vet instead of taking the animal? He/she may be able to recommend a course of action that way.

[hellosugaree]

If your animal is seriously sick, the vet is the best place to go. I know you said it is far, but finding a ride would be your best way to help your chameleon if it is sick. Good luck!.

[alessia55]

The vet is far, but it may be worthwhile if your chameleon is seriously sick and needs medical attention. Have you changed anything in the enclosure? Chameleons can be very sensitive to that. Temperatures, humidity, food change, etc.

[StudentoReptile]

Not to sound like a broken record, but I agree with the previous three posters. Your chameleon needs medical attention, like...yesterday.

Like all reptiles (and many other exotic animals), chameleons will often appear "fine" and not exhibit noticeable symptoms of a particular malady until it is often very serious or regrettably too late to do anything. In the wild, this is a form of self-preservation, as predators will often target prey that appears unhealthy or sick. So when your reptile actually starts ACTING sick, its definitely serious.

For-going the usual finger-wagging of not having a emergency plan in place for your reptile(s) before such a emergency actually arises, I think you need to ask yourself: what is your chameleon's life and well-being worth to you? Is it worth the extra gas and time to drive it to the vet to make sure you've done everything within your power to help it recover? I know times are tough, with the economy and all, but every pet owner should ask themselves these types of questions. After all, the animal(s) cannot tell us when they're not feeling well. They cannot drive themselves to the doctor and pay for their medical expenses. That falls on us, their care-giver. It is not fair to them to have to suffer just because we "don't have the time or money" to give them what they need.

The bottom line is: if you cannot afford the vet, you really cannot afford the pet. I don't say these things to brow-beat you or necessarily make you feel bad, but to simply make you understand how important veterinary care is for any pet. Its simply a part of keeping animals, just as much as feeding them, and buying bedding, lighting, etc.
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In the meantime, why don't you describe your set-up for Pedro to us? Type of enclosure, heating, lighting, temps, etc.? And what species of chameleon is he?

[BarelyBreathing]

I agree with the other posters. I also think it should be noted that chameleons are VERY easily stressed and should be for display purposes only. The are NOT a hands on animal.

[Frozenflame]

I hear that eye infections are very common in chameleons so you would have to some how give him antibiotics.... try consulting an online vet. you might not have a choice but to go to a vet... he could lose his eye or the infection could spread to deeper in the skull and kill him, if it were on his leg it would be a bit of a different story... :/
but without a picture its a bit hard to say....

Chameleons (http://www.chameleonsonline.com/illness.php)

[StudentoReptile]

Try this guy: Quality Serpents - ASK THE DR (http://www.qualityserpents.com/ask_the_dr)

Shane Whitaker, D.V.M. - Good guy, knows his stuff.

[beardeds4life]

I have to agree that you should do everything in your power to get it to a vet asap. Try calling the vet or maybe even a big time chameleon breeder. These are very delicate animals. Even to much of a draft could have ill effects. Like someone else said if the infection spreads into the brain it will have serious nuero problems. In my opinion the only humane thing to do if this happens is euthanize. There is a good chance that you can get it cleared up if you get it to a GOOD herp vet.

[alessia55]

Animal Lover, we would love an update.. How's Pedro?