Cham help

[katev17]

Hey guys, I've got a friend with a male panther chameleon with which she's having a few problems with, so I thought I'd come to you guys for opinions. She's had him since last September, and is now about 3 and a half years old.

Ok first of all, he gets fed every other day, is misted 2 times a day, and is kept in the giant terrarium. She keeps the ambient temps at about 80 - 83F during the day, and the humidity is between 60-70%. He's also got a basking spot that's around 100F, and it's a fake plant in the cage.

So a couple of days ago, she noticed that her cham has started looking pale, and hasn't been making "angry colours" (as is common among male chameleons, lol ). He's also been rather lethargic and sleepy-looking (he closes his eyes during the day). His eyes seem to have sunken a bit and he hasn't eaten in almost a week. She's already made a vet appointment, but he couldn't see her till Wednesday or Thursday, I think. She's put him in a shower to give him extra water and humidity, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

I'm not asking for a diagnosis or anything, but if anyone has any ideas as to what she can try and do in the meantime until she DOES get to the vet, it would be EXTREMELY appreciated.

Thanks very much in advance,
Kate.

(edit)

She's also given him some repti-aid, but not much because he's not really opening his mouth.

[meow_mix450]

sounds like dehyration, but it doesnt seem like it. Uhhh soak him in some warm water for a while to comfort him. Maybe he is about to shed.

Meow

[vipervenom]

It sounds almost too serious to be a shedding problem. Just one question, is this terrarium a tank or an all-screened cage and how big is it? Maybe your cham has gotten sick of eating the same foods all the time. It is critical to get him drinking and eating if possible. Try to feed him wax worms or something soft bodied for easy digestion. Keep showering and bathing until the vet, and try to get him drinking. But everything else sounds perfect. I don't know why he would become like this.

[katev17]

His cage is completely screened, and it's taller than me!

I'll suggest the soft food, but would that affect him in the sense he'd get sunken eyes and such??

Thanks vipervenom

Kate

[panther_dude]

Being melnurished could cause his eyes to sink and being a little sluggish.

Its just like if you ate chicken everyday for your whole life you would really start to get sick of chicken. But ya like vipervenom said just make sure he starts to get a better mix of feeders

good luck
wade shaw

[meow_mix450]

sunken eye means its dehyrated, right now anything is possible, does she dust???

Meow

[vipervenom]

Dunno. But I have heard Panthers are bad for tiring of a certain type of food. The softer food is only temporary and will at least throw some nourishment and water in him while being easy to digest at this stage, until he gets better. Everything you have described sounds normal. Unless you tell me, what, how often, and if you dust I can't help you at all.

[HeatherRose]

It was ME!

Hey guys, it was my cham being mentioned in Kates post. Kate was kind and awesome enough to post for me while I was busy with my chameleon.

He's been kind of pale lately, showing no 'bars' whatsoever. Then today I noticed his eyes were sunken in and he was awfully lethargic.

I've given him a shower, brought him out for some sun, and given him a bit of reptiaid which is a powder that 'provides energy and fluid support to dehydrated reptiles and amphibians'.

I've ALWAYS made sure to vary his diet. He gets crickets, mealies, superworms, silkies, waxies and butterworms. His food is gutloaded, and periodically dusted. I've had a long convo with a vet about dusting/gutloading and I feel that my methods are fine.

I've left him alone, and his colour's come back. He's still sleeping more periodically, I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks.

[vipervenom]

Thanks! Please let us know if you can what happened, what's wrong with him, and what you did/have to do to cure it. Just helps us learne more for a next time.

[katev17]

You can't spell "manslaughter" without "laughter".

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oh Heather.

I hope everything's going better with your CHAM!!! :S :S :S

<3<3<3
Kate

[Collide]

Kidny failur can be a culprit here causes dehydration causing the cask and eyees to sink in (causes over dusting, bad nutrition ie crix not gutloaded, ther are more cant think right now), fake plant if is died with harmful dies can poision a cham, some thougts on cause.

As for keeping him till the vet, hydrate him like mad, try and get him to eat but if u cant just make sure he is getting water, to get his mouth open u can hold your fingers over his nostrils and he should open right up for u. got a fecal sample for the vet a fresh one.grap every one u can between now and then cause if he is sick they wont be as offen soo might be hard to get closer to the date.

um yea thats all i can think of right now, hoping for the best for u.

[reptiles4life]

to spice up his diet, try feeding him form a deli cup, and when u place what ever your feeding him with in the deli, throw some greens in like kale. this way when ever he gets some crikets, he is bound to pick up some kale.

[meow_mix450]

good luck home hes alright

Meow

[Collide]

I heard from some one else u have not had him his whole life, this will make it hard to determine cause who knows what kind of care he had b4 u, I also heard he had a proplem not to long ago, if he was being medicated for this it may have had a effect on his system or worsend a existing unknow problem such as bad kidneys, just sommor thoughts.

[HeatherRose]

His treatment for the fungus he had was a topical cream, that goes ON the skin, and therefore shouldn't cause problems...

I have only had this cham since september, but he was purchased from a reputable breeder and I don't doubt that he had great care before I bought him.

Thanks for the suggestions...