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May 23, 2006 13:18:00 GMT -5
Post by zachbaker on May 23, 2006 13:18:00 GMT -5
I have rescued a female Senegal Chameleon. I actually helped purchase this animal but my friend has been taking care of it since. I dont know what exactly is wrong but she seems a little slow to eat. She is skinny and you can see her bone structure through the skin. I fed her 3 superworms last night and she did eat them by morning. Im not sure if he was just feeding to little or the only diet item was crickets. can anyone help me figure this out.
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May 23, 2006 14:05:32 GMT -5
Post by Marie on May 23, 2006 14:05:32 GMT -5
I do not know Chameleons. Stephanie has them. She should be on later. She should know where to find the information if she can't help you.
But I would take it to the vet if for no other reason than to get a wellness check--check for parasites, ect. I would also try using a probiotic like Benebac which was formulated for birds but now has been approved for reptiles. It can be found in most petstore (might be in bird section). Or get NutriBAC df which is specifically formulated for reptiles. It has to be bought online. ReptileUV has it. It will help balance out inbalances of good/bad gut flora/organisms.
Please keep us updated.
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May 23, 2006 14:46:32 GMT -5
Post by ChamZilla on May 23, 2006 14:46:32 GMT -5
Hey Zach, Well as most people know chameleons don't like change. They like things to be the proper temperature, UV, same people and most of all mostly the same foods. Crickets are a great stable food for chameleons that is all I mostly feed mine. I do feed the occasional mealworms and silk worms. I need to know what the temperatures in the enclosure are, if you are misting the cage. A photo would be great so I could see if it is dehydrated also. The eyes should be nice and big and boulbous looking, if the skin is wrinkled or sunkin in the chameleon is deffinatly dehydrated and should be put in a warm shower on a very light mist on a tree. A chameleon will over eat if you feed it too much. A few month old chameleon should be fed 3 - 5 pinhead crickets per day. Dusted with a good quality D3 calcium powder, don't use the liquids as they don't work as well. My female who is small for her age at 3 years will pack away 10 full grown crickets a day if you let her. And this is fine with me. I need to know as much as you can tell me about your little girl. Age approx, temp, weight, watering system, feeding schedule (better to feed in the morning not at night) I need to know everything you can tell me. These animals are very perticular on there habits and what they like and don't like. How is her colouring? dark and drab? does she hiss at you or anything like that? Picture would help a lot. Waiting to hear from you as soon as you can Thanks and good luck, Stephanie
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May 24, 2006 9:13:43 GMT -5
Post by zachbaker on May 24, 2006 9:13:43 GMT -5
Stephanie, Hey I will be on later to post pics and other info when I get off work. Roughly around 6 pm central time.
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May 24, 2006 21:05:56 GMT -5
Post by zachbaker on May 24, 2006 21:05:56 GMT -5
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May 24, 2006 21:35:04 GMT -5
Post by ChamZilla on May 24, 2006 21:35:04 GMT -5
Well as of those pictures that chameleon is DEFFINATLY in need of some food! It is very underweight and has not had enough nourishment. I would be advising you on getting her to a vet very soon if her eating habits don't pick up within the next two days. She is a beautiful girl though, and would deffinatly benefit from some meat on her bones. You can force feed them but I would like you to have the vet show you how to do this, and he/she should be able to get you some canned Hills diet A/D cat food to mix in with some puree'd crickets and proper feeding techniques for force feeding. Please get back to me when you can Good luck with her, make sure you are misting her enclosure 3x per day, they don't really like to be misted right on themselfs though. How old is this chameleon she looks very very very tiny. Hoping to hear from you soon
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May 24, 2006 21:39:55 GMT -5
Post by zachbaker on May 24, 2006 21:39:55 GMT -5
ABOUT A YEAR OLD
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May 24, 2006 21:40:07 GMT -5
Post by ChamZilla on May 24, 2006 21:40:07 GMT -5
this is my female chameleon and she is very small for her age of 3 years. See how nice and bulbous her eyes are and you can't see her bones, this is how they should look. It is very important I think to get her to a vet. GOod luck Zach and sorry you couldn't stay for chat Would have been great talking with you again Hope your able to turn her eating around and get her to a vet, sengals are very cute and neat pets to have as are all Chameleons
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May 24, 2006 21:48:03 GMT -5
Post by zachbaker on May 24, 2006 21:48:03 GMT -5
IM SURE SHE JUST NEEDS MORE. ILL WATCH HER DIET. I TRIED TO JUMP IN CHAT BUT FOR SOME REASON I DIDNT LET ME IN. I WILL GET HER CRICKETS ASAP. ALL I HAVE IS SUPERS NOW. CAN YOU GIVE ME A GOOD SITE ON SENEGALS OR JUST CHAMELEONS?
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May 24, 2006 22:01:23 GMT -5
Post by ChamZilla on May 24, 2006 22:01:23 GMT -5
Hey there Zach, yeah some people have a problem with the chat sometimes. You still have my emails right? There was a really good chameleon site way back but I can't seem to find it anymore so here are some others with stuff to read on Most chameleon's are very misunderstood creatures, they just like to be left to there daily routines, not handled and deffinatly HATE changes. You could try offering some silk worms as they are a bit higher in fat Good luck and keep me posted www.chameleonsonline.com/www.adcham.comchameleonsonly.com/ you can buy from this site, but there are caresheets and that also Those are some of the better ones. You might try your library or ordering a book on chameleons. Good luck! she will be even more beautiful after she gains a few oz's
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May 24, 2006 23:38:06 GMT -5
Post by Marie on May 24, 2006 23:38:06 GMT -5
Well on the chat, do you have Norton? I have to turn off the worm protection long enough to log in. Or allow it to not block portscan. Then I just turn it back on after I get on.
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May 25, 2006 19:19:35 GMT -5
Post by zachbaker on May 25, 2006 19:19:35 GMT -5
I do and I will do that next time. Thanks Marie.
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May 28, 2006 23:40:26 GMT -5
Post by ChamZilla on May 28, 2006 23:40:26 GMT -5
HEY Zach hows that girl doing? Please get back to me
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May 29, 2006 19:10:07 GMT -5
Post by zachbaker on May 29, 2006 19:10:07 GMT -5
She's doing better. moving around alot more and eating some crickets. She also has a helping of mealies and supers available with calcium powder. I feed my supers a variety of foods including apples ,collards, cricket gut load, and potatoes. I am buying crickets by the thousands and superworms. Crickets get the same thing pretty much. Roughly paying around 22.00us dollars for crickets. Around 25.00us dollars for the supers. I am also breeding and so far looking successful as easy as it is to bred the supers. I have 4 bearded dragons and a chameleon to attend to so its alot of work feeding but they get a variety so its better for them. I feed the dragons and Nana alot of greens. Occasional pinky for the dragons. The chameleon will get better because I know why it is this way. My friend had her in a very hot enviroment. He had virtually no kind of humidity level that was adequate for the chameleon. In observing her current state she has a high rate of surviving as long as shes is moving and eating she will be ok. She just needed more than just crickets and higher humidity in a temerature controlled room. She will fatten up but the question is how well does she factor in moving again. She was stressed so Im not sure if shes ready for a trip to the vet yet.
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May 29, 2006 22:58:04 GMT -5
Post by ChamZilla on May 29, 2006 22:58:04 GMT -5
That is great news! I kinda figured something with his husbandtry was off. But that is great you are getting her back on track again. In a few days after she's eating a lot snap a few more photos' for me if you could so I can see her progress. I have no doubt that she will rebound with great potential. Just watch how much mealies and supers you feed them as too many arn't good for chameleons. A mealworms/superworms chitin content is too high for chameleons and they arn't very nutritious if fed every day but they are good for variety. Dusted crickets with or without vit D3(I use with D3) is great stable food and the others offered as treats more or less. But you should give her, her daily cricket intake then offer other feeders to fatten her up. Silk worms are expensive but a good way to fatten her up a bit also butterworms. Did any of the websites I give you help you out? I know my chameleon being a veiled love it not to be much hotter than 90 and no cooler than 60 at nights. Veilds tend to like it on the cooler dry and sometimes moist side. I'm glad you are keeping me updated on this girl and about Nana, we did miss hearing about her! So keep up the good work and keep me posted I love hearing about other peoples chameleons even though we don't have many members who have them on this site yet
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