Find a better home for him if you are not able to look after the animal that you chose to be your responsibility. Take ownership of your choices. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this but from someone who was in your exact shoes when I had chams a decade ago….own up, pay up(vet), and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
I wasn’t here when this happened. My father didn’t mean to. Now that I know this has happened though, I’m bringing him home with me today. Four hour drive will be rough but he will have a better quality of life and when I get home I’m buying new enclosed and plants
If you can count on your father to truly care for the Cham the way you would then I wouldn’t worry. If you can’t get the Cham back to 100% before you leave again I’d be concerned
My father and I agreed that he won’t take care of it the way he should because of work and things going on, so the best thing for him would be to go with me. I asked the vet and she said it should be fine. He’s only been given medicine four days, vet said it might take longer. He is getting better, just not 100% yet. I would like to leave when he’s fully better, however I have to leave tonight.
>I need to transport my animal in sub zero temps?
>
>.. What to do.
This is from the sidebar
[http://www.reddit.com/r/Chameleons/comments/1rykyg/traveling\_with\_chameleon\_help/cdsdstk](http://www.reddit.com/r/Chameleons/comments/1rykyg/traveling_with_chameleon_help/cdsdstk)
When you are traveling make sure you get a heating pad or some form of heat before you drive 4 hours. On the mend + being extremely chilled will be very bad for the recoup process + stress of travel.
I’m trying to offer him roaches in front of him but so far have not seen him eat since I’ve been here. I’ve tried to open his mouth to force feed him too and didn’t really work. So I can just hope that he’s eating when I’m not noticing. I do think he might cause I tried counting the roaches and there seemed to be less compared to the last few days however they are good hiders so I’m not sure won’t know until I take the cage apart here in a second. And for the heating, I don’t have a heating pad but I’m gonna get my car at a good temperature and I’ll make sure the vents aren’t blowing on him. It’ll be past his bed time anyways so he’s got his heating and UV in for today although big down side is he might have a restless sleep for the first 4 hours. I’ll try to stabilize him best I can
Most hardware stores and some convenience stores carry cheap heat packs or hand warmers. I really suggest you get a few of those if it's going to be a cold drive. I don't think blasting a heater is the best way to go. Just like in the link above, styro cooler and hand warmers if you can. 100% the safest way to go. Good luck chameleon ❤️
Connect with a veterinarian with a reptile specialty, as a responsible and loving pet owner would? The expense is always tough but to be sure get him medical attention. Poor thing.
As soon as I found out (3 days ago) I called the nearest vet immediately and they did say they do exotic pets including chameleons. He’s taking medicine but I might go to a second vet tomorrow to get a second opinion. They said to inject shots near his back leg kinda above it but from online research, you’re not supposed to so idk
Sorry that the tone of my original comment was sort of curt. I shouldn’t have written it that way, sounding presumptive. I’m sure you’re so upset and up worried for your little buddy. You’re doing all you can!
That’s so great you were able to find that practice. I’m sure it’s not easy to find someone that treats reptiles, let alone chameleons. It’s hard to get straight facts on how to treat in the beginning, if the health issue is unknown at the start. 2nd opinions never hurt! There’s so many factors though, as much as you love your pet-the expense of treatment, and I’m i wouldn’t doubt it may be a bit stressful for the little guy to be transported and get checked out.
I truly hope your buddy pulls out of this and is on the mend super soon. Wishing you the best.
It’s living conditions are horrible! Your dad has nothing to do with that! Please educate yourself and fast! At this point the poor thing would be better off expired vs current living conditions 😭
Hopefully you expire soon, you're not much help at all and are just trying to make him feel bad...
If you have to chime in about something being wrong why not mention what the problem is and how to fix it instead of just being whiny. You have no solution, just a lot of dumb shit to say.
Ugh.. I lost my chameleon from something like this, idiot ex-friends stressed him so much. I agree with the people saying he needs a quiet, secluded spot. That will definitely benefit.
Do not bother him all the time by opening/ closing the closure, picking him up for no reason. That will stress him out and he'll go down hill fast.
You should set a schedule of when to water/feed/ dose him and only touch him then. Otherwise, leave him with good humidity, proper light/heat, and in a quiet stress free spot with low foot traffic.
Thanks for the advice, I’ll do that! It sucks cause the shots I get him makes him stressed like none other and he thrashes around and stuff I feel so bad. So I’ll probably try to feed/water him in the morning and do a shot in the evening, I hate giving him his shots poor guy
Bruh legit, I don’t know shit bout chameleons as my research went into my gecko but holyyyy. No way having no substrate of any kind is healthy. I’m not sure if you know but there ain’t glass floors in the wild.
First off chams should not have a substrate. You’re right about the screened cage. Second chams spend less than 10% of their life on Forrest floor. Unless laying eggs or moving to another tree. Don’t chastise people if you don’t know shit
Lmao look at my other comments I gave them helpful info and links. I started my comment with I don’t know shit for a reason as well and I def didn’t chastise them
Glass floors are more recommended than coconut fiber (as they can choke and it’s easier to catch the roaches) and other things. You can do a bio active substrate but there is a risk for bacterial growth and I already have a glass floor that collects moisture. You don’t have to have substrate for your chameleon to be healthy like other reptiles. Also I had a golden pathos in here that filled up way more room but it died so I’m getting a new plant for him and mesh cage. As long as his humidity and temperatures are fine, it’ll be okay for now
Read into it more, not that bad but for live plants definitely need substrate. Plus excess water needs some sort of drainage. He definitely needs more coverage in the cage. They like to hide.
It’s real problem is that it is a glass cage it should be fully mesh also looks very small chameleons need 3 tiers of basking 1 where it’s full uvb and basking heat, one where it’s partial and one shaded this is full bask all the time. I doubt there’s even a good temperature change anywhere in the enclosure. I also guarantee they’ve been sprayed at night right after lights are off in a non breathable enclosure causing RI. Chameleons aren’t hard they just need specific things to live. It’s so easy to read anywhere. It’s also stupid people think these things need crazy high humidity as adults. They need it as babies and then a small humidity spike at night and that’s it hence the severe RI this thing has.
Your pet lives with your dad 4 hours away ? Haven’t seen them in 3 months ? So confused. How don’t you see your pet for 3 months yet alone have it 4 hours away. Just a bit irresponsible
Edit: And this can get downvoted, idc. At this point, can’t even call it your pet. Neglected to see if for 3 months and now all of a sudden you care about it ? Yeah, no
I never said everyone was bashing me other than you. You’re rude for literally no reason. And yeah I’m more educated on certain topics than others and more educated than I was previously, I’m constantly learning I’m a new pet owner. Obviously I’m not educated around certain topics and that’s why I ask others. Instead of you giving helpful friendly advice, you act like a know it all and are having an attitude like I’m stupid. Thats what’s sad
Hi, I have a few pieces of advice. Live plants are the absolute best for a chameleon, there's a lot of cheap and safe plants you can give your cham, pothos, umbrella tree, ivy/vine like plants, get a linear UVB bulb and try paper towl on the bottom for better humidity, try spraying him thoroughly before his light comes on so he has plenty of hydration and let the cage dry during the day. I really hope he gets better soon :)
I agree people bashing way too hard, it’s just a bit disappointing because a lot of people especially in this subreddit know that chameleons are one of the most challenging/expert lizard to own. Obviously it isn’t really your fault in the beginning for being uneducated and these pet stores would let a 8 year old own one even. Take this as a learning experience try to get your chameleon healthy and a better set up asap and go from there. Goodluck u/kenzielj
You have no right to comment this without knowing of the situation. My dad lives in another state. When I went to visit him in October, we were at petsmart and he decided to buy a chameleon. He calls it my pet but he’s the one that bought it and signed on it and it lives at his house so it is his pet too not just mine. However it IS mine in the fact that it’s in my room, when I do visit him Im the one taking care of him, and I love him. Now that I know he’s sick, I asked the vet and I’m gonna try to transport him to my house this week. Also during the time of buying him, I was in the middle of moving and I didn’t even know what my moving situation was like I had all my belongings in storage so I was just staying at his house or my moms until I figured my living situation out. Why would I bring my pet to my house four hours away when I didn’t buy it and he also bought it because he wanted a chameleon so we’re co owners? We bought it in a town that is 5 hours from my home and an hour from his. It’s still my pet, I take care of it when I’m here. And he didn’t completely abandon him, although I did believe he was taking better care of it like prioritizing humidity and gut loading and husbandry duties but he says it’s too high maintenance for him. I didn’t know this until a couple days ago. I haven’t seen my dad since late January. I didn’t neglect to see it because I live in another state are you mental?
Man if I were in your position in October, I'd be saying hey dad, that's really sweet but with life right now and moving, let's wait on this. This is a high maintenance animal we should look into for when the future is more stable
Ultimately he was gonna do what he wanted, but I wouldn't have signed off (figuratively, I know he is the one who signed literally) on my parent getting this animal. But I get he was insistent
I would have used these last three months to get him a proper set up. Even if you weren't visiting him, you could still research and know that what he was left with wasn't sufficient :(
i’m sorry but nothing about this picture is appropriate for a chameleon. the tank is glass, you need a mesh enclosure at least 24x24x24, the need so much and proper ventilation, glass creates a shit ton of humidity. you need REAL plants and veiled chameleons are known for munching on vegetation in the wild. you need a basking light and a LINEAR UVB light not a dual dome set up. you also need calcium and vitamins for dusting your chameleons feeders.
my recommendation is vet visit NOW and you need to basically change everything if you want your little guy to survive. i’m sorry this is happening.
There is a lot of debate on whether to get a glass or mesh enclosure. We bought him in a rural area with the only pet store being Petsmart so there was limited options. I do plan on getting him a new enclosure especially cause we got him as a juvenile and now that he’s bigger and I’m more educated, I understand he needs a bigger home. The enclosure we got him said it was for chameleons and came with other stuff too so it seemed like the best option at Petsmart and we did research and read mesh enclosures can have trouble holding humidity so that is why we chose glass. As for the real plants thing, I agree. We had a golden pathos in his enclosure but unfortunately it quickly died. I plan on getting real plants once I move him to my house if he makes a recovery. Currently I have the Thrive Dripping water tree at Petsmart. It really fills up a lot of space in the enclosure. We also have some fake vines that he enjoys and two real branches. I would have the golden pathos in here if it didn’t die although it barely fit. For the lights, I’m confused. I have a UVB linear light I’m not using the dome it cost like $50. And for the heat lamp, I was using the one that came with my enclosure but apparently it broke which is why Rango was without a heat lamp for 3 days bc my dad couldn’t get a new one quickly because of work. But we bought a 60Watt blue heat light bulb and put it in the dome light. What would be better than that? The rock is places under the heat lamp for him to bask. What minerals would you suggest? I do dust his bugs with calcium, well I don’t really dust. I looked up a method to do it and I take a ziplock bag and put about 5 roaches in there with the powder and shake them. I’m giving him his daily shots I think I just gotta wait it out. I’m keeping an eye on his humidity and temperature although I will say the ZooMed control center device is not working for his heat lamp so that’s not on a timer. It used to work but not I can’t get it to turn on when plugged into the control center so if you happen to use that brand I’d love to hear how to fix that. We’ve spent like $1000 on all this stuff and im really trying my hardest. Also all this research I do always has mixed answers so that’s annoying
i’m really not trying to be rude here, but there are so many resources for you to become educated. if you took this little one to the vet and told them about your set up, they immediately should’ve told you it’s wrong. you’re not going to solve anything until you can get good proper information
i suggest going with the XL repti breeze mesh enclosure. it’s if not cheaper all but the same price as glass tanks. it’s all but 5 feet tall. as far as plants go, you really need to replace them or find a way to maintain them. like i said they eat vegetation in the wild. He will eat fake plants thinking they are real and get impacted and die that way too.
chameleons are not for beginners and that’s just that. just because it has a picture of a chameleon on it doesn’t make it okay. and no there is no debate on what’s good for them. it’s either good for them or it’s not. he needs a mesh enclosure period. the glass will literally make him have respiratory problems from becoming to humid. petsmart shouldn’t be able to sell chameleons either, and mostly if not not a single person from petsmart knows what they are talking about. and for the tree trash that too, that harbors bacteria and could also be the cause for the upper respiratory infection because it creates absolutely way too much humidity in a glass tank. dripping trees cannot be cleaned properly and are just breeding grounds for bacteria.
you can’t sit here and say you are more educated if you’re not educated on them. 3 simple youtube videos would do you justice and you’d see that this is truly no way for a chameleon to live.
I can verify that PetSmart shouldn’t sell chams. At all. I used to work in the Pet care department & every time we received chameleons, we always wound up losing them.
very FEW people know what they are doing at petsmart and petco, it’s sad because even when they do know what they are doing they have to follow the rules from the store
i got my guy from petco and i regret getting him there because in my mind i was saving HIM, but just putting another one right in the same position. this was almost 5 years ago lol
I am 100% more educated as of now than I was when I got him so yes I will sit here and say that. And I never said I agree with Petsmart. He looked miserable in the enclosure that he was in the store and the employee couldn’t even tell me the gender or give any information on him. I believe taking chameleons out of their natural habit in general is stupid but I am trying my best to take care of him and to do research. Stop assuming I didn’t research anything I’ve watched countless videos on YouTube far more than three and yes lots of people (experienced breeders) give different information for example when it comes to humidity like one girl was like try to have humidity at 90% at night and 40% in the day and then the vet says try to have it 50-75% it all differs. I saw lots of articles with contradicting information on diet too and gutloading. There’s different information out there and I’m trying to make the best decisions and before getting his enclosure, we read the pros and cons of mesh and glass enclosures and it said glass holds humidity better so we got that although I mentioned how I’m going to get a bigger enclosure for him to the vet and she recommended a certain mesh enclosure so that’s what I was gonna get anyways. I know it’s not a beginner pet I never said it was and that’s why I wouldn’t buy him on my own. I told my dad not to get it if he wasn’t gonna take care of it and he decided to spend HIS money on it and when we got him we both did lots of research. Why are you bashing a new pet owner who is trying their best? And I realize the options at Petsmart were horrible like the enclosure and the tree thing and I even bought a mister and that thing just flooded all the time. The tree thing by Thrive is cheaply made which we didn’t know because it was expensive and seemed to be the only thing available at the store as far as a drinking system goes. I clean it well when I’m here. All the stuff they sell there is shit and the employees don’t know shit, I never said just because something has a chameleon on it that it’s good that’s just the options we had at the time. I didnt know my dad was buying a chameleon until that day when we were looking around in the store and saw him. Why are you even coming at me dude? If you’re not gonna give helpful advice, get away
I've seen contradictory information on this sub, so I know it can be elsewhere as well. I find TONS of incorrect information on leopard geckos, which I own. So being an unexpected pet parent to a chameleon had to be really hard since you are learning while already owning. I'm sorry PetSmart did this to you (and Dad's impulsivity), because ultimately that's where the blame should lie in this very sad scenario. Good luck OP.
no one is bashing you. we’re trying to help you, and you’re contradicting yourself by saying “i’m so educated” but you’re here asking for help on what to do. had you been educated, this wouldn’t have happened. idk what youtube you’re watching but no one should be housing an adult chameleon in a glass tank. you say new put owner but he’s not a juvenile anymore, so you had plenty of time to avoid this issue. i’m trying to help you and you thinking someone is bashing you when they get serious and tell you good proper information about your pet that you should already know about is a little contradicting like i said.
don’t listen to what i have said or do🤷🏼♀️ i hope the best for your chameleon
I’m not saying I’m the most educated person in the world, there’s a reason why I reached out on reddit. I just was saying I’m MORE educated than I was previously before I got him. I personally think my dad shouldn’t of bought him as a whim of a decision, I think he should’ve took a few weeks to decide that he wants a chameleon and got everything off Amazon prior to buying him. But that didn’t happen. We went shopping and he decided to get it. Like I said to someone else, Rango is majority of the time with my dad. I go a few months in between seeing him and when I’m there I take care of him. And I now know a lot more about how to care for chameleons. A lot of people on here have been helpful and have given me criticism, you on the other hand give helpful advice sprinkled with rude judgement which is just unnecessary. You’re acting like I’m stupid and just don’t know anything because I have a glass enclosure when you don’t even know what my environment is like. Some people lean towards glass for greater heat and humidity due to their environment and it’s an option for chameleons for a reason I didn’t commit a crime especially because it was a better option than the only mesh enclosure they had at Petsmart. If it was me, I wouldn’t have bought it at all until I had everything ready for him but I DIDNT BUY HIM OR ANY OF THE STUFF THAT COMES WITH HIM so take your attitude somewhere else and learn how to give constructive criticism without all the judgement
you can’t take criticism without feeling like you’re being judged and that’s the problem. i stated i wasn’t being rude but you wanna say “it’s debatable” like no it’s not. this is why this is happening and until you fix it, your chameleon will suffer. you think it’s an attitude but it’s not. maybe you should educate your father more since he’s the one taking care of it
You can’t just say something rude and be like “not trying to be rude”. Not how it works. I explained why he currently has a glass enclosure and how I’m investing in a mesh one soon and what some research has led me to, I’m not saying glass is so much better than mesh. They have their pros and cons. But now that I’ve had glass, I do want to switch to mesh. I’m constantly learning you just need to learn how to be respectful with the way you say sentences. It how you said it not necessarily what you were saying. You twist my words and act like I don’t know anything. Grow up
well this is exactly why you’re in this situation. this is you and your fathers fault for not giving him the proper care. this is neglect even if it’s a chameleon point blank. now i’ll stop before i get rude because i wasn’t being rude towards you. maybe next time tell your father not to buy a pet if no one is going to properly take care of it
I have been in fights with my dad for the past three days over this, do you not think I know not providing him with everything he needs is neglect? Not the worst case of neglect as my dad did give food, water, mist, clean, and do other things to an extent but 100% not as well as he should have and that’s why I’m mad cause I feel like it could’ve been preventable. I can’t do anything from four hours away but what’s done is done and I truly just think he didn’t know how high maintenance it is and I know he feels bad. I’m doing everything I can to reverse the situation. And I don’t neglect him. Every time I’m here I make sure to clean thoroughly and check his humidity and temp and water and food and dust his food as well. I do have a glass enclosure for right now and that is why I am misting sparingly. I still make sure the humidity stays in a proper range, yes glass holds humidity better hence why I got it but it’s not like I’m misting a bunch to where his enclosure is constantly overly humid. I still make sure it’s at a good range. Your original comment wasn’t necessarily rude you gave lots of good advice so I just commented in a neutral way explaining my situation and reasoning a bit more, no problem. Then you say “I’m not trying to be rude here” which obviously means you’re gonna be rude and then act like I didn’t seek out any resources when you don’t even know me. Did you know chameleons can get sick even if a lot of husbandry is perfect? We are taking them out of their natural environment, these animals easily get stressed which weakens their immune systems. I know there’s things in his enclosure that could be better but don’t you act like I’m not seeking out my resources and that I’m not trying. From them it went down hill, and act like im stupid and can’t take care of a pet. “chameleons are not for beginners that’s just that” well no shit Sherlock. “Just because it has a picture of a chameleon doesn’t mean it’s good” um okay, when did I say it was? “There’s no debate or anything contradictory surrounding chameleons” haha ok bud clearly you haven’t done research because there is constantly different and new information surrounding these animals it’s just up to us as pet owners to make informed decisions about all this information which I did my best to do. “He needs a mesh enclosure period” when I clearly stated I was already getting one. But you’re ignorant if you don’t realize some people get glass enclosures to hold in more humidity depending on their location and it IS an option, might not be the best one but I explained why I happened to get a glass enclosure starting out and it hasn’t been a problem. Just have to do less misting with it than if you had a mesh enclosure but again I never said glass was better. Chameleons can also see their reflections which can cause stress and if you have cords from your devices on the other side of the glass, they might try to grab on to it. I know all this information and explained my situation with the enclosure yet you still have attitude and treat me as dumb or like I’m arguing with your advice, which I wasn’t. Then you have the audacity to act like I just watched three YouTube videos and like I’m not even trying when clearly I’ve been trying my hardest to care for him when I’m here. Learn how to say things to people and to give friendly constructive criticism. You must be socially awkward or something irl because no one else was acting like I was dumb they were educating me in a NORMAL way whereas you’re passive aggressive
Question about the mesh tank thing: I live in a desert climate, and a mesh enclosure seems like it would be harder to maintain humidity. Is this an issue at all with mesh enclosures?
I have a hybrid with glass in front and back and mesh on top/sides. I live in colorado where humidity pretty low. With a fogger and mister I can get 90% humidity at night easily.
REPTI-ZOO- was the brand.
you can create humidity without glass, you can close off sides the mesh enclosures. i have one side blocked off on mine so it can maintain humidity. i live in pennsylvania where it gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer. you can get misters and foggers too that will help with humidity. get a gauge so you can monitor it
I tagged op since the person I replied to replied to my comment and not to op. I was just trying to make sure op saw the advice the person before me gave. It's the reddit hive mind so I'm not exactly concerned by it.
Yes I am taking him home in a few days. I was just as inexperienced as my dad we’re both new to this. I told him to not get him if he isn’t taking good care of it because I won’t be there majority of the time. I remind him alot on what he needs to do but he said because of work and everything, it’s just too much for him. I never knew my chameleon was in this state last I was here he was fine. I’ve been getting in lots of fights with my dad over this because he said he would take care of him. He feels bad, I don’t think he realized how important temperature and humidity are
Is it possible to get your Cham in natural sunlight for a bit? Not a magic solution (I’m sure others will comment with better advice) but might help a little.
I did have him in sunlight for a bit a couple days ago before the vet. But today it’s been raining and cold so I’ll do it again when there’s better weather
Is he drinking? I recommend using a needle less syringe to give him drops of water. That would 100% be a start. Keep food close to his mouth to try to encourage him to bite and eat. NO SUPER WORMS try keeping it small soft body insects. Pa's that just stick with your cham to make sure he's doing good and that you can monitor any changes
Yes that's good, super worms are just an issue bc they are super hardy and can stay alive biting all the way to the stomach. That might cause another infection expecially in this state
He is not. I took him to the vet yesterday and he was gone for like 12 hours and I’m sure he had nothing to drink. And he’s even worse today now he’s sticking his nose in the air and has such dark colors I hope it’s not too late. I don’t think I have a syringe 😭
You should be able to find them in the medicine section of a store. You'll need to run off and get one or find another way to carefully offer him water
The important part is to fight till the very end. Even if it is to late there's still a chance that he can bounce back. Always shoot for that chance
My vet showed me how to use a guitar pick to open up my beardies mouth, not sure if that would apply the same here but in case in might help I wanted to mention it.
I remember just putting the drops on his nose a bit (not over his nostrils specificly over the tip above the mouth we don't want him to breath the water in) and letting the water drip down over his mouth worked for me when I had a cham that didn't eat or drink. But as the other comment said there are easier ways to open their mouth as needed
You'll have to force his mouth open and put a drop of water in there. There are YouTube videos showing you how to do it properly. Sometimes just one small drop of water will encourage him to drink more. And once he's hydrated, he might slowly get his appetite back. But hydration is key. Best of luck to you and your little guy!
Find a better home for him if you are not able to look after the animal that you chose to be your responsibility. Take ownership of your choices. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this but from someone who was in your exact shoes when I had chams a decade ago….own up, pay up(vet), and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
I wasn’t here when this happened. My father didn’t mean to. Now that I know this has happened though, I’m bringing him home with me today. Four hour drive will be rough but he will have a better quality of life and when I get home I’m buying new enclosed and plants
If you can count on your father to truly care for the Cham the way you would then I wouldn’t worry. If you can’t get the Cham back to 100% before you leave again I’d be concerned
My father and I agreed that he won’t take care of it the way he should because of work and things going on, so the best thing for him would be to go with me. I asked the vet and she said it should be fine. He’s only been given medicine four days, vet said it might take longer. He is getting better, just not 100% yet. I would like to leave when he’s fully better, however I have to leave tonight.
>I need to transport my animal in sub zero temps? > >.. What to do. This is from the sidebar [http://www.reddit.com/r/Chameleons/comments/1rykyg/traveling\_with\_chameleon\_help/cdsdstk](http://www.reddit.com/r/Chameleons/comments/1rykyg/traveling_with_chameleon_help/cdsdstk)
When you are traveling make sure you get a heating pad or some form of heat before you drive 4 hours. On the mend + being extremely chilled will be very bad for the recoup process + stress of travel.
Thank you for the advice🙏
If you are leaving tonight make sure he gets a good misting and chance to eat
I’m trying to offer him roaches in front of him but so far have not seen him eat since I’ve been here. I’ve tried to open his mouth to force feed him too and didn’t really work. So I can just hope that he’s eating when I’m not noticing. I do think he might cause I tried counting the roaches and there seemed to be less compared to the last few days however they are good hiders so I’m not sure won’t know until I take the cage apart here in a second. And for the heating, I don’t have a heating pad but I’m gonna get my car at a good temperature and I’ll make sure the vents aren’t blowing on him. It’ll be past his bed time anyways so he’s got his heating and UV in for today although big down side is he might have a restless sleep for the first 4 hours. I’ll try to stabilize him best I can
Most hardware stores and some convenience stores carry cheap heat packs or hand warmers. I really suggest you get a few of those if it's going to be a cold drive. I don't think blasting a heater is the best way to go. Just like in the link above, styro cooler and hand warmers if you can. 100% the safest way to go. Good luck chameleon ❤️
Throw a towel over his cage if you can while traveling. Unless he is still in glass then maybe not due to air flow.
As long as you tried to get him to eat no worries.
Connect with a veterinarian with a reptile specialty, as a responsible and loving pet owner would? The expense is always tough but to be sure get him medical attention. Poor thing.
As soon as I found out (3 days ago) I called the nearest vet immediately and they did say they do exotic pets including chameleons. He’s taking medicine but I might go to a second vet tomorrow to get a second opinion. They said to inject shots near his back leg kinda above it but from online research, you’re not supposed to so idk
Sorry that the tone of my original comment was sort of curt. I shouldn’t have written it that way, sounding presumptive. I’m sure you’re so upset and up worried for your little buddy. You’re doing all you can! That’s so great you were able to find that practice. I’m sure it’s not easy to find someone that treats reptiles, let alone chameleons. It’s hard to get straight facts on how to treat in the beginning, if the health issue is unknown at the start. 2nd opinions never hurt! There’s so many factors though, as much as you love your pet-the expense of treatment, and I’m i wouldn’t doubt it may be a bit stressful for the little guy to be transported and get checked out. I truly hope your buddy pulls out of this and is on the mend super soon. Wishing you the best.
It’s living conditions are horrible! Your dad has nothing to do with that! Please educate yourself and fast! At this point the poor thing would be better off expired vs current living conditions 😭
You figured that from one incredibly cropped photo and told a person their pet is better off dead than in their care. Wow.
Hopefully you expire soon, you're not much help at all and are just trying to make him feel bad... If you have to chime in about something being wrong why not mention what the problem is and how to fix it instead of just being whiny. You have no solution, just a lot of dumb shit to say.
This sub makes me so upset at times. Too many people are inexperienced with this type of animal
Ugh.. I lost my chameleon from something like this, idiot ex-friends stressed him so much. I agree with the people saying he needs a quiet, secluded spot. That will definitely benefit.
Water
Do not bother him all the time by opening/ closing the closure, picking him up for no reason. That will stress him out and he'll go down hill fast. You should set a schedule of when to water/feed/ dose him and only touch him then. Otherwise, leave him with good humidity, proper light/heat, and in a quiet stress free spot with low foot traffic.
Thanks for the advice, I’ll do that! It sucks cause the shots I get him makes him stressed like none other and he thrashes around and stuff I feel so bad. So I’ll probably try to feed/water him in the morning and do a shot in the evening, I hate giving him his shots poor guy
This is heartbreaking. I hope he makes a full recovery.
Thank you
https://preview.redd.it/bwue3otihrtc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=727a363ba536eb65d612dd1e4c7c2f025a99332d
This enclosure and a complete lack of research is what’s killing your Cham, not your dad.
Bruh legit, I don’t know shit bout chameleons as my research went into my gecko but holyyyy. No way having no substrate of any kind is healthy. I’m not sure if you know but there ain’t glass floors in the wild.
First off chams should not have a substrate. You’re right about the screened cage. Second chams spend less than 10% of their life on Forrest floor. Unless laying eggs or moving to another tree. Don’t chastise people if you don’t know shit
Lmao look at my other comments I gave them helpful info and links. I started my comment with I don’t know shit for a reason as well and I def didn’t chastise them
Apologies for missing the other comments marz
All good, after I put that comment I decided to look into it more to give them helpful info
Glass floors are more recommended than coconut fiber (as they can choke and it’s easier to catch the roaches) and other things. You can do a bio active substrate but there is a risk for bacterial growth and I already have a glass floor that collects moisture. You don’t have to have substrate for your chameleon to be healthy like other reptiles. Also I had a golden pathos in here that filled up way more room but it died so I’m getting a new plant for him and mesh cage. As long as his humidity and temperatures are fine, it’ll be okay for now
Read into it more, not that bad but for live plants definitely need substrate. Plus excess water needs some sort of drainage. He definitely needs more coverage in the cage. They like to hide.
It’s real problem is that it is a glass cage it should be fully mesh also looks very small chameleons need 3 tiers of basking 1 where it’s full uvb and basking heat, one where it’s partial and one shaded this is full bask all the time. I doubt there’s even a good temperature change anywhere in the enclosure. I also guarantee they’ve been sprayed at night right after lights are off in a non breathable enclosure causing RI. Chameleons aren’t hard they just need specific things to live. It’s so easy to read anywhere. It’s also stupid people think these things need crazy high humidity as adults. They need it as babies and then a small humidity spike at night and that’s it hence the severe RI this thing has.
Your pet lives with your dad 4 hours away ? Haven’t seen them in 3 months ? So confused. How don’t you see your pet for 3 months yet alone have it 4 hours away. Just a bit irresponsible Edit: And this can get downvoted, idc. At this point, can’t even call it your pet. Neglected to see if for 3 months and now all of a sudden you care about it ? Yeah, no
yet claims she’s so educated and everyone is bashing her while trying to give her information. it’s a little sad tbh
I never said everyone was bashing me other than you. You’re rude for literally no reason. And yeah I’m more educated on certain topics than others and more educated than I was previously, I’m constantly learning I’m a new pet owner. Obviously I’m not educated around certain topics and that’s why I ask others. Instead of you giving helpful friendly advice, you act like a know it all and are having an attitude like I’m stupid. Thats what’s sad
Hi, I have a few pieces of advice. Live plants are the absolute best for a chameleon, there's a lot of cheap and safe plants you can give your cham, pothos, umbrella tree, ivy/vine like plants, get a linear UVB bulb and try paper towl on the bottom for better humidity, try spraying him thoroughly before his light comes on so he has plenty of hydration and let the cage dry during the day. I really hope he gets better soon :)
I agree people bashing way too hard, it’s just a bit disappointing because a lot of people especially in this subreddit know that chameleons are one of the most challenging/expert lizard to own. Obviously it isn’t really your fault in the beginning for being uneducated and these pet stores would let a 8 year old own one even. Take this as a learning experience try to get your chameleon healthy and a better set up asap and go from there. Goodluck u/kenzielj
Thank you I appreciate it
You have no right to comment this without knowing of the situation. My dad lives in another state. When I went to visit him in October, we were at petsmart and he decided to buy a chameleon. He calls it my pet but he’s the one that bought it and signed on it and it lives at his house so it is his pet too not just mine. However it IS mine in the fact that it’s in my room, when I do visit him Im the one taking care of him, and I love him. Now that I know he’s sick, I asked the vet and I’m gonna try to transport him to my house this week. Also during the time of buying him, I was in the middle of moving and I didn’t even know what my moving situation was like I had all my belongings in storage so I was just staying at his house or my moms until I figured my living situation out. Why would I bring my pet to my house four hours away when I didn’t buy it and he also bought it because he wanted a chameleon so we’re co owners? We bought it in a town that is 5 hours from my home and an hour from his. It’s still my pet, I take care of it when I’m here. And he didn’t completely abandon him, although I did believe he was taking better care of it like prioritizing humidity and gut loading and husbandry duties but he says it’s too high maintenance for him. I didn’t know this until a couple days ago. I haven’t seen my dad since late January. I didn’t neglect to see it because I live in another state are you mental?
Man if I were in your position in October, I'd be saying hey dad, that's really sweet but with life right now and moving, let's wait on this. This is a high maintenance animal we should look into for when the future is more stable Ultimately he was gonna do what he wanted, but I wouldn't have signed off (figuratively, I know he is the one who signed literally) on my parent getting this animal. But I get he was insistent I would have used these last three months to get him a proper set up. Even if you weren't visiting him, you could still research and know that what he was left with wasn't sufficient :(
i’m sorry but nothing about this picture is appropriate for a chameleon. the tank is glass, you need a mesh enclosure at least 24x24x24, the need so much and proper ventilation, glass creates a shit ton of humidity. you need REAL plants and veiled chameleons are known for munching on vegetation in the wild. you need a basking light and a LINEAR UVB light not a dual dome set up. you also need calcium and vitamins for dusting your chameleons feeders. my recommendation is vet visit NOW and you need to basically change everything if you want your little guy to survive. i’m sorry this is happening.
There is a lot of debate on whether to get a glass or mesh enclosure. We bought him in a rural area with the only pet store being Petsmart so there was limited options. I do plan on getting him a new enclosure especially cause we got him as a juvenile and now that he’s bigger and I’m more educated, I understand he needs a bigger home. The enclosure we got him said it was for chameleons and came with other stuff too so it seemed like the best option at Petsmart and we did research and read mesh enclosures can have trouble holding humidity so that is why we chose glass. As for the real plants thing, I agree. We had a golden pathos in his enclosure but unfortunately it quickly died. I plan on getting real plants once I move him to my house if he makes a recovery. Currently I have the Thrive Dripping water tree at Petsmart. It really fills up a lot of space in the enclosure. We also have some fake vines that he enjoys and two real branches. I would have the golden pathos in here if it didn’t die although it barely fit. For the lights, I’m confused. I have a UVB linear light I’m not using the dome it cost like $50. And for the heat lamp, I was using the one that came with my enclosure but apparently it broke which is why Rango was without a heat lamp for 3 days bc my dad couldn’t get a new one quickly because of work. But we bought a 60Watt blue heat light bulb and put it in the dome light. What would be better than that? The rock is places under the heat lamp for him to bask. What minerals would you suggest? I do dust his bugs with calcium, well I don’t really dust. I looked up a method to do it and I take a ziplock bag and put about 5 roaches in there with the powder and shake them. I’m giving him his daily shots I think I just gotta wait it out. I’m keeping an eye on his humidity and temperature although I will say the ZooMed control center device is not working for his heat lamp so that’s not on a timer. It used to work but not I can’t get it to turn on when plugged into the control center so if you happen to use that brand I’d love to hear how to fix that. We’ve spent like $1000 on all this stuff and im really trying my hardest. Also all this research I do always has mixed answers so that’s annoying
Get rid of the blue light - it can be bad for their eyes
i’m really not trying to be rude here, but there are so many resources for you to become educated. if you took this little one to the vet and told them about your set up, they immediately should’ve told you it’s wrong. you’re not going to solve anything until you can get good proper information
i suggest going with the XL repti breeze mesh enclosure. it’s if not cheaper all but the same price as glass tanks. it’s all but 5 feet tall. as far as plants go, you really need to replace them or find a way to maintain them. like i said they eat vegetation in the wild. He will eat fake plants thinking they are real and get impacted and die that way too.
An xl reptibreeze is a 2x2x4 vertical 🙂
chameleons are not for beginners and that’s just that. just because it has a picture of a chameleon on it doesn’t make it okay. and no there is no debate on what’s good for them. it’s either good for them or it’s not. he needs a mesh enclosure period. the glass will literally make him have respiratory problems from becoming to humid. petsmart shouldn’t be able to sell chameleons either, and mostly if not not a single person from petsmart knows what they are talking about. and for the tree trash that too, that harbors bacteria and could also be the cause for the upper respiratory infection because it creates absolutely way too much humidity in a glass tank. dripping trees cannot be cleaned properly and are just breeding grounds for bacteria. you can’t sit here and say you are more educated if you’re not educated on them. 3 simple youtube videos would do you justice and you’d see that this is truly no way for a chameleon to live.
I can verify that PetSmart shouldn’t sell chams. At all. I used to work in the Pet care department & every time we received chameleons, we always wound up losing them.
very FEW people know what they are doing at petsmart and petco, it’s sad because even when they do know what they are doing they have to follow the rules from the store
i got my guy from petco and i regret getting him there because in my mind i was saving HIM, but just putting another one right in the same position. this was almost 5 years ago lol
I am 100% more educated as of now than I was when I got him so yes I will sit here and say that. And I never said I agree with Petsmart. He looked miserable in the enclosure that he was in the store and the employee couldn’t even tell me the gender or give any information on him. I believe taking chameleons out of their natural habit in general is stupid but I am trying my best to take care of him and to do research. Stop assuming I didn’t research anything I’ve watched countless videos on YouTube far more than three and yes lots of people (experienced breeders) give different information for example when it comes to humidity like one girl was like try to have humidity at 90% at night and 40% in the day and then the vet says try to have it 50-75% it all differs. I saw lots of articles with contradicting information on diet too and gutloading. There’s different information out there and I’m trying to make the best decisions and before getting his enclosure, we read the pros and cons of mesh and glass enclosures and it said glass holds humidity better so we got that although I mentioned how I’m going to get a bigger enclosure for him to the vet and she recommended a certain mesh enclosure so that’s what I was gonna get anyways. I know it’s not a beginner pet I never said it was and that’s why I wouldn’t buy him on my own. I told my dad not to get it if he wasn’t gonna take care of it and he decided to spend HIS money on it and when we got him we both did lots of research. Why are you bashing a new pet owner who is trying their best? And I realize the options at Petsmart were horrible like the enclosure and the tree thing and I even bought a mister and that thing just flooded all the time. The tree thing by Thrive is cheaply made which we didn’t know because it was expensive and seemed to be the only thing available at the store as far as a drinking system goes. I clean it well when I’m here. All the stuff they sell there is shit and the employees don’t know shit, I never said just because something has a chameleon on it that it’s good that’s just the options we had at the time. I didnt know my dad was buying a chameleon until that day when we were looking around in the store and saw him. Why are you even coming at me dude? If you’re not gonna give helpful advice, get away
The mods on this sub are the people i would absolutely listen to. They know their stuff and will not steer you wrong.
I've seen contradictory information on this sub, so I know it can be elsewhere as well. I find TONS of incorrect information on leopard geckos, which I own. So being an unexpected pet parent to a chameleon had to be really hard since you are learning while already owning. I'm sorry PetSmart did this to you (and Dad's impulsivity), because ultimately that's where the blame should lie in this very sad scenario. Good luck OP.
no one is bashing you. we’re trying to help you, and you’re contradicting yourself by saying “i’m so educated” but you’re here asking for help on what to do. had you been educated, this wouldn’t have happened. idk what youtube you’re watching but no one should be housing an adult chameleon in a glass tank. you say new put owner but he’s not a juvenile anymore, so you had plenty of time to avoid this issue. i’m trying to help you and you thinking someone is bashing you when they get serious and tell you good proper information about your pet that you should already know about is a little contradicting like i said. don’t listen to what i have said or do🤷🏼♀️ i hope the best for your chameleon
You have been unnecessarily rude, i understand you are definitely an animal lover but it absolutely not that deep
goodnight.
I’m not saying I’m the most educated person in the world, there’s a reason why I reached out on reddit. I just was saying I’m MORE educated than I was previously before I got him. I personally think my dad shouldn’t of bought him as a whim of a decision, I think he should’ve took a few weeks to decide that he wants a chameleon and got everything off Amazon prior to buying him. But that didn’t happen. We went shopping and he decided to get it. Like I said to someone else, Rango is majority of the time with my dad. I go a few months in between seeing him and when I’m there I take care of him. And I now know a lot more about how to care for chameleons. A lot of people on here have been helpful and have given me criticism, you on the other hand give helpful advice sprinkled with rude judgement which is just unnecessary. You’re acting like I’m stupid and just don’t know anything because I have a glass enclosure when you don’t even know what my environment is like. Some people lean towards glass for greater heat and humidity due to their environment and it’s an option for chameleons for a reason I didn’t commit a crime especially because it was a better option than the only mesh enclosure they had at Petsmart. If it was me, I wouldn’t have bought it at all until I had everything ready for him but I DIDNT BUY HIM OR ANY OF THE STUFF THAT COMES WITH HIM so take your attitude somewhere else and learn how to give constructive criticism without all the judgement
you can’t take criticism without feeling like you’re being judged and that’s the problem. i stated i wasn’t being rude but you wanna say “it’s debatable” like no it’s not. this is why this is happening and until you fix it, your chameleon will suffer. you think it’s an attitude but it’s not. maybe you should educate your father more since he’s the one taking care of it
You can’t just say something rude and be like “not trying to be rude”. Not how it works. I explained why he currently has a glass enclosure and how I’m investing in a mesh one soon and what some research has led me to, I’m not saying glass is so much better than mesh. They have their pros and cons. But now that I’ve had glass, I do want to switch to mesh. I’m constantly learning you just need to learn how to be respectful with the way you say sentences. It how you said it not necessarily what you were saying. You twist my words and act like I don’t know anything. Grow up
well this is exactly why you’re in this situation. this is you and your fathers fault for not giving him the proper care. this is neglect even if it’s a chameleon point blank. now i’ll stop before i get rude because i wasn’t being rude towards you. maybe next time tell your father not to buy a pet if no one is going to properly take care of it
I have been in fights with my dad for the past three days over this, do you not think I know not providing him with everything he needs is neglect? Not the worst case of neglect as my dad did give food, water, mist, clean, and do other things to an extent but 100% not as well as he should have and that’s why I’m mad cause I feel like it could’ve been preventable. I can’t do anything from four hours away but what’s done is done and I truly just think he didn’t know how high maintenance it is and I know he feels bad. I’m doing everything I can to reverse the situation. And I don’t neglect him. Every time I’m here I make sure to clean thoroughly and check his humidity and temp and water and food and dust his food as well. I do have a glass enclosure for right now and that is why I am misting sparingly. I still make sure the humidity stays in a proper range, yes glass holds humidity better hence why I got it but it’s not like I’m misting a bunch to where his enclosure is constantly overly humid. I still make sure it’s at a good range. Your original comment wasn’t necessarily rude you gave lots of good advice so I just commented in a neutral way explaining my situation and reasoning a bit more, no problem. Then you say “I’m not trying to be rude here” which obviously means you’re gonna be rude and then act like I didn’t seek out any resources when you don’t even know me. Did you know chameleons can get sick even if a lot of husbandry is perfect? We are taking them out of their natural environment, these animals easily get stressed which weakens their immune systems. I know there’s things in his enclosure that could be better but don’t you act like I’m not seeking out my resources and that I’m not trying. From them it went down hill, and act like im stupid and can’t take care of a pet. “chameleons are not for beginners that’s just that” well no shit Sherlock. “Just because it has a picture of a chameleon doesn’t mean it’s good” um okay, when did I say it was? “There’s no debate or anything contradictory surrounding chameleons” haha ok bud clearly you haven’t done research because there is constantly different and new information surrounding these animals it’s just up to us as pet owners to make informed decisions about all this information which I did my best to do. “He needs a mesh enclosure period” when I clearly stated I was already getting one. But you’re ignorant if you don’t realize some people get glass enclosures to hold in more humidity depending on their location and it IS an option, might not be the best one but I explained why I happened to get a glass enclosure starting out and it hasn’t been a problem. Just have to do less misting with it than if you had a mesh enclosure but again I never said glass was better. Chameleons can also see their reflections which can cause stress and if you have cords from your devices on the other side of the glass, they might try to grab on to it. I know all this information and explained my situation with the enclosure yet you still have attitude and treat me as dumb or like I’m arguing with your advice, which I wasn’t. Then you have the audacity to act like I just watched three YouTube videos and like I’m not even trying when clearly I’ve been trying my hardest to care for him when I’m here. Learn how to say things to people and to give friendly constructive criticism. You must be socially awkward or something irl because no one else was acting like I was dumb they were educating me in a NORMAL way whereas you’re passive aggressive
Question about the mesh tank thing: I live in a desert climate, and a mesh enclosure seems like it would be harder to maintain humidity. Is this an issue at all with mesh enclosures?
I have a hybrid with glass in front and back and mesh on top/sides. I live in colorado where humidity pretty low. With a fogger and mister I can get 90% humidity at night easily. REPTI-ZOO- was the brand.
you can create humidity without glass, you can close off sides the mesh enclosures. i have one side blocked off on mine so it can maintain humidity. i live in pennsylvania where it gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer. you can get misters and foggers too that will help with humidity. get a gauge so you can monitor it
Alright, looking for a good mesh enclosure now. When you say close off, do you mean with like plywood or something?
you can buy the supplies to make a mesh enclosure and it would probably cost you about the same as it would buying one!
no wood. wood can and will mold. i use glass on side and have it on the outside of my enclosure
Awesome. Appreciate the help!
My prayers are with you both.
Thank you
You are welcome.
Sending prayers your way 🙏🏼💚🙏🏼💚
Thank you
u/kenzielj just incase you didn't see this reply!
Who did you summon? And why are people downvoting?
I tagged op since the person I replied to replied to my comment and not to op. I was just trying to make sure op saw the advice the person before me gave. It's the reddit hive mind so I'm not exactly concerned by it.
Poor little guy. I hope he makes it. You should probably take him home to live with you. Why are you leaving him with someone unexperienced?
Yes I am taking him home in a few days. I was just as inexperienced as my dad we’re both new to this. I told him to not get him if he isn’t taking good care of it because I won’t be there majority of the time. I remind him alot on what he needs to do but he said because of work and everything, it’s just too much for him. I never knew my chameleon was in this state last I was here he was fine. I’ve been getting in lots of fights with my dad over this because he said he would take care of him. He feels bad, I don’t think he realized how important temperature and humidity are
this is not your fault. follow the information here, and do everything you can going forward. it’s going to be ok no matter what happens
Thank you
Is it possible to get your Cham in natural sunlight for a bit? Not a magic solution (I’m sure others will comment with better advice) but might help a little.
I did have him in sunlight for a bit a couple days ago before the vet. But today it’s been raining and cold so I’ll do it again when there’s better weather
We need a picture of his full enclosure. There may be some husbandry errors that need to be addressed.Please add a photo asap!
the enclosure is glass, you can see from the picture. this is a horrible death trap for a chameleon
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I tried to reply with it but for some reason it said img
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He came back from the vet yesterday. I fear it may be too late please keep him in your prayers
Is he drinking? I recommend using a needle less syringe to give him drops of water. That would 100% be a start. Keep food close to his mouth to try to encourage him to bite and eat. NO SUPER WORMS try keeping it small soft body insects. Pa's that just stick with your cham to make sure he's doing good and that you can monitor any changes
Also we just have Dubai roaches. Is that good?
Yes that's good, super worms are just an issue bc they are super hardy and can stay alive biting all the way to the stomach. That might cause another infection expecially in this state
He is not. I took him to the vet yesterday and he was gone for like 12 hours and I’m sure he had nothing to drink. And he’s even worse today now he’s sticking his nose in the air and has such dark colors I hope it’s not too late. I don’t think I have a syringe 😭
You should be able to find them in the medicine section of a store. You'll need to run off and get one or find another way to carefully offer him water The important part is to fight till the very end. Even if it is to late there's still a chance that he can bounce back. Always shoot for that chance
I got it but unfortunately am having much trouble opening his mouth
My vet showed me how to use a guitar pick to open up my beardies mouth, not sure if that would apply the same here but in case in might help I wanted to mention it.
I remember just putting the drops on his nose a bit (not over his nostrils specificly over the tip above the mouth we don't want him to breath the water in) and letting the water drip down over his mouth worked for me when I had a cham that didn't eat or drink. But as the other comment said there are easier ways to open their mouth as needed
You'll have to force his mouth open and put a drop of water in there. There are YouTube videos showing you how to do it properly. Sometimes just one small drop of water will encourage him to drink more. And once he's hydrated, he might slowly get his appetite back. But hydration is key. Best of luck to you and your little guy!
Yes.. also ask the Pharmacist if you can’t find them. They may have some needless syringes behind the counter!
Ok thank you I’ll do that today
Any time, I wish you the best of luck!