HELP ME! I know this is the wrong website for this but ...

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tiggerhammon
tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Okay, first of all, the chances of finding someone on here to answer me that knows much about chameleons is probably pretty low. Secondly, I know this is the wrong website for this but it is the only website that I am a member of. Third, yes, I know I need a vet but this closest one is in Vegas - 150 miles away.
That being said, my husband has a Jackson Chameleon. We have had him a year now and my husband has owned chameleons since he was 12 and isn't inexperienced in their care. But, my husband is not here. He has been gone 2 weeks and won't be home until Sunday and I can't call him!!
I have been feeding, watering, caring for the chameleon sine he has been gone and have followed vitamin schedules, proper feeding, temperature control, exact lighting shut off schedule, humidity control, everything! Just to clarify, I really don't think it is anything we did wrong!
He is lying on his side, wriggling and writhing on the bottom of his cage as if he is in pain!
Besides the obvious, a vet, which I have no control over - does ANYONE know if there is ANYTHING I can do!?!
I feel like if I don't do something STAT he won't live until my husband gets home. But, I have NO CLUE what to do!!!
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  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Uh oh, I'm sorry to say that sounds pretty bad. I'm no expert, but I had a Jackson's until about a month ago.

    Pick him up and examine look in his mouth, maybe he got something (a cricket?) caught in his throat. It's gross, but you'll have to reach in there and get it out. How is his tongue?

    How old is he? How long have you had him? Has he been sick?
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
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    I have no idea. Could you not phone your other half and ask him?

    Oh, just read you can't call him....sorry I can't be of any help
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
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    http://www.chameleonforums.com/
  • Tulipgirl1223
    Tulipgirl1223 Posts: 91 Member
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    Do you have a local petsmart/petco or pet store you could call?
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    Can you at least phone a vet for advice?
  • BITEME_GRRR
    BITEME_GRRR Posts: 150 Member
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    Um, take it to the vet...
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    Can you at least phone a vet for advice?

    ^ this. call a vet. tell them you are afraid that the animal is in imminent danger of death and won't survive a 150 mile trip.
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
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    My husband is working out in the middle of nowhere. He is doing some construction work on a reservoir and has no cell service there. He drives the 45 minutes- an hour into town a couple times a week to get cell service and call me. I cannot call him, I can't only wait and hope he calls me tonight. He most likely will call tonight.

    Looking into the chameleon's mouth certainly isn't a problem as he opens it wide and hisses at me whenever I walk near. (Not normal behavior for him at all) There is nothing in there except a little dirt just inside his mouth around his jawline ( I am fairly certain this was caused by all the wriggling around in the dirt.)
  • Sovictorrious
    Sovictorrious Posts: 770 Member
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    So Sorry....

    www.google.com
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
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    Can you at least phone a vet for advice?

    Also:

    www.google.com
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
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    I have googled it to death, checked chameleon forums too. Everything says either 'take him to a vet' or 'turn off his light and let him die in peace.'
    I have called the pet store here already. They had no advice and told me that no vet around here would be helpful and that the closest reptile vet is in Vegas.
    I phoned the vet's office in Vegas already. The female receptionist was rude, refused to give advice. She said they won't take legal risks of giving advice over the phone because they could be wrong and there is no way to tell what is wrong with out s seeing him.
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
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    One of chameleon forums said to use a dropper to water him directly.
    While I don't see that helping a ton, I am still going to go try that ...
    I'll be back on later, if anyone else has any other advice I would appreciate it!
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    What happens if you pick him up and put him back on a branch?
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
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    I'm sorry you're going through this. I've owned and rehabbed many little critters in my life and it's never fun when they take ill and you can't help them. Maybe he has an obstruction in his bowel that will work it's way through, or maybe it's his time. I agree with whoever said to just give him some peace and quiet. Lowering their stress level is important, and if he's uncharacteristically hissing at you and you're hovering, then that's stressing him out. If you can't take him to a Vet then maybe it's time to put a towel or something over his cage and just let him be.
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
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    Thank you everyone!
    My husband called, and as always, he has all the answers, lol.
    He has owned at least one chameleon at all times his whole life except when he was in the military. He has them get sick, and die, but I personally have never seen it.

    Anyways, my husband said it is a bowel obstruction. Short of taking to him to a vet, which at this point is out of the question until Monday, there is only a couple things I can do.
    (According to him, me acting like an emotional pregnant woman is not one of the things I am supposed to be doing, lol)
    He may pull through and be fine, he may not make it until Monday :(
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
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    How old is the chameleon? Is there anyway it could be natural causes? Google the symptoms. Lots of herp people out there. Someone may have experienced something similar. When chameleons go to the ground that's never a good sign in and of itself since they're arboreal.

    http://www.chameleonforums.com/can-anyone-help-me-diagnose-my-chameleon-117688/
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
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    Uh oh, I'm sorry to say that sounds pretty bad. I'm no expert, but I had a Jackson's until about a month ago.

    Pick him up and examine look in his mouth, maybe he got something (a cricket?) caught in his throat. It's gross, but you'll have to reach in there and get it out. How is his tongue?

    How old is he? How long have you had him? Has he been sick?

    We got him as a baby, just over a year ago. No sickness, symptoms or problems with him until today.
    I hope he will be okay :(
  • supermuslimgirl
    supermuslimgirl Posts: 96 Member
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    http://voices.yahoo.com/caring-sick-iguana-10356313.html

    try feeding him that
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
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    http://voices.yahoo.com/caring-sick-iguana-10356313.html

    try feeding him that

    Thanks, unfortunately, the chameleon will not eat right now but will keep this one in mind.
    I am dropper feeding him water mixed with a little pedialyte and his vitamins (since he isn't eating, this is probably the only way to get him nutrients.) And, I my husband said to give him a bath and mist him with really warm water. I just got done soaking him and he is sleeping now.
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Poor little guy. I'm sorry you're going through this. My chameleon died after a long-term infection brought about by a vitamin deficiency. At the end I was injecting him with antibiotics. It was crazy. My vet, who is really great, says that they're really not meant to live in captivity. If I could have flown him to Kenya to let him go I would have...

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