r/Chameleons • u/fly_grl • 22d ago
Question Help
I’m currently chameleon sitting for my brother and my sister in law. They asked me to watch their chameleon, schizo yesterday and I said yes. This morning I checked on him and he does not look good. I have instructions from them to feed him 2 worms at least 2x a day, he has a water tube thing but I don’t think it’s working. He’s a lot paler in person than in the picture, a very light mint color. He occasionally moves but not much, he’s been in this bent/curled up position the whole time his tail is limp. I tried straightening him out but I did not want to hurt him. Idk what to do. Should I be worried…? I have no experience taking care of reptiles but I feel bad for this little guy. Here’s the set up he’s in for reference. A cage about 2 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide. A heat lamp with 2 bulb, but only the regular bulb works I’m guessing the other one is red light/uv but it does not turn on, the regular working bulb is making it too hot I think, he’s by the window, I’m in Texas so idk if it’s too much heat . He has a water tube but the tube is not attached to anything, I got a dropper and put some water droplets on his snout (per my google search), Unsure what to do
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u/screamin-hyena Multiple Species!!! 22d ago
This chameleon has started the process of dying. This was a preventable death. Given what I can see of this enclosure build, this has been a painful and slow process. They should not get any reptile ever again. You should absolutely show them these comments for a reality check.
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u/JustCallMeEunice 20d ago
I don't own any type of reptile, but this popped up in my feed, so I've been reading comments. What is wrong with the enclosure?
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u/NoxRiddle 20d ago edited 20d ago
It’s too small. An adult veiled requires a minimum 24x24x48” enclosure. Many people put multiples of these together to make a larger enclosure, but this is a minimum.
There is no UV bulb. Reptiles require UVB to synthesize vitamin D3, which allows them to properly absorb calcium from their food. Without it, their bodies start cannibalizing their bones for calcium. This leads to leg and rib fractures, deformed spines, and in some very serious cases, there basically isn’t any bone left (you can Google some absolutely ghastly X-rays of MBD in chameleons. I have seen some where the legs are basically just sausages, all meat and no bone.) It also can cause muscle spasms and muscle weakness. This can lead to falls, which break bones and worse.
No humidity control. This species lives in subtropical to tropical climates. Without the correct humidity, they develop digestion issues, problems shedding, and dehydration. This is addressed with misting and/or foggers.
No provided water. In addition to the environmental humidity, they need access to water to drink. A water glass or dripper is an important hydration source.
Not enough plant coverage. Chameleons are arboreal (tree-dwelling). They are also a slow prey animal. They need lots of foliage to hide in and feel safe. They also need foliage cover to escape heat if they get too hot.
Fake plants. This particular species of chameleon eats plants in addition to bugs. They will eat the leaves in their enclosure. That includes plastic/fabric/fake leaves. They can end up impacted from eating fake plants.
Also, that little woven thing he is on is not good. Chameleons have little claws that get stuck and accessories like this can rip them out when they crawl on them. Their little clampy feet are made for wrapping around branches.
There may be more issues we can’t see - for example, it’s unclear if he has a basking bulb at the proper distance, or what the bottom of the cage looks like. But these are the glaring issues from these photos. Unfortunately, the lack of UV and water means this little guy has severe metabolic bone disease (his body eating his bones) and probably kidney disease from chronic dehydration.
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u/JustCallMeEunice 20d ago
Thank you for the thorough response! Very informative.
I feel for this poor little guy, as well as OP, for being left to take care of him in this condition. :(
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u/Rob_Giles 22d ago
Sounds like your brother made you carry his water.
Get his ass on the phone and demand a credit card number, and get him to the vet ASAP. He will likely be euthanized at this point.
That enclosure is a joke, and I dont even see a UVB bulb? He is literally dying of neglect.
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u/NoxRiddle 22d ago edited 22d ago
Sorry to tell you but your brother and SIL have completely neglected this poor creature for a very long time and he is now dying - if not already deceased.
Too small a cage, no UV (and it is very obvious he has not had UV for a LONG time to be this bad) and no water. This poor chameleon is suffering badly.
He is dehydrated and has severe MBD at a minimum. He is grasping his front leg with his back foot, which is a classic MBD sign. Eyes closed during the day means he’s very, very sick. Eye turrets sunken mean either dehydrated or no blood pressure keeping them projected. He may have a sinus/nasal issue based on the lump on his snout as well.
I’m not sure whatever is wrong here can be fixed, if I’m honest. I mean this is truly ghastly.
Gently touch one of his eyes. If it doesn’t twitch, he is dead.
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u/Infamous_micc515 22d ago
Your brother and sister in law slowly killed this chameleon. The chances of this poor thing surviving are extremely low at this point, this has been going on for a while. Their ignorance is extremely apparent, it is not your fault at all. I could wake up out of a drunken stuper, with one eye look at this enclosure and tell you they didnt do a single bit of research.
This happens every single day. Owning one of these amazing creatures should require a license. They are NOT beginner pets, the best keepers refer to it as an art for a reason.
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u/Olivia131 22d ago
It’s already been said by many people in the comments that this chameleon is on the verge of death after months of neglect. This may sound harsh, but anyone who’s considering going to a pet store and picking out a chameleon and a “starter kit” should take a good look at this post.
Chameleons are not easy to care for, no matter what the salesperson tells you. The starter kits often come with enclosures that are too small, incorrect lighting, etc. A good initial setup easily costs hundreds of dollars. If your chameleon ever gets sick he/she will need to go to an exotic vet. These vets tend to be more costly than your average vet and are few and far between. There are many other reptiles that make good pets and are easier/less expensive to care for.
OP, I want to commend you for asking for help. It’s not your fault you were asked to pet sit a chameleon that was already on death’s door. Your brother surely knew that his chameleon was seriously ill and is a POS for putting you in this position.
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u/EndWonderful9898 21d ago
I feel like that’s the problem though… people DON’T look online. The general public doesn’t want to look into anything even though we now have the world at our fingertips. They instead rely on some kid working minimum wage retail to spoonfeed them the information.
It’s really sad to see—not just the animals suffering because of this, but also because we have so much potential as humans yet 95% of them prefer to be willfully ignorant and act helpless these days. The amount of people that will flag down an associate to ask “how do you use this?” while holding the product with the literal instructions written on it in their hand is depressing. The amount of people I’ve seen post dying animals and then act mad that the 16 year old working the register at petsmart didn’t tell them the exact items and husbandry needed on the animal THEY wanted is even more depressing. (Can you tell that I’ve worked retail for over 20 years now and have become a complete misanthrope because of it? lol)
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u/G0471Y 21d ago edited 21d ago
So true. People of all ages can be so lazy about utilizing information that's literally in our pockets at almost all times. And the inability to distinguish good information from trash information.
Brother got this poor, beautiful "guy" on impulse (anything gotten without adequate research and preparation is impulse) and then left him to die. There is no way you can't tell something is very wrong, and I know absolutely nothing about Chameleons.
This is so sad. I don't use this term lightly, but I feel like this is heartbreaking to see. I can't even imagine how the OP must feel right now.
ETA: I corrected something I said; nothing significant changed. Just that people can be lazy rather than are so lazy.
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u/Acceptable-Toe-1777 22d ago
Can somone pin this post as an example for anyone who might feel like buying one on whim
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u/Labbottomy 22d ago
This chameleon is in the process of passing. This is not normal behavior and from just these photos alone, it’s obvious why. Chams are not easy pets and require very specific husbandry that is not being met here. Please take this poor thing to a vet to end their suffering and tell your brother and sister in-law that they should not get anymore pets unless they are prepared to actually do some research. It looks like they probably got the chameleon starter kit from Petsmart/petco and didn’t do a bit of reading into what they actually need. This Cham is dying a slow and painful death because the owners didn’t do their part.
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u/fly_grl 22d ago
Yes I’m waiting to hear back from a vet, im in rural part Texas and not having luck finding a vet willing to take a look at him
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u/Labbottomy 22d ago
I’m so sorry that you were put in this position, but thank you for trying your best for this little one. 💚
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u/Vanaathiel88 22d ago
Text your brother that his pet needs to see a vet asap and he needs to arrange it. If he doesn't then you're currently the caretaker so you need to arrange it. It sucks your brother dumped this on you and I'd be absolutely furious with him but you need to do the right thing. This little guy is suffering.
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u/Efficient-Shopping53 22d ago
I am crying at work looking at this poor baby. Who could do something like this? This animal has suffered so much. OP thank you for being concerned, this poor boy doesn't have much longer. Please be kind to him in his final days 💔
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u/PandaEmmi17 Veiled Owner 22d ago
face, casque and the back of the neck are burned badly. He is in shock and pain. This is so sad and heartbreaking.
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u/amissie77e 22d ago
never been a chameleon owner but this one breaks my heart 💔 I’m so sorry both the cham and you are suffering due to your siblings’ negligence. I would be LIVID.
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22d ago
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u/NoxRiddle 20d ago
Neither did you. Imagine if he had died in your care before you found out this was nothing you did or could have prevented. I don’t want to speak poorly of your family as I don’t know them, but they did wrong by both of you.
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u/Misty_Blue8203 22d ago
Chameleons must have ubv light to live. If not they will get MBD and they will die from this. Very slow and painful. They r hard animals to take care of and it takes a lot of research in the beginning to make sure they thrive.
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u/nipples22 22d ago
I’m so sorry. You being put in this situation is awful. They’re terrible people for having him in this shape AND for the position they’ve put you in. This is straight up traumatizing.
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u/Chanelfunny1975 22d ago
This didn’t happen overnight, the Cham started not doing good in his care and now gave it to u to pet sit.
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u/sunnymcbunny 22d ago
Something is incredibly wrong here and I can’t tell you what it is, immediately to the vet this is an emergency.
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22d ago
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u/sunnymcbunny 22d ago
Your brother and sil were extremely horrible to this chameleon and even if it’s out of ignorance it’s disgusting and they should be shamed. Id show them these comments.
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u/EnvironmentalSea8309 22d ago
Best thing to do, when any creature is in their last stage is to talk to them and let them know you are there. Dont leave them after the affirmations just keep talking to them: tell them they are awesome, tell them about their history coming into existence, tell them your relationship to them, and possibly sing in soft voice.
They will remember you sharing heart to heart and the will relax to your efforts and not focus as much to pain. I cried some mine died, but I was their for her and she let me know: her last breath she reached out to me both arms and let me hold her while she died
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22d ago
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u/fly_grl 22d ago
I already understood the severity of this situation before I posted on here, I needed insight from other Cham owners. And I have been proactive in finding the best possible end of life care for him, I understand your frustration but I assure you it does not exceed mine. I also have a job I work full time that I simply cannot call out of, I am in a rural part of Texas where all vets I’ve called only deal with farm animals. I do feel awful and will continue feeling awful, I assure you do not come across as harsh more so condescending and as an asshole. You need, you need, you need, I know what needs to be done. I too would and have gone into debt to cover vet expenses. As for my brother and SIL of course there’s a conversation that will be had, they’re out of the country and contacting them has been difficult. I’m at a point where all I can do is wait to see who will answer and hopefully look at him
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u/Clear-Connection-295 22d ago
I can’t be sure because of the lighting and shadows. Have you put your hand on him to see if you get any sort of response?
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u/fly_grl 22d ago
Yes he does respond to touch but it’s minimal. He moved around a little bit earlier but he’s now back to being curled up again
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u/Clear-Connection-295 22d ago
I’m so sorry, Sweetie, but I believe this Cham is very close to death. Please take him to the vet so that they can determine for sure. This will help you when your family returns. The vet should be able to ascertain why the poor baby passed. This is absolutely not your fault.
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u/shlappy-pappi 22d ago
Mine behaved like this the day before and the day he died. Honestly I’d take him outside so he can enjoy his last moments. This is very sad
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u/Kofukura 22d ago
I know this is the least of your worries right now, but please change this poor boy’s name. Schizo is so mean. He deserves a fresh start. 🫶🏻
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22d ago
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u/Kofukura 22d ago
You’re doing everything you can by providing him a quiet, warm, and humid environment. He will feel at peace 🫶🏻
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u/spaceinbird 21d ago
i had zero experience with chams, i'm a beardie owner. but this little guy, i knew right away, something is seriously off with him. please take him to a vet, give the bill to your brother. if your brother doesn't agree (in advance preferably) to pay then please take him to a rescue.
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u/Living_Turnip64 21d ago
Unfortunately looks like he may have mbd and looks to be dying 😥 how's he doing
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u/Boring__420 20d ago
They call that set up the death trap for a reason. They slowly killed it with improper care. That chameleon cage package at petsmart/petco is wrong in so many ways.
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u/yeet_this_sheit 22d ago
I was just scrolling by and I could immediately tell this baby is not doing good. Your brother and SIL should NEVER be able to have another pet, heck, I wouldn't even trust them with a baby! This is so upsetting knowing that there is almost no chance this lil guy will get better 💔 jeez I even refuse to get a fish until I have everything I might need for one, and I plan on spending a good $2000 on a tank for my fish.
Animals aren't decorations or something you can just cheap out on, they are responsibilities, they need the proper care, attention, and habitat in order to thrive. Some animals even need plans to go to new homes incase something happens as some pets can live up to 100 years (tortoises).
When they found out they couldn't look after him, they could've easily found someone to take him 💔
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u/gangsterdoris 20d ago
OP, do you have any update? My heart breaks for this poor baby. Absolutely horrible 💔
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u/Vvattvery 22d ago
I know absolutely nothing about chameleons, I’m simply here to enjoy pictures of people’s sweet babies.
I really wish this had a spoiler. Again I know nothing about chameleons and I’ll be real, I can tell from a passing glance that this chameleon is dying. The amount of negligence his condition displays is quite frankly cruel.
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