I've had my cham, Emerald, for about 2 weeks now. She has severe MBD from a previous owner, but I've been following advice given here, and she's been doing OK. That is, up until yesterday when I nearly killed her...

I've been misting her cage twice a day, but I've never seen her drink. I read somewhere that you can use an automatic dripper, or ice cubes placed over her cage to drip as it melts. Being cheap, I chose the melting ice cubes, and the outcome was horrible.

The freezing cold water dripped on her, and created a very cold puddle on her cagefloor. I guess she got cold, because she fell into the puddle and could not get up. I found her last night after she had been laying in the puddle for who knows how long. I've never seen an animal that was as black and stone cold rigid as she was. If she was breathing, I couldn't see it. I thought she surely must be dead, and I cried and cried because I knew what happened was my fault.

Then I saw her tail move, so faint that I thought maybe I imagined it. So I laid her on a heating pad, and stroked her spine because she seems to like it, and I talked to her. I told her I was sorry for what happened. Gradually her color improved and went from black to a very dark green, so that gave me hope. But I still couldn't see her breathe.

All of a sudden, she gave a huge yawn, and then she started breathing very hard thru her open mouth, trying to pull oxygen in. After awhile, her breathing returned to normal and today you'd never know the ordeal she endured. (Of course, she got a brand new dripper just as soon as the store opened.)

I realize that reptiles can get awfully chilled and still be ok,but I've never seen such a strong will to live in any creature. Emerald fought for her life, she really did, and I find something inspirational, maybe even spiritual, in her struggle. She's got so many bone deformities, and she is so weak that climbing is an ordeal for her. Every day is a challenge for her. And yet, she just never gives up.

Just thought I'd share this with others who like chams...

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