Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 3 Rhamphonean Brevidicautus(sp) in a 20 gal long aquarium. I have plenty of pants, leaves, and cover. The temp is at 75 degree with humid around 40% but goes up when I mist heavily once a day. I feed fruit flies everyday and try to feed about 6-8 pinheads every day to every other. I calcium dust the crix every other day and vitamins every other day (if that makes sense. it goes one day dust, next day no dust, next day vitamin...) One of my chams died the other day and now another is not looking good. It has been sleeping all day and just doesn't look to healthy. I saw something in the pet store that was for malnourished and dehydrated reptiles that came with the a dropper too. Im not sure if you know what im talking about but I hope someone can help. It is late and I have been studying for finals and my brain is fried. Please help, I don't want to lose another chameleon!
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http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dubaliscous/lst?.dir=/Pablo(Picasso panther chameleon)&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/
1.0 Picasso panther chameleon (Pablo)
2.1 Rhampholean Brevicaudatus
0.1 Bearder Dragons (Mic Dundee)
1.1 Red-eyed tree frogs
1.0 African side-necked mud turtle (Wrinkles Jr.)
0.1 Fire bellied toads
Emperor Scorpion (not sexed)

My first thought is to separate them immediately in case there is an infectious disease spreading. If these are full grown you are oversupplementing probably. Cut back your mineral dusting to once a week and vitamins to no more than once a month. But, oversupplementation can take time to reverse and you may not have the time. Hard to say. I would also really clean out the tank, change the substrate etc. in case there is a mold or fungus growing and causing problems. If you have a UVB light change it for a new one and get them out in some partial unfiltered sunlight if possible. It can really help metabolism and immune system.

Well I can't get them outside because I am here in sunny Indiana . But seriously, everything I read about their care sheets did not say anything about UVB bulbs. I just have a regular florescent light. Some of the care sheets even said lights weren't required. What the heck. Also, this is a new enclosure and I see no mold anywhere. I will seperate tomorrow and see what unfolds. Thanks
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http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dubaliscous/lst?.dir=/Pablo(Picasso panther chameleon)&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/
1.0 Picasso panther chameleon (Pablo)
2.1 Rhampholean Brevicaudatus
0.1 Bearder Dragons (Mic Dundee)
1.1 Red-eyed tree frogs
1.0 African side-necked mud turtle (Wrinkles Jr.)
0.1 Fire bellied toads
Emperor Scorpion (not sexed)

This sounds just like what happened to my WC R. Brev's and Lele's group of CB R. Brev's. Are yours wild caught or captive born??? If you know, how old are they?

Do they just stop eating, drinking and being alert and active, then go downhill until they eventually die? Did the last one die suddenly or after a long drawn out illness?

Just wondering if this is a similar experience to mine and Lele's. It's a big bummer when they die and you have no idea what caused it.

Good luck.
Kristen
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1.1 pygmy leaf
1.1 carpet
1.0 jackson
0.0.3 red eared sliders

sounds like the same deal. They all seemed healthy and they were all eating great. Then they stop eating and gradually decline. They are wild-caught and I have no idea how old they are. Man, I thought my panther was tough.
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http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dubaliscous/lst?.dir=/Pablo(Picasso panther chameleon)&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/
1.0 Picasso panther chameleon (Pablo)
2.1 Rhampholean Brevicaudatus
0.1 Bearder Dragons (Mic Dundee)
1.1 Red-eyed tree frogs
1.0 African side-necked mud turtle (Wrinkles Jr.)
0.1 Fire bellied toads
Emperor Scorpion (not sexed)

I'm so sorry to hear that...unfortunately, neither Lele nor myself ever learned what went wrong with our pygmies. It was a very frustrating time for both of us.

How long have you had your pygmies? Lele's began going downhill, it seems if I remember correctly, just a few months after having them. Mine was pretty much the same deal.

I wish I could be of more help...there seems like there were several of us that had losses of pygmies awhile back, but no one could pinpoint what the problem was.

I currently have two CB pygmies that are in a glass enclosure...I have a new cage ready to get set up for them, but I just haven't had the time to do it. It has screen on two sides and glass on the other two...screen top and 4" of glass on the bottom of the two screen sides to hold substrate in. I'm hoping that this keeps them happy and healthy.

Take care...keep us posted.

Kristen
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1.1 pygmy leaf
1.1 carpet
1.0 jackson
0.0.3 red eared sliders

Man that is weird. I have only had them for about a month and until the last one died they seemed to be ravenous eaters coming down from their perches right when they saw the crix coming in and now they are like this.
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http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dubaliscous/lst?.dir=/Pablo(Picasso panther chameleon)&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/
1.0 Picasso panther chameleon (Pablo)
2.1 Rhampholean Brevicaudatus
0.1 Bearder Dragons (Mic Dundee)
1.1 Red-eyed tree frogs
1.0 African side-necked mud turtle (Wrinkles Jr.)
0.1 Fire bellied toads
Emperor Scorpion (not sexed)

A rather far out possibility. Brevs only live about 2 years max. If you or the vendor you got them from selected the larger animals they may simply be reaching the end of their life. I don't know how long it takes a brev to go from the wild to your terrarium, but if it was caught as an adult (again, a larger animal is more likely to be selected or even found by a trapper), held, exported, held again, sold to the wholesaler, shipped, etc. it could be months. For an animal that only lives about 24 months this is a huge part of their life gone. As they age they may become more sensitive to all the accumulated stresses, injuries and illnesses gathered over time. Immune system may just be wearing out. I would use a UVB light just in case there was some subtle deficiency lurking. It certainly won't hurt them, might make their enclosure a bit more like a wild habitat, a bit more stimulating and might even keep bacteria from developing as quickly. There is obviously a lot we don't know about these little ones. So many die this way and we never get a clue. They are so tiny that diagnosing or treating even mild health problems is very difficult.

Hi Justin,

I can't really add too much to what Kristen and Carlton have said. I lost my trio in July over a two-week period. They were captive born from a very reputable dealer (Kammers) and were healthy for a few months. Makeda, my largest female (they were all around 7 months when they died) was the first to go and her problems began 2 weeks before. I separated her immediately.

There was speculation about possible over-supplementation as their requirements differs from other species, but as noted, it was just speculation. I had someone who was going to do a necropsy on Bart, my last to go, but on my way to the vet to get him “prepared” for the trip I had car trouble and couldn’t get there in time – long and short of it was it was never performed. There was little hope of solving the mystery even with a necropsy.

Regardless of how new your set up is (substrate, etc. ) I would definitely separate your remaining ones. I was using small 2.5 gal tanks for quarantine with simple substrate (or just use moist paper towel that you change daily) and one or two plants where the cham can hide, cool off etc.

As for UVB…I went with AdCham, ChamNews article on Brookesia (similar needs) and the Kammers and had only a regular fluorescent plant light and a basking light. I misted to keep the humidity up. You could try treating them with panacur for parasites. As Carlton pointed out if they are older, you are over supplementing.

So just do the best you can, don’t be afraid to gently force open their little mouths to get water, bug juice or repta-aid into them. To do this I used the cut-off tip of a tiny catheter (got from my vet) attached to a the smallest syringe he had (used for insulin, I think). Please keep us posted and though you are busy with finals please check on them a couple times a day.

I’ll be thinking of them, and you, as I am still sad to think of my loss and to see what others have/are going thru

lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Yes, I read about your ordeal a couple months ago and felt so bad because you could tell you were really upset and now I am feeling the same thing. I will keep you posted. Thanks for your help.
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http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dubaliscous/lst?.dir=/Pablo(Picasso panther chameleon)&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/
1.0 Picasso panther chameleon (Pablo)
2.1 Rhampholean Brevicaudatus
0.1 Bearder Dragons (Mic Dundee)
1.1 Red-eyed tree frogs
1.0 African side-necked mud turtle (Wrinkles Jr.)
0.1 Fire bellied toads
Emperor Scorpion (not sexed)