Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Had a post earlier called "Help" about the problem w/ my Veiled. After researching, i believe he has this type of bone disease. He's very shakey and unsteady in his walk...he is very unactive...and he'll try to eat a cricket but his tongue only goes out an inch now and he seems to be chewing on it at times. When we first bought him at the Reptile Show in Raleigh 2 weeks ago, we were NEVER told about using a UVB light. They even supplied us with a care sheet...mentioned nothing about UVB. None of the pet stores here have them, and i need one asap..and ordering one will just take too long. He still hasn't eaten in about 3-4 days...I've tried bowl feeding which used to work...not anymore. I've read that this is an irreversible disease also. I have no clue what to do....i was thinking about taking him in the sun today, if it ever comes out! Knowing that he's probably suffering is driving me nuts....any advice?

Hey there, I was the one who helped you earlier. I'm sorry to hear about this.

Yes, you should get him into direct sunlight asap, as often as you can. MBD can be reversed actually, until it gets too far. The root problem lies in a lack of calcium and Vitamin D3. You need to try to get him to eat, somehow. Simply hold the insects up to his mouth and hand feed him. Coat the insects with calcium dust. I recommend Rep-Cal. You also need to get some vitamins if you don't already have them. Try Herptivite, made by Rep-Cal. Also offer fresh fruit like strawberries, berries, etc. and tomato and dark greens. Sprinkle calcium dust on them. Keep him as well hydrated as possible. If you start aggressive treatment with natural sunlight and calcium/vitamin supplementation, he may come around. Get a Zoomed Reptisun 5.0 bulb as soon as you can. Who ever sold him to you is a moron.

Even if the sun isn't bright, take him outside. There is still UV light coming down. You may want to leave him outside for several hours if possible, for several days until you get your bulb. Also try a warm shower (not hot, warm). Put him on a ficus tree or other plant and set it in the shower with a light "rain" coming down on him. He must stay hydrated. That is the second biggest problem. Good luck.

Here is a cheap place to get a RS 5.0 bulb:

http://petguys.com/-097612340180.html

Mine was delivered in three days.

If you can get him to open his mouth, and stick a cricket in there, he will eat it. His natural response is to chew and swallow anything in his mouth like that.
Coat it with calcium dust.

You will probably have to hand feed him from now on until he gets better. Read as much as you can about nutrition, feeding and supplementation.

thanks a bunch!

Jodi

well, i managed to get him to eat 5 crickets...better than nothing! he doesn't really like to be touched, so i put my finger by him and he opened his mouth to bite, and i put the cricket in there. He's also outside now. i feel a little better now that he ate something.

Thanks again!

Great! Make SURE he starts getting calcium on those crickets. Also Fluker makes some "cricket quencher" gel to water crickets, and it has calcium in it.
And get a good gutload if you can. Remember, raw crickets aren't very nutritous at all.

yes, im gut-loading the crickets with ReptoLife Plus which does contain calcium..and they're also getting that gel stuff from Fluker, but i dont think it has calcium in it.
He seems to be doing a lot better than when i posted the other day....
I called around at local garden shops, and nobody has those Ficus Trees. I'll figure something out.
=)

As long as its eating, I think your cham will be ok. As long as its moving and drinking and eating, it will be alright. Try to give your cham as much real sunlight as possible. I lost a veiled to MBD, and as long as you catch it early, your chamn can be saved.
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1.0 Ambanja Panther
1.1 Leopard Gecko's

most home depot's have scheffleras (umbrella plants)that you can use as well as Ficus. I get mine from HD for $7.00 a pot.

Good luck!
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Raf

1.2 Jacksons Adults (Frank, Patty 2, Lucille)
1.1 Nosy Be's (Mars and Roja)
1.1 Bearded Dragons (Diego and Consuelo)
1.1 Adult Sulcattas (POOPIE and George)
0.0.2 Baby Sulcattas (frick and frack)
1.0 Home's Hingeback Tortoise (SPEEDY)
0.0.2 Red ear slider babies (Hingis, Dingis)
1.0 Yellow Footed Tortoise (Alfred)
1.0 Red Siberian Husky (Harley)
0.1 Black Lab (Krissy)
0.1 English Bulldog (Alice)
0.1 Blue Merle Great Dane (Wednesday)
Saltwater Fish and Inverts too

oh good....we don't have a home depot, but we have a Lowe's....im pretty sure thats the same thing, and i know the have plants also.

Lowe's here in PA has both schefflera and ficus for $12 a pot.
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Raf

1.2 Jacksons Adults (Frank, Patty 2, Lucille)
1.1 Nosy Be's (Mars and Roja)
1.1 Bearded Dragons (Diego and Consuelo)
1.1 Adult Sulcattas (POOPIE and George)
0.0.2 Baby Sulcattas (frick and frack)
1.0 Home's Hingeback Tortoise (SPEEDY)
0.0.2 Red ear slider babies (Hingis, Dingis)
1.0 Yellow Footed Tortoise (Alfred)
1.0 Red Siberian Husky (Harley)
0.1 Black Lab (Krissy)
0.1 English Bulldog (Alice)
0.1 Blue Merle Great Dane (Wednesday)
Saltwater Fish and Inverts too