Health Section I- Conclusions

With all the “common” diseases I presented (with “miscellaneous” chapter keep expanding), it is not uncommon that the facts tend to overwhelm beginners. This also affects me when I was a first timer. I thought there are too many things to tackle and too many diseases to watch out for.

But, you should not be discouraged. Keep on reading and learning facts about your marvelous chameleon pet.
I have compiled a few general tips for you:

• Happiness of your chameleon begins from a proper care and a good husbandry. Problematic elements in the husbandry produce discomforts. And, prolonged discomforts will eventually stress your chameleon. Stress is your worst enemy in keeping your chameleon healthy. It weakens their immune systems. And, if ignored, it will eventually lead to mortality. Notice that almost 90% of the diseases I presented in the health chapters can be tracked back to improper cares. Therefore, please educate yourself in the correct husbandry and care for your chameleons to ensure a healthy long life for them.
• Provide the best for your chameleon’s sake. Research, research, and research. The most horrible thing you can do is playing a role of vet when your chameleon needs the real one. If you do not have any access to an exotic vet nearby, you might want to find one soon before your chameleon gets sick.
• It is important for you to spend quality times with your chameleon daily. Be aware that “quality” time does not mean handling and bugging your chameleon (no pun intended). But, rather observing them in the captivity. Develop an acute sense of your chameleon “normal” routines. Once you develop that sense, you will be able to spot any ‘weird’ behavior(s) exhibited by your chameleon. Approach that with calm manner and do not over react. Check your husbandry, temperature, and humidity. See if there is a fluctuation and anomaly that need to be corrected. Assess if the behavioral change are hormonal issues (sexual maturity), psychology issues (such as seeing another chameleon or its own reflection in the room), supplemental and diet issues, and/or the actual health issues. I bet you have heard from someone or read an article to this extend “chameleon is a fragile animal. They often die out of nowhere.” That statement is truly a faulty idea. Chameleon does not die out of nowhere. Chameleon is not as fragile as we thought. As a matter of fact, they are tough creatures. They are so tough that they often do not develop any obvious symptoms until the disease is in advanced stage. Therefore, the owner’s task is to develop a “motherly” instinct in detecting the early symptoms.
• Symptoms are often a sign to an underlying problem that needs to be corrected soon. The most infamous sign of a sick chameleon is closing eyes or sleeping during the day. Unfortunately, it only tells you that there is something wrong. Closing eyes can pretty much means anything from too much UVB to hypovitaminosis A. Therefore, it is imperative to consult to your trusted vet. Your good assessment combined with your vet expertise can usually tackle a lot of the health problems.

• Be aware that one illness might mask another illness. Such as gout can mask a more serious organ failure. Therefore, I cannot stress the importance of consulting with your trusted vet more than this.

Here is a good case study of this situation:

The owners of the chameleon (named “Scooter”) are very knowledgeable in chameleon husbandry. They provided a correct setup and the chameleon has been growing wonderfully.

Until winter 2007, it suddenly stopped eating for a week. And, soon, it developed a new symptom: its hind legs and tail begun to lose strength and completely paralyzed in no time. The owners went to the vet that same day. X-rays were taken. And, the vet suspected that it maybe the case of an impaction. The vet gave Scooter a shot of calcium, some de-worming treatment, and a bottle of calcium to give daily.

The owners also give a very small dose of mineral oil to scooter with his daily force-feeding of water and calcium to help to pass the impaction. After a full 2-3 weeks of no eating or movement from his back legs, he finally released the impaction.

The owners made another appointment for that day to have scooter checked up on. They brought a stool sample from that day for the vet to look at. And, the stool contained a numerous population of coccidia.

It has been known that coccidia in chameleons can also cause impactions. The vet gave the owners 2 weeks worth of medication to kill off the coccidia. Scooter, soon, regained his health and has been climbing happily.

• If your chameleon seems to die out of nowhere, you might be interested in doing a necropsy to find out what exactly kill yours. You can definitely do it on your own if you are knowledgeable enough. Or, you can have your vet do it for you. Necropsy is a very valuable learning experience.
• Sometimes no matter how good a keeper you are, the stress of captivity and the seriousness of the illness can overwhelmed your chameleon. If it succumbs to its illness, regardless of everything that you have done, do not be discouraged. Learn from the experience to not repeat the same mistake.

Hope that helps!

Health Section H- Miscellaneous Problem (in progress)

WARNING: This health chapter is written in hope to educate new chameleon owners to recognize early symptoms of sickness. Many of the pictures shown in health chapter are an advanced case of the disease. If your chameleon exhibit symptoms like these, it is HIGHLY advised for you to bring your chameleon to an exotic veterinarian as soon as possible. This article should NOT be used as a substitute for a vet visit. Please be a responsible pet owner. The author cannot be held responsible for any abuse or form of misused of the post. The identity of the sick chameleon's owner(s) is kept hidden to respect their privacy.

A. ROSTRAL RUBBING/ ROSTRAL ABRASION


Case Study:
The chameleon in the picture is a melleri. He was used to be cared under someone else and put in a large outdoor cage. The rubbing has started since. Under a new owner care (Suzanne Boom), he was introduced in a free-range habitat. She dedicated a whole room for her chameleon(s). The chameleon finally seems content and does not exhibit the behavior anymore.

FACTS:

Rostral Rubbing is a serious condition for chameleons in captivity that needed to be addressed soon. This is often caused by psychological problems than any other. It mostly stems from the chameleon inability to cope in captivity, small restricting cage, and/or possible elements in the enclosure that causes it to react in a strong behavior to get out from the environment.

WC chameleon generally exhibits this kind of stress more so than a CB one. But, bear in mind that a CB chameleon can also exhibit this behavior. Melleri and other giant chameleon species often are more affected to this symptom compared with veiled and panther.

Therefore, it is crucial for you to put your chameleon in an appropriate size cage. The rule of the proper size to avoid rostral rubbing in adult chameleon is usually “the bigger the better.”

If ignored, your chameleon might develop a serious infection or abscess in the immediate future.

Prevention:

1. Avoid putting your chameleon in a small and constricting cage because you need to save space. You should know in advance that having a chameleon would require you to sacrifice your time and your space. If you cannot provide those, you should not consider having a chameleon as a pet.
2. Chameleons will almost always prefer to be outside than inside. Be aware letting your chameleon to have access view to outside environment can tempt him to try to escape. Some will try and soon give up since the screen will block them. But, others might be headstrong and insist on escaping. Hence, the rostral rubbing begin. I am not saying that you should limit the access of outside view for your chameleon, I am just telling you to be aware of the possibility of inflicting stress to your chameleon.

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. Blister and/or scarification tissue on your chameleon’s nose
2. Eagerness to get out of the enclosure.
3. Infections

Treatment:

1. Get him a bigger enclosure. Limit the access of outside view for a while.
2. Topical ointment such as Silvadene cream, Neosporin, or Zymox can be used to avoid infection.

B. MISSING TOENAILS


FACTS:
It is a condition where reptiles (in this case chameleons) slough their toenails.
According to Geraldine Diethelm, in the article “Digit Abnormalities,” There are 4 causes that can lead to this condition (Mader, Reptile Medicine and Surgery: 2nd ed, pp 774-5):

• Trauma. Such as cuts and abrasions. If the injury is not treated, an infection then might developed that can lead to loss of toes.
• Dysecdysis (retained shed) around the digits can lead to this condition also by cutting off the blood circulation.
• NHSP (Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism) can cause swelling around the digits and limbs.
• Microorganisms that cause infections such as salmonella, Escherichia coli, mycobacterium spp that are found in joint cultures and interdigital lesions.

This certainly cannot be ignored as chameleons are arboreal and depend on their appendages and nails to climb.

Prevention:

1. Although most of chameleons will do fine in the standard aluminum screen cage, some of them (especially the one that loves climbing on the screen) can accidentally get their toenails caught in the screen. The injury can often lead to missing toenails. If possible, use a bigger screen size (1/8”) than the usual (1/16”) mesh. Some companies give you the option. When you purchase a custom cage, ask if they have bigger size screen mesh.
2. If you have already purchased the usual screen cage, you can also line the inside with a plastic chicken wire.
3. Maintain proper humidity for your chameleon.

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. Blister and/or swelling on your chameleon’s toes
2. Infections
3. Loss of toes (duh! ^_^)

Treatment:

1. Fix your husbandry
2. Clean the wounds
3. Topical ointment such as Silvadene cream, Neosporin, or Zymox can be used to avoid infection.
4. If the cause are microbial, go to the vet to get the appropriate anti microbial therapy.
   

Health Section G -Burns

BURNS

WARNING: This health chapter is written in hope to educate new chameleon owners to recognize early symptoms of sickness. Many of the pictures shown in health chapter are an advanced case of the disease. If your chameleon exhibit symptoms like these, it is HIGHLY advised for you to bring your chameleon to an exotic veterinarian as soon as possible. This article should NOT be used as a substitute for a vet visit. Please be a responsible pet owner. The author cannot be held responsible for any abuse or form of misused of the post. The identity of the sick chameleon's owner(s) is kept hidden to respect their privacy.

A. Thermal Burns



Case Study:
The chameleon is suspected to stay under the light for too long due to chill shock (read under prevention sub chapter to understand the meaning of term).
The owner fortunately is educated in chameleon care. Thus, he recognized the early symptoms and immediately went to a leading herp vet in the area. Neosporin (to prevent infections) was used in tandem with drugs administered by the vet.

The chameleon is slowly recuperating and currently is very healthy and active. Kevin still applied Neosporin (antibiotic ointment once in a while). His case is presented to educate people on how important to educate yourself constantly about chameleon keeping. He request me to relay this message to all of the viewer of this blog:

“I only request that the readers know, even though I did a lot of research on this and seen a good vet, that this was my unique experience. The information provided surely can help, but it should not replace a trip to a good herp vet.” Kevin

He also graciously provided us the progression picture of his chameleon:


FACTS:

Thermal burn is a common serious condition for chameleons in captivity. This is often caused by improper husbandry method such as putting heat lamp inside the enclosure or too close to the top of the cage allowing your chameleon access to get real close to the heat source. Unlike us, reptiles do not have suitable skin sensation to quickly get away from extreme heat.

Due to this, it is crucial for you to minimize the chance of your chameleon getting too close to the heat bulb. Also, avoid having the bulb “touching” the mesh in the topside. Baby chameleons often climb upside down during the adaptation stage to a new enclosure. You will want to avoid your chameleon from touching the hot surface of the bulb. Maintaining a correct ambient temperature and basking temperature is essential to avoid this risk. Furthermore, during the season when ambient temperature of the room is too cold, it is advisable for you to be alert to your chameleon’s behavior. Often when it is too cold, your chameleon will try to heat himself by coming real close to the light bulb.

The burned area might appear first as blisters or pale skin, which will turn to grey or black over period of time. Soon, the burned tissue will be necrotic. The danger of infection becomes imminent if it not treated properly. Consult with your veterinarian to assess what kind of treatment and changes you need to do while your chameleon in the healing process.

Unfortunately, the scar will be permanent. Loss mass due to necrotic tissue will not grow back. Necrotic tissues will eventually fall off. The skin will grow and cover the burned area. However, it will take quite a while for your chameleon to do this.

Prevention:

1. Avoid putting light bulb inside of the cage and/or directly on top of the enclosure where your chameleon skin can have physical contact with the bulb.
2. Monitor the basking temperature routinely, especially during extreme weather.
3. Do not use high wattage bulb when it is not necessary.
4. Understand during extreme temperature drop, your chameleon might seek to get closer to the heat bulb and not realized the danger of burn (chill shock).

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. Black, gray, blister, and/or necrotic tissue on your chameleon skin
2. Infections

Treatment:
When you go to the vet, most likely your vet will clean the wound and use sterile dressing.
Your vet might prescribe some topical ointment such as Silvadene cream
If infection occurs, some antibiotics will be needed.
Deep burns will need more aggressive treatment (i.e.: culture, sensitivity, and/or debridement) done by your vet.
Let the scab fall of on its own. Do not try to peel it off!
chameleon with thermal burn case recovers very slow. Therefore, persistence and patience of the owner are needed.

B. UVB BURN


Case Study:
The chameleon above is a case study presented by my friend, Dave Weldon. Recently, he had a chance to work with a UVB Burn related case. He is an expert in UVB related issues with chameleon.

Lighting used on the cage: Zilla™ Desert 50 bulb (Fortunately, the company had issued a recall of the product). They also put some advisory notice and an imperative instruction for you to properly install the light.
Please discontinue the use, if you have this series as your chameleon UVB source!

FACTS:

UVB Burn is exactly what it sounds. It is a condition where your chameleon is over exposed to a dangerous level of ultraviolet radiations. UVB burn can happened to all creatures on earth. Fortunately for us, humans, we can easily escape from scorching UVB ray by going indoors or wearing sunscreen, but the same cannot be said to your chameleon that stuck inside of the cage 24/7.

UVB Burn is a serious health hazard that can kill your chameleon in a short amount of time. Many beginners are usually more worried whether they are providing enough UVB for their chameleon that they often think the more UVB exposure the better.
This kind of thinking is quite dangerous. UVB is very beneficial for your chameleon. But, an over exposure of UV radiation can quickly deteriorate your chameleon’s health.

Here is an excellent site where you can educate yourself about your reptile’s UVB need.

As I do not consider myself knowledgeable enough as far as UVB requirements, I have decided to ask someone with a better understanding about this matter.
So, here goes (red is my question, lavender is Dave Weldon’s answer):

Q: How do I know I am providing enough UVB for my chameleon?
A: There are several ways to look at the question. You can assume that you are providing enough UVB if you are using one of the recommended UVB light sources at the proper distance and your chameleon takes advantage of it by basking many hours a day. You can improve the odds by measuring the UVB energy using a Solarmeter 6.2 UVB meter at the basking spot to insure that you actually have 5 to 15 uW/cm2. Another way to answer the question is by evaluating the health of your chameleon. A skeletal x-ray can show if the bone density is acceptable or not. A blood test can also shed some light on circulating calcium levels. However it is possible that the levels are being maintained by pulling calcium from bone. This is essentially how MBD occurs. The bottom line is to avoid experimentation and use the best UVB source with a proven track record with chameleon keepers. Use it the way that other experienced keepers recommend.

Q: What are the prevention methods of UVB Burn?
A: This question really falls in line with the previous Q. Aside from just using the recommended Reptisun 5.0 linear tube positioned at the proper distance; using a Solarmeter 6.2 UVB meter will insure that levels are proper. Getting UVB burns is usually only caused by using an improperly designed UVB source or a UVB source that is not designed for individual use. For example a UVB source designed for Zoo applications rather than our typical chameleon enclosure would likely cause serious overexposure and likely cause UVB burns if a chameleon were able to gain access to close proximity of that source.

Q: Help. My vet is available only next week. My chameleon has a bad case of UVB burn. What should I do in the mean time?
A: Find another vet :-). Actually chameleon having a UVB burn is a rare occurrence. The more often case is burn caused by heat; in effect, basking lamp overexposure can be treated with Silvadene cream to minimize the chances of bacteria problems. It may take many weeks for the skin to slough-off, scab-over, and otherwise heal. Scaring will be permanent.

Prevention:

1. Provide your chameleon with a foolproof and recommended UVB bulb.
2. If you have the extra cash, purchase the Solarmeter to get an accurate reading of the UVB radiation emission by your bulb.

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. Scab and reddish or dark burn on your chameleon skin
2. Lethargic, Sleeping during the day.
   
3. Closing one eyes or both

TREATMENT:
Early detection plays an important factor. The sooner you treat it, the better the chance your chameleon will survive. This is the area where an exotic vet visit is a must.
If you suspect it is a UVB burn, then discontinue using the fluorescent light and substitute it with the recommended brand.

Health Section F -Gout and False Gout

GOUT & GULAR EDEMA

WARNING: This health chapter is written in hope to educate new chameleon owners to recognize early symptoms of sickness. Many of the pictures shown in health chapter are an advanced case of the disease. If your chameleon exhibit symptoms like these, it is HIGHLY advised for you to bring your chameleon to an exotic veterinarian as soon as possible. This article should NOT be used as a substitute for a vet visit. Please be a responsible pet owner. The author cannot be held responsible for any abuse or form of misused of the post. The identity of the sick chameleon's owner(s) is kept hidden to respect their privacy.

A. Gout


FACTS:

Gout is a common serious condition for chameleons in captivity. It is caused by excessive level of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia). Gout is a very complex disease that has many forms. To understand better about it, let us study of what happened to protein inside of chameleon’s body by reading at this simplified diagram:

(Area 1: Protein → amino acids) → (Area 2: Broken by liver into Purin and pyrimidine → Purin is degraded into uric acid) → (Area 3: Cleared by kidney from the blood).

Gout is divided into 2 types:

1. Happened in the area of number 1 is Primary Gout = this type derived from excessive intake of protein and/or failure in amino acid metabolism.
2. Happened in the area of number 3 is Secondary Gout =this type derived from renal failure. The crystal urate, then, turned into crystallized deposits (tophi) that find their way into your chameleon organs (visceral gout), around the joints (peri articular gout), and joints (articular gout).

Prevention:

1. Avoid feeding your chameleon with high protein diet. Your chameleon is a low protein (insects) eater. Therefore, feeding him with high protein (mammals and other vertebrates, i.e.: pinky mice and anoles) feeder EXCESSIVELY can raise the risk of him getting gout.
2. Avoid feeding your feeder (such as roaches) with high protein gut load (cat food, dog food, and fish flakes). These gut load are fine for your roaches but NOT for your chameleon. If you need your roaches to establish a colony, you may feed them dog food. But avoid feeding the roaches to your chameleon while they are in the dog food regiment. I recommend taking out the roaches that are about to become your chameleon's food and put them on the vegetable gutload diet for at least 24 hours, to ensure there is no more traces of dog food in the roaches' guts.
   
3. Monitor the hydration status of your chameleon closely. Dehydration is also a common cause of renal disease that leads to gout.

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. Swelling joints and reduced mobility (articular gout).
2. Your chameleon looked painful when climbing or walking (due to this, gout is often misdiagnosed as arthritis).
3. Over aggressiveness from your chameleon when his joints are touched.
4. Anorexic and excessive drinking behavior.

Treatment:

1. Go to the vet ASAP.
2. Depending on the severity of the case, your chameleon might have to undergo a surgery to remove the excessive tophi.
3. Prescription medications to dissolve crystals.
4. Increased misting and water supplies for your sick chameleon.

Please be aware that this disease is very complex. And this chapter has covered nothing but the surface. Gout is an extremely serious condition that needed attention fast. So, consult to your qualified vet.

Sources:
Kenneth Lopez, D.V.M article
Ivan Alfonso, D.V.M article

B. Gular Edema


Dave Weldon's chameleon Case Study:

"The panther appeared to have gular edema. The vet verified through blood tests that it wasn't kidney failure but a poor Ca:Ph ratio of 1:2 instead of 2:1 likely brought on by diet (not enough calcium or too much phosphorus). He prescribed 0.1cc a day of Mylanta for a couple of weeks. The Mylanta binds-up excess phosphorus and lets it be excreted. Another blood test was done and the ratio was back to 2:1 where it should be."

(Please realize that this case study is presented to educate people the importance of consulting to the vet BEFORE registering a treatment. Without consultations, trying to cure gular edema is the same as walking on top of a thin bridge blindfolded. There are too many complex elements in dealing with this disease. Each chameleon is unique and there is NO such thing as one standard treatment for all Gular Edema cases).

BE AWARE that the solution presented in this case study might NOT be the solution for your chameleon. Therefore, I STRESSED it again to CONSULT your VET.

FACTS:

This is the area where everything is a bit murky and undefined. I will try my best to explain what I know from my research about this. If any of you out there can help me in providing more information about this, please send me a message.

According to Adcham.com glossary, Gular Edema is basically a buildup of fluid in throat and neck. As far as I know, Gular Edema is a clinical sign of body unbalance and the symptom of organ failure in correcting the imbalance.

Due to my difficulty in finding thorough facts about this, I decided to ask Dr. Matthew Wheelock about Gular Edema. This is his reply:

Edema usually occurs when there are less proteins flowing in the blood stream. The proteins do other things, but in this case it causes an osmotic level that usually keep fluids within the blood vessels. When the blood is carrying less protein than the "stuff" in the tissues around it, it will cause the interstitial space (in the tissues) to fill with fluid causing edema.

Since edema is usually gravity dependent, this is why feet and hands/ or legs tend to get edematous first. (This is where it gets iffy...) In the chameleon, I imagine that cervical or gular edema is also due to gravity. I imagine that a chameleon that normally hangs on a branch in the down position would cause edema to be in the front end. Since they don't have a diaphragm, I imagine that the neck might be more prone than the front legs. (Just a hypothesis.)

So, why edema in the first place? Usually there are three reasons for low albumin/total proteins:

1. Loss
2. Destruction
3. Not creating them

In this case it is usually 3. Hypervitaminosis usually causes mineralization in the major organs. The one specific to this conversation is the liver. The liver not only filters excess items (some vitamins and minerals), it is where most of the total proteins in the blood is made.
So destruction of the liver = edema. In chameleons, this usually manifests in gular edema.

With the above being true, any liver problem, or destruction, or loss of total blood proteins would cause this problem, not necessarily just hypervitaminosis A.

Prevention:

1. Provide adequate supplements (not too much and not too less)
2. Monitor the hydration status of your chameleon closely.

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. Swelling joints
2. Swelling Throat and neck region

Treatment:
Go to the vet ASAP. So, he/she can diagnose the exact cause of this disease.

Health Section E -Parasites

PIN WORM

-photo courtesy of Dave Weldon-

PARASITES

WARNING: This health chapter is written in hope to educate new chameleon owners to recognize early symptoms of sickness. Many of the pictures shown in health chapter are an advanced case of the disease. If your chameleon exhibit symptoms like these, it is HIGHLY advised for you to bring your chameleon to an exotic veterinarian as soon as possible. This article should NOT be used as a substitute for a vet visit. Please be a responsible pet owner. The author cannot be held responsible for any abuse or form of misused of the post. The identity of the sick chameleon's owner(s) is kept hidden to respect their privacy.

Case Study of my chameleon:


Cage Type: 28X18X50 (in.) an Aluminum Screen cage.
Lighting: Zoomed basking spot lamp 75 watt & Reptisun tube 5.0 (UVA and UVB bulb)
Temperature: >60F degrees at night and between 70-80 in the day. 87-89 degree basking area.
Humidity: 40-60%.
Misting session: 4 times a day
Length of misting session: 5 minutes.
Plants: Hibiscus, Ficus, 2 Pothos.

The first time I checked the fecal was a week after I purchased my chameleon. The fecal test yielded a negative result for parasites (October 2007).

On mid January 2008, I got a chance to have a free fecal float test. Therefore, I submitted the fecal sample. It was also yielded a negative result for parasites.
On last weeks of January 2008, Paul threw a hunger strike. He refused to eat silkworms and hornworms that I had for him and only wanted to eat bugs. I went to a local reptile store to purchase crickets. Unfortunately, this is where I suspect my chameleon got infected. This is the only thing “foreign” from my usual care (I rear my own insects feeder except for crickets).

Columbus relished the crickets until I notice he stopped eating them on February 5, 2008. I went back on my silkworm batch and he started eating the worms diet again. On Thursday February 7, 2008, I notice a considerable change in his grip. He usually gripped my hands strongly when I moved him for his usual sun-basking regime. I put Paul’s stool in a zip lock bag and called the animal hospital for a fecal float.

After couple of minutes, I saw one intestinal nematode crawl out of the fecal and died. I immediately schedule the vet visit for that day. And, my chameleon was tested positive for nematodes and coccidia. The vet gave me a Panacur and an Albon to administer.

This case is presented in this blog to educate people of the importance of noticing early symptoms of abnormality in your chameleon behaviors, having a regular fecal test (at least once a year), maintaining cleanliness of the enclosure, and being careful of where you buy your feeders.

FACTS:

Parasitosis is a common health problem encounter in captivity both for veteran keepers and beginners. It often exists in WC chameleon than the CB one. However, be aware that this is not exclusive to wild caught chameleons. This is one of those problem that can happen to your chameleon at any time. You can certainly reduce the risk by maintaining sanitary habit and preventing cross contamination. But, it will not prevent your chameleon from getting it at all. Therefore, it is always important to be alert at all time for symptoms and have a fecal test done once or twice a year.

Parasitism is a health problem that can be hazardous overtime. Most parasites live “harmoniously” inside your chameleon’s body as long as your chameleon’s immune system is active enough to suppress the parasites reproduction rate. A new owner should realize the need to deworm their WC chameleons and quarantine it from other chameleon to avoid cross contamination.

There are basically three common types of parasites that are troublesome to your chameleon (be aware that beside these three there are another types):
A. Protozoan type (i.e.: Coccidia): This usually found in your chameleon’s digestive track and live under control of your chameleon’s immune system. As soon as there is a shift in the chameleon’s ability to suppress them, there will be huge outbreak that can severely affect your chameleon. Coccidia can be fatal to baby and juvenile chameleons. It has also known to cause impaction in chameleons.


B. Nematodes (Subcutaneous and Intestinal. i.e.: Roundworms, Pinworms)
The subcutaneous is basically the parasites that have “wandered” off under your chameleon’s skin. An outline of the worm under your chameleon skin might become visible. When you see it, you can bet that inside his body, there are intestinal parasites as well. Sub cutaneous nematode is rare to be found in US based Captive Breed chameleon. This type of parasites, often carried by mosquitoes, are plenty in Madagascar, Africa.

Most  case you will find in CB chameleons are pinworms and roundworms, and the common “culprits” are improper cage cleaning, cross contamination from other animals (such as reptilians, another chameleon, and feeder –crickets, etc-)





C. Hemoparasites
This type can be found floating in your chameleon’s blood stream. A simple fecal float test will not detect this type of parasites. A blood sample has to be taken to make sure.

Since the treatment for Parasites (i.e.: Panacur) requires a precise dosage, you need an exotic vet consultation on the best way to safely kill the parasites without harming the chameleon itself. Although very rare, coccidia and nematodes such as round worm and pin worm are transmittable to human, mammal, and fellow reptilians.
I am aware that most parasites are host specifics, but I always uphold the importance of cleanliness and sanitary ritual when handling your chameleon (especially the one infected with parasites).

Prevention:

1. Maintain sanitary ritual vigorously. Clean your chameleon cage once a week. Do not leave poops and urates overnight. Wash your hand before and after cleaning the cage or handling your chameleon.
2. Avoid purchasing crickets from dirty pet stores. If possible, ask the store staff how they keep their feeders. Go and investigate, especially if they are willing to show you where they keep them. A hesitation is usually not a good sign. If they have nothing to hide, they won’t mind showing you their feeder’s room. An abnormal dirty and improper feeder room are signs telling you to run. If your chameleon contracts parasites out of nowhere and you have always keep your feeder in clean condition, you should consider changing your feeder supplier (this is the lesson that I learned the hard way).
3. Avoid swapping “furniture” (feeder cup, dripper system, vines, and plants) that is used for different chameleons. A used cage is a way to safe money. HOWEVER, be a smart owner. Assume the worst when you purchased a second hand cage. Wash the whole cage with a solution of bleach (water: bleach ratio = 10:1) and rinse it well. You should also blast the cage with hot steam (be careful of burning risk), sun dried the cage for several hours before using the cage for your chameleon.
4. Avoid feeding your chameleon a wild caught insect. Not only they might carry parasites, they also can have pesticide and other volatile chemical trace.
5. Be aware that introducing your chameleon to another chameleon (for breeding purpose) can contain a risk of infecting your healthy chameleon. Only approve to breeding agreement with somebody you trust.

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. Anorexic, sudden burst of appetite not followed with growth
2. Thin belly or beer belly
3. Lethargic or Restlessness.
4. Feces or vomit contains visible parasites (for certain parasite only. Most are invisible to the naked eye), smelly, runny, and/or bloody stool.
5. Sunken eyes.
6. Visible worm like outline under your chameleon’s skin.

Picture of the visible parasite infested stool:


TREATMENT:
Early detection plays an important factor. The sooner you treat it, the better the chance your chameleon will survive. This is the area where an exotic vet visit is a must. There is no other way. Experimenting treatment for this type of disease is extremely hazardous for your chameleon’s health.

Most common therapy for nematodes are Panacur. Currently, in US, there is no cure for Coccidia. Albon does not kill coccidia. It only halts the reproduction cycle. Other countries (i.e: Canada) has already found a medicine (Appertex and Ponazuril) that actually obliterate Coccidia.

Side Notes: Be aware that Albon may cause a nasty side effect to your chameleon (not true in all cases). Many chameleon keepers, including me, reported that their chameleons completely stop eating altogether after Albon therapy. I had to quit the therapy and force feed Paul for a while.
After the experience, a friend of mine and his vet recommend the usage of Ponazuril as an alternative.
Ponazuril worked wonder and, during the therapy, Paul exhibited no side effect.


Meanwhile, the sick chameleon’s cage and furniture should be quarantined from other chameleons in your house to avoid cross contamination. Sanitary becomes extremely important. Use paper towel at the bottom of the cage. If the paper towel has made a contact with the feces, you should take it out of the cage immediately.

Coccidia in particular is a parasite that you do not want to get. It is a nasty creature that are extremely hard to get rid off. I suggest you wear nitrile gloves when you handle your sick chameleon. And, then wash your hand with soap before and after handling. The cage will need to be cleaned in extreme manner.
Bleach does not kill coccidia. Only hot boiling water (a steamer is said to work great to disinfect the cage) and ammonia will. Please AVOID mixing BLEACH with AMMONIA. The fumes will kill you instead. The live plants you used in the cage are pretty much rendered useless. You might be better off by throwing away your plants and never introduce them anymore inside your reptile cage to avoid reinfestation.

Health Section D -Respiratory Infection

RESPIRATORY INFECTION

WARNING: This health chapter is written in hope to educate new chameleon owners to recognize early symptoms of sickness. Many of the pictures shown in health chapter are an advanced case of the disease. If your chameleon exhibit symptoms like these, it is HIGHLY advised for you to bring your chameleon to an exotic veterinarian as soon as possible. This article should NOT be used as a substitute for a vet visit. Please be a responsible pet owner. The author cannot be held responsible for any abuse or form of misused of the post. The identity of the sick chameleon's owner(s) is kept hidden to respect their privacy.


Chameleon with Respiratory Infection often produces excess mucus as apparent in the picture.

FACTS:

Respiratory Infection is a common health problem encountered in captivity. In the simplest explanation, RI is basically an infection in the chameleon’s respiratory track.
When the infection occurs in the lung (Pneumonia), it is known as LRI (Lower Respiratory Infection). On the other hand, when the infection occurs in nasal sinuses and mouth, it is known as URI (Upper Respiratory Infection). This disease can be caused by several numbers of reasons but mostly stem from improper caring (low temperatures) and husbandry issues (cage is too wet or too dry).

RI should be treated aggressively to prevent fatality. A chameleon owner has to be alert if his/her chameleon starts to show the symptoms of RI. It is very imperative for you to go to the vet as soon as you suspected that your chameleon might contract this disease. The longer you wait, the more likely your chameleon will die.

The best way, as usual, is by prevention. This is where your thermometer and hygrometer play important roles to keep your chameleon happy. Here are some prevention methods that you can take:

1. Avoid having too low temperature in your chameleon’s cage. Play around with different wattages bulbs to see which work better to maintain the recommended temperature for your chameleon (please see the veiled and panther chameleon care 101A).
2. Avoid creating a constantly wet cage condition with no air ventilation. Allow a complete drying time in between misting. Too much stagnant humidity, as well as not enough humidity, can lead to the case of RI (refer to care 101C).
3. Avoid using enclosure that promotes poor ventilation such as an aquarium. In order for a cage to have proper ventilation, it needs to have at least 2 screen sides. An all screen cages is a very good enclosure for your chameleon.
4. Practice good hygiene habits when caring for anything that related to you and your chameleon. A dirty stagnant water source and insect cultures can increase the risk of RI.

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. The presence of increased mucus in the chameleon’s mouth.
2. Weird noise accompanied with breathing (popping, crackling, purring, or cat-like sounds). Try to keep your ear closed to your chameleon and listen carefully for these sounds.
3. Labored breathing by gasping and opening its mouth even in the low temperature range. In the morning, chameleon does yawn like human. Such activity is normal.
4. Lungs often overly inflated.
5. Some swellings the forehead (between eyes) and even eyes (looked puffy) can occur.
6. Snoring during sleeping.

TREATMENT:
Early detection plays an important factor. Since the cure process requires aggressive antibiotic treatments (such as Baytril or Fortaz), DIY treatment should be HIGHLY discouraged. An exotic vet’s expertise is definitely needed in this case. The vet will be able to pint point the cause (fungal, bacterial, secondary to nutritional or environment). Treatment can last to a month and need to be followed by an after care for another month to prevent the disease from coming back.

Be aware that Baytril is a strong antibiotic and might prove to be too harsh for your chameleon's body. To avoid kidney and organ failure, I recommend to watch out for your chameleon's hydration status.

Meanwhile, the enclosures should be corrected (if this is the case). The temperature should be kept to an optimum range for your sick chameleon. Maintaining the POTZ (Preferred Optimal Temperature Zone) will rev up your chameleon's metabolism allowing him to fight the infection more effectively. Furthermore, humidity should also be reduced or added depending on the case.
GENERALLY (not always the case), adding humidity would be a proper choice as the extra humidity will allow the excess phlegm to move loosely.

Health Section C- Impaction

IMPACTION

WARNING: This health chapter is written in hope to educate new chameleon owners to recognize early symptoms of sickness. Many of the pictures shown in health chapter are an advanced case of the disease. If your chameleon exhibit symptoms like these, it is HIGHLY advised for you to bring your chameleon to an exotic veterinarian as soon as possible. This article should NOT be used as a substitute for a vet visit. Please be a responsible pet owner. The author cannot be held responsible for any abuse or form of misused of the post. The identity of the sick chameleon's owner(s) is kept hidden to respect their privacy.

Case Study:


I used the color "red" to highlight the underlying problem
Cage Type: 10 gal aquarium.
Lighting: ZooMed reptisun 5.0 flourescent uvb bulb and a ZooMed 60 watt basking bulb (at night: 65-70 F) and (at day: 75-80 F). (Basking area: 85-90 F)
Humidity/ Misting session/ Length of misting session: 50 to 70%/ twice a day + Constant Humidifier/ (N/A)
Plants: Fake plants and fake vines.
Diet: 7-10 quarter inch Crickets as staple feeders. Zoomed calcium is used every other feeding. Feeders are gut loaded with Flukers orange cubes, Flukers high calcium cricket feed, many veggies and fruits such as oranges, apples, carrots, lettuce and other greens, grapefruit, grapes, and bee pollen granules.
Substrate: Yes. Wood Barks.

Picture of the impacted chameleon's husbandry:

After series of forum conversations, sadly, this was another example of improper husbandry. The owner told me that he bought the chameleon from a reputable reptile store at a reptile expo. The store sold him the barks and recommended him to put the barks in the enclosure. The owner set up the enclosure per advice of the store. The chameleon stayed in the condition for 1 month without a problem. Some sleeping during the day occurred once in a while.

One day, the chameleon started to be acting weird and was shaking his head around and then would stretch his neck out almost like a wolf howling. Since he grabbed a couple more crickets right after that, the owner left the premise thinking that the chameleon was fine. When he came home, the owner found his veiled chameleon dead (see the picture above). The chameleon vomited a big roll of cricket parts.

Unfortunately, the chameleon discussed has been buried before a necropsy can be done.
However, the possible situation is that the chameleon tried to hunt the crickets hiding under the bark and accidentally ingested the substrate or a cricket that was too large (unlikely, since the owner claim that he never gave the baby chameleon crickets bigger than 1/4 inch).

The bark then most likely lodged and blocked the chameleon's air passage or other internal organs. This is another textbook example of why substrate is not recommended for chameleons enclosure.

With the owner's permission, the case is presented in this blog to educate people of the necessity of proper husbandry methods and the importance of extensive researches about chameleons care. It is the customer responsibility to familiarize themselves to the basic care.

FACTS:

Impaction is another common health problem encounter in captivity. It is extremely fatal if not treated as soon as possible. In the simplest explanation, impaction is basically a blockage in Chameleon’s digestive system or any other internal organs mostly caused by large foreign objects and/or feeders. Another common name for digestive system impaction is “constipation”. Impaction can severely block the vent of your chameleon, making it impossible to defecate or even to breathe. The body then has no choice but to reabsorb the feces. The toxic wastes in the feces will later cause severe breakdowns in organ functions. An untreated impaction can lead to fatality. A chameleon owner has to be alert if his/her chameleon starts to show the symptoms of impaction. A light impaction can be treated at home. But, once the treatment does not show any improvement, a visit to the vet is a must. The longer you wait, the more likely your chameleon will die.

In certain unfortunate case where choking is involved (such as the one discussed above), the emergency is immediate and the chameleon impacted has to be brought to a vet ASAP.

The best way, as usual, to cure an impaction is by prevention. Use your common sense in this matter. Here are some prevention methods that you can take:

1. A lot of people love the idea of using substrates in their chameleon’s enclosure mainly due to aesthetic and humidity reasons. However, substrates are more of a nuisance than anything. Free roam crickets often love to hide inside the substrate layer. This rises the possibility of your chameleon accidentally ingest the substrate while hunting for foods. The risk even becomes higher to those of you who own a veiled chameleon. Some veiled chameleons love to ingest dirt for unknown reasons. Having substrates in the enclosure is a recipe to disaster. The substrate can block your chameleon's air passage and digestive system. Even further, substrate are often become a breeding ground for bacteria that can be problematic to your chameleon’s health.
2. Avoid feeding your chameleon with feeders that are larger than the width of his forehead (exception apply to soft bodied insects such as hornworms, silkworms, etc). Another thing to avoid is feeding your chameleon too many insects.
3. Avoid having plastic decorations and foreign objects in the cage that can be easily swallowed by your chameleon (such as plastic grapes attached to your fake plants, gravels that are small enough for your chameleon to eat, potting soils that contain wood bark and wood chips).

Symptoms to watch out for:

1. No fecal activity for several days (more than 4 days) regardless being fed. Baby chameleons should defecate daily. Some Juveniles and adult might skip a day or two. Always look for the presence of feces in the enclosure.
2. The chameleon often tries to defecate but nothing comes out.
3. In some cases, the chameleon looked bloated.
4. In advance cases, the impacted condition often can pinch your chameleon’s nerves causing a paralysis (usually the back leg).
5. The chameleon refuses to eat.
6. The chameleon exhibit symptoms like choking.
   

Comparison Pictures: N/A

TREATMENT:
If impaction detected early, the treatment is quite simple. Misting more often and prolonging the time per session is recommended. The extra humidity will help him in this area. It is imperative to mist him with warm water. You can put hot water (NOT BOILING) inside your spray bottle so that when you mist him, warm water will come out of the nozzle. This warm misting therapy will induce your chameleon reaction to defecate.

If your chameleon is old enough (5 months or older), a "shower" method can be used to help your impacted chameleon. DO NOT SHOWER BABY CHAMELEONS. The water droplets can clog its nostril and cause it to drown.
Please refer to Health Care: Dehydration chapter for “how to shower your chameleon.”
Lots of misting and shower will be beneficial to help your chameleon overcome this.

Mineral oil/ cod liver oil can be administered orally about once a week to help “lubricate” your chameleon intestine.

If the treatment does not prove to be effective by several days (2 days), a vet visit is in order. If the treatment works, you will see a bigger than usual feces successfully expelled from your chameleon’s body.

When choking is involved, you need to go to the vet right away. It is considered an emergency case.