| Like all pets and like all living | | | | your ear and listening to it. If you |
| things, chameleons are prone to | | | | hear it making cracking noises, then |
| illnesses and infections. Their health | | | | there's a big chance that it is |
| is very important and cannot be ignored. | | | | suffering from respiratory infections. |
| A chameleon may die if its health and | | | | You can also see if it opens its mouth |
| well-being is not properly attended to. | | | | to breathe repeatedly and if there is |
| A malnourished or stressed chameleon is | | | | sticky saliva in its mouth. These are |
| most likely to die early. | | | | also symptoms of respiratory infections. |
| Visible signs of an unhealthy chameleon | | | | To treat this infections, it is |
| include sunken eyes and body injuries. | | | | important that you take your chameleon |
| If you can see worms under their skin, | | | | to a veterinarian. |
| it is another sign that it is not | | | | Internal parasitic infections are common |
| properly cared for. It is very important | | | | in chameleons that are caught from the |
| for you to know and understand just what | | | | wild. You should assume that a wild |
| a chameleon needs to avoid your | | | | caught chameleon may have this, and it |
| chameleon getting any illness or | | | | is recommended that you have it checked |
| disease. | | | | with a veterinarian to be sure. A |
| Dehydration is one of the common | | | | chameleon will require extensive |
| problems of chameleons. If you see that | | | | parasite treatment for this. |
| your chameleon has sunken eyes, you can | | | | Nutritional diseases may also come to |
| assume that it is dehydrated. To be | | | | your chameleon, especially metabolic |
| extra sure of it, you can try to pull | | | | bone disease. Check to see if your |
| its skin lightly between two fingers and | | | | chameleon has swollen joints and swollen |
| see if it goes back into place. If it | | | | limbs. Observe if it has trouble walking |
| doesn't, then your chameleon is most | | | | or climbing, or if it doesn't walk or |
| likely dehydrated. | | | | climb at all. It may have metabolic bone |
| Obviously you need to give your | | | | disease. Another nutritional disease |
| chameleon plenty of water when it is | | | | observed in chameleons is edema, which |
| dehydrated. The best way is to shower | | | | is pronounced by swellings in the neck |
| your chameleon for about an hour. Make | | | | and the throat. |
| sure there is a plant with it. Run water | | | | Looking out for and caring for your |
| with room temperature on the plant. This | | | | chameleon is just like caring for any |
| will encourage the chameleon to lick the | | | | other pet. It is recommended that you |
| water from the plant and help against | | | | give your chameleon the proper attention |
| dehydration. You should also spray its | | | | needed for it to have a stress-free and |
| cage before putting the chameleon back. | | | | healthy life. You can always avail the |
| You can also make a drip system and put | | | | services of a veterinarian if you feel |
| it in the cage. You can make a drip | | | | that there's something wrong with your |
| system by simply making a small hole on | | | | chameleon. Just remember not to ignore |
| the bottom of a container and filling it | | | | even the smallest sign, for for a small |
| with water. | | | | sign like dry skin or sunken eyes can |
| A chameleon is also prone to respiratory | | | | mean that your chameleon already has an |
| infections. It can be due to a parasite, | | | | illness. |
| or because of heavy exposure to the | | | | ============= |
| cold. Stress can also give the chameleon | | | | The author of this article is currently |
| respiratory infections. You can | | | | working on Chameleon Care. Feel free to |
| determine if your chameleon suffers from | | | | contact her at for any inquiries or |
| this by holding the chameleon close to | | | | concerns. |