My chameleon is dying. What can I do if I can't afford a vet?

I'm sorry but if you don't get Luna to a reptile veterinarian ASAP the chance of her surviving is close to zero. You will not be able to give the proper care or medications at home. There is no way for us to diagnose a vitamin deficiency just by looking at this photo. There are any number of things that could be going on with her. Based on your zip code, your best option is to go to Lansing to the veterinary college. They will not turn you away - they are always accepting new patients. ( https://cvm.msu.edu/hospital/about ) The best I can recommend to you for home care is Emeraid Intensive Care Herbivore. You will have to mix it and syringe feed her. You can find YouTube videos on how to syringe feed. ( https://lafeber.com/vet/lafeber-products/emeraid-herbivore-100gr/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Confirm proper environmental conditions for Lulu. This includes temperature, humidity and lighting. Confirm proper nutrition along with adequate vitamin and mineral supplementation. Without more information, it is difficult to make accurate recommendations. You can have her examined by an experienced herp veterinarian to diagnose illness or injury. If you do not have a veterinarian, use the following link to locate one close to you. http://www.anapsid.org/vets/index.html#us

There are several things that could be wrong with her like parasites, incorrect husbandry, respiratory infection or even metabolic bone disease. Since she is acting so sick and weak, i would try to get her to your vet as soon as possible. Your vet will be able to determine what is wrong with her and provide her with th proper medication if needed. He will also be able to provide fluids for her if needed. Finally, you vet should be able to help make sure your environment for her is set up properly and give you advice on what needs to be changed to help her heal quicker. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better soon.

Check the temperature of the enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20-30 minutes daily to treat or prevent minor dehydration. Make sure prey is appropriately sized, no bigger than the space between her eyes. If the behavior persists, have her physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat illness or injury. Review the information at the link below for care of veiled chameleons. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Veiled-Chameleon/

Sounds like MBD. Without more information all I can tell you is that you should take them to see a reptile veterinarian. This could be trauma/injury but honestly, most problems we see with reptiles are due to improper diet and/or husbandry. I would to know how long you have had them, what is their cage setup, what is the lighting/temperature/humidity set up, what diet have you been feeding, any supplements? How long were you gone? Etc. I don't have enough information to go on. ( https://www.lbah.com/reptile/chameleon-bone-disease/ ) Here is a list of reptile vets in PA. You will need to see if any are near you. You may have to drive a ways to find one..... ( https://www.thesprucepets.com/exotic-pet-veterinarians-in-pennsylvania-1239016 ) Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes.

That is quite a serious wound. How it happened may never be known. Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. She likely needs antibiotics and possibly pain medication. She may lose the end of her tail. Increase tank temps temporarily to aid in recovery. Gently clean the area once or twice daily with diluted Betadine of chlorhexidine (Hibiclens). If she will eat more, increase the amount of food being fed. Between egg laying and trying to heal a wound, she will need significantly more calories to maintain weight and good health. Increase calcium supplementation as well.

Thanks for reaching out about the chameleon and including pictures. The first photo with the swayed back is very suspect of MBD/calcium deficiency. Diet and husbandry need to be review and correct, and a veterinary visit should be scheduled ASAP. Typically concerns are poor calcium in the diet, lac of UV light, poor temperature, etc. This is an emergency. Good luck.