Why did my chameleon stop using its hind legs? Is it calcium?

Survey the area around the cage for any negative stimuli. This may include loud noises, strong vibrations, strong drafts or high traffic. Reduce or eliminate any if found. Confirm proper temperature. If it is too hot up high, he will move to cooler temps. Be sure to gut load prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Dust with a calcium supplement as well as a multivitamin regularly. If the behavior persists, consider an exam with your vet or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat illness or injury. You can review chameleon care a the link below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Panther-Chameleon/

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.

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Charlie. Concerns would be a spinal or back injury, possibly while struggling. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic treatment plan. Back injuries are more likely to respond to treatments earlier than later. Remove perches and provide a comfortable surface on which to lie, such as clean towels. Good luck.

This may be due to nutritional deficiency or digestive issue (impaction impinging on nerves). If Medusa is defecating normally, it likely is not a digestion issue. If she is having difficulty defecating, soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 15-20 minutes. Gently massage her abdomen during the soak to encourage defecation. Feed appropriately sized prey to prevent impaction/constipation. Prey should be no bigger than the space between her eyes. Gut load prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Check temperatures since low temps can affect appetite and digestion. A calcium deficiency is another possible cause. Juvenile beardies need more calcium and vitamin supplementation than adult beardies. Rep-Cal's Herptivite multivitamin powder and Calcium with D3 powder are the gold standards for supplements. Dust prey twice weekly with the multivitamin and 5 days per week with the calcium powder. As your beardies mature, they will require less frequent supplementation. An adequate UVB light source is also required to allow proper utilization of the D3. Change the bulb every 6 months. Make sure it is not blocked by glass or plexiglass and confirm it is not too far from Medusa to be effective. Trauma from a fall may be another cause. Arrange cage furniture to prevent falls from heights. Monitor for other signs of injury (swelling, scrapes, bleeding,etc). If husbandry changes do not improve Medusa's condition, have her examined by your veterinarian or by a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

Give him a day or two to fully recover. Monitor for swelling or bruising. If he doesn't regain full strength, have hm examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp veterinarian. Increase enclosure temperature to aid in healing and keep him as stress free as possible.

This is probably due to improper UV lamp and possibly not enough Calcium in the diet causing MBD. you need to get a new UVB bulb and you need to change it every 6 months, you also need to sprinkle calcium powder on his food every day.