chamelion

Question
Hi,I have acquired a chameleon that they say is about 2 years old. He isn't doing so well, or she I don't know how to tell. I have never had a chameleon before but he has no strength in his back legs, I've been told that it is from lack of calcium so we have been dusting the crickets. What else should i be feeding him and will he pull through?

Answer
Hi Lisa:
I don't want my reply to hurt your feelings in any way, I get letters like this all the time and these pet shop owners are doing you and the animal a grave injustice, all they want is the money and they don't care who suffers.

First to feed any reptile crickets as a main diet is little less then a slow death sentence. Lizards in the wild eat a varied diet with crickets being a small part. Next the crickets MUST be "gut loaded", meaning that they must be fed a highly nutritious food prior to being fed to the lizard. Crickets have almost zero food value when purchased from a store, that ends up with the predator lizard starving too death.
Calcium is great but you must also have a pro B-3 vitamin with it to be absorbed properly, if fed alone, it is useless. Too much calcium is worse then not enough, dusting once a month is close to correct, no more.
Other food items are meal worms, butter worms and a host of others, you MUST invest in a good book on your species of lizard prior to getting one.  They also need UVA AND UVB light set ups, the temperatures must be exact, they need a tall cage with lots of branches and colors to climb around on for proper exercise, spring water, never tap water and the humidity must be right at all times.
I would be willing to bet that the store clerk did not mention any of these items, they could care less and it is very disturbing to me.  I would suggest that you take your pet to a VET. as soon as you can, I don't want to scare you but when the rear legs go it in very bad condition and most do not make it but there is always a chance and your pet deserves every chance you can offer it.
If you do replace it with another pet, please buy a few books or check some out at the Library before getting the animal. Know what to look for when at the store, most retailers want to sell the sickly ones first so they can get their money back before it dies on them and it is your responsibility to be smarter then they are.  Get to a VET.  and hope for the best and learn from this so it is not a total loss. The guy behind the counter is smiling at your wallet not because he is a sweat person thinking of whats best for you, it's a cold world and these sharks don't care at all.

Print this letter out and take it with you to the VET  and to the pet store when you buy another pet or attempt to get your money back and let them read this. Maybe they will be so ashamed of themselves they will offer you a replacement or your money back, I know I would, a call to the Better Business Bureau might help also.

I wish your pet and you all the best and don't feel to bad, someone should have helped you understand what you were getting into. If I can be of any further help, please feel free to contact me again, anytime.                         By for now
                                                     Joel