04/04/2025
Joy’s Story 🦎✨
Joy the chameleon has been through a lot. Rescued by NI Exotic Sanctuary, she arrived emaciated and suffering from severe metabolic bone disease, caused by poor diet and lack of proper UVB lighting. Thanks to their care, she improved, but the long-term effects of her early neglect couldn’t be undone.
Recently, she developed follicular stasis—a condition where ovarian follicles fail to progress to ovulation. This led to lethargy and a reduced appetite, and despite medical treatment, she wasn’t improving. Surgery was her best option, and even that came with a high chance she might not pull through. The big day came, and we removed her follicles and ovaries to prevent further complications. We’re happy to say she has recovered well and is thriving! 🎉
Left untreated, follicular stasis can be extremely serious for reptiles. The retained follicles continue growing, leading to internal infections (peritonitis), organ compression , and even septicemia, which can be fatal. Medical management rarely works, and surgery is often the only way to save them. In Joy’s case, everything was so tiny during surgery that we almost needed a magnifying glass 🔍 or a pair of binoculars to see what we were doing!
Joy’s story is a reminder that reptiles require specialised, ongoing care. They need proper diets, UVB lighting, temperature control, and regular health checks. They are not low-maintenance pets.
Thankfully, Joy got the help she needed, and she’s now thriving!