Anal or testicle rupture?

[cowchick]

Anal or testicle rupture? UPDATED

I'm new to this forum, and am in desparate need of help. I'll give you the run down.

June 2007...purchased pair of chameleons...Male 18 months old, Female 14 months old. They were raised together but from different genetics, and were happy living together. This totally baffles me, because I'm told one will kill each other...but this was from experienced breeder, so I bought them with an Exoterra glass terrarium, but purchased another for the female to go into.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Exoterra 24X18X18"...both the male and female were housed in here their entire life...purchased 2 months ago, and have separated them in last week due to recent knowledge
Lighting - Striplight & UVB 5.0 bulb, 12 hours a day
Temperature - No clue what any of this is? Not sure how to test it or maintain it...They are not near any vents or AC...they are in the basement which is well maintained due to 15 large aquariums
Humidity - Unsure...humidity at decently high level due to being in room with many aquariums...I also mist the chams once per day
Plants - Fake plastic ficca plants hanging off back of styrofoam type rock look backing...the chams did not chew on plants or styrofoam
Location - No...I live alone, they are in the basement with the aquariums

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled Male, 20 months old
Feeding - 3-4 superworms/day, they are being gutloaded on 'Flukers All Natural Mealworm Bedding'
Supplements - 7 days a week dusted in Ca with D3
Watering - I use drip method onto fake plastic plants that drip down...yes I see them drink
Fecal Description - Very consistent, brown matter with whitish hazing
History - I noticed some swelling in the area since I purchased them after looking at pictures and sometimes saw some hardened protrusions sticking out...although not nearly this severe
Current Problem - Appears to be prolapse hemipenis according to pics

 

[pohchunyee]

Sound like a hemipenis prolapse but I can't be certain, a picture or two will help a lot. Do check this link and fill in all the details and some picture of the enclosure and the chameleon!
https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[Brad]

Your male chameleon needs immediate help from an experienced veterinarian. Keep the protrusion moist and call some local vets.

[THREAD=67]Veterinarian Resources[/THREAD]

 

[cowchick]

Finding a vet who knows anything about a lizard is a challenge. I'm constantly misting the area now...and he is intaking lots of water!

3 weeks prior...old cam washed out his colours

Now

His setup

Note: his vines are missing as they are in the other aquarium with his female...I have just separated the pair, and he really likes this log, but misses his vines...I have to make a trip out of town to pick these up...please don't shoot me as it has only been 3 days

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I will echo....get him to the vet.
It is highly likely this prolapse is due to a diet primarilay consisting of, if not exclusively consisting of, mealworms.
You cannot wait one more minute...this problem is correctable but very serious if left untreated.

-Brad

 

[Julirs]

I cannot think of a glass Exoterra that is even close to being big enough to house a male veiled. He should have at least a 24X24X48 screen cage.

 

[cowchick]

Thank you...I have managed to find a local vet who has someone on staff who specializes in such care.

Should I manage to get through this...and for the sake of my female...what would I do to make him healthier? I.E. Range in foods? I have searched high and low in stores and all I can find are crickets and superworms. I have managed to find a supplier an hour away whom will ship to me with a huge array of foods, but I am unsure of what to feed them besides these two foods! Thank you

 

[cowchick]

Thank you for your help. I questioned the size on this terrarium in the beginning when I purchased the pair....and was told things that just didn't make sense. I also went into some stores who specialized in lizards and snakes and was told the same thing. I'm an active Aquarium/african cichlid breeder, and this was my first venture into lizards and this has been very frustrating for me.

I have seen the mesh housing that is very large and wondered if this would be more appropriate. It's clear I have been fed wrong information and have come here seeking advice...please I'm sorry I'm new at this and would like as much input as possible...thank you

 

[Julirs]

I would kill off the playsand-it can lead to impaction. I do not use any substrate. An excellent staple feeder is silkworms, and they are not escape artists. The food that you have to feed them is high in nutrients. I would also look into the larger screen cage-Veileds stress easily when they see themselves in the glass.

 

[Julirs]

Don't be sorry. I also acquired my first one from a petstore and told it was OK to keep them in aquariums. In fact, everything they told me from supplements to lighting was incorrect. That little one lasted 4 days, and they gave my money back and told me that they had a hunch it wasn't going to make it.

 

[kinyonga]

Here's a site about hemipene prolapses...
http://adcham.com/html/veterinary/vet-hemipenal-pare.html

 

[Brad Ramsey]

First of all Gut Load (what you feed the feeders) is of extreme importance.
Good commercial gut load can be purchased online from cricketfood.com.
Feeders:
crickets
zophoba worms
silkworms
cockroaches
flies
This would be a decent selection. crickets, zophobas, roaches can be fed the cricketfood gutload along with apple, sweet potato, squash, carrots, collard greens. Silkworms are fed chow but can be gutloaded the day before feeding with chow mixed with the gutload.
Additionally veiled should be offered fresh, washed collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens two or three times a week.
Feeders should be dusted 2 to 3 times a week with calcium that does not include D3, once a week to ten days with calcium that does include D3, twice a month with a vit. supplement (herptivite) and once or twice a month with one tiny drop of vitamin A from a gelcap.
Lighting needs to include a flourescent 5.0 UVB bulb that does not shine through any glass or plastic protector or covering (through screen is fine)
I agree that the enclosures are too small and should be screen.
Air circulation is essential.
Let us know how the vet visit goes.

-Brad

 

[cowchick]

Thanks so much for all your great help.

First off...I have contacted a vet but they won't help me over the phone, but gave me their emergency number...ya go figure they want my money...but I'm concerned about moving him too far! Hopefully I can see about getting him in for an appointment soon as well!

Thank you for the links...I have found some good ones, and have looked closely...the tissue is not dead, it's still quite pinkish, so I'm going to try seeing if I can gently push back inside...I actually have a background working with vets, so I'm used to doing some pretty weird things (try a prolapsed uterus in a cow...or damaged eye!!! lol)

For the night...do I remove the sand? He's not too bothered by it...he still wants to climb all over me when I open up the door. Any other things I could try doing to get him through the night or making him better?

I'm going to look into the silkworm thing ASAP...this might be a better option for us, and perhaps I will learn how to raise them.

Arrgh, this is so frustrating...I'm going to look into a large enough mesh terrarium for him. He's always been in glass and doesn't seem bothered by it at all...she on the other hand hasn't ever been as friendly with people peering in the cage at her!

 

[cowchick]

Holy smokes, I have a lot to learn on this...yowsers. It all makes sense though. I'm going to focus on getting him through this, but I am going to start planning for the food situation tonight.

I didn't know that they should have greens...I asked about that as my friend feeds his bearded dragons such things, but go figure I was mislead AGAIN!

Thanks so much for everything...all bits of advice are incredibly helpful. I'm a Horse and Dairy Nutritionist by profession, with other animals as side commitments, so I definitely appreciate any help you can give me. Pets of any type do not have good research available for the average person to find.

Also...I have strip light and 5.0 UVB bulb which shines through the mesh on top! Yes I got something right!

 

[kinyonga]

The tissue is tender, so be careful that you don't rip it! I have always let a vet do it rather than risk tearing tender tissues.

I would remove the sand because if it were to get onto the prolapsed area it might cause irritation.

I never use substrate for arboreal chameleons anyway.....but there should always be a place for a female to dig to show you that/when she's ready to lay eggs.
Substrates can sometimes lead to impaction...so IMHO they are better off with none.

Good luck!

 

[cowchick]

Thank you, I didn't know that. I'm cleaning out the sand tonight, I'm so glad I learned all this!

 

[cowchick]

I have updated initial post with all info should others read this...thank you!

 

[Kent67]

Hello, I just wanted to add a quick post as well to stress how important it is to get that guy to a vet immediately. So far the prolapse appears to be treatable but the tissue looks a bit dry and purple which it shouldn't. If that tissue becomes necrotic (dies), which is very possible, the hemipene MUST be amputated to save the life of the animal. If it is still repairable, the doctor should be able to reinsert it and put a stitch or two across that side of the vent to hold it in temporarily. The next problem is figuring out why it is prolapsing. After that, the diet and cage issues can be worked on.

While the organ is prolapsed, the chameleon may rub or scratch it on rough branches because it is clearly irritating. It is very delicate tissue that can and will bleed copiously if cut. Try not to let that happen and good luck.

 

[cowchick]

Updated news! He has defacated a little through the night...so that's some good news, but he's sitting on the bottom the the terrarium (on top of moist paper towels) and not seemingly overly happy! I finally got myself an appointment to a recommended exotics vet....I'll update everyone later today! Cross your fingers for Shrek!

 

[Julirs]

I am glad you have a vet appt! Please let us know how it turns out.