Appetite Loss— Help!

[Rango_TheManEater]

Since Rango is unable to see, he’s completely unable to notice the bugs I’ve offered him. It’s genuinely worrying me, since he hasn’t eaten in about as long as he hasn’t been able to see (about a week).

I need to take him to a vet ASAP, but I’m still stuck at home because of the blizzard that just hit Iowa. Roads are way too icy for me to go anywhere right now.

Can anybody tell me how to get my veiled to eat? I tried to gently lift a bug towards him and sort of brush it against his mouth, but it seemed to make him uncomfortable so I stopped immediately. I’m super scared for my little guy!

 

[Beman]

Can you post more pics so we can see how his body and eyes look now? My concern is he could be going into a shut down. Especially if he is not even opening his eyes when you are disturbing him.

 

[Rango_TheManEater]

Can you post more pics so we can see how his body and eyes look now? My concern is he could be going into a shut down. Especially if he is not even opening his eyes when you are disturbing him.

Of course! Here are some pictures I just took after I saw this reply. I had to handle him briefly since i couldn’t get pictures of his front where he was sitting. Poor guy was scrambling to grab on while he couldn’t see. This is breaking my heart.

Edit: please excuse the roof of his cage. I know it’s a bit funky and I keep moving the branches so that he won’t be burned by his lighting. One of my cats sat on it and broke it and I have yet to fix it since I’m not sure how.

 

[Beman]

Ok so good news.... A week without food is not something that is crazy for a cham. Concerning things in the image.... Does not look like he is gripping well or fully trying to grip, eyes closed even when you are handling him, turrets are more sunk in than your last post... Leads me to believe this is something internal. Could be parasites but I am really wondering how his renal function may be doing. Especially since this was an all the sudden decline. Heat lamp going out would not do this.

So if he were mine I would get blood work done to rule out renal failure and to see what is coming back as abnormal. Concern is that time in a situation like how he is responding is not always your friend. He may decline further.

I know you are snowed in which makes this hard. So I would not force feed yet as this can cause further stress on a declining cham. Also he is not low in weight so he is not high risk. Try a longer misting session and spray all around him to see if this perks him up and if you can get him to start drinking. If he opens his eyes you can always try to sneak a small insect in to see if he will take it. He may very well not though and he may not even open his eyes when you spray around him.

 

[Rango_TheManEater]

Ok so good news.... A week without food is not something that is crazy for a cham. Concerning things in the image.... Does not look like he is gripping well or fully trying to grip, eyes closed even when you are handling him, turrets are more sunk in than your last post... Leads me to believe this is something internal. Could be parasites but I am really wondering how his renal function may be doing. Especially since this was an all the sudden decline. Heat lamp going out would not do this.

So if he were mine I would get blood work done to rule out renal failure and to see what is coming back as abnormal. Concern is that time in a situation like how he is responding is not always your friend. He may decline further.

I know you are snowed in which makes this hard. So I would not force feed yet as this can cause further stress on a declining cham. Also he is not low in weight so he is not high risk. Try a longer misting session and spray all around him to see if this perks him up and if you can get him to start drinking. If he opens his eyes you can always try to sneak a small insect in to see if he will take it. He may very well not though and he may not even open his eyes when you spray around him.

Should I bring a fresh stool sample, too? I believe somebody recommended that I bring one but I have no clue how I would collect one. I haven’t done this before

 

[MissSkittles]

What kinds of feeders do you have on hand? If you have any of the wormy ones, you could try to get him to gape and sneak it quickly into his mouth. Bigger concern is how is he able to drink? If you haven’t seen him drinking, try dripping some small drops of water on his nose. Unfortunately, if he hasn’t been able to eat for the past week, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get a fresh poo to check for parasites. Just when you do get to the vet, make sure you can drop a sample off later for testing without needing another appointment.

 

[Rango_TheManEater]

What kinds of feeders do you have on hand? If you have any of the wormy ones, you could try to get him to gape and sneak it quickly into his mouth. Bigger concern is how is he able to drink? If you haven’t seen him drinking, try dripping some small drops of water on his nose. Unfortunately, if he hasn’t been able to eat for the past week, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get a fresh poo to check for parasites. Just when you do get to the vet, make sure you can drop a sample off later for testing without needing another appointment.

Right now, I only have Dubias and Superworms on hand (mediums, since I refuse to buy large ones and risk mouth rot). Every time I go out, I can never seem to find horned worms.

How do I get him to gape…?

 

[Rango_TheManEater]

UPDATE:

I figured out that if I gently press both sides of his jaw with my fingers and quickly push a bug into his mouth, he’ll eat it!

I managed to get Rango to eat 3 Dubias and drink a bit of water (by gently dripping water into his mouth from the mister). I tried using a leaf, but he didn’t notice it, so I had to drip water directly into his mouth. He actually drank some, smacking his mouth and opening his jaws to drink.

He did bite me, but I’m not concerned about it. I just want the little man to eat something before he gets even sicker.

 

[MissSkittles]

Right now, I only have Dubias and Superworms on hand (mediums, since I refuse to buy large ones and risk mouth rot). Every time I go out, I can never seem to find horned worms.

How do I get him to gape…?

Well, with my veiled girl Stella, all I have to do is get near her and she gapes at me. My boy Lucky used to if I got a hand too close, but having to hand feed him due to poor vision, he’s used to me now and it takes trying to pick him up to get him to gape. He can go a while without eating, so don’t worry too much if you can’t get him to. Drinking is much more important.

 

[Beman]

Should I bring a fresh stool sample, too? I believe somebody recommended that I bring one but I have no clue how I would collect one. I haven’t done this before

Ok so yes a fecal sample if it is fresh only. They can not run the test off an old sample so it would need to be fresh and put into a plastic baggy and then stored in your refrigerator. This is the only way to keep it fresh. Take your baggy flip it inside out put hand into it to pick up the fresh stool (no urate) then pull your baggy out the right way so you can seal it up. This of this method like you would pick up dog poop with a poop bag. Same concept.

 

[Beman]

UPDATE:

I figured out that if I gently press both sides of his jaw with my fingers and quickly push a bug into his mouth, he’ll eat it!

I managed to get Rango to eat 3 Dubias and drink a bit of water (by gently dripping water into his mouth from the mister). I tried using a leaf, but he didn’t notice it, so I had to drip water directly into his mouth. He actually drank some, smacking his mouth and opening his jaws to drink.

He did bite me, but I’m not concerned about it. I just want the little man to eat something before he gets even sicker.

VERY CAREFUL FORCING WATER! They can aspirate it so you have to be extremely cautious with this as their airway is in the front of the mouth and throat is all the way at the back. So do not just squirt it into the mouth.

 

[ehdee6]

I just want to share these videos for safe force feeding/drinking/medicating. You can notice that the fluid is administered so that it falls to the back of the throat, to highlight what @Beman said about causing aspiration.

 

[LizardLurkin]

I've no knowledge to offer, but I'm really hoping for the best with Rango. It is so sad to see him like this