Chameleon Poop 101

[Beman]

Not sure if this is normal? He only wants to drink from a syringe.

Not normal at all! you need to get him drinking normally add a dripper to the top of the cage and get a fecal tested with the vet.

 

[Beman]

I got a good 1 this morning...View attachment 359581

Totally normal looking. Just note parasites can not be seen so it is still always a good idea to get a fecal done to ensure there is nothing hidden that could become a future issue.

 

[MerlinX]

No fecal test yet. He's captive bred from a well known breeder so he's g2g. I do have an exotic vet right down the street if need be.

 

[Beman]

No fecal test yet. He's captive bred from a well known breeder so he's g2g. I do have an exotic vet right down the street if need be.

Just keep in mind parasites can come in on insects you feed off after in your care too. But all looks well with that sample. Nothing at all I would stop and be concerned over. When they are runny then that is a sign something is off.

 

[CharlieWhiskey]

Not normal at all! you need to get him drinking normally add a dripper to the top of the cage and get a fecal tested with the vet.

I have a dripper set up but he doesn’t seem to like it. I also have a mister.
Besides the orange color does it look like there is something really bad going on? I’m worried

 

[CharlieWhiskey]

Could it be something with the UVB light? I didn’t realize that mine wasn’t making UVB anymore so I’m switching it out but could that cause this issue?

 

[CharlieWhiskey]

Got a vet appointment but the soonest they had was October 30th.

 

[Beman]

I have a dripper set up but he doesn’t seem to like it. I also have a mister.
Besides the orange color does it look like there is something really bad going on? I’m worried

Could it be something with the UVB light? I didn’t realize that mine wasn’t making UVB anymore so I’m switching it out but could that cause this issue?

Got a vet appointment but the soonest they had was October 30th.

I would post your own thread so you can receive full feedback. Need to look at specific husbandry. Hydration is very specific for how you want to provide it. It could be your misting sessions are not long enough to trigger a drinking response. But the risk with you syringe training him is that he will become dependent on this method and you. But the concern I see is the red tint and the amount of mucous. If it has an odor that is another sign of a parasite issue. The mucous is as well. A fecal test would be a first step with a vet.

 

[MerlinX]

Got another 1 today... less urates but still Looking ok? And right in the feeding tray to boot!

 

[PetNcs]

With the bowel movement of male chameleons you will usually see sperm plugs. These are a pair of white soft waxy deposits that dry out quickly.

This is not a sperm plug. This term is misused and an error in chameleon husbandry.
1. it has nothing to do with sperm
at all as it consists of keratine and not sperm
2. itnis not a plug but a simple shed, exivia: hemipenes are ectodermal origin, theynshed same as skin

The term “sperm plug” refers to a biological structure or substance that forms after mating in some animal species to block the female reproductive tract and prevent other males from fertilizing the same female. It’s also called a copulatory plug.

• A sperm plug is typically a gelatinous or hardened mass made of seminal fluid proteins, sometimes mixed with sperm.
• It forms inside the vagina or cervix of the female after mating.
• Its main function is to block access to the reproductive tract, preventing sperm from other males from entering and increasing the chances that the first male’s sperm will fertilize the eggs.

Species That Use Sperm Plugs

• Found in many animals, including:
• Rodents
• Reptiles
• Insects
• Primates (some species)

• In some species, the plug also helps retain sperm inside the female for longer periods.

Evolutionary Purpose

• It’s a form of post-mating sexual competition.
• Helps ensure paternity by reducing the chance of rival males fertilizing the same female.
• May also signal to other males that the female has already mated.


the term which is relevant in chameleons is a pathological hemipeneal plug, an aggregation of several undisposed sheds in the lumen of the retracted hemipenis

the stfucture what you show is really disposed via defecation but only after shedding, it means not every defecation in males contains a hemipenis shed

 

[PetNcs]

Normal bowel movement

this is a heavily over-hydrated excrement, showing signs of bad digestion and excessive water

 

[PetNcs]

Mostly white urates and normal feces. This bowel movement was about a week after the previous one, so a little orange of the urates is okay

the myth of white uratenin notnsupported by field data. in the wild (and same in caltivity), the ohysiological norm is around 15-50% of rhe urate is to be crystaline orange feaction. More is a sign of dehydration and less is a sign of overhydration. Both iver and de-hydratikn aee dangerous situations that meed to be addreased.