Dehydration/mouth rot?

[Vendrena]

My chameleon is a panther about a year old.
I handle my chameleon a couple times a month
Before he stopped eating as much he had about 4-5 crickets a day. I occasionally feed him horn worms and super worms. Fed every morning
I use repti calcium by zoo med
For misting I use a water bottle a few times a day, I recently got a misting system to help with humidity
When bought at store they mentioned he sometimes has difficult shedding
His cage is all screen 16” across 30” tall
Uses 100w halogen basking light by exo Terra and a 13 watt reptisun uvb light which are on for 11-12 hours a day
Temp during the day is Aprox 95 in basking area, and 85 near top and high 70 lower to the bottom of the cage. At night is remains in the 70’s.
I use fake plants but plan on getting a live one sometime.
Unsure of the exact humidity level but using a misting system to make it more humid.
He is located next to a fish tank in the corner of my room for not as much activity/stress (hopefully the fish tank doesn’t bother him?) he’s about two and a half feed off the ground. I’m located in Wisconsin.

He has lately had sunken in eyes and a lump by his mouth, while trying to give him water today because I don’t think he’s able to eat or drink well I was pushing on the lump slightly and it ended up pussing. I took a q-tip and got rid of all of it. Also is the White by his nose normal? I heard it’s how they “sweat?”

 

[Vendrena]

My chameleon is a panther about a year old.
I handle my chameleon a couple times a month
Before he stopped eating as much he had about 4-5 crickets a day. I occasionally feed him horn worms and super worms. Fed every morning
I use repti calcium by zoo med
For misting I use a water bottle a few times a day, I recently got a misting system to help with humidity
When bought at store they mentioned he sometimes has difficult shedding
His cage is all screen 16” across 30” tall
Uses 100w halogen basking light by exo Terra and a 13 watt reptisun uvb light which are on for 11-12 hours a day
Temp during the day is Aprox 95 in basking area, and 85 near top and high 70 lower to the bottom of the cage. At night is remains in the 70’s.
I use fake plants but plan on getting a live one sometime.
Unsure of the exact humidity level but using a misting system to make it more humid.
He is located next to a fish tank in the corner of my room for not as much activity/stress (hopefully the fish tank doesn’t bother him?) he’s about two and a half feed off the ground. I’m located in Wisconsin.

He has lately had sunken in eyes and a lump by his mouth, while trying to give him water today because I don’t think he’s able to eat or drink well I was pushing on the lump slightly and it ended up pussing. I took a q-tip and got rid of all of it. Also is the White by his nose normal? I heard it’s how they “sweat?”

(Also while I tried to hand feed him I noticed when trying to bite and use his tongue he wasn’t able to chew well and the worms would just fall from his mouth. He does attempt to drink off of the leaves)

 

[Multivitamins]

I think a vet visit to rule out parasites might be in order he seems like he's on the slim side.

For lighting are you using a linear tube style bulb for uvb the twist / coiled bulbs don't provide the same output and without uvb your risking mbd. Also take into account supplement nutrition and dusting / gutloadi g your feeders. Hope things get better.

 

[kinyonga]

The white at the nostril is him expelling salts from his system that he doesn't need. It is NOT calcium salts so don't let anyone tell you to cut down on calcium to fix it...it won't fix it and might cause bone issues. It's normal for some chameleons to produce this.

Normally just cleaning out the pus from an infection on a chameleon won't work...they almost always need to be debriefed and an appropriate antibiotic given (determined by a culture and sensitivity test) to keep it gone because bacteria involved in mouth infections are usually opportunists.

Since he's also not keeping the food in his mouth you need to find out why. Chameleons will do this if the mouth is sore but also they do it when they aren't well. Have you looked inside his mouth? At his tongue? Is the tongue swollen or is there any sign of infection in the mouth or throat?

Although once in a while chameleons might have sunken eyes, it's almost always the result of the chameleon being ill in my experience.

I really think you should be taking him to a good exotics vet for treatment.

I would lower the basking temperature a few degrees.

What is the substrate in the bottom of the cage? Do you free range the insects or hand feed him

Regarding supplements...it's recommended that you dust at almost all feedings with a phos free calcium powder lightly. This helps balance the usually poor ratio of calcium to,phos in many of the feeders we use.

It's recommended that you dust twice a month with a phos free calcium/D3 powder lightly to ensure it gets some D3 without overdosing it and leaving it to produce the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB form your UVB light or natural sunlight...both of which should not pass through glass or plastic. D3from supplements can build up in the suystem and cause health issues but when produced from the UVB it won't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of the light.

Dusting twice a month with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene (proformed) source of vitamin A will be safe and leave it up to you to decide when/if your chameleon needs some prEformed vitamin A. Vitamin A from PrOformed sources (beta carotene) won't build up in the system like prEformed vitamin A (acetate, retinol, palmitate, etc) will.

Many people on the forum use Repashy LoD instead of the 3 powders. There's more than one way to do the supplements of course.

Feeding/gutloading the insects is important too. I use a wide assortment of greens (dandelions, escarole, endive, kale, collards, etc) and veggies (carrots, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, etc) and a bit of fruit ( berries, apples, pears, melon, etc)

For lights I use a regular household incandescent bulb of a wattage that produces the appropriate basking temperature and a long linear reptisun 5.0 tube UVB light.

Hope this helps.

 

[Vendrena]

I think a vet visit to rule out parasites might be in order he seems like he's on the slim side.

For lighting are you using a linear tube style bulb for uvb the twist / coiled bulbs don't provide the same output and without uvb your risking mbd. Also take into account supplement nutrition and dusting / gutloadi g your feeders. Hope things get better.

I use the dome fixture and the twist in lights. So you’re saying I should get the tube style?

The white at the nostril is him expelling salts from his system that he doesn't need. It is NOT calcium salts so don't let anyone tell you to cut down on calcium to fix it...it won't fix it and might cause bone issues. It's normal for some chameleons to produce this.

Normally just cleaning out the pus from an infection on a chameleon won't work...they almost always need to be debriefed and an appropriate antibiotic given (determined by a culture and sensitivity test) to keep it gone because bacteria involved in mouth infections are usually opportunists.

Since he's also not keeping the food in his mouth you need to find out why. Chameleons will do this if the mouth is sore but also they do it when they aren't well. Have you looked inside his mouth? At his tongue? Is the tongue swollen or is there any sign of infection in the mouth or throat?

Although once in a while chameleons might have sunken eyes, it's almost always the result of the chameleon being ill in my experience.

I really think you should be taking him to a good exotics vet for treatment.

I would lower the basking temperature a few degrees.

What is the substrate in the bottom of the cage? Do you free range the insects or hand feed him

Regarding supplements...it's recommended that you dust at almost all feedings with a phos free calcium powder lightly. This helps balance the usually poor ratio of calcium to,phos in many of the feeders we use.

It's recommended that you dust twice a month with a phos free calcium/D3 powder lightly to ensure it gets some D3 without overdosing it and leaving it to produce the rest of the D3 from its exposure to the UVB form your UVB light or natural sunlight...both of which should not pass through glass or plastic. D3from supplements can build up in the suystem and cause health issues but when produced from the UVB it won't as long as the chameleon can move in and out of the light.

Dusting twice a month with a vitamin powder with a beta carotene (proformed) source of vitamin A will be safe and leave it up to you to decide when/if your chameleon needs some prEformed vitamin A. Vitamin A from PrOformed sources (beta carotene) won't build up in the system like prEformed vitamin A (acetate, retinol, palmitate, etc) will.

Many people on the forum use Repashy LoD instead of the 3 powders. There's more than one way to do the supplements of course.

Feeding/gutloading the insects is important too. I use a wide assortment of greens (dandelions, escarole, endive, kale, collards, etc) and veggies (carrots, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, squash, zucchini, etc) and a bit of fruit ( berries, apples, pears, melon, etc)

For lights I use a regular household incandescent bulb of a wattage that produces the appropriate basking temperature and a long linear reptisun 5.0 tube UVB light.

Hope this helps.

when I was feeding him in the very front of his mouth it looks red and raw. His tongue doesn’t really look swollen, he just doesn’t extend it very far from his mouth. Thank you so much for the info.

 

[JacksJill]

Mouth rot needs to be treated by a veterinarian and will require antibiotics. Do you need us to recommend a vet indoor area?

 

[kinyonga]

@Vendrena said..."use the dome fixture and the twist in lights. So you’re saying I should get the tube style?".. Exactly. IMHO it's a better idea to use a long linear light...gives more coverage.

If the chameleon is not extending the tongue because the mouth is sore that's one problem...but if he isn't because there is an imbalance in the nutrients, due to lack of D3 for instance then that will need to be addressed by the changes in supplementation.

 

[Vendrena]

Mouth rot needs to be treated by a veterinarian and will require antibiotics. Do you need us to recommend a vet indoor area?

I know a vet that’s near me, I’m just kinda wondering what I should bring my chameleon in, into the vet

 

[MissSkittles]

Any kind of small box works. I put a small towel on the bottom and poke a stick from side to side.

 

[Multivitamins]

I use the dome fixture and the twist in lights. So you’re saying I should get the tube style?

when I was feeding him in the very front of his mouth it looks red and raw. His tongue doesn’t really look swollen, he just doesn’t extend it very far from his mouth. Thank you so much for the info.

Yes the longer bulb that runs across the entire top is in popular opinion the way to go. I use a dual bulb fixture with one t5 uvb bulb and one grow light 6500k to help my plants and keep the enclosure lit up.

As for the tounge put a juicy horn worm on a lid or your finger and keep it out a few inches further see if he will fire at it.

 

[kinyonga]

Make sure he branch/stick can't rotate in the box...so maybe use a "y" shaped branch.

 

[USMC1981]

dont use tape on the box

 

[USMC1981]

Can also use bendy vine poked through sides. Dont use a huge box

 

[The Wild One]

Hornworms are AMAZING for hydration

 

[Vendrena]

Make sure he branch/stick can't rotate in the box...so maybe use a "y" shaped branch.

While I was giving him water I got a shot of what his mouth looks like.. any input?

 

[Mawtyplant]

Please... PLEASE! can you for the future avoid making multiple post about the same things.. and fill the how to ask for help form.. and bring him a a vet asap

from the picture, it look like mouth rot, illness (maybe URI) and bacteria don't give him water except if you know how to avoid to push water through the lungs (this will only stress him and risk to provoke respiratory distress and infection) the inside of the mouth let me think blood circulation is low or he does suffer from anemia (maybe poor husbandry or parasite but without proper information I can only guess.. he also look really weak according to physical appearance

fill how to ask for help (you got the link in the previous post without that any help is pointless

good luck

 

[Vendrena]

Please... PLEASE! can you for the future avoid making multiple post about the same things.. and fill the how to ask for help form.. and bring him a a vet asap

from the picture, it look like mouth rot, illness (maybe URI) and bacteria don't give him water except if you know how to avoid to push water through the lungs (this will only stress him and risk to provoke respiratory distress and infection) the inside of the mouth let me think blood circulation is low or he does suffer from anemia (maybe poor husbandry or parasite but without proper information I can only guess.. he also look really weak according to physical appearance

fill how to ask for help (you got the link in the previous post without that any help is pointless

good luck

Thank you. I plan on calling the vet tomorrow. I’m just low on money and unsure the cost to have him checked out. Do you know an estimated price?

 

[MissSkittles]

Each vet charges very differently. You’ll need to ask your vet the cost of an office visit. Anything after that initial charge can be considered optional as long as you let the vet know your situation and ask for cost of each thing they recommend.

 

[kinyonga]

I'm sorry to tell you...that's a very sick chameleon and needs to get to a good vet ASAP...like yesterday IMHO.

 

[Vendrena]

I'm sorry to tell you...that's a very sick chameleon and needs to get to a good vet ASAP...like yesterday IMHO.

Do you know why this could have happen? I feel so bad to know I failed to care for him correctly and hope there is still time to save him..