Eating Ficus benjamina and Very Odd behavior.

[CasqueAbove]

So I think some were just talking about this.

For the first time my female decided to try her ficus and took 2 bites. I could see the white sap. So I decide too distract, it is feeding day so I get a couple dusted roaches. She goes right for them. First two shots hit the mark, but don't stick. Well maybe the dusting. She continues, but her tongue is not seeming to work correctly. She is morphing it to a hammer shape at the tip, and pushing against to try, and nothing. Then she doesn't seem to be able to use her tongue, and becomes more focused on this.
I took the feeders away and observed. She was moving her tongue around inside her mouth, I could see the guller crest moving.
So about 5 mins later she is relaxed, I offer bug off my hand, and no problem at distance getting three.

So could this be the "irritating" factor of the Ficus sap in action ?

Opinions ?

 

[Serbianchameleon]

My veiled cham chews leaves of ficus benjamina often but he has no problems after that with his tongue. I think its up to dust/powder. When I dust my roaches and crickets both my chams first shoot their tongue to get them but actually tongue doesn’t stick. It’s like they just try the powder to see what is it actually. I think your situation is fine but don’t take me for granted.

 

[CasqueAbove]

My veiled cham chews leaves of ficus benjamina often but he has no problems after that with his tongue. I think its up to dust/powder. When I dust my roaches and crickets both my chams first shoot their tongue to get them but actually tongue doesn’t stick. It’s like they just try the powder to see what is it actually. I think your situation is fine but don’t take me for granted.

So I have seen the dusting issue, that was my first thought. It was the actions with the tongue. Now she did recover shortly, like 5 min, so I do not think it to be harmful. It was just interesting, and it was right after eating the leave.

 

[Lennoncham]

What size Dubia were you feeding? I noticed my chams have some trouble getting Dubia as well. But I was wondering if it’s because they were full grown and there tongue couldn’t “stick” to the big smooth wings/ back?

 

[CasqueAbove]

What size Dubia were you feeding? I noticed my chams have some trouble getting Dubia as well. But I was wondering if it’s because they were full grown and there tongue couldn’t “stick” to the big smooth wings/ back?

They were small. She eats this often. It was less the not sticking, and mor the fact tha her tongue seemed, numb? like if you ate something you are slightly allergic too. For me it is nuts.
Now she cleared right up so if it was the sap, it was only while it was on her tongue.
Maybe I am seeing it wrong, maybe it was more like she just ate peanut butter?

 

[Lennoncham]

Ya could of just been the sap. When I seen it with my guys it was before the mister went off so there tongues could of just been dry or they didn’t form the “pouch” properly.

I’m sure you know but there tongues don’t exactly stick. They creat a small pouch like thing at the end kinda like a suction cup. That’s why I was thinking maybe the size and smoothness wouldn’t let it grab.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Ya could of just been the sap. When I seen it with my guys it was before the mister went off so there tongues could of just been dry or they didn’t form the “pouch” properly.

I’m sure you know but there tongues don’t exactly stick. They creat a small pouch like thing at the end kinda like a suction cup. That’s why I was thinking maybe the size and smoothness wouldn’t let it grab.

Exactly , it wasn't the stick part, it was her not being able to "grab with her tongue" She was sticking just the end out and flexing into shapes, kinda like wtf is going on.

 

[Serbianchameleon]

Ya could of just been the sap. When I seen it with my guys it was before the mister went off so there tongues could of just been dry or they didn’t form the “pouch” properly.

I’m sure you know but there tongues don’t exactly stick. They creat a small pouch like thing at the end kinda like a suction cup. That’s why I was thinking maybe the size and smoothness wouldn’t let it grab.

Ok I didn’t know that. Happy to learn new things!

 

[Lennoncham]

Was this after she tried to grab it? My chams did the same thing after they tried and failed. I think it’s them like resetting their tongue. They have to recoil it back onto the bone properly to shoot it out again.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Was this after she tried to grab it? My chams did the same thing after they tried and failed. I think it’s them like resetting their tongue. They have to recoil it back onto the bone properly to shoot it out again.

Yes it was, then she was able to shoot again. So the two may be unrelated. It is a single observation, so I appreciate additional input.

 

[Lennoncham]

Ya most likely just resetting it. They shoot their tongues up to 60mph so it if doesn’t recoil properly it can take a min for them to reset it onto the bone. They use this big bone to shoot their tongue out. Not a problem unless the tongue doesn’t recoil. Or is noticeable injured.

 

[Lennoncham]

After reading the article @kinyonga just posted it refreshed my memory some.

the bone is called the hyoid bone. And they use a combination of a thick mucus and muscles (the suction cup I was talking about) to catch their prey. That’s why I mention that I thought maybe my chams tongues were dry just couldn’t remember the exact function.

 

[CasqueAbove]

After reading the article @kinyonga just posted it refreshed my memory some.

the bone is called the hyoid bone. And they use a combination of a thick mucus and muscles (the suction cup I was talking about) to catch their prey. That’s why I mention that I thought maybe my chams tongues were dry just couldn’t remember the exact function.

I under stood. I always explain it as a Chinese yo yo sort of. They load it up with proper pressure and shoot. The explanation of readjusting made sense, if you have ever used a Chinese yo yo

Chinese Yo Yo = those rolled up paper on a stick. kids know.

 

[Lennoncham]

I under stood. I always explain it as a Chinese yo yo sort of. They load it up with proper pressure and shoot. The explanation of readjusting made sense, if you have ever used a Chinese yo yo

Chinese Yo Yo = those rolled up paper on a stick. kids know.

I had no idea what a Chinese yo-yo was till I looked it up lol. But ya that’s a good way to explain it.