Medicating

[sheilahinkley]

I know I have been posting a ton lately but I have been really worrying about my cham. I have to medicate him once daily due to a respiratory infection. I had only had him about a month before this happened. He wouldnt hand feed but was okay with me putting a hand in his cage and didn't get that nervous when I had to clean or move stuff around. Now I have to take him out and get him to take the oral baytil. He hisses and runs from me everytime but I have to medicate him... he won't take worms or crickets from me so there really isn't a way for me to make this a positive experience.. The meds should be done next week and I was planning on leaving him alone completely except for feeding and spot cleaning for about a week so get him to relax and then begin to start hand feeding him again? Is that a good plan? I feel terribly, I know I'm really stressing him out.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I think you are on the right track. You realize you are stressing him terribly by medicating him but you have to do it.

You want to try to mitigate that stress and remove as much stress from his life as possible. Do this as quickly as you can and then get him back in the cage. Have everything ready before you start.

Make sure he has a lot of cover in his cage. Keep his temperatures and humidity levels on the high side of what is normal for the species and make sure he is very well hydrated. I always add a little water to the syringe when I am giving any meds because things like Baytril can put them off eating and drinking. You absolutely want to keep him drinking. I also stuff a silkworm in their mouths after I give them the meds. When I put them back in the cage, I put t hem on a lower vertical branch so they go up--nothing runs out of their mouth when they are climbing. The climbing distracts them from something in their mouth. By the time they get to the top, they often sit there with their nose in the air and their mouth open a little but after a minute or so, they notice the live silkworm in their mouth and chew it up and swallow it. The silkworm does a few things--it makes it a little more difficult for any meds to come out of their mouth and it puts something in their belly. I put meds deep in their throat, hopefully bypassing their mouth entirely. You have to be very careful you don't damage their throat though. They have a very large gullet, so it isn't too difficult but just be super careful because there are a lot of delicate structures that form the tongue.

You a re on the right track to just leave him alone and to leave him alone even after his meds are finished.

Good luck.

 

[sheilahinkley]

Thank you! This makes me feel better! Should I get a new bulb soon? I've noticed my temps staying at around 82 and idk if that is too cool for the top of his cage