Mouth opening ideas
- Thread starter Mozart
- Start date
szpond
New Member
I had to go through 3 weeks of oral (antibiotics for some, painkillers for some) with my Jackson's male.
Really there is no trick to it...I held him in my hand and got him as calm as I could, put his back up against my stomach/chest and opened his mouth forcefully with one hand and put the syringe in with the other.
At first it was really difficult, then it got easier and easier. It was almost as if he figured out, the quicker it happened, the quicker he could go back in his terrarium.
ALSO: I found it more useful and less stressful for the animal if you set their bedtime immediately after you give the antibiotics. He was stressed out enough, so when I put him into his terrarium I would shut the lights off and he would drift off to sleep in 5 minutes or less.
Good luck!
Really there is no trick to it...I held him in my hand and got him as calm as I could, put his back up against my stomach/chest and opened his mouth forcefully with one hand and put the syringe in with the other.
At first it was really difficult, then it got easier and easier. It was almost as if he figured out, the quicker it happened, the quicker he could go back in his terrarium.
ALSO: I found it more useful and less stressful for the animal if you set their bedtime immediately after you give the antibiotics. He was stressed out enough, so when I put him into his terrarium I would shut the lights off and he would drift off to sleep in 5 minutes or less.
Good luck!
GabeCastro
Established Member
Video Help
I recently had to force feed my chameleon...I guess it doesn't hurt them too much, just stresses them out. ( what doesn't stress them out
)
You need to read up on how to force feed a chameleon aswell, you could choke your chameleon to death if you give them too much liquids.
Structure of mouth:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/warning-all-chameleon-owners-80201/
I watched this video for help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOzJk-Vq4Xo
Also this one shows how a VET handels a cham to get his mouth open:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG7NqCoHM5I
I recently had to force feed my chameleon...I guess it doesn't hurt them too much, just stresses them out. ( what doesn't stress them out
)You need to read up on how to force feed a chameleon aswell, you could choke your chameleon to death if you give them too much liquids.
Structure of mouth:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/warning-all-chameleon-owners-80201/
I watched this video for help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOzJk-Vq4Xo
Also this one shows how a VET handels a cham to get his mouth open:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG7NqCoHM5I
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have heard of using a credit card and gently pry the mouth with that. My chameleon is an adult so I was able to inject a silkworm with med that way. It makes life a lot easier that is for sure! Is there anything he does not like that would get him to gape? Like if he saw himself in the mirror?
GabeCastro
Established Member
Credit card? Hah...the possibilities.
I originally wanted to use a hypodermic needle and inject the meds into a feeder...BUT, herion addicts out here in California make it illegal to get them without a prescription. So no luck on that part for me.
Also my cham NEVER gets mad...He's never puffed up at me, hissed, or flared up infront of a mirror. I guess he's just a chill chameleon lol
SO my only option was to force feed, which i why i provided the videos. But if you can get a Hypodermic Needle then go for it! easiest way to do it...
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
yes the vet gave me two of them! Wow that is crazy you cannot even get one at your vet. Must be alot of people on heroin out there!!
Mozart
New Member
thanks for the ideas. i knew the credit card one and tried that first but he wouldnt open it. I also heard that you can tickle their throats and they will open it? so later when i have to give him more meds ill try to calm him down and try rubbing the sides of his mouth a couple of times and maybe he will open it. If not i might take him back to the hospital. Im just afraid since i dont really know where his trachea is and im afraid ill choke him. Ill watch the videos., thanks
pssh
Avid Member
Credit card or injecting a feeder is a good idea!
I dont know about the specific laws in the bay area, but its legal in CA to buy as many needles as you want (18+ years old.) I'm pretty sure they have needle exchanges in the bay. Stores can refuse to sell them to you, but I find that if you tell them its for giving medicine to a chameleon with it they are more sympathetic. (I mean, who would come up with that idea for trying to get needles for heroin?) Or you can try a farm supply type shop.
I dont know about the specific laws in the bay area, but its legal in CA to buy as many needles as you want (18+ years old.) I'm pretty sure they have needle exchanges in the bay. Stores can refuse to sell them to you, but I find that if you tell them its for giving medicine to a chameleon with it they are more sympathetic. (I mean, who would come up with that idea for trying to get needles for heroin?) Or you can try a farm supply type shop.
squeekz1992
New Member
When I forced Pascal's mouth open I just used my fingernail to open it enough for the syringe, then let that do the rest of the work. After a while he would open it just by me putting the syringe to his mouth.
When I force fed Goliath I did the same thing, but Goliath was much smaller so i had to be a ton more gentle.
Give treats afterwards or put bedtime right after.
When I force fed Goliath I did the same thing, but Goliath was much smaller so i had to be a ton more gentle.
Give treats afterwards or put bedtime right after.
AngieL
Avid Member
I second the syringe into a feeder! That's what we did and it worked wonders, she didn't even know she was getting any medicine The vet supplied the hypodermic and syringe but it broke so we got a new one from the pharmacy (pretty sure they thought my bf was a heroin addict and didn't buy the bs baytril story ha!) But they are obliged to supply clean needles to folk here, we have a lot of heroin addicts on the island and the phanrmacy also does a meth clinic so it's a pretty normal request.
That will only work if your cham is eating though, I know infections cause them to lose apetite in some cases.
The vet supplied the hypodermic and syringe but it broke so we got a new one from the pharmacy (pretty sure they thought my bf was a heroin addict and didn't buy the bs baytril story ha!) But they are obliged to supply clean needles to folk here, we have a lot of heroin addicts on the island and the phanrmacy also does a meth clinic so it's a pretty normal request.That will only work if your cham is eating though, I know infections cause them to lose apetite in some cases.
