My Male Veiled Chameleon is Shooting Tongue out for no Reason

ashlynzgomez

New Member
Hello everyone, I just joined this website today but I've previously clicked on this website before to learn more about chameleons. I am making a post right now because my male-veiled chameleon started to randomly shoot his tongue out aiming it at one of his branches. An hour ago I saw him fully shoot his tongue out at a branch and I was very confused since there isn't any bugs on it and ever since I've owned him (I've had him for a year ad a half) I have never seen him fully shoot out his tongue. When he does aim for an insect he doesn't even shoot his tongue out halfway. When I saw him fully shoot out his tongue it sort of looked like he was throwing up. Before he shot his tongue out he wasn't looking at the object he wanted to aim for. I think he might either be suffering from maybe some sort of bacteria or even some type of cleaning product that accidentally went into his cage or maybe he has a piece of super worm stuck in the back of his throat and he can't get it out, therefore, making him fully shoot out his tongue. I turned off both his bulbs because maybe the heat is getting to him and to see if maybe this would stop. Someone, please help my baby I don't want him to die. I also have a video of him doing it but i have no clue how to post the video with this post so ill post it seperately. Also he just started foaming from his mouth.
 
I don’t use any cleaning products but I clean his cage once a week. I do use a microfiber cloth to clean some of the branches and the microfiber has been used before for cleaning but I always rinse the microfiber cloth thoroughly without soap before I clean his climbing branches.
 
So depending on what cleaning products you used with that same cloth it could have crossed and caused an issue. It just depends. Anything used for a chameleon cage should be only used for that purpose so you do not have to worry about cross contamination.

If you can load the video to youtube and then share the link here we can take a closer look.


Can you post a picture of the entire enclosure including the lighting on top and a picture of the chameleon as well?
 
Welcome to the forum!

You said…“Hello everyone, I just joined this website today but I've previously clicked on this website before to learn more about chameleons”…this is a good place to learn about chameleons!

You said…” I am making a post right now because my male-veiled chameleon started to randomly shoot his tongue out aiming it at one of his branches. An hour ago I saw him fully shoot his tongue out at a branch and I was very confused since there isn't any bugs on it and ever since I've owned him (I've had him for a year ad a half) I have never seen him fully shoot out his tongue”…what supplements do you use….please be specific…brand…D3, calcium, phos, prEformed vitamin A or not? What specific UVB light are you using? Long linear or coiled or folded over type? Brand? How old is the bulb?

You said…“When he does aim for an insect he doesn't even shoot his tongue out halfway. When I saw him fully shoot out his tongue it sort of looked like he was throwing up. Before he shot his tongue out he wasn't looking at the object he wanted to aim for“…sounds like he might have MBD….but I need to see photos of all of your chameleon to see if there are other signs of illness.

You said…”I think he might either be suffering from maybe some sort of bacteria or even some type of cleaning product that accidentally went into his cage or maybe he has a piece of super worm stuck in the back of his throat and he can't get it out, therefore, making him fully shoot out his tongue“…it sounds more like MBD…but worth checking other things too.

You sa…..”I turned off both his bulbs because maybe the heat is getting to him and to see if maybe this would stop“…what’s the basking temperature? Cage temperature?

You said…”Also he just started foaming from his mouth.”…this makes it sound like there’s more than one issue.
 
So depending on what cleaning products you used with that same cloth it could have crossed and caused an issue. It just depends. Anything used for a chameleon cage should be only used for that purpose so you do not have to worry about cross contamination.

If you can load the video to youtube and then share the link here we can take a closer look.


Can you post a picture of the entire enclosure including the lighting on top and a picture of the chameleon as well?
Hello Beman, I've previously used the same cloth almost weekly to clean his cage so that might be the problem. I'll make sure next time I use a brand new cloth only exposed to water. Below are some pictures and links to what you asked for.

Chameleons Behavior Youtube Video:
Click this to see the video of my Chameleon's behavior.

Light Bulbs I'm Currently Using (Changed Basking Bulb a year ago and changed UVB bulb a month ago:
Simple Deluxe 1 Pack 26 Watts Reptile UVB 5.0 Spiral Compact Terrarium Bulb for Rainforest Type Reptiles
Fluker's Basking Spotlight Bulbs for Reptiles, White, 1 Count (Pack of 1)

Pictures of enclosure, lighting, and Chameleon:
 

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Hello Beman, I've previously used the same cloth almost weekly to clean his cage so that might be the problem. I'll make sure next time I use a brand new cloth only exposed to water. Below are some pictures and links to what you asked for.

Chameleons Behavior Youtube Video:
Click this to see the video of my Chameleon's behavior.

Light Bulbs I'm Currently Using (Changed Basking Bulb a year ago and changed UVB bulb a month ago:
Simple Deluxe 1 Pack 26 Watts Reptile UVB 5.0 Spiral Compact Terrarium Bulb for Rainforest Type Reptiles
Fluker's Basking Spotlight Bulbs for Reptiles, White, 1 Count (Pack of 1)

Pictures of enclosure, lighting, and Chameleon:
Are you using the zoo med desert uvb and heat lighting kit? i'm not sure but I think you are using a compact uvb which basically does not provide any uvb for your chameleon unless he is sitting like three inches close to the bulb. Compact UVB's aren't good at all, you should switch to the t5-ho long uvb bulbs like reptisun or arcadia. I'm using the reptisun 5.0. Using a compact uvb puts your chameleon at risk for MBD
 
Welcome to the forum!

You said…“Hello everyone, I just joined this website today but I've previously clicked on this website before to learn more about chameleons”…this is a good place to learn about chameleons!

You said…” I am making a post right now because my male-veiled chameleon started to randomly shoot his tongue out aiming it at one of his branches. An hour ago I saw him fully shoot his tongue out at a branch and I was very confused since there isn't any bugs on it and ever since I've owned him (I've had him for a year ad a half) I have never seen him fully shoot out his tongue”…what supplements do you use….please be specific…brand…D3, calcium, phos, prEformed vitamin A or not? What specific UVB light are you using? Long linear or coiled or folded over type? Brand? How old is the bulb?

You said…“When he does aim for an insect he doesn't even shoot his tongue out halfway. When I saw him fully shoot out his tongue it sort of looked like he was throwing up. Before he shot his tongue out he wasn't looking at the object he wanted to aim for“…sounds like he might have MBD….but I need to see photos of all of your chameleon to see if there are other signs of illness.

You said…”I think he might either be suffering from maybe some sort of bacteria or even some type of cleaning product that accidentally went into his cage or maybe he has a piece of super worm stuck in the back of his throat and he can't get it out, therefore, making him fully shoot out his tongue“…it sounds more like MBD…but worth checking other things too.

You sa…..”I turned off both his bulbs because maybe the heat is getting to him and to see if maybe this would stop“…what’s the basking temperature? Cage temperature?

You said…”Also he just started foaming from his mouth.”…this makes it sound like there’s more than one issue.
Hello Kinyonga,
Are you using the zoo med desert uvb and heat lighting kit? i'm not sure but I think you are using a compact uvb which basically does not provide any uvb for your chameleon unless he is sitting like three inches close to the bulb. Compact UVB's aren't good at all, you should switch to the t5-ho long uvb bulbs like reptisun or arcadia. I'm using the reptisun 5.0. Using a compact uvb puts your chameleon at risk for MBD
Ive used a uvb bulb ever since I found him in my backyard a year and a half ago.
 
Hello Kinyonga,

Ive used a uvb bulb ever since I found him in my backyard a year and a half ago.
Okay so switch that like ASAP. I’ll give you the product names and you should be able to get these at a nearby reptile store or on Amazon.
I’m new so I don’t know how to post links but these are the names. I really hope this helps. Either one of these is great it’s up to you on which brand you’d like.

- Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb
- Arcadia t5-ho uvb 6%
 
Welcome to the forum!

You said…“Hello everyone, I just joined this website today but I've previously clicked on this website before to learn more about chameleons”…this is a good place to learn about chameleons!

You said…” I am making a post right now because my male-veiled chameleon started to randomly shoot his tongue out aiming it at one of his branches. An hour ago I saw him fully shoot his tongue out at a branch and I was very confused since there isn't any bugs on it and ever since I've owned him (I've had him for a year ad a half) I have never seen him fully shoot out his tongue”…what supplements do you use….please be specific…brand…D3, calcium, phos, prEformed vitamin A or not? What specific UVB light are you using? Long linear or coiled or folded over type? Brand? How old is the bulb?

You said…“When he does aim for an insect he doesn't even shoot his tongue out halfway. When I saw him fully shoot out his tongue it sort of looked like he was throwing up. Before he shot his tongue out he wasn't looking at the object he wanted to aim for“…sounds like he might have MBD….but I need to see photos of all of your chameleon to see if there are other signs of illness.

You said…”I think he might either be suffering from maybe some sort of bacteria or even some type of cleaning product that accidentally went into his cage or maybe he has a piece of super worm stuck in the back of his throat and he can't get it out, therefore, making him fully shoot out his tongue“…it sounds more like MBD…but worth checking other things too.

You sa…..”I turned off both his bulbs because maybe the heat is getting to him and to see if maybe this would stop“…what’s the basking temperature? Cage temperature?

You said…”Also he just started foaming from his mouth.”…this makes it sound like there’s more than one issue.
Hello Kinyonga, The supplements I use are Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3, and for UVB I use Simple Deluxe 1 Pack 26 Watts Reptile UVB 5.0 Spiral Compact Terrarium Bulb for Rainforest Type Reptiles it is a coiled bulb and I just got it a month ago.

Picture and Video of Chameleon:
Click this to see the video of my Chameleon's behavior.

I believe the basking temperature is between 70-80 degrees.

After he fully stuck out his tongue multiple times some bubbly saliva was lying on the outer edges of his mouth.
 

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The most recommended uvb bulbs are the reprising 5.0 long linear light and the Arcadia 6% long linear uvb bulb. Compacts/spirals are not good choices sadly.

Regarding supplements…it’s recommended that you use a phos free calcium powder at all feedings per month but 2. Those two should be dusted with a vitamin powder containing a prEformed source of vitamin A. All dusting should be done lightly. It’s also recommended that you gutload/feed the insects well/properly so that you are feeding healthy food to your chameleon. Dandelion greens, kale, squash, collards, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, and a small amount of pear, apple, Erie’s are all good choices for crickets, locusts, super worms, etc.

You've been using way too much D3 by the sounds of it and that could be the reason for the tongue issues.

D3 from supplements can build up in the system and lead to health issues…and so can vitamin A if it’s prEformed. Calcium, phos, D3 and vitamin A all need to be in a balance for good bone health, muscle health, etc.

iMHO, the tongue is having a problem with its muscles. I’m not a vet, BTW…I just give my opinions from experience and what I’ve learned from keeping chameleons for over 30 years.

The basking temperature should be 80 to 85 F for a male veiled IMHO.

I would recommend a visit to a good chameleon vet asap to get the issue addressed. Also, I would hand feed him so he doesn’t have to shoot the tongue out until you get the issue addressed.
 
Hello Kinyonga, The supplements I use are Zoo Med Repti Calcium with D3, and for UVB I use Simple Deluxe 1 Pack 26 Watts Reptile UVB 5.0 Spiral Compact Terrarium Bulb for Rainforest Type Reptiles it is a coiled bulb and I just got it a month ago.

Picture and Video of Chameleon:
Click this to see the video of my Chameleon's behavior.

I believe the basking temperature is between 70-80 degrees.

After he fully stuck out his tongue multiple times some bubbly saliva was lying on the outer edges of his mouth.
The gagging behavior concerns me. Since he was found outside parasites could be an issue.
 
Ok so I am seeing multiple things... My concern with the behavior is you have fake plants in the cage if he managed to pull a piece off that could have gotten stuck in his throat... I am also seeing bumps on his nose and front of chin. These should not be there. Could be a sinus infection.

Going into other husbandry issues. What everyone is telling you about the screw in UVB bulb is correct. They are not recommended for chameleons. They do not penetrate far enough into the cage.
The cage also looks to be too small. Adults need a 2x2x4ft enclosure size.
Supplements are incorrect. Calcium with D3 should only be given two times a month. More than that can cause issues with multiple things in their bodies. Calcium without D3 is the one recommended at all feedings.

I would recommend getting him into a reptile vet for both the tongue behavior and for the multiple bumps. What city and state are you in? We may be able to recommend a good vet near you.

Start reading everything in this husbandry program. It will teach you proper set up of an enclosure https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
 
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