My panther chameleon doesn't shoot it's tongue, is that normal?

[Mazd]

Hey folks, I'm new to this forum and thought to drop a question.

I got my my panther chameleon 4 months ago, and for some reason he never shoots it's tongue to catch food. He would walk to the insect and pick it with its mouth and tongue.

He has a good setup, good uvb, heating, and good humidity. He is incredibly active and he would go crazy everytime I walk pass him, he just wants to climb up my arm.


I've seen people say it might be mbd but I see no signs of that. I always make sure to dust the insects with calcium and supplements.

He's been like this ever since I got him.

Is this normal ?

I have experience with reptiles but not much with chameleons, and I don't know if I should be concerned.

Thanks for the help folks

That's him attached in the post

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Is this normal ?

In a word... No.

There may be something wrong with his tongue—injury, malformation, other(?)
To help try to figure it out, would you please answer the following, and post pics of your cham and his enclosure, from the top (lighting) to the bottom (floor, substrate, or drainage). Thanks.

Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[kinyonga]

Welcome to the forum!

Have you looked into your chameleons mouth to see if it has a tongue?

Please post several photos of your chameleon so I can see it from the side.

 

[Mazd]

In a word... No.

There may be something wrong with his tongue—injury, malformation, other(?)
To help try to figure it out, would you please answer the following, and post pics of your cham and his enclosure, from the top (lighting) to the bottom (floor, substrate, or drainage). Thanks.

Please remember that even the most knowledgeable person can only guess at what your problem may be. Only an experienced reptile veterinarian who can directly examine your animal can give a true diagnosis of your chameleon's health.


Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

--------------

Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

Answering your questions.

Chameleon details:
Its a male blue bar embelobe panther chameleon, age APX 11 month. And had it for 2-3 months now.

Handling:
Almost every day for 1 or 2 minutes. But I never hold it and let him come to my hand.

Feeding:
I him big black crickets - metalworks - dubia roaches - and Calci wax worms. I add the calcium and supplement to them. I use bug grub to gut load them. "I will attach pictures for the brand's" and I feed him every day. And the amount is around 8 crickets, 3 roaches, and like 10 worms most of the time he doesn't eat them all tho. And I add the supplements and calcium to every feed.


Watering:
I use a dripper - there is always access to water throughout the day , also I have an automatic rain machine, it sprays the entire enclosure every couple of hours.

Fecal description:
Its dark brown with white jelly think attached to it- and he goes daily.


History:
I have no info on his previous history beside that he was eating good, and the breeder is a big reputable breeder in the UK, I bought few reptiles (snakes) from him and never had a problem.


As for the enclosure.

Cage type:
Its an exoterra xlarge. Its 90cm height X 90 cm width, 45cm length
Its a glass enclosure with the top as mesh screen

There is a lot of holes at the bottom of it for air circulation and I also have fans installed on top.

Lighting :
For basking spot I'm using Arcadia basking solar 150w floodlight
For uvb light I'm using the T5 550mm Ferguson zone 3 12% uvi
And I have a timer that goes 12 hour of light and turns off for 12 hour

Temperature:
Its set on 32° c under the basking spot. Atmosphere temp is around 24°c and it night it drops to 18°-19° the lowest.
I use a dimmer thermostat to control the basking light and I use humidity and temperature meter to. I have it placed in the middle of the cage so that I keep an eye on the overall temperature and humidity.


Humidity:
The level is around 80% all the time
I use a reptile fogger to increase it when necessary or to sustain it.

I use a hygrometer to monitor it placed in the middle of the cage.



Plants:
Al plants are real, it's a bioactive setup, and they are all reptile safe, all purchased from a reptile shop. Most of them are ferns.
There are more than 30 different type of plants, i can't remember the types but I made sure that they are safe for reptiles.


Placement:
There is nothing near it no heat source or fan - no traffic at all it's a calm neighborhood. But the room is always heated.

Its placed on a cabinet which make the highest spot in the cage around 2 meters high from floor level.


I am located in Scotland, so it's cold outside but as I mentioned room is well heated.
I also have a sunny room, I often take him out to a sonny spot for some time whenever it's possible so he can get some natural light.

I'd like to add that he very active, everytime I come close to him he will literally jump branches towards the cage door and when I open the door he will jump on my hand and crawl up my sleeve.

Iv seen him drink and eat before, he does use his tongue normally, I also seen him move it inside his mouth . The only thing is he never shoot it. I have a small bug container where I place the bugs so he just come to it and eats straight from it, if a bug escapes he will walk close to it and wil pick it with his tongue but never shoot it from a distance.

I will attach some photos of the enclosure and the brand's I have.

Thanks for the help guys

 

[Mazd]

Welcome to the forum!

Have you looked into your chameleons mouth to see if it has a tongue?

Please post several photos of your chameleon so I can see it from the side.

Hey thanks

Yea I can see he tongue, he is always licking surface, he use it to drink and to eat, he can stick it out but I never saw him shooting it at all.

 

[kinyonga]

There are several reasons why a chameleon doesn't use its tongue...if it's infected, injured or its tongue muscles are weak from improper supplements/husbandry/UVB.

I'm not sure about your supplements and UVB light....they aren't ones that I've ever used.

Does the tongue look like it could be infected? Do you know if he could have injured it?