Need advise? 6 Month old Male Veiled Wont eat anymore!

[Ten hut]

Hello Everyone,

I am a new member to this forum and want to introduce you to my new buddy Turbo. Hoping you can give me some advise before things head south.

We purchased him about 2 months ago and he has been perfectly healthy, growing like crazy, and eating around 10 insects a day.

I have varied his diet, but of coarse he still primarily gets crickets. 3 days ago he stopped eating all together. Not one bug!! We have tried offering numerous other insects such as moths, locust, and his favorite praying mantis, but he is completely disinterested which has me worried. I've never seen him turn down a juicy bug.

He still looks very heathly as you can see, but he's constantly opening his mouth and rolling his tongue around in his mouth. Sometimes we have seen him sit with his mouth wide open for several seconds at a time.

Should I be worried or am I just over reacting?

How long should I let him go on not eating before I start thinking about force feeding and taking him to the doctor?

Greatly appreciate your guidance.

 

[carol5208]

There are usually two reason why chameleons hold their mouth open: either it is too hot and they are trying to cool down or they could have a respiratory infection. There is the possibility they are mad also where they will gape but this does not sound like the case. Sometimes they will lose appetite with a respiratory infection. Does you chameleon look like he has any extra saliva or mucus in his mouth? Can you hear any noise, like a wheez or a popping? What are your temps and humidity in his enclosure?

 

[Ten hut]

His enclosure is kept 76 - 78 deg during the day and no lower than 74 at night. We mist 2-3 times daily and he has dripper we use every other day. I dont have a way to measure the humidity, but will pick one up next time I'm out.

He has never been aggressive in any way so I don't think that's the case.

Do they usually naturally recover from respitory infection or is vet needed? Should we not mist for day or two so he can dry his lungs out a bit?

I haven't messed with him since he stopped eating as I didnt want to irritate him further, but I haven't heard any respitory sounds coming from him.

How long should I let him go without eating?

 

[carol5208]

Honestly, that sounds too cold for him and it is possible that he has gotten a respiratory infection. You mean his basking temp is only 76-78? You need to up that temp about 10 degrees. A respiratory infection will not go away on its own. You will need to get him to a vet and he will most likely prescribe Baytril for him. Does he ever hold his nose up in the air?

 

[Ten hut]

We are in the process of ordering a larger enclosure and spot basking lamp, but breeder advised we wouldn't need additional heat till he is about a year old. He only has UVB light now.

Guess were going to expedite the cage and spot lamp purchase.

I have seen him put his nose in the air, but only when we're misting him.

There doesn't appear to be any mucus around his nose or mouth.

 

[carol5208]

I am just floored that a breeder would give you that type of advice. No heat light until a year old? That is plain crazy. Unless your house is like 85 or 90 degrees that to me just does not make any sense. You can go to home depot and purchase an aluminum dome. Try using a 60 watt white housebulb(you dont need any expensive basking light) and shoot for a temp around 88-90. If your cham does indeed have an RI you are gonna want to up the temps to help with the infection anyways but from now on you need to have a basking light for him. I am surpised he has been able to digest his food at those temps. If your chameleon continues to keep his mouth open, get him to a vet. A RI must be treated or your chameleon will go downhill fast. The mucus will be inside the mouth. Like a stringy saliva. Also look down the throat for like bubbles.

 

[Ten hut]

Well this guy sure acted like he knew all about chameleons and advised he had several breeding pairs. Gave me everything I would need(supposedly) accept a larger enclosure and heat lamp when he grew. I even bought him at a reptile convention so I could get best guidance.

Guess there's a lot of BS out there. I'm not new by any means to reptiles, but this is my first chameleon.

This doesn't make me at all happy

I'll get the heat headed his way very soon!

We'll check tomorrow for any mucus in his mouth or any bubbles.

How long is safe time for him to go without eating. He'll be starting day 4 tomorrow with no food. I don't want him to get to weak to recover.

 

[carol5208]

Honestly being that young, I would not let him go much longer. Is he atleast drinking? If it were me, if he is still holding his mouth open tomorrow and not eating, I would get him to a vet. Is it possible that the breeder lives in a warm climate? Even if the heat wasn't a factor(which it really is) you want to mimic their natural environment like basking in the heat of the sunlight. That is why we use white bulbs and not blue ones or red like some of the petstores suggest. It just is not natural. If you can get him outside in the warmth of the sunlight, that would be good for him until you can get him seen by a vet. Nothing replicates the sun. It will not cure a RI unfortunately. I am concerned that your chameleon is both opening his mouth and not eating. I would definitely have him checked out. At worst, yes you will have paid for a vet visit but atleast you will have piece of mind. I am by no means a vet and am just giving you advice on the symptoms and from what I have seen on here over the past few years.

 

[Ten hut]

Appreciate you opinion and time greatly. I'm going to assess him in the morning and most likely call the vet for an appointment.

Is it ok to put him outside for a few hours even though our temps have been reaching 100 degrees?

 

[carol5208]

well maybe not for a few hours but just take him outside and warm him up for a while. 100 is hot. Normally when they gape, then you know they are too hot but unfortunately your guy is doing that already so you wont really know if he is getting overheated. The natural uvb is just so good for them. I live in FLA and it is blazing hot everyday. I take my two chams outside and when they seem to be getting hot, I usually mist them with cool water. Always provide shade of course incase they do not want to be out in the sun. Gosh, good luck with him and let me know how things go. I hope I am wrong, but if not, it sounds like you will do the right thing as I can tell you want the best for him.

 

[Ten hut]

Thanks again for the advise. He'll be put outside in the morning to soak up some sun before it gets to blistering hot.

We have an outstanding herp vet just 5 minutes away so were covered with the doctor if needed.

I'll let you know what happens.

 

[carol5208]

Sounds like a plan. Good luck!!!

 

[Ten hut]

Well looked at him this morning and noticed something different. He looked like he wanted to eat, but when he went to put his tongue out it only extended about an inch was blue & purple and appears to be swollen. I'll be calling th vet when they open. Any ideas?

 

[carol5208]

It is possible he could have injured it. I am glad you are getting him to a vet. keep us updated. I have to go to work and won't have access to a computer until later this afternoon. Good luck and I hope it is nothing serious!

 

[Ten hut]

Got Turbo to the vet today and he thinks its an infection and not that he hurt his tongue. Unfortunately he advised tongue issues are extremely bad for chameleons no matter what the issue. I have him on Baytril once daily orally and feeding him baby food with a syringe until he starts eating on his own again.

Also got him a spot lamp today and temp is now staying around 80 with spot around 85 for him to warm up.

Vet says if we don't see improvement within the next 5 days then its probably not going to turn out well.

Keeping my fingers crossed he pulls through.

Will let you know how things turn out.

 

[carol5208]

Glad you got him in to the vet. So he has an RI then? So he still will not eat? Have you tried putting food up to his mouth and then seeing if he will grab it. Chameleons can live without the use of their tongues, and even without one altogether. There have been members on here whose chameleons have lost their tongues and they survived.
I would bump the temp up another 5 or so degrees also. Many members have had chameleons with RI's. They are common, but it is due to your conditions so you have to change them so it won't happen again. Usually damp conditons can cause that, like not letting the cage dry out between mistings. I believe your temps were too low unfortunately. Try giving him a bug and see if he will take it without shooting his tongue. Good luck and I hope things will turn around for you. Get him outside in the warmth and sun if you can today also

 

[Ten hut]

Well made all necessary changes to his enclosure, but no better news

Turbo has now been on medicine for 4 days and is really starting to show his weight loss.

We still have to force feed him babyfood as he has trouble swallowing anything accept liquids. He tries to eat small crickets and worms from the bottom of the cage without using his tongue, but he always ends up dropping them after he chews on them for a minute.

Even when we feed him small amounts of babyfood he struggles to get it down.

Called the vet again and he now thinks he must have injured his tongue somehow. He said there is really nothing we can do accept continue with force feeding until he eats by himself. Have no idea how he could have hurt his tongue??

I'm so bummed!!

Keep Turbo in your thoughts & prayers.

 

[amberlynn]

Read through your thread very sorry to hear that Turbo is sick. I'll be praying for him hoping he eats on his own and gets better very soon!

 

[Ten hut]

We'll still turbo isn't eating on his own. It's not for lack of trying, but he just can't swallow anything. We now have him in his larger enclosure and he seems to like exploring the new room.

Good news is vet has him on a force fed diet of baby food (beef,peas, and carrots) so he is now putting on weight again rapidly. Also we have cut back his baytril to every other day till end of this week. Doc says if we keep him on it any longer could cause damage to his internal organs. He now is looking much healthier just still can't eat.

Bad news is Vet thinks we may end of having to force feed him for the rest of his life.
My questions are this?

Has anyone had chameleon with a damaged tongue that healed after more than 2 weeks of no use? Vet advised that if he wasn't using his tongue by end of this week he would probably never use it again.

Has anyone handled similar situation where force feeding was needed long term or indefinitely? If so is there any advise you can give.

He seems to handle the feedings pretty well now and does not appear to get overly stressed, but I'm not sure long term what to expect for his lifespan?

Should he continue to grow normally to adult size or will this stunt his growth?

I want to give him the best life I can no matter how long that may be and wether he has to be force fed forever or not. So any previous experiences or recommendations are greatly appreciated.

 

[carol5208]

Well thanks for the update but I am sorry it is not the best of news. Two members on here, Hoj and I think Kshook(who is not on much I don't think) had chameleons who lost their tongues. They can survive without their tongues. Does your vet have any idea why your chameleon cannot swallow? He must be swallowing if he is putting on weight though..