Omg help!

[LindsayG]

I just got home and checked on Kam and his effing tongue is out!! How the heck design that happen?? It looks thick and slightly reddish at the tip. I got a cup of water and slowly poured it on it and he pulled it back in but now I'm freaking out.

 

[LindsayG]

I'm trying to upload a photo but it's not working. It was just the tip of his tongue not the whole thing. He's awake and I sprayed him real good hoping he would drink a little but he looks sleepy and he's just staring at me. He looks perfectly fine so I'm just so confused as to how this would happen. He ate fine for me this morning and his tongue was perfectly okay.

 

[LindsayG]

Now he's back asleep with his tongue still in his mouth. I am overreacting? I don't think I am because this is not normal. I don't want there to be any damage done and I don't know how long it's been like that. His lights have been out for a little over an hour so I'm hoping it just happened after he fell asleep.

 

[LindsayG]

 

[Crashbandit05]

I don't have the answer you are looking for but one day while I was taking a nap I kept hearing the sound of my chameleon shooting his tongue at something on the screen. I got up to look and a fly had somehow gotten between the lighting fixture and the screen and he was trying to snag it. Maybe he bruised/hurt or overextended his tongue at some point?

 

[distortionz]

If it makes you feel any better this guy has slept like this since he was just a youngin.. I attached another pic so you could see he is completely healthy.. Your guy has his out pretty far though and it is pretty red.. I'm willing to bet he overextended it.. I'd just keep an eye on him as long as he's not biting it. and monitor him eating and make sure it's all functioning properly..

 

[alphakenc]

U did the right thing by keeping the tongue in moisture,it can dry out pretty easy ,keep ur eye on his tongue since he needs to use it to catch his prey,sometimes when the cham position facing downward n their mouth is open,the tongue will slip it out of their tongue n then pull it right back in,I have also noticed that happen before.

 

[jannb]

I would not let him use the tongue for a good long while. This happen to my Panther Sid years ago and the vet told me not to even try to feed him for a few days....I think I waited 4 to be on the safe side and then when you do feed him do not let him try to use his tongue. Hold the feeder up real close and stick it in his mouth before he tried to shoot. My vet had me do this for a few week to give the tongue plenty of time to rest and heal.

 

[jajeanpierre]

It looks like he injured it somehow. It looks swollen and red/bruised. He looks quite well fed, so I would not offer him any food for a few days and just let everything settle down. Make sure he is drinking. I would at least double his misting schedule since he might not drink if his mouth is injured and sore. When you do offer him food, don't offer him any caterpillars that can hold on to a branch and take brute strength sometimes to pull off a branch. You could offer him silk worms or horn worms by hand, though. My gut feeling would be to give him small food by hand for awhile. He needs to use his tongue to help swallow, so smaller prey might be easier to swallow.

 

[guanagator]

I would follow advice above from @jajeanpierre and @jannb if he has access to any free ranging feeders I would remove them so he's not tempted to shoot at anything, hand feed for a while and keep a close eye on it. Best of luck he's a nice looking guy.

 

[LindsayG]

Thank you everyone for your replies, I greatly appreciate it. So the tongue stayed in all night and he seems fine right now. Ive been misting him all morning and waiting to see if hed pop his little tongue out and he just did! Surprisingly, the tongue looks completely normal. He flicked it out for a drop of water and there's zero redness and zero swelling.

I would not let him use the tongue for a good long while. This happen to my Panther Sid years ago and the vet told me not to even try to feed him for a few days....I think I waited 4 to be on the safe side and then when you do feed him do not let him try to use his tongue. Hold the feeder up real close and stick it in his mouth before he tried to shoot. My vet had me do this for a few week to give the tongue plenty of time to rest and heal.

To be on the safe side, I'm going to give it a few days before I feed him. I'll make sure and stick it in his mouth so he doesn't have too shoot his tongue out. Thank you Jann.

It looks like he injured it somehow. It looks swollen and red/bruised. He looks quite well fed, so I would not offer him any food for a few days and just let everything settle down. Make sure he is drinking. I would at least double his misting schedule since he might not drink if his mouth is injured and sore. When you do offer him food, don't offer him any caterpillars that can hold on to a branch and take brute strength sometimes to pull off a branch. You could offer him silk worms or horn worms by hand, though. My gut feeling would be to give him small food by hand for awhile. He needs to use his tongue to help swallow, so smaller prey might be easier to swallow.

I agree that it looks like he had injured it. Even though it looks fine now, I'm just going to take your advice because the tongue isn't something I want to take chances on. I've uped the misting for him and have now seen him drink a little. I'll go down to my local reptile shop and get him a cup of hornworms, his favorite, so those will be small enough for him. I'll probably get some butterworms too since those are also small and soft. Thank you for your help!

Thanks again everyone. I was so incredibly stressed last night and freaking out. I worry so much about him and there's always so many horror stories on here so I always end up thinking the worst. He's tough though and I'm glad he's going to be okay.