Poop, Sperm Plug, Prolapse??? Please Help!

[Supergirl]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon -
Ambilobe Panther, male, 3 months old.
How long has it been in your care? 2 1/2 weeks
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? just about every day, whenever its sunny we take him outside for natural sun and also hand feed him

Feeding -
What are you feeding your cham? crickets (medium), dubias (small), super worms
What amount? 15-20 crickets daily, 5-10 dubias (only twice, we got them a week ago and they are too small for him, he doesn't seem interested in them at all), 3-5 superworms as a treat after crickets (just started about a week ago)
Schedule? feed him twice a day (big breakfast & afternoon snack) in the a.m. about 10-15 crickets (we offer them until he doesn't want anymore) and 2-3 super worms. and then around 5-6pm we offer 5-10 crickets and 1-2 super worms
How are you gut-loading your feeders? apples, sweet potato, cricket crack

Supplements -
What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? zoo-med repti calcium w/o d3 daily, zoo-med reptivite w/d3 2x month (1st & 15th) **we've got zoo-med repti calcium w/d3 which came as part of a package, but after reading on the forums about the negative side effects d3 over supplementation, we have stopped using it all together, since the zoomed reptivite vitamins have d3**

Watering -
What kind of watering technique do you use? Misting & dripper
How often and how long to you mist? 3x a day 2-3 min long, till enclosure is heavily soaked and water drips from leaves
Do you see your chameleon drinking? yes

Fecal Description -
normal, brown poop white urate.
Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? not yet
History - He's been doing great, eating and drinking normal, not showing any signs of stress.

Cage Info:
Cage Type -reptibreeze screen, 18x18x36
Lighting -reptisun 5.0 fluorescent linear tube light & 40watt household bulb for basking.
What is your daily lighting schedule? 12 hr on/12 hr off

Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? basking spot 82-85F, ambient 75-78F, cage floor 70F Lowest overnight temp? 65-70F
How do you measure these temps? digital thermometer

Humidity -
What are your humidity levels? 60-70% average. 75-80% after misting
How are you creating and maintaining these levels? misting/dripper/live plants
What do you use to measure humidity? digital thermometer/hygrometer combo

Plants -
Are you using live plants? yes, schefflera
Placement -
Where is your cage located? In a spare room, on a shelving unit.
Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? there is ceiling fan in the center of the room, occasionally I turn it on low to circulate the air, it does not blow air into the cham enclosures. there is an air vent, which is on opposite side of enclosures and the vent is partially closed to prevent room from getting too cold or air blowing directly on them. it is not a high traffic area.. we have a spare room designated just for the chameleons.
At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? top of the cage is at about eye level for me, almost 5ft from the floor.

Location -
Where are you geographically located? South Carolina

Current Problem - After he pooped today noticed "something" hanging out of his butt.... thought it was poop at first but then it did not fall off. He seemed to continue trying to push it out, but its still there.. didn't come out and didn't go back in. It looks like a little brown string.. claw almost... and its hard. I am worried bc I've read about prolapse, but this isn't pink fleshy stuff hanging out. I have no idea what a sperm plug is but have read about it on the forums and am wondering if thats what this is. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Attaching a few pix I took with my phone, they aren't the greatest but I got as close as I could. Please help me figure out what it is and how I can get him fixed

 

[BocaJan]

It is a piece of dried sperm. It should easily come out. You could soak him in some warm water, or if he isn't happy with that approach gently give it a little pull. Usually males will rub on a branch when it is fresh and it just gets left on the branch. I guess it depends on how much it disturbs you. I wouldn't let it stay there too long (days) or it could get larger, but it will still just come out.

 

[carol5208]

Sperm plug! It should fall out on its own. If not, you can Gently try to remove it. When my chameleon poops and I see one I get a kleenex and wipe it off for him if he does not wipe it on a branch.

 

[Olimpia]

Sperm plug! Nothing to worry about. I pull them out after a day if they're still there, like BocaJan says. My Cobalt gets huuuuuge ones, it's ridiculous. My vet has pulled one out as well when they were there for a check up and everyone was a little horrified lol It comes with owning males, I suppose.

 

[Supergirl]

Thank you guys! I feel like I can breathe now.. had a knot in my stomach! These Chameleons are really bad for my nerves Glad to know its normal and nothing serious or harmful

 

[laurie]

I agree it is a sperm plug, but I question his age. Ti have sperm plugs at 3 months seems way early to me.

 

[Supergirl]

I agree it is a sperm plug, but I question his age. Ti have sperm plugs at 3 months seems way early to me.

I was told he was 11 weeks old on Sept 24th when I ordered him (from Chameleon Company) so he would be about 14 weeks now. I don't have his exact hatch date tho. How old are they usually before they get sperm plugs?

*UPDATE* Soaked him in warm water and successfully removed sperm plug (well my dear hubby did that part lol) He looked a little confused as to why we were fondling his privates, but overall did ok and wasn't too stressed with the whole ordeal

 

[Chameleon Company]

I agree it is a sperm plug, but I question his age. Ti have sperm plugs at 3 months seems way early to me.

Its more of a size thing, and not age. Once over 7" total length, male panthers are capable of sperm plugs and, on occasion, breeding. In proper growing conditions, that can be a 12 week old male. It is not common to see breeding initiative from males that size, but I would estimate it happens about 10% of the time.

One of our best breeding males ever became a hold-back because we caught him plugging his sister when they were 11 weeks old. They had been together since birth, and had not yet been separated.

 

[Pilotman800]

One of our best breeding males ever became a hold-back because we caught him plugging his sister when they were 11 weeks old. They had been together since birth, and had not yet been separated.

Haha, thats crazy. An early bloomer.

 

[Supergirl]

Well he's definitely a big boy.. we tried to measure him the other day and was around 8in

 

[Chameleon Company]

Haha, thats crazy. An early bloomer.

It surprised us too. The female did not become gravid, which did not surprise us, although she apparently had been a willing participant. With each passing year you see things that adjust parameters with these critters.

 

[DavidBuchan]

It surprised us too. The female did not become gravid, which did not surprise us, although she apparently had been a willing participant. With each passing year you see things that adjust parameters with these critters.

Live fast, die young, leave as many little babies as possible is the (general) Chameleon way in the wild, right?.....an unusual tactic for a lizard but just look what all that supersonic speed evolution has done for them