Strawberry Ensure shakes?

[robbh3]

My 8 month old veiled has gone on a hunger strike for the past month. i took him to the vet and nothing seems to be wrong. my vet recommended to feed him strawberry Ensure shakes. at first he didn't really take to the syringe but after only a week he seems ready to guzzle down the fluid. i was just curious if anyone else has ever heard of doing this. thanks

 

[cloverthechameleon]

I have heard of blended up insect shakes for ill chameleons but never Ensure shakes. Is this a reputable reptile vet ? Unless i have totally missed the chameleon Ensure shake tactic, this is terrible advice and i would advise you find a new vet. Did he do any blood work or have you bring in a fecal for examination ?

 

[cyberlocc]

^ ^ ^


The better question is why the hunger strike, and do not use ensure shakes, thats actual insanity.

What do you feed him? When he was eating?

 

[JacksJill]

That's new to me. I have heard of carnivore care and "bug Juice"
Ingredients:
Water, Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar, Blend of Vegetable Oils (Canola, Corn), Milk Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali). Less than 0.5% of: Vitamins & Minerals (Potassium Citrate, Sodium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Phosphate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Phylloquinone, Biotin, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12), Nonfat Milk, Soy Lecithin, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan, and Salt.
Contains milk and soy ingredients.
I would get a second opinion.

 

[cloverthechameleon]

Did some research and i found this from 2012. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/help-our-veiled-cham-has-no-tounge.92135/post-860733. @jannb I noticed you were also active in this thread. Have you ever heard of this before ?

 

[robbh3]

thank you all for your replies. he is a reptile vet, and i did bring in a fecal, which was negative for anything. No blood work yet. He has a veiled that has an amputated tongue and eats ensure several times a week. i had never heard of this either. it does sound a bit insane now that i really think of it. i think i will get a second opinion and maybe switch vets. i will look into the "bug juice" and like food supplements. thanks again

 

[robbh3]

Did some research and i found this from 2012. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/help-our-veiled-cham-has-no-tounge.92135/post-860733. @jannb I noticed you were also active in this thread. Have you ever heard of this before ?

thanks! yeah, my vet who recommended ensure to me has a veiled with an amputated tongue.

 

[cloverthechameleon]

thank you all for your replies. he is a reptile vet, and i did bring in a fecal, which was negative for anything. No blood work yet. He has a veiled that has an amputated tongue and eats ensure several times a week. i had never heard of this either. it does sound a bit insane now that i really think of it. i think i will get a second opinion and maybe switch vets. i will look into the "bug juice" and like food supplements. thanks again

Getting a second opinion is always a good idea. Personally i have never heard of this and Ensure is packed full of vitmains and minerals in a ratio that is healthy for humans not chameleons. Blended insects sounds far more natural and safe IMO.

 

[robbh3]

^ ^ ^


The better question is why the hunger strike, and do not use ensure shakes, thats actual insanity.

What do you feed him? When he was eating?

thanks for responding. he has been eating crickets, super worms, and the occasional wax worm(s). I noticed he stopped eating basically when i put him into his new and much larger enclosure. do you think this has something to do with this strike?

 

[cyberlocc]

thanks for responding. he has been eating crickets, super worms, and the occasional wax worm(s). I noticed he stopped eating basically when i put him into his new and much larger enclosure. do you think this has something to do with this strike?

Thats very possible, they will refuse to eat for a few days, a week when in a new enclosure.

Try suckering him into eating with different feeders, than normal.

 

[JacksJill]

He will have to be off of force feeding for a few days before he will be willing to eat on his own. Meaning you will have to let him get hungry.

 

[JacksJill]

I have been using a roasted ground cricket product for body builders mixed with a little calcium (to correct the calcium phosphorus ratio) and bee pollen (couldn't hurt) for about a month now on a female that stopped eating in December. It has no other ingredients. I started her on Carnivore Care but didn't want all the D3 & A vitamins since she is montane. She is having reproductive problems and I'm trying to keep her going while her ovaries sort themselves out. She is too small to spay so this is her best hope. She seems to be improving and is holding her weight. We'll see if it works.

 

[kinyonga]

Smart vet...
https://www.adcham.com/html/husbandry/bug-juice.html

You said...."He has a veiled that has an amputated tongue and eats ensure several times a week"...a chameleon with an amputated tongue can learn to eat insects the same way bearded dragons and many other lizards eat them...by chasing after them and grabbing them with their mouths....maybe you can tell him that!

 

[robbh3]

thanks for the advice. someone else recommended Carnivore Care, but it good to know a much more simple recipe. I hope your girl gets better soon! im sure she's lovely!

 

[robbh3]

Smart vet...
https://www.adcham.com/html/husbandry/bug-juice.html

thanks so much for that "bug juice' info! an earlier response had mentioned "bug juice" as a good supplement. i did notice that one potential ingredient is ensure.

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."I did notice that one potential ingredient is ensure"...that's why I said smart vet!

 

[robbh3]

you rock! thanks!