To be (stomatitis), or not to be

MissSkittles

Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes, my sweet big handsome prince Hammlet has stomatitis, aka mouth rot. :( A couple of weeks ago he stopped eating roaches. I thought he was just being a fussy ‘brat’, but did bow down to his preferences. I’ve thought his right eye has been looking different, but it’s been too subtle to really confirm if there’s a problem or not. Then late last week, I saw a little dark spot on his lip. It came off easily with a Q tip and I figured it was bug guts. I did look in his mouth as much as he would let me, and saw nothing. He is not the most cooperative or easily held. Well, Monday morning the dark spot was back on his lip and I then knew it is more than bug guts and made the vet appointment. Thankfully Dr Bruce was able to get us in Tuesday. He confirmed not only that it is indeed stomatitis, but that there is a slight swelling from it going up and puffing a small part of his inner eye - but all is early enough so that there’s no abscess or other complication. So my poor guy will be hating me even more for the next week or so as I give him his Baytril twice a day and clean his lips. He’s so good about it all though.
I was afraid that it may have been from something like the dratted humidity that I am constantly battling. I asked how he could have gotten it and Dr B thinks maybe he bit down on something hard...now I’m wondering if it was from a superworm either biting him or just being too big and hard/scratchy. The rest of my shy guy looks healthy and his recovery should be uneventful.
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Good job catching it. Regardless of good husbandry, I feel this is one of those things that can just be chalked up as something chameleons are susceptible to(eating dirty bugs that bite/sting). I’d bet many die in the wild from this kind of thing. Good practice to regularly check their mouths 👍
 
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