Tommy nearly choked!

[Miss Lily]

Tommy gave me a real fright this morning. I fed him his locust for brekkie and he took it as normal, then somehow he managed to get it wedged across his mouth at the back, so half of it was sticking out the side of his mouth. I know that they sometimes hold food before chewing, but he was trying to move it into his mouth properly but it wasn't working! I tried to pull it out when he opened his mouth, but he kept biting down on the tweezers so I couldn't get it. He was sat like that for a few minutes when I tried to get him out to help him. Suddenly the locust freed itself and he swallowed it like nothing had happened!

I am well aware of the 'between the yes' rule for the size of food and he has previously eaten adult locusts (which are his fave) with ease and this one was only a large and not that big! It was a total fluke that it got stuck like it did, and I feel very lucky to still have my boy with me tonight. I know from past posts on here that it doesn't always have a happy ending when a cham gets food stuck.

Tommy is none the worse for his ordeal and has gone on to eat two more locusts and a waxworm (which he fully deserved for being such a good boy!) so all is good, thankfully. I love my special boy so much - I was really worried for a time that I might lose him. I would like to make other owners aware that they can have trouble with feeders no matter how large or small, and luckily I hand feed and watch - if I didn't he might well not still be with me. Love you Tommy! <3

 

[FroggtheCham]

Tiff I'm so glad he is ok.

 

[laurie]

Tommy must have put you in a panic, how awful for you both. i am really glad he is ok and that you survived. Tell him I love him even after he scared the crap out of you.

 

[ShaunaLynnA]

im so glad he is alright Tiff. I am sure you were in a panic!

 

[jannb]

How awful for you and Tommy. I am so glad that all is well now.

 

[summoner12]

Just wanna make a note; be careful when pulling food out of a chams mouth. Most of the time they are capable of either getting it in the rest of the way, or spitting it out. The care needs to be taken that you don't injure the cham by cutting it's mouth with the pray item. I know grass hoppers and roaches have sharp spikes on their feet, this could easily cut a chameleon's mouth.

I am glad it turned out OK, but maybe next time I would just let him handle it on his own. It is unlikely he would choke, their anatomy is different than ours.

 

[draetish]

Glad it all worked out and I've had a scare like that before. I did like Kevin said, just watched to make sure everything turned out okay, and it did.

 

[gary1621]

Oh my... 1st thread i read since being away for a while!

So glad everything went ok Tiff

 

[summoner12]

Lenny, one of my melleri had gotten a hornworm stuck on her lip and i tried to help her... I ended up getting bit by mistake of course! I now just keep a close eye on the cham to make sure it all works out... and if I have to help again in that same situation, ill just use a Q-Tip to push the worm rather than my finger.

 

[FroggtheCham]

Lenny, one of my melleri had gotten a hornworm stuck on her lip and i tried to help her... I ended up getting bit by mistake of course! I now just keep a close eye on the cham to make sure it all works out... and if I have to help again in that same situation, ill just use a Q-Tip to push the worm rather than my finger.

Good thing you have more fingers!!

 

[summoner12]

Good thing you have more fingers!!

LOL she didn't take it off But it sure hurt like he** for a few minutes. She bit down like 'oooh the worm is free, I'm gonna brake it's head in half.........' CHOMP! It happened pretty fast, she bit down, realized it wasn't the worm, I guess and then just let go.

 

[FroggtheCham]

LOL she didn't take it off But it sure hurt like he** for a few minutes. She bit down like 'oooh the worm is free, I'm gonna brake it's head in half.........' CHOMP! It happened pretty fast, she bit down, realized it wasn't the worm, I guess and then just let go.

My dragon did that to me. He was in the back of the cage, so to reach in I had to turn my head. I had his worm in my hand and he grabbed my finger instead!!! Didn't hurt, but surprised me alright!! He looked at me like what gives???

 

[Miss Lily]

Thanks everyone - I knew you'd all understand how it is to see a l'il green friend in trouble! Thanks for the tips Kevin, I will remember if it should ever happen again. I couldn't get a good enough grip on it to pull it out anyway, plus I didn't want to hurt Tommy in the process. Luckily I always remove the sharp hopping legs before I feed locusts off, so at least he didn't get one of those stuck - they are really nasty! I just felt so useless yet I wanted to help him, not really knowing how.

For those who don't know - this is what a locust leg looks like - those spur/spike things are the very reason that I take those legs off before feeding to my chams - I always have done.

 

[FroggtheCham]

OUCH Tiff!!! That does look nasty, not to mention painful. I know, you feel useless staring at them not quite sure what to do. I'm just glad everything is good

 

[summoner12]

Yes, those are the spiky things I was talking about. It's good you remove those.

 

[Miss Lily]

Me too! It was a huge relief when he swallowed it like nothing had happened! I love my chams so much and it was awful to see, but I'm sure I was feeling worse than him! It didn't phase him though - he carried on stuffing his face later! I shall take a bit longer to forget the ordeal whereas he has forgotten already I think!

 

[FroggtheCham]

Me too! It was a huge relief when he swallowed it like nothing had happened! I love my chams so much and it was awful to see, but I'm sure I was feeling worse than him! It didn't phase him though - he carried on stuffing his face later! I shall take a bit longer to forget the ordeal whereas he has forgotten already I think!

You know!!!! Your like OMG!!! and he's like "why can't I eat this faster, damn things stuck!!"

 

[dreamforthedead]

How awful, glad Tommy is ok. I hand feed Mia all the time that would be my worst nightmare. I'd be heart broken if i lost her just like you would be with Tommy.

 

[Miss Lily]

All sorts of things flashed through my mind. It was hard enough when I lost Lily as she was my first female, trouble is I love the guys probably far too much!

 

[dreamforthedead]

I know, chameleons are like our children. I love Mia to bits, she's my little spoilt baby.