Tongue getting stuck

[IramBa]

Hey,

My Panther chameleon has recently been getting his tongue stuck out more than normal, it's happened twice in the last 3 days that I've seen. Both times he was shooting it at a water droplet, one that was on a leaf and one that was on the cage side. It doesn't hang out for very long and he runs towards it, but it scared me because i thought maybe he'd injured it by hitting the screen with it but since then he's eaten and drank fine every time. No issues with his eyes/aim when he wants to use his tongue. He doesn't seem very worried about it, he normally just goes towards it and then it goes back in his mouth and he just stands there looking around...
it might be nothing but thought it would be a good idea to just check
Thanks!

 

[jannb]

I recommend you fill out the ask for help form. It could be a supplement issue.
Here‘s the form you need to fill out.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[IramBa]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Male Panther chameleon. Been in my care for 8 months now, he's around 1.5 years old.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I handle him probably either every day or at least every other day for around 5 minutes, he is getting more and more used to me and sometimes climbs onto my hands now without a treat to entice him.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed him silk worms and locusts (hoppers). Every other day he has either 4/5 depending on their size at the time. I gutload the locusts using fresh vegetables/fruits that are on the gutloading page from this site. The silkworms just eat their mulberry chow.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I use the 3 Arcadia products in an 8 feeding schedule. This was with Bemans help
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I use a mistking mister at 7:55 am (5 minutes before lights on) for 3 minutes and 7:45 PM (15 minutes before lights off) for 8 minutes. I also use a dripper in the afternoon every day for around 10/15 minutes. I've seen him drink a lot, almost every day.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? The urates are around 75% white with a hint of orange at one end most of the time, fecals are normal sized and normal consistency as far as I can tell. He goes around 2 times per week.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Nothing I can think of.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Its a 24/24/48" screen cage that has plastic window sheets on the whole of 1 side and the back, the other side is 50% covered with the sheet.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? the uv + plant lights are on from 8-8 and the heat light is scheduled from 9:30 to 5:30 every day but I turn it off earlier if the temperatures are higher than normal on that day.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? The temperatures are around 22-25 C in the day. 22 being in the bottom third and 25 in the upper third. The temperature overnight is around 20-21 C and never drops below 18. I measure using 3 govee thermo-hygrometers that are connected to my phone.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? The humidity levels are around 50-60 in the daytime and overnight are around 70-80%. I use the same method to measure as the temperature.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? The enclosure has 2 large pothos, 1 smaller pothos, an umbrella plant and recently a tradescantia plant.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? Its in the corner of a room, no fans/air vents/ windows nearby. The cage height is just over 6 feet as its on top of a cabinet.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Devon UK

 

[Steve A]

Hey,

My Panther chameleon has recently been getting his tongue stuck out more than normal, it's happened twice in the last 3 days that I've seen. Both times he was shooting it at a water droplet, one that was on a leaf and one that was on the cage side. It doesn't hang out for very long and he runs towards it, but it scared me because i thought maybe he'd injured it by hitting the screen with it but since then he's eaten and drank fine every time. No issues with his eyes/aim when he wants to use his tongue. He doesn't seem very worried about it, he normally just goes towards it and then it goes back in his mouth and he just stands there looking around...
it might be nothing but thought it would be a good idea to just check
Thanks!

I'm still very new here but I wonder if this is a hydration issue. Gonna check out what others say on here out of curiosity, and just in case it happens to my little guy at some point. I hope he's alright!

 

[Beman]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care? Male Panther chameleon. Been in my care for 8 months now, he's around 1.5 years old.
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon? I handle him probably either every day or at least every other day for around 5 minutes, he is getting more and more used to me and sometimes climbs onto my hands now without a treat to entice him.
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders? I feed him silk worms and locusts (hoppers). Every other day he has either 4/5 depending on their size at the time. I gutload the locusts using fresh vegetables/fruits that are on the gutloading page from this site. The silkworms just eat their mulberry chow.
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? I use the 3 Arcadia products in an 8 feeding schedule. This was with Bemans help
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking? I use a mistking mister at 7:55 am (5 minutes before lights on) for 3 minutes and 7:45 PM (15 minutes before lights off) for 8 minutes. I also use a dripper in the afternoon every day for around 10/15 minutes. I've seen him drink a lot, almost every day.
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites? The urates are around 75% white with a hint of orange at one end most of the time, fecals are normal sized and normal consistency as far as I can tell. He goes around 2 times per week.
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. Nothing I can think of.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions? Its a 24/24/48" screen cage that has plastic window sheets on the whole of 1 side and the back, the other side is 50% covered with the sheet.
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule? the uv + plant lights are on from 8-8 and the heat light is scheduled from 9:30 to 5:30 every day but I turn it off earlier if the temperatures are higher than normal on that day.
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps? The temperatures are around 22-25 C in the day. 22 being in the bottom third and 25 in the upper third. The temperature overnight is around 20-21 C and never drops below 18. I measure using 3 govee thermo-hygrometers that are connected to my phone.
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity? The humidity levels are around 50-60 in the daytime and overnight are around 70-80%. I use the same method to measure as the temperature.
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? The enclosure has 2 large pothos, 1 smaller pothos, an umbrella plant and recently a tradescantia plant.
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? Its in the corner of a room, no fans/air vents/ windows nearby. The cage height is just over 6 feet as its on top of a cabinet.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Devon UK

Hey hun. Confirm UVB for me. Exactly what are you using and what is the distance to the branches below...

Lets confirm supplements.. Arcadia 8 feed cycle. Works out like this... Is this what you are doing? And if so how many times a month is he actually getting the revitalize D3?
EP-A 1st feeding
EP-A 2nd feeding
EP-A 3rd feeding
Calmg 4th feeding
EP-A 5th feeding
EP-A 6th feeding
EP-A 7th feeding
Revitalize D3 8th feeding


If he is drinking this much consider running a misting session in the late afternoon say 2 hours before lights out. Or you need to run the dripper longer.

Is he pulling the tongue right back in or is he letting it hang for a little bit...

All real plants correct?

 

[IramBa]

Hey!
Its a 6% and the branches are 8 inches below. Yeah, that exact supplement schedule. He pulls it back in straight away and yeah every plant is real
Do you think he might be dehydrated a bit?

 

[Beman]

Hey!
Its a 6% and the branches are 8 inches below. Yeah, that exact supplement schedule. He pulls it back in straight away and yeah every plant is real
Do you think he might be dehydrated a bit?

How many times a month is he getting the revitalize D3 do you think?

So this multivitamin is very very low in D3 and vitamin A. So this is where you have to see if it is a supplement issue or not. I am not concerned about the low D3 since his UVB is on point and he can make his own D3 internally due to the correct UVB. My interest is around the vit A... So when he hits is it getting stuck to the surface or is there a lack of tackiness to the tongue?

Now since he is pulling it right back in that is good. If he was not then this would be an issue. Does it seem like his targeting of things is on point or is he missing?

I do not think it is a dehydration issue based on what you said his urates are. But I would up his opportunity to drink regardless.

 

[IramBa]

So this whole month he had it on the 3rd and then had it again on the 19th which is 8 Feed days apart. Next time he will have it will be the 2nd of September and then after that the 18th. So twice a month.

Well, basically he shoots his tongue and then it’s like it’s gotten stuck on something and he runs towards it and then it goes back in. Doesn’t seem like it’s not sticking to stuff enough nor sticking too much as it’s never been an issue when he’s eating. When it’s still out of his mouth it’s only out for maybe 2 seconds before he pulls it back.

His targeting and sight is great, no issues at all with him finding and hitting food first try

 

[Beman]

So this whole month he had it on the 3rd and then had it again on the 19th which is 8 Feed days apart. Next time he will have it will be the 2nd of September and then after that the 18th. So twice a month.

Well, basically he shoots his tongue and then it’s like it’s gotten stuck on something and he runs towards it and then it goes back in. Doesn’t seem like it’s not sticking to stuff enough nor sticking too much as it’s never been an issue when he’s eating. When it’s still out of his mouth it’s only out for maybe 2 seconds before he pulls it back.

His targeting and sight is great, no issues at all with him finding and hitting food first try

Ok then vitamin A is fine and your supplements are working well. If he were having issues targeting or the tongue was not sticking then we would look at it being a possible vitamin A issue.

Seems like he is targeting pretty forcefully lol So it is sticking quite well.

I have had an issue a few times with Beman doing this when cup feeding. I have to make sure I am not holding the cup too close or he hits with full force and gets stuck. I then have to push the cup towards him while he retracts and lets go.

Sounds like your boy is doing the same. Nothing stands out as an issue since he is immediately retracting and not having an issue getting it pulled all the way back in. And I am not seeing any issues in husbandry either.

Up hydration anyways longer period of dripper going. If you need to add ice cubes so it melts slowly. This I am only advising because you say he drinks quite a bit.

 

[IramBa]

Thank you, Beman! Now that you mention it that sounds pretty accurate, like he’s shooting it too hard for water that’s pretty close. Good to know it all sounds relatively normal… I’ll keep an eye on him and definitely will offer a bit of a longer drinking opportunity

 

[Beman]

Thank you, Beman! Now that you mention it that sounds pretty accurate, like he’s shooting it too hard for water that’s pretty close. Good to know it all sounds relatively normal… I’ll keep an eye on him and definitely will offer a bit of a longer drinking opportunity

Your welcome if anything comes up you know where to find help