Tongue Shot Distance Problems?

tonguegrab813

New Member
Hello,

I have a 6-7 month old Panther Chameleon Male who has slowly started to shorten the range of his tongue shots. He misses shots probably 1 in every 10 or so when the shots get out to medium/long range. Sometimes when I hold his favorite treat (super worm) he will run and just grab it out of my hand with his tongue point blank. We used to let crickets crawl on the side of the cage but once we found out that it could damage his tongue when it hits against the mesh we now feed him in three ways: very specific targeted hunting on leaves, by hand, and out of a bowl. Has anyone experienced their chameleon preferring shorter range? Is it an eye issue? Maybe a tongue issue?


Husbandry:
6-7 Month Old Panther Chameleon Male
Enclosure is 3 feet tall by 1.5 feet wide by 2 feet long (plan to upgrade when he gets bigger)
Live Hibiscus Plant mixed with fake vines and a dripper. Lots of foliage sometimes it’s hard to even find him.
Mist about 3 times a day: once when he wakes up (at 6am), once when we get home (4pm) and once before he sleeps (8pm)
We feed him when he wakes up, usually anywhere from 6-12 crickets. We stop when he doesn’t want anymore. We will feed him super worms here and there. Sometimes just one a day sometimes 3 if he didn’t eat as many crickets that day. We do a hornworm every 2-3 days.
Calcium without D3 every feeding. Multivitamin twice a month. D3 twice a month.
We have a linear UVB at the top and a basking light that keeps his basking area around 92 degrees F.
He poops every 3 days I would say, with his poop looking healthy. White urates doesn’t smell unless you put it up to your nose. He usually poops in wet areas: if the paper towel on the bottom of the cage is wet or a little pool of water on the bottom.
We got him in late November, he’s shed twice since we got him.
We plan on taking him to the vet in the next couple weeks for his annual check up and routine fecal test.
Thanks in advance for the help.
 
Hi there welcome to the forum...

So they can not hurt their tongue shooting against the screen. THEY CAN however damage their tongue by trying to hit hornworms off things. Because the worm holds on and does not release easily. Or a feeder that is too large that bites them.

If you would like to post pics of your entire set up lighting down that would be helpful.

Baskings Temps are too hot you want 80-85max.
What supplements are you using exactly?
 
Hi there welcome to the forum...

So they can not hurt their tongue shooting against the screen. THEY CAN however damage their tongue by trying to hit hornworms off things. Because the worm holds on and does not release easily. Or a feeder that is too large that bites them.

If you would like to post pics of your entire set up lighting down that would be helpful.

Baskings Temps are too hot you want 80-85max.
What supplements are you using exactly?


Ok, one day I got an 85 degree reading from leaving a temperature gauge there for an hour another day it said 93 from leaving a temp gauge there all day. What can I do to control the temperature? Also I have attached pictures of everything
198D67F6-33B5-413E-88C6-822472739BAE.jpeg
A6FB991C-F5CF-4766-8E16-9D00AED7161E.jpeg
FC0F641B-692C-49F6-BF4A-E4B311AA5751.jpeg
BC187709-0663-4512-AA9B-23E8002AC6AF.jpeg
 
Please post some recent photos of your chameleon too.

What form of vitamin A is in the vitamins? PrOformed (carotenes) or prEformed (retinol).
 
Sorry for my ignorance but what is the difference and are there supplements I should be using instead of my current lineup? I’d like to know if there is because I’ll switch out ASAP
I only use supplements that have preformed A in it instead of the Beta carotene... There is standing debate in the hobby that chams can not convert beta carotene into A. So certain supplements are made with the preformed A instead. Reptivite with d3 is one and you could use this one supplement 2 times a month say the 1st and the 15th. It would replace your multivitamin and your calcium with d3. You would still use the calcium without D3 at all other feedings.

Like I said it is a standing debate. Not enough has actually been studied to prove it one way or the other.

This would be a great resource for you to learn more about husbandry. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

and here is your species specific info. https://chameleonacademy.com/panther-chameleon-care/
 
Sorry for my ignorance but what is the difference and are there supplements I should be using instead of my current lineup? I’d like to know if there is because I’ll switch out ASAP
Beta carotene is a prOformed source of vitamin A so it has to be converted as the body needs it so the chameleon can use it. Because it's got to be converted, it can't build up in the system and lead to health issues. However it's thought that some/all chameleons can not convert it efficiently and they may need some prEformed vitamin A. PrEformed sources can build up in the system though ....so you have to be careful not to overdose them.

Vitamin A and D3 are also antagonistic to each other so it's important that they are in balance.

Vitamin A is involved somewhat in muscle health as is D3 indirectly through calcium absorption.
 
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