Update on Charlie/Advice on Giving Medicine?

[rcc760]

Hi all!

So, quick update on Charlie. Last weekend I posted in search of advice or help because Charlie's chin area was swollen. It continued to get more swollen as the days went by, so we took her over to Dr. Greek's place, where we saw Dr. Moore.

It turned out to be a tongue infection. We don't really know what caused it, possibly a cricket bite, but we've been given liquid oral antibiotics for her. We've also been given a powdered food that we're to mix with water and give her through a syringe. Fun.

So here's the issue. Charlie is extremely grumpy and now likes to hide when I come around because she knows it's handling/feeding/medicine time. I've had to take a lot of her leaves and accessories out so I can actually get to her to take care of her. Does anyone do modified cages during sick times? Words of wisdom? I don't like taking things out of her cage, but I have to to get her. And it's too much to rezip tie them every time. (I have to get her out of the cage twice a day for now.)

Dr. Moore gave me really helpful advice on how to get the medicine and food into her, but Charlie is so stubborn and too smart for her own good. I've tried lightly pinching the area behind her eyes to get her to hiss or gape at me, and it works the first time so that I'm able to get the medicine in. But then she does this ADORABLE (and not at all frustrating) thing where she clamps her jaw shut and no matter how much bothering I do to her, she won't open back up. I've even tried lightly pulling down on her chin skin (as instructed by Dr. Moore), but it's like locked.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get her food in her? I've been able to get the medicine in, but I don't want her to starve. She can't get crickets down right now (swollen tongue) so it has to be liquid food.

Also, has anyone else noticed their cham closing their eyes like that as a defense mechanism? It seems like she's playing dead or pretending to be asleep.


In other awesome news, Dr. Moore said everything else looks good and she has nice strong bones! Yay!

 

[rcc760]

And here’s a photo from the vet:

Don’t mind my super ghetto carrying box for her haha.

 

[JacksJill]

The closing her eyes thing is a stress response. She's on over load but you have to get her treated so it's a trade off.
I have used a rubber coated paper clip to slip into the mouth sideways and then turn perpendicular to wedge the mouth open. Then insert the syringe or feeding tube thru the loops in the paper clip. You will need two people to do this.
Hope she gets better soon.

 

[rcc760]

The closing her eyes thing is a stress response. She's on over load but you have to get her treated so it's a trade off.
I have used a rubber coated paper clip to slip into the mouth sideways and then turn perpendicular to wedge the mouth open. Then insert the syringe or feeding tube thru the loops in the paper clip. You will need two people to do this.
Hope she gets better soon.

Okay, thanks! Super helpful.

Yeah, she's been quite grumpy, both from her tongue and from the increase in handling. It makes sense that the eyes would be a stress response. She'll just have to deal haha.

Thanks again!

 

[Graves923]

When I had to give my veiled oral mads I would hold him with my index and middle fingers on either side of his neck right infront of his arms. He would always gape and hiss so it was easy to get the syringe in there properly

 

[rcc760]

When I had to give my veiled oral mads I would hold him with my index and middle fingers on either side of his neck right infront of his arms. He would always gape and hiss so it was easy to get the syringe in there properly

Hmm, I’ll try that! She’s being really stubborn.