fluxlizard
Avid Member
Over the years I had a lizard and a tortoise prolapse. The lizard was a leopard gecko and the prolapse was a hemipene, the tortoise was big male sulcata and the prolapse was intestinal. The tortoise was actually pretty scary and I thought I might loose him- the prolapse was huge - about the size of my fist and took a few days of around the clock care every couple of hours before he pulled it back in. I was sleep deprived and exhausted by the time he was done. He's still around several years later and seems very happy- currently trying to mate anything he can mount animate or inanimate.
I was told by a few veterinarians (4 of them, 2 of them reptile specialists and 1 of those a nutritionist as well) when I talked with them about both instances that the cause of prolapse is poorly understood. The tortoise was a big surprise because he had been outdoors on a grass diet for a summer. But all agreed straining from diet could play a role (though it didn't have to- prolapse could still occur) and all agreed that calcium could also play a role (muscles don't work correctly without adequate calcium. But when it came down to it- at that time at least (several years ago) none of them could point to something and say this or that caused it and this or that is the answer to prevent it. All of them just said take care of the symptom (the prolapse) and continue giving good care to the animals and the problem will probably not re-appear under my husbandry. In short they considered it a case of bad luck and wasn't likely to manifest again in any regularity. It hasn't- I've not seen another case in several years now.
Edit- just saw kinyongias last post- the vit a is interesting- haven't heard that before. The parasites- I forgot but the vets mentioned that one as well as a possibility, but my animals looked clean so it was ruled out and I forgot about it.
I was told by a few veterinarians (4 of them, 2 of them reptile specialists and 1 of those a nutritionist as well) when I talked with them about both instances that the cause of prolapse is poorly understood. The tortoise was a big surprise because he had been outdoors on a grass diet for a summer. But all agreed straining from diet could play a role (though it didn't have to- prolapse could still occur) and all agreed that calcium could also play a role (muscles don't work correctly without adequate calcium. But when it came down to it- at that time at least (several years ago) none of them could point to something and say this or that caused it and this or that is the answer to prevent it. All of them just said take care of the symptom (the prolapse) and continue giving good care to the animals and the problem will probably not re-appear under my husbandry. In short they considered it a case of bad luck and wasn't likely to manifest again in any regularity. It hasn't- I've not seen another case in several years now.
Edit- just saw kinyongias last post- the vit a is interesting- haven't heard that before. The parasites- I forgot but the vets mentioned that one as well as a possibility, but my animals looked clean so it was ruled out and I forgot about it.
Last edited:
I freaked out and was about to get him and dunk him in some cold water (as I've read here that it can help them get it back in) My hubby told me to calm down.. and before I could even get to the door of his enclosure, he put junk back inside his vent *whew* Am I being overly paranoid? Is it normal for chams to expose their stuff occasionally or is this a bad sign 
