Whats this?, Help!

[jaquiscorpio82]

I have a male veiled chameleon who has had a problem for a few weeks and i`m unsure as what to do about it
i have reason to believe it could be
a) Constipation
b) Prolapse
Please could someone shed a light on what it is and how i go about sorting it
Cheers

 

[Chase]

Sperm Plug?

 

[Syn]

I have a male veiled chameleon who has had a problem for a few weeks and i`m unsure as what to do about it

Any reason why you haven't taken him to the vet yet? It looks like he has poop stuck to him but we need clearer pictures. DON'T PULL ON IT.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Did it start out that colour? or was it red to begin with and became darker?

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

If it started out close to that color, then it is likely a sperm plug or a stuck piece of poo.

If it started out red and wet looking, then it is likely a prolapse that has dried out. In that case your guy is in bad shape.

Syn is right. Don't pull on it. Not just yet, anyway.

If this started out kind of brown, and is likely a sperm plug then this is one things you can do. Get a small tub and put in enough warm water, not hot, deep enough to cover that area when you place him in it. You will likely need to hold him in place. I would soak him in it for a good 15 minutes. This may loosen the plug, which could then be gently removed. Or you could leave it in place and follow up tomorrow with another good soak, and see what happens.

If it started out red and wet looking, like live tissue, then I would still soak it, but then put some KY jell or similar on it to keep it moist and get him to the vet ASAP. Here is a thread about a similar situation with a prolapse:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/help-unsure-whats-wrong-13118/


Is he still pooing?

Some photos from various angles would help, as it is difficult to tell how the brown debris is positioned- whether it is actually still protruding from the vent or whether it is sort of attached at both ends, but dangling in the middle.

 

[PardalisGirl]

Very Bad....

It looks like a dried rectal prolapse. Look at the shape on the end. That's what it would look like except dried. Do everything Gesang said about the soaking and the vaseline, neosporin or KY stuff. It has to go to the vet. Even if he can't save the chams life it should be euthanized so it does not suffer.

FYI for anyone else that finds something like this. You need to get to a vet. While you are waiting you need to keep the tissue moist and protected from rubbing. Put the lubrication stuff on it and cover it with something like the finger of a latex glove or the corner of a plastic baggie. Tape it into place using white medical tape if you have it. If, not scotch tape. Improvise because it's crucial. I actually did this once (used the latex glove finger) and the vet gave me an A plus for protecting it so it could be stitched back into place.

Why don't you post another picture after the soaking....

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Here's another thread that may relate. In the last posting on the thread, Kinyonga offers 2 links that detail prolapses. Yours sort of looks like a dried out intestinal prolapse or similar. Let's hope for seminal plugs. If the photo was clearer....the shape on the right side almost looks like a seminal plug with poo attached behind it. At anyrate, if the warm bath doesn't resolve it, it's a trip to the vet. Good news is- according to the one article Kinyonga linked to (in the "red bulge" thread), even an intestinal prolapse is treatable.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/red-bulge-protuding-chameleon-18488/

Here's a detailed article on seminal plugs:

http://www.anapsid.org/seminalplugs.html

 

[Syn]

I really hope this isn't a prolapse....

 

[jaquiscorpio82]

It was brown in colour as it came out and i can say he is pooing i`m just about to attempt soaking him again i may not have left him in long enough is i feared it may damage his skin if left in too long.
Hear are some more pictures sorry they are big but i thought i`d leave them this size as it would be clearer to see what is needed to be seen

 

[Syn]

i`m just about to attempt soaking him again i may not have left him in long enough is i feared it may damage his skin if left in too long.

It won't damage his skin if you get it wet.

 

[PardalisGirl]

More soaking..

More soaking won't hurt....If it does then it past the point of ever healing anyway. Can you do another picture showing the end. Where was the poo coming from? The vent of this thing?

 

[jaquiscorpio82]

He had something just like this a few months ago and i soaked him and it softened and came away

 

[Syn]

He had something just like this a few months ago and i soaked him and it softened and came away

Why didn't you take him to the vet then? I think there may be an underlying husbandry issue here.. impaction? Bad bowels?

 

[Chameleon Company]

It looks like a dried rectal prolapse. Look at the shape on the end. That's what it would look like except dried. Do everything Gesang said about the soaking and the vaseline, neosporin or KY stuff. It has to go to the vet. Even if he can't save the chams life it should be euthanized so it does not suffer.

The above was from Pardalis Girl, and that would be my guess too, although it looks odd regardless of my experience. As noted, rinse it, then KY it up (Vaseline, etc). Also as noted, never pull on such (there was a thread a week or so ago where that was the reaction). Hard to find optimism with this particular circumstance. Whatever it is, I do not think you could have prevented its initial occurance. The best simple reaction is a cold water rinse, and some powdered sugar lightly dusted on it, but it needs to be prompt. Won't always work, although usually effective with a hemipenal prolapse (which this does not look like,) but its no harm done, and its cheap. Rectal and/or cloacal proplapses that last more than a day are about as near to the "kiss of death" as one can get. They happen, seem to be random, and as noted, cannot be foreseen. This ain't easy. Good luck with all.

 

[Syn]

And if you start patting that sugar on it and some brown comes off - ew!

 

[Chameleon Company]

I think there may be an underlying husbandry issue here.. impaction? Bad bowels

Syn, that is a jump well beyond your experience, or anyone's for that matter. Take a step back, and slow down with the keyboard. You are way ahead of yourself .... lightyears.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Keep soaking! Let us know how it goes.

If you resolved it once with soaking, then hopefully you can resolve it again the same way.

Then, when you're done, we need a run down on your husbandry details. We may be able to help you avoid having this happen in the future. Here are some questions, that most all of us on this forum have had to answer at one time or another when we've had issues:

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage construction (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and type of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Location - 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?

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
Current Problem - The current problem that you are concerned about.

Pictures are helpful - I would like to see photos of your whole chameleon. And especially the face and eyes, to check for signs of dehydration. Some chameleons are difficult to keep hydrated because they resist drinking.

 

[Syn]

Syn, that is a jump well beyond your experience, or anyone's for that matter. Take a step back, and slow down with the keyboard. You are way ahead of yourself .... lightyears.

s....o.....r.....r.....y....

I'm just surprised no one's though of that yet.

edit: and I couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing? sorry

 

[jaquiscorpio82]

I think there may be an underlying husbandry issue here
what do u mean by this?

i will constantly thru out tomorrow spray the area with warm water, he wont come out at the moment he is ready for bed unfortunetly, will start when he`s woken up properly tomorrow
i just cant understand why its not come out with the poo`s he has been doing, i noticed poo on the bottom of his viv he is lively, eating and drinking well and his normal self.
When this first happened it was brown in colour deffo not red i assure you otherwise i`d have been freaked i just thought it would have eventually come out.
i have also been advised that if this is constipation waxworms or likewise are good for this, is this correct?

 

[Syn]

Underlying husbandry issue, meaning it's happened before, maybe something in his enclosure is causing the problem and you just don't realize it? Maybe he's eating some potting soil, or getting a hold of something else that can plug him up. How would you feel if you ate a mouth full of dirt and rubbish? Please fill out that form gesang posted. It will be quite beneficiary to you and your cham.