yoggs toung

[OOOst16]

Ok so I was feeding yogg ...all was well till he went to shoot.he shot out his toung only an inch....like it was beign restricted. ....I'm gutloading with collard greens and carrots. And a calcium criket gell. I'm dusting with flukers calcium with d3 amd a multivitamin. Multvit once a month. And d3 every 2 weeks...I'm very worried....his casque isn't flimsey...and he has tight grip....and his eyes are not sunk. Poop is normal. He ate...but he had to go to his food.

 

[OOOst16]

Nor does he have abnormaly shaped bones....he looks perfectly fine. I'm so confused and scared.

 

[OldSkoolxReasons]

Were you holding the food item close to him? My guys tend to try and shot the crickets if they are close and sometimes shoot short because they are trying not to get my fingers. Did it happen more than once? He could have over extended it earlier in the day. I'm not an expert on tongue issues though as I've never had any with my chams so hopefully someone will be able to give you some more insight. However if worst comes to worst chams can live comfortable without a fully functional tongue as I have seen more than a few biting crickets in a dish after having tongue problems earlier in life and doing fine. Lets just hope it doesn't come to that though. If it is still happening in the morning I would take him to the vet right away. Good luck.


Justin

 

[OOOst16]

Yes he did do it more then once....he aproched the tweezers closer then normal....if it presists...ill vet it up.

 

[kinyonga]

You need to have a phos.-free calcium powder that you can use at most feedings IMHO. Also, the supplements and things that you feed to the insects...do they have phos., D3 or prEformed vitamin A in them?

 

[OOOst16]

No they do not all my things are phos and vit a free

 

[OOOst16]

Sorry for not editing but my phone will not alow me. The calcium gell doesn't have d3...he's getting his d3from his supplement and uvb bulb. He is acting completely normal...and is moving fine. His tail is completely functioning as his fith leg like normal....everythings normal wich is why I don't believe is mbd.

 

[OldSkoolxReasons]

I just got this from this link http://webhome.idirect.com/~chameleon/owners/chapter5-sub4.html

"Tounge Disfunctions

Causes: The chameleon could have a problem with his mouth, tongue or throat. This could be caused by a tongue infection, mouth abscesses, hypocalcaemia or vitamin deficiency. The infection could also be caused by puncture wound from enclosure or the sharp part of cricket leg!

Symptoms: (a) Your chameleon misses food constantly, probably due to the fact that he cannot "shoot" his tongue properly.
(b) Your chameleon will not be able to retract its tongue. In sever cases it can be completely extended, and your chameleon will not be able to coil it back into its mouth.

Treatment: Seek Veterinarian treatment immediately. Your chameleon will become rapidly dehydrated and starve unless treated immediately. Missing the insects is often a sign of a deficiency in B vitamins (and sometimes vitamin A deficiency). A good supplement containing these usually helps within 1-3 days if vitamin deficiency is the reason.

Prevention: Proper enclosure, supplements, lighting and hydration/humidity."

Basically it's saying you should go t the vet immediately. Since a vet is the only one going to be able to run tests for everything that can cause it. I just found it interesting on how many different things can cause tongue dysfunction. Good luck.



Justin



Also I would be using a phos and D3 free calcium powder lightly dusted at every other feeding for a male chameleon. Do you use plain calcium at all!?

 

[OldSkoolxReasons]

Also the inability to use the tongue properly is often a first symptom of MBD or calcium deficiency. After reading your post I have been researching it and I believe calcium deficiency is the problem. I called my vet at home to ask him what the most common cause of tongue problems was and he said that 50-60% of the tongue problems he sees are because of calcium deficiency. The others are usually due to hyperextension or injuries of the tongue getting stuck in wider screen or getting infected after getting cut on something in the cage. the percentages are estimated and probably not typical of everywhere but thats what he said he sees the most.

 

[OOOst16]

Thanks....I will be seaking medical. Vet treatment.

 

[OOOst16]

I'm revivng this for an update. Yoggs toung has not gon back to normall. After I started this I went to a exotics vet. Dr bob dolhausen. He has worked with chams extensivly. After I explaind my issue with yogg only shooting 1 inch of his toung, he did test for mbd. Yogg is able to stand himself up with 2 feet, and he has a deth grip and a fully functional tail. And no bone deformities. Because of my supp scedual and supplements in general he and I have come to the conclusion that it is not mbd, but a toung strain. I overlooked the fact that a few days before this happen yogg shot at a crix out of the tweezers,but I dropped somthing.trying to ppick it up yogg shot, and couldn't pull the crix out of the tweezers. I then let go,everything took less then two seconds. But it caused strain because he was trying to real it in like a fish. Yogg has been using his toung, but he only shoots it out one inch. He's been living with a disfunctional tounge for a month now and is completely normal. He's now 9 months. And is eating perfectly fine. He's in perfect health. And his colors palat has sky rocketed,and free of parasites(got another fecal done). He will live his life with a disfunctional toung. PAY ATENTION WHY HAND FEEDING. This was bad luck and not paying atention on my part. Don't make my mistake. Or your chams toung injurie could be way more severe.

 

[OldSkoolxReasons]

At least you know it's not MBD. That's a relief. Whenever I hand feed it's either from my fingers or from an 18inch set of tweezers. Both of which I can loosely grip the insect so I don't have to let go, it just gets sucked out of my hand/the tweezers soft grip. I had a female shoot when I wasn't looking before from her top branch while on her hind legs and almost fall because I didn't release the bug in time. On a good note I have seen more than a couple chams live full lives 5+years with partially working tongues or non working tongues. Good luck.



Justin