Prolapse

Chameleon Info:

Your Chameleon - Franklin is a 4 year old veiled chameleon. I got him new years eve
Handling - Only when he was placed in his new enclosure
Feeding - Alternate between crickets and superworms. Crickets get calcium enriched quencher cubes, flukers dry cricket food, and some greens depending on whats in the fridge (mostly romaine). Supwerworms get bran, carrots, apples, and also romaine. He gets fed 4x a week, usually 4-6 large crickets, or 5 medium superworms. He eats from my hand or a cup.
Supplements - Before i had gotten him, he was given ReptoCal by tetrafauna, calcium with D3 every feeding for probably 3 of his years. (I'm surprised he doesn't have mbd, but I'm not sure how often they fed him either).I switched him to a normal schedule of stickytongue farms supplements. 2x a month calcium with D3, 2x a month vitamin, plain calcium every feeding.
Watering - I hand mist him about 4-5 times a day. I mist until everything is wet, and then some. I have never seen him drink. The cage dries out between mistings.
Fecal Description - Normal
History - He was a college student pet his first year, then the student was going to throw him out in the Pennsylvania wilderness because he did not want him anymore, so his new owner (he was friends with this guy) took him in. This guy's mom has cared for him since.


Cage Info:

Cage Type - 2x2x4 wood with 1" screen. Plant fabric is on 2 sides and part of the back to prevent water spray, and keep humidity.
Lighting -He came with a brand new compact 10.0 repti-sun. I usually don't use compacts, but it was new, and they have used them with him the entire time they have had him. He also has a 60 watt house bulb in a dome for heat. Lights come on at 9 a.m. and off at 9p.m.
Temperature - Current temps as of right now are: basking spot is at 86, mid is 79, bottom is 75. The room is kept between 75 and 80 degrees. The temp increases a little bit during the day. The lowest overnight temp he ever went through was during the arctic freeze, and it was 65. normal night time temps are 70. Measured with a digital thermometer.
Humidity - Right now they are 50%, but increase after I mist.
Plants - He has a Pothos and a large shefflura. All the plants have been repotted in organic soil
Placement - The cage sits directly on the floor because it is a slanted ceiling. It is right in front of a window, he likes to bask in the morning sun, i know there's no uvb, but he still likes it.
Location - Altoona Pennsylvania

Problem: When he was having his poop issues a few weeks ago, I noticed that the tip of one of his hemiphenes was hard and crunchy. I'm guessing he had it the whole time and it never bothered him. He started to poop and urate normal. He gets around fine, has sperm plugs from his good hemiphene, etc. I haven't been home all day and when i got home today, it was sticking the whole way out. Its hard and crunchy like a booger. My boyfriend said it wasn't out earlier. I covered it in mineral oil hoping that it might go back in, but not looking good. I called the vet, and my normal exotics vet had retired, so the closest place is over an hour away and its a 2 week wait because theyre still taking in the overflow of people from the other vet. What can i do? There doesn't seem to be any infection, will it fall off on its own?

yeah if its already crunchy, it's sad to say, but you're too late.

You don't have to go to an exotics vet, but you NEED that amputated or see if someone can take care of it

SaintJimmy said:

yeah if its already crunchy, it's sad to say, but you're too late.

You don't have to go to an exotics vet, but you NEED that amputated or see if someone can take care of it

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I'm having trouble getting into any vet at this point. It won't fall off on its own if i keep it sterile? Like castrating a bull? As long as i make sure he doesn't get an infection...

amanda509 said:

I'm having trouble getting into any vet at this point. It won't fall off on its own if i keep it sterile? Like castrating a bull? As long as i make sure he doesn't get an infection...

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Not that I know. The part still inside him is probably moist, preventing it from disconnecting.

Even if there is no infection, it will become dead and become an infection and necrotize..

You can't find one single vet that's open?

SaintJimmy said:

Not that I know. The part still inside him is probably moist, preventing it from disconnecting.

Even if there is no infection, it will become dead and become an infection and necrotize..

You can't find one single vet that's open?

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It's not a matter of them being open, nobody is open tonight. It's a matter of one who will take in a chameleon. The one that i normally go to retired, and the other, over an hour away, is packed with the overflow from the first one retiring. I tried calling the emergency hotline for two of the local cat and dog ones, but they said they wont take him because he's a chameleon -.- I don't know what to do...

Honestly, he needs a vet asap.

So I would call ahead to the closest one available that takes reptiles and just go

Oh no. Sorry to here this. To those who have responded, do you speak out of past experience with this? I ask because I sometimes notice something similar (although much much smaller) on my cham.

I assumed it was a left over poo or bug parts etc. I toyed with the idea of pullin git out (Ok, who HASN'T pulled out something a pet dog has eaten from thier bottom at some time or another)

I'm glad I didn't, but I don't recall seeing it recently. This thread brought it back to mind (and I will check this evening)

Assuming the part sticking out is dead, can it not be clipped off? I know it's best to find a vet, but as is here with amanda509, it's not always possible. Maybe if the part is removed, what let out can be pulled back in and heal oover time, or at least not get worse until a vet can be found.

About a month ago my male panther showed the same signs. But I played with a bit an notice it was only a meal worm an was about to get it out..: I don't know it this helps but that's my experience

This is how I handle prolapse: Soak in cold water with as much sugar dissolved in the water as you can get. Soak 5 minutes and take out for 5 minutes and apply KY Jelly, then soak 5 more minutes and then apply KY. Continue to do this until either he pulls it back in or you get him to the vet. If he doesn't pull it back in on his own he will probably need it amputated. You can try to help him get it back in after you have soaked it for awhile and the vet will try to get it back in. If it's been out for awhile the chances of him or the vet getting it back in are slim and he'll probably need it amputated. Most do just fine after the amputation.

What's the point of the sugar?

Like I said, if it's dry there is little to no chance he'll pull it back in I hope your guy is ok.

broderp said:

What's the point of the sugar?

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It helps to shrink so that it might possibly go back in.

I am so sorry to hear about your boy. Franklin was the name of my veiled though! So I'm really rooting for this guy. Can't believe someone else named their chameleon Franklin. Makes me smile. Great minds think alike!

So far so good. Its still sticking out, but he's still as happy as a cham can be. Eating (soft bugs to help when it comes time to pass them), drinking, active...

That looks like a dried sperm plug to me.

Trace said:

That looks like a dried sperm plug to me.

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It's much bigger than a sperm plug, and it's pinkish...like Turkey jerky...

Yeah they look like that, particularly ones that haven't been expelled in a long while. Here are some rather large sperm plugs from a Trioceros cristatus. They needed manual removal and the drier ends closer to the vent do get quite reddy-brown.

Trace said:

Yeah they look like that, particularly ones that haven't been expelled in a long while. Here are some rather large sperm plugs from a Trioceros cristatus. They needed manual removal and the drier ends closer to the vent do get quite reddy-brown.

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Gross! I've never seen them like that before! Okay, ill investigate it further when I get home...and double check..