Alternative feeding???

elocineiram19

New Member
I have a small female jacksons chameleon. I uses to feed Her three cricket a x day. I noticed thather cheek Was swollen and purple. I took ver to the vet and he said it Was a cricket bite. She isnt eating!!! She doesnt like superworms or mealworms that much and i dont want for crickets to bite Her again. I have three questions:
how can I feed her if she doesn't want to eat?
What do I give her until she can eat normally again?
What insects don't bite that I can use instead of crickets and worms?
 
I have a small female jacksons chameleon. I uses to feed Her three cricket a x day. I noticed thather cheek Was swollen and purple. I took ver to the vet and he said it Was a cricket bite. She isnt eating!!! She doesnt like superworms or mealworms that much and i dont want for crickets to bite Her again. I have three questions:
how can I feed her if she doesn't want to eat?
What do I give her until she can eat normally again?
What insects don't bite that I can use instead of crickets and worms?

sounds like mounth roth she is going to need antibiotica prescribed by a vet as soon as possible
 
I have never heard of that before. It could be mis-diagnose from the doc's. I am not to sure. But in answer to your original question is horn worms. Even my picky eaters are all over horn worms. When I cant get them to eat that is my trick.
 
I have a small female jacksons chameleon. I uses to feed Her three cricket a x day. I noticed thather cheek Was swollen and purple. I took ver to the vet and he said it Was a cricket bite. She isnt eating!!! She doesnt like superworms or mealworms that much and i dont want for crickets to bite Her again. I have three questions:
how can I feed her if she doesn't want to eat?
What do I give her until she can eat normally again?
What insects don't bite that I can use instead of crickets and worms?

Without a picture its hard to be certain, but I think your vet is wrong here. Jax are prone to temporal gland infections. The temporal gland is located at each corner of the mouth. This is very painful which is probably why she isn't eating.
The gland infection can spread up into her cheek and to nasal passages and sinuses. From your description nothing "topical" will work. The gland will need to be opened up and cleared of infected material and the cham put on the appropriate antibiotics.
 
Picture of her

The vet injected her with antibiotic the other day but I haven't noticed much of a difference. I need to feed her but idk how to.:( she is skinnier image.jpg
 
Allison's(Carlton) seems 100% correct. Looks like classic temporal gland infection. I'd find a vet with more chameleon experience and get it treated ASAP. Good luck and hope she gets well. Btw silkworms have a higher nutritional value than hornworms, but the hornworms are enticing and good for hydrating.
 
Can i treat Her at home?

I don't know many vets that handle chameleons near my area. Can I do something at home to cure her?
 
I don't know many vets that handle chameleons near my area. Can I do something at home to cure her?

find a vet somewhere else, this is really sirous mount roth can kill you jackson in just less than a week, he will need antibiotica on regualr basis untill it gets better and as said by carlton a clean up or it could spreed to the jaw bone
 
I don't know many vets that handle chameleons near my area. Can I do something at home to cure her?

Where are you located? We have members all over the country and might be able to help you find a vet. Also, check out these resources:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/veterinarian-resources-67/

And you can search within this thread for a city new you:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/area-area-country-vet-list-32880/

The swollen area is full of thick, cheesy pus that must be cleaned out. If the pus is not cleaned out, the antibiotics can't get to the infection. Unlike in mammals where pus is liquid (usually), herp pus is very thick and medicines can't penetrate it. Unfortunately, it's not something you can treat at home.

Best of luck and let us know if we can help you find a vet. Chameleon care is a little unusual - even for a reptile. Finding a vet with chameleon experience can be difficult, but a good vet will do the needed research and call colleagues. Best of luck to you both.
 
That looks worse. Did you find another vet? If you don't have anyone else in your area I would at least go back to the same vet. Let them know that you have done some research and think it might be this gland problem. Maybe he could at least do a little research on how to treat it. If he doesn't have a god complex he should be receptive to learning more. I brought my guy in for a fecal and a get to know you visit. I wanted to check him out. He admitted that most of the chameleons he has seen have been vailed chameleons. He said he was up late the night before doing a little review in what he knew about panthers. I would try to find someone more experienced if I had a serious problem but it made me feel like he was open to suggestions and willing to go the extra mile.
 
I didn't find other reptile vets near me( Isabela, Puerto Rico) Tommorow I'm going to the same vet. Thanks everyone. If anybody knows a vet near me then I would appreciate it if you told me.
 
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