Bad aim - vit A treatment options?

[mons00n]

Hi everyone,

Kepler is doing well, besides the fact that his aim is horrible. A few people on these forums have mentioned that Vit-A is a treatment option for tongue problems and I was wondering if that would possibly help with his bad aim. I currently have a supply of Repashy VitA+ and would love to start treating him if you think it may help.

Here's a video I just shot of him trying to eat a dubia off the wall of his cage. As you can see as his tongue leaves his mouth in some awkward direction, which causes him miss unless he is really close.

My primary questions are as follows:

1. Will Repashy VitA+ help with this condition?
2. If so, how many feeders should I be dusting with it, and how often? (Daily, weekly, monthly?). His feeders are currently dusted with RepashyCalc+ daily.

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[Zubi]

i really dont know about the tongue thing, but what was wrong with him with that whole "he can only turn left" thing?

 

[sandrachameleon]

You could try adding it once or twice. But you are already providing preformed vitamin A in the Repashy + so Im not sure this would be the issue. there are many possible reasons for tongue issues.
for example, dehydration, insufficient calcium and magnesium, bacterial infection, or injury

some links you may find interesting:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/my-cham-has-tongue-issue-80739/#post764105

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/232-tongue-troubles.html

https://www.chameleonforums.com/very-uncommun-tongue-phenomenon-44203/#post411755

 

[mons00n]

i really dont know about the tongue thing, but what was wrong with him with that whole "he can only turn left" thing?

not entirely sure what happened. Seems to be a one time occurrence - here's the thread I posted when it happened...plenty of discussion within.

You could try adding it once or twice. But you are already providing preformed vitamin A in the Repashy + so Im not sure this would be the issue. there are many possible reasons for tongue issues.
for example, dehydration, insufficient calcium and magnesium, bacterial infection, or injury

some links you may find interesting:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/my-cham-has-tongue-issue-80739/#post764105

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/232-tongue-troubles.html

https://www.chameleonforums.com/very-uncommun-tongue-phenomenon-44203/#post411755

I'll check those out later this evening...but he's kind of been a bad shot his entire life so who knows. You say 'once or twice' - do you mean once or twice for his entire life? Or weekly/monthly/etc?

 

[sandrachameleon]

I'll check those out later this evening...but he's kind of been a bad shot his entire life so who knows. You say 'once or twice' - do you mean once or twice for his entire life? Or weekly/monthly/etc?

I was literally thinking once or twice, one or two times. I figured that would be unlikely to do harm, anyways.

I may not be your best resource regarding preformed Vitamin A. I went over a decade without providing any at all to my chameleons, and they were fine. So naturally its hard for me to believe all the hype about how important it is as a miracle solution to so many issues.

Plus, You'll also see in one of those links that a vet states quite clearly that Vitamin A is highly unlikely to cause a tongue issue.

 

[mons00n]

I was literally thinking once or twice, one or two times. I figured that would be unlikely to do harm, anyways.

I may not be your best resource regarding preformed Vitamin A. I went over a decade without providing any at all to my chameleons, and they were fine. So naturally its hard for me to believe all the hype about how important it is as a miracle solution to so many issues.

Plus, You'll also see in one of those links that a vet states quite clearly that Vitamin A is highly unlikely to cause a tongue issue.

Yea I've talked to Chad from Tiki and Ed from Kammers...neither knew of a good solution either =(

 

[sandrachameleon]

you're sure there is no injury or mouth rot or anything like that?
you are certain he isnt in the least bit dehydrated?

 

[mons00n]

you're sure there is no injury or mouth rot or anything like that?

The inside of his mouth looks perfectly normal to me, I'll double check tomorrow. I have no reason to suspect mouth injury - he eats fine when he does nab the food.

you are certain he isnt in the least bit dehydrated?

He may be slightly dehydrated from time to time...but he's such a picky eater & drinker I'm not sure how to correct that. I mist every 1.5 hours with an aquazamp for 30 seconds along with two long mistings (2min); one morning, one evening. Here's a shot of him watching the transit of venus:


do his turrents look sunken in at all?

 

[sandrachameleon]

he looks fine to me. Well nourished, not dehydrated.
Bowl feeding may be the way to go.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

My veileds tongue shoots crooked after he injured it once. It's such delicate tissue that any scar tissue can alter its ability to work properly. Mine got disheartened by always missing so he doesn't even shoot in anymore. He has to eat out of a cup where he dives in and just bites the bugs.