Choking! Need help fast

[Ant0n101]

Here is a link explaining the situation

https://www.chameleonforums.com/veiled-chamaleon-handling-13650/

I fed the chameleon a cricket , average sized, and he chased it across the cage and eventually ate it. It's only been a few minutes but he keeps opening and closing his mouth like he is trying to chew, and you can see a bump in the chameleon's mouth going up and down which I am guessing is the cricket. Can they throw up their food if they need to and is there anything I can do? Thank you

Update: His color is fine but he developed bright green spots. They are hard to see, but are there. He also stopped swallowing and opening and closing his mouth

 

[chamlover]

How's your buddy doing now? If i were you i would give him extra fluids just to help digestion a little. Couldn't hurt.

Debby

 

[Ant0n101]

I think he is ok now. His color is fine and he is perched on his usual spot, sun bathing. I misted him awhile ago and he got his fill of water. I also put in another cricket, but he didn't go after it, he just watched it. Also, can I just put crickets in his enclosure, and he eats when he pleases?

 

[THECHAMMAN]

no, after a the crix poop a lil bit they loose their nutritional value

 

[BocaJan]

Did I understand this post correctly - if a cricket poops before my cham eats it, it loses it's nutritional value? I haven't heard this before. Someone please clarify.

Thanks

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

BocaJan

That is the reason for gut loading. Its provides nutrients. What crickets eat your Cham eats. A Cricket who poops but does not eat is an empty shell.

Sometimes in the Crickets abdomen you can see what they have been eating. Try feeding a few only carrots. They will be orange in the abdomen area and their poop will be orange

Ryan

 

[AndrewH]

no, it takes about 3 days for a feeder to pass what it ate. It's the recommended time you should quarantine a Wild caught feeder so that it can pass anything that maybe harmful to your cham.

 

[Ant0n101]

Cool, i learned something today. So how many crickets a day would be sufficient at this stage? I'm guessing it can be different for every cham. Also, if the cham is showing no signs of stress, the large cricket did not harm it right? He is still a juvenile

 

[spatulars]

The crickets you feed shouldn't be larger than the width of your chameleon's head as a general rule. The smaller meals are easier for younger chameleons to swallow and digest. If your chameleon is getting larger, larger crickets are probably fine.

 

[Ant0n101]

He still ate the cricket even though it was a little bigger than his head. I'm just making sure he will be ok

 

[spatulars]

You said he's still doing fine, then he'll definitely be ok. Suffocation would be recognizable within minutes. He just might not digest the crickets as completely. I apologize, I thought you were asking if it was ok to keep feeding him big crickets.

When my chameleon eats crickets, I see him move his throat like you described.

 

[Ant0n101]

oh ok. Thanks alot. Let me bother you with another question. We have a mini dripper and have it on top of the cage and let it drip into the cage and into a bowl at the bottom. Is this good or should I go with a different approach with the dripper? I will eventually post pictures of the cage and everything so you can tell me if it needs any improvements. Thanks again

 

[AndrewH]

oh ok. Thanks alot. Let me bother you with another question. We have a mini dripper and have it on top of the cage and let it drip into the cage and into a bowl at the bottom. Is this good or should I go with a different approach with the dripper? I will eventually post pictures of the cage and everything so you can tell me if it needs any improvements. Thanks again

I think thats cool, I do the same for my cham, i covered the bowl with a sheet of aluminum screening, prevents him from pooping in it, bugs getting in and him ever trying to drink out of it. but it also works for keeping humidity up a bit.

 

[dodolah]

for couple of days, monitor his fecal activity.
Check if he's not pooping at all. There is a chance of impaction happening.
If he poops normally, then you can be a bit relaxed.

I am not trying to be a pessimist.. it's more of being a cautious keeper.
There is a reason behind the feeder size rule of "width" between the cham's eyes, y'know.


Glad to hear that your cham is ok

 

[Nicodemayo]

no, it takes about 3 days for a feeder to pass what it ate. It's the recommended time you should quarantine a Wild caught feeder so that it can pass anything that maybe harmful to your cham.

not necessarily true. Ive fed starving crickets collard greens and they were pooping green in less than 6 hours. For some WC feeders this may be true but for crickets it certainly isnt

 

[Canopy Chameleons]

Nico, it's a matter of what's being absorbed by the cricket, not passed. You need to gutload your crickets 24 hours prior to feeding, but guaranteed they've pooped in between eating and being fed off.

 

[Ant0n101]

for couple of days, monitor his fecal activity.
Check if he's not pooping at all. There is a chance of impaction happening.
If he poops normally, then you can be a bit relaxed.

I am not trying to be a pessimist.. it's more of being a cautious keeper.
There is a reason behind the feeder size rule of "width" between the cham's eyes, y'know.


Glad to hear that your cham is ok

Thanks alot I will monitor his pooping activity.