I have a senegal that I have had since February (about 4 months) and he seems to have some issues with his tongue. I apologize if this should be in the health forum, but it's also an eating issue, and I wonder if I have contributed.
When I first got him, I had crickets free in the cage. I was always worried about him eating, but then I did witness it. I was actually very impressed with how far his tongue could reach! At that point, I'm sure he was hungry, and certainly not lazy, though he never really did seem to 'hunt'. I was always worried the crickets were just hiding or getting out of the cage.
I started to feed him superworms, but wasn't sure how to go about it. Eventually, I worked up to him being comfortable eating them from a leaf shaped dish I would hold in front of him. Since he seems to recognize the dish more than anything, I can hold a cricket over the edge of the dish (because they get away) and he will get it too.
The thing is, he gets as close to the dish as possible, which makes sense I guess. However, that isn't always a much exercise for his tongue, and I'm wondering if that is the issue; if he needs to be really using it! It is almost certain that his first shot misses! It either seems to go a little short, or sometimes barely shoots out at all. I don't know if it's just that he's unsure how far to shoot it at close range and under compensates, or what. The subsequent shot usually hits on target.
It's not that his tongue doesn't work fine, but just as to why he tends to miss his first attempt that worries me!
When I first got him, I had crickets free in the cage. I was always worried about him eating, but then I did witness it. I was actually very impressed with how far his tongue could reach! At that point, I'm sure he was hungry, and certainly not lazy, though he never really did seem to 'hunt'. I was always worried the crickets were just hiding or getting out of the cage.
I started to feed him superworms, but wasn't sure how to go about it. Eventually, I worked up to him being comfortable eating them from a leaf shaped dish I would hold in front of him. Since he seems to recognize the dish more than anything, I can hold a cricket over the edge of the dish (because they get away) and he will get it too.
The thing is, he gets as close to the dish as possible, which makes sense I guess. However, that isn't always a much exercise for his tongue, and I'm wondering if that is the issue; if he needs to be really using it! It is almost certain that his first shot misses! It either seems to go a little short, or sometimes barely shoots out at all. I don't know if it's just that he's unsure how far to shoot it at close range and under compensates, or what. The subsequent shot usually hits on target.
It's not that his tongue doesn't work fine, but just as to why he tends to miss his first attempt that worries me!
