Help! Why is he doing this?

[RescueMom]

I have read through a lot of post so that I don't duplicate a question that's already been asked and answered but I don't see the problem that my Panther is having.

He's 4 yrs old and he has mbd. He stopped eating on his own because it hurts so much to try to use his tongue so I've hand fed him for over a year, other than horn worms which he was eating up until January. I've been giving him repta boost as a supplement.

Suddenly, over the past week, he has started puffing out his throat when he breaths. He doesn't do it continously, but it gets worse throughout the day. Now his left eye is watery looking and he's keeping it closed a lot too.

I turned off the mister because the water is to cold, but I spray him with warm water 3 times a day.

Basking temp is between 85-90. He has a tube UVB light and a regular UVB, both changed every 6 months.

Is this respiratory? Could he have aspirated some of the supplement?

 

[Bmjo]

I have read through a lot of post so that I don't duplicate a question that's already been asked and answered but I don't see the problem that my Panther is having.

He's 4 yrs old and he has mbd. He stopped eating on his own because it hurts so much to try to use his tongue so I've hand fed him for over a year, other than horn worms which he was eating up until January. I've been giving him repta boost as a supplement.

Suddenly, over the past week, he has started puffing out his throat when he breaths. He doesn't do it continously, but it gets worse throughout the day. Now his left eye is watery looking and he's keeping it closed a lot too.

I turned off the mister because the water is to cold, but I spray him with warm water 3 times a day.

Basking temp is between 85-90. He has a tube UVB light and a regular UVB, both changed every 6 months.

Is this respiratory? Could he have aspirated some of the supplement?

Is there cracking noises or popping noises when he breathes?

 

[RescueMom]

Is there cracking noises or popping noises when he breathes?

No. He has made a noise that sounds like a gasping noise, but that's only when I had him out of the cage a time or two. Otherwise he isn't making any noise

 

[JacksJill]

I'm not a panther owner but that looks like a threat or mating display. Hope others can fill in the blanks for you.

 

[Darthroastcoffee]

Have you tried to check and see if he has a cut or infection on his tongue. They usually push there tongue out like that to make themselves seem larger then they are, however that looks kind of big I had a ambilobe around that size and his didn’t seem that fat or droopy looking. Is it like that most of the day?

 

[RescueMom]

I'm not a panther owner but that looks like a threat or mating display. Hope others can fill in the blanks for you.

Yes I'm sure that's not what this is. He has only gotten threatening once and he didn't look like this. Thank you though

 

[RescueMom]

Have you tried to check and see if he has a cut or infection on his tongue. They usually push there tongue out like that to make themselves seem larger then they are, however that looks kind of big I had a ambilobe around that size and his didn’t seem that fat or droopy looking. Is it like that most of the day?

I did try to look at his tongue and it looks swollen but I couldn't see anything specific. He doesn't use his tongue because of the mbd.
He doesn't start out this puffed up, but gets bigger throughout the day. He seems to use his throat like a balloon to breath. It goes out, but then back in. I know he doesn't feel good, but I don't know what to do

 

[Darthroastcoffee]

Have you tried taking him to the vet you might be able to catch it earlier rather then when it’s to late it could be a number of things that a simple blood test or some stool samples might tell you what’s wrong

 

[kinyonga]

Had your son been posting on here under a different name? I feel like I've seen this chameleon not too long ago.

The throat puffing I'm home isn't aggression or threat...it's a health issues but I'm not sure what is causing it for sure.

What has been done to correct the MBD?

Have you used a dripper on his cage?

What happened to his nose crest bones...the area appears thick and damaged?

Please answer the questions in this thread so we have more to go on....
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[RescueMom]

Had your son been posting on here under a different name? I feel like I've seen this chameleon not too long ago.

The throat puffing I'm home isn't aggression or threat...it's a health issues but I'm not sure what is causing it for sure.

What has been done to correct the MBD?

Have you used a dripper on his cage?

What happened to his nose crest bones...the area appears thick and damaged?

Please answer the questions in this thread so we have more to go on....
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

I've posted on here but it was over a year ago.

As far as his crest goes at the top of his head, that was from a burn due to his heat light being too close to the top of his cage a year and a half ago. He's shed several times and it continues to scab over (if you will). it comes off and each time it looks pink, but it's continued to get better.

He had blood work done at the vet about a year ago and all labs were normals. The mbd was barely apparent in Xrays. It was most from his tongue that it was diagnosed. He was on a prescription calcium supplement for a while. I've watched his food and supplements since.

He does have a dripper in his cage, as well as a mister. He gets under the dripper and lets the water drop on his head throughout the day. The mister is off for now.

 

[kinyonga]

If the MBD was causing the tongue problem then the treatment should have solved the problem IMHO....so we need to figure out why it is still a problem. Why do you say it's painful for him to extend the tongue?

Good to know that the nose crest is an old problem and all is improving with it!

When he inflates the gular pouch does he open his mouth and raise his nose in the air at all? Does he do it more after eating or drinking?

 

[RescueMom]

If the MBD was causing the tongue problem then the treatment should have solved the problem IMHO....so we need to figure out why it is still a problem. Why do you say it's painful for him to extend the tongue?

Good to know that the nose crest is an old problem and all is improving with it!

When he inflates the gular pouch does he open his mouth and raise his nose in the air at all? Does he do it more after eating or drinking?

He would try to use his tongue but it would pull up and to the left so he would miss. He only gets it out an inch or so. I would hold a lid out in front of him with whatever worm was on it and he would try several times. This is how he ate for a a long time. But then it got worse. Each time he'd miss he would smack his mouth (bad description) like he was trying to get the nerve up to try again. After about the third try, he'd give up. It's very sad.

He does not open his mouth or raise his head when he does that. He does it if he's walking, or lying down.

He is interested in water, but not at all in any food. I've been feeding him wax worms (manually) for fat and repta boost for vitamins for a while now. This has just started in the last week.

 

[kinyonga]

What specific supplements are you using and how often for each? I'm particularly interested in the calcium, phosphorous-free, vitamin D and the kind of vitamin A (prEformed or prOformed) in them.
What brand and type is the second UVB light? What light do you use for a basking light?
No light on at night...right??
What specifically do you feed/gutload the insects with?

The mouth "smacking" is likely him trying to adjust the tongue to fire it again. Tongue issues are the result of an infection, injury, MBD or other nutrient issue or sometimes dehydration. MBD not only affects the bones but the muscles...but you said it's been corrected...so we need to look at the other possibilities.

 

[Harry The Cham]

He would try to use his tongue but it would pull up and to the left so he would miss. He only gets it out an inch or so. I would hold a lid out in front of him with whatever worm was on it and he would try several times. This is how he ate for a a long time. But then it got worse. Each time he'd miss he would smack his mouth (bad description) like he was trying to get the nerve up to try again. After about the third try, he'd give up. It's very sad.

He does not open his mouth or raise his head when he does that. He does it if he's walking, or lying down.

He is interested in water, but not at all in any food. I've been feeding him wax worms (manually) for fat and repta boost for vitamins for a while now. This has just started in the last week.

I know why he is doing this the tounge is sprained you need to put it right up to him to eat he will never be able to eat like he had before just pretend you have a colorful iguana

 

[Angelwolf]

He needs to see a vet. I just lost my guy and we had no idea what was going on with him, until it was too late.

 

[RescueMom]

I know why he is doing this the tounge is sprained you need to put it right up to him to eat he will never be able to eat like he had before just pretend you have a colorful iguana

I do hold his food directly in front of him. Sometimes on a lid, sometimes with tongues, but he still misses. I have a food cup I use too and he would stick his head literally inside, and still not get a bite, even if it was crawling with giant meal worms
Occasionally he hits the food, but his tongue doesn't pick it up.
He has always had bad aim since he was 6 months old. The issue with it not going out far started about a year ago and got progressively worse until he won't use it at all.

 

[RescueMom]

He needs to see a vet. I just lost my guy and we had no idea what was going on with him, until it was too late.

I'm terribly sorry for your loss it is heartbreaking.
This has been about the same for the last couple of days. I'm going to take him on Monday

 

[RescueMom]

What specific supplements are you using and how often for each? I'm particularly interested in the calcium, phosphorous-free, vitamin D and the kind of vitamin A (prEformed or prOformed) in them.
What brand and type is the second UVB light? What light do you use for a basking light?
No light on at night...right??
What specifically do you feed/gutload the insects with?

The mouth "smacking" is likely him trying to adjust the tongue to fire it again. Tongue issues are the result of an infection, injury, MBD or other nutrient issue or sometimes dehydration. MBD not only affects the bones but the muscles...but you said it's been corrected...so we need to look at the other possibilities.

No light at night. 12 hours of UVB and heat.
All of the bulbs are correct. zoo med dome light with zoomed basking heat bulb and zoo med UVB bulb plus a zoomed strip light with a reptisun bulb.

He hasn't eaten anything other than hornworms, wax worms, butterworms and silk worms for a long time. I've given him repta boost to supplement everything he's missing, but only a few times times a week since it's stressful to do that daily.

When I got him a year and a half ago, he was already dead. If I posted a picture of him then, you wouldn't believe it

 

[RescueMom]

No light at night. 12 hours of UVB and heat.
All of the bulbs are correct. zoo med dome light with zoomed basking heat bulb and zoo med UVB bulb plus a zoomed strip light with a reptisun bulb.

He hasn't eaten anything other than hornworms, wax worms, butterworms and silk worms for a long time. I've given him repta boost to supplement everything he's missing, but only a few times times a week since it's stressful to do that daily.

When I got him a year and a half ago, he was almost dead. If I posted a picture of him then, you wouldn't believe it

 

[Angelwolf]

I'm terribly sorry for your loss it is heartbreaking.
This has been about the same for the last couple of days. I'm going to take him on Monday

I'm glad you are going to take him in. My Echo had been doing some strange things that seemed to be minor for months before he died and come to find out, they were warning signs of his impending condition.