Hornworm Help!!!

[chameleonquestionsaddie]

I put a hornworm in my chameleons cage bc he loves those, and K saw him begin to hunt it and he even hit it with his tongue. Apparently the horn worm was stuck to the plant to well and he couldn’t get it with just his tongue as he began tugging at it while half the worm was in his mouth. It still wouldn’t come off and I was going to help but it is attached to his foot or something?! The worm is cut open I think bc the juices of it are dripping but it’s too “stuck” for him to get I think. What should I do?!

 

[chameleonquestionsaddie]

Update he got it! Sorry. That scared me has that happened to anyone else?

 

[Grayson Payne]

I would just monitor his tongue. There have been instances where chameleons can get tongue injuries from hornworms not coming off of their surfaces.

 

[SourGrape4u]

I know this is unrelated but it looks like he lost a lot of weight compared to the pictures you have when you first got him. Seems very skinny how much are you feeding him?

 

[chameleonquestionsaddie]

I know this is unrelated but it looks like he lost a lot of weight compared to the pictures you have when you first got him. Seems very skinny how much are you feeding him?

Oh no he does?! I used to give him 8-12 small crickets, but I buy the large size now and give him like 7. I bought dubia roaches for the first time yesterday and gave him 4 dubias and 3 crickets. He ate it all except 2 of the roaches. Sometimes I go and he didn’t eat his food that day. That has happened like 3 times randomly.

 

[chameleonquestionsaddie]

I would just monitor his tongue. There have been instances where chameleons can get tongue injuries from hornworms not coming off of their surfaces.

How do I know his tongue is not injured?

 

[chameleonquestionsaddie]

I know this is unrelated but it looks like he lost a lot of weight compared to the pictures you have when you first got him. Seems very skinny how much are you feeding him?

How big should he look? I just assumed that he looked healthy because I couldn’t see his ribs. Should I feed him more?

 

[Grayson Payne]

How do I know his tongue is not injured?

I’ve never had it actually happen or anything but I’ve heard they can stop shooting their tongue. Just watch out for it is all I was saying.

 

[AnamCara]

I found it helpful to get my Chameleons to eat out of plastic deli cups in my hand. I only feed Hornworms and Silkworms inside a plastic cup -- that way they cannot grip to anything.

Monitor his eating. You'll know if he can't use his tongue.

 

[SourGrape4u]

How big should he look? I just assumed that he looked healthy because I couldn’t see his ribs. Should I feed him more?

It could have been the angle of the camera take some pictures tomorrow and post them, his legs just looked really skinny and his neck area.

 

[SourGrape4u]

For reference look at my guys legs and all. He is about a year old.

 

[chameleonquestionsaddie]

It could have been the angle of the camera take some pictures tomorrow and post them, his legs just looked really skinny and his neck area.

This was him last week from a different angle he is 6 months old. But i’ll get some from a different angle tomorrow.

 

[chameleonquestionsaddie]

For reference look at my guys legs and all. He is about a year old.

He’s so pretty! I have been wondering... I’ve seen people post pictures of their chameleon when the neck is puffed up like that. Mine has never done that. I know they puff up when they may be mad, but wouldn’t he get dark as well? Mine is dark sometimes but he has never looked like that. Is that because he is too skinny?

 

[SourGrape4u]

He’s so pretty! I have been wondering... I’ve seen people post pictures of their chameleon when the neck is puffed up like that. Mine has never done that. I know they puff up when they may be mad, but wouldn’t he get dark as well? Mine is dark sometimes but he has never looked like that. Is that because he is too skinny?

Mine was because he saw my female. But you can get yours to do it by showing him a mirror. Also 6 months is young he will get so many more colors the older he gets!