How to administer antibiotic to j chameleon?

[cheekymonkey]

My juvenile Jackson Chameleon, Mr Busby developed a swollen back foot (the back half). Took him to a vet who instructed me to give him 2 amoxicillin drops orally per day for a week. I saw him do it the first time by holding him and putting some on his mouth hoping for him to open. He didn't get much in. When it was time for his next dose at home, again he struggled and kept his mouth clamped shut. Afterward he was very stressed and didn't eat and hid out for the rest of the day with his swollen foot hanging off the perches. Please help, is there a more effective and less stressful way to give him his antibiotic. Thanks much.

 

[Vibrant Chameleons]

I don't know if this has ever been tried, but I'd try to inject the dose into the cricket and hand feed him the cricket

 

[ChameleonsTree]

Ok if you have someone there to help you. You can use this spatula knife type thing the vet has to pry his mouth open. I can usually just stick the tip of the syringe in between the lips and wiggle his teeth apart...i do this on the side of the mouth. Some vets will lightly tug on the skin under their jaw...ive seen it worked for them but i never got them to open up that way.

 

[Will Hayward]

Derek, Silkworms work best. Hornworms tended to rupture on me, where the silkworms skin was more elastic-like so it seald the hole. Take a needle with a fine tip. Dilute the amoxicillin in some water, and use the needle to suck up all of it, inject into a silkworm on a horozontal angle at one of the folds of their skin. I havent tried butter worms yet though.

I used this alot for giving panacur, but the needle cant be too fine for that ecause the panacur dust isn't very soluble. I also use it on dehydrated chameleons.

Crickets dont hold it too well... I suppose if you only need a really small amount...

 

[Vibrant Chameleons]

Good idea Will. I guess I was on the right track though lol. You're right, silkies would be much better.

 

[Will Hayward]

You sure were, Ive only heard a few other people doing it like I do. I think most just use the old chin pull and nose clog to open the mouth. Which works, but takes a bit of practice for good technique.

 

[Vibrant Chameleons]

Trying to pry open a chameleons mouth, all I can really see happening is either injury or stress from someone with no experience. If they will willingly still take their food, injecting into a silkie, roach or cricket would be the best bet.

 

[cheekymonkey]

Where do you get a needle?

Thanks for the injecting a silkworm idea/method. However, being a real novice at taking care of a chameleon, what type of needle would you use and where might I find one? I chose not to give Mr Busby his evening dose of antibiotic because I felt it would just stress him too much. I think having to grab him and pry open his mouth would cause much more harm to him at this point. I will probably have to force his mouth open tomorrow am which pains me to think of it.

He was less active today than usual, sitting and closing his eyes this afternoon, and from what I have read, this means he is not healthy. He ate very little today, but still moved around some despite his swollen foot. I can tell it is painful because he babies it and puts pressure on it very gingerly.

Thanks very much for your help.

 

[ponders]

How about spraying him with water and when he starts to drink dropper the antibiotic into his mouth at the same time? Less stressful and you don't have to pry his mouth open.

 

[Sepioteuthis]

I have found that it works well to squirt the antibiotic in their mouth while they're chewing, but I like the idea of injecting the antibiotic into a silkworm. That definitely sounds like the only really stressfree way.

 

[chrisandpugs]

Hi Will,
Excellent idea regarding injecting silkworms!!

I assume that you have to be very careful inserting the needle in the silkworm or else you will kill the silkworm and the Chameleon won't eat a silkworm that's not moving around. Have you tested the injection with giant mealworms at all??

Christine

 

[christyo2o2]

Ok if you have someone there to help you. You can use this spatula knife type thing the vet has to pry his mouth open. I can usually just stick the tip of the syringe in between the lips and wiggle his teeth apart...i do this on the side of the mouth. Some vets will lightly tug on the skin under their jaw...ive seen it worked for them but i never got them to open up that way.

we had to open our scooter's mouth by pulling on the skin on bottom jaw, he faught sometimes you just have to not rip his skin off.

 

[dodolah]

I have found that it works well to squirt the antibiotic in their mouth while they're chewing, but I like the idea of injecting the antibiotic into a silkworm. That definitely sounds like the only really stressfree way.

the problem is how he get an injection syringe in the first place.
I doubt it is readily available in the store.

 

[kinyonga]

You should be able to buy syringes at a drugstore. They usually have ones for diabetics there.

As for the chameleon....did the vet clean the pus out of the foot? If it wasn't cleaned out I doubt that the antibiotics will get rid of it.....it will just spread. You don't even know if the antibiotic you are using will work against the bacteria that is in the foot if you don't get a culture and sensitivity test done.

To get it into the chameleon's mouth, getting it to drink and then slipping it in with a needleless syringe or injecting it into an insect for the chameleon to eat are the least stressful ways.