Mouth Rot and Eye Drops

[flaminglazer72]

Yesterday my 3 year old male Veiled Chameleon went to the vet. I had noticed some swelling in the eyes and discoloration of the gums when he was eating. Took him in as soon as I saw and luckily caught everything early. I'm just having a hard time getting him out of the enclosure to administer the medication. He's vert territorial and actually bit my finger for the first time a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what the best way to get him out of the enclosure is anymore. He used to want to come out on his own. I also don't want to cause him too much stress reaching in and grabbing him twice a day for his eye drops. And for those wondering, the Vet gave us Tobramycin for eye drops, Baytril and Meloxidyl for the mouth rot. Eye drops are every 12 hours and the oral meds are once a day, all meds are for 28 days. I hate to reach in and grab the guy because I know that's not the right thing to do. I also know that long term they lose trust with the handling and stress along with it. Any tips?

 

[ERKleRose]

Great job on catching it early and acting on it! Bill Strand has an episode in the Chameleon Breeder Podcast on how to hold an angry cham. Here’s the link: https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-82-holding-angry-chameleons/

 

[flaminglazer72]

Great job on catching it early and acting on it! Bill Strand has an episode in the Chameleon Breeder Podcast on how to hold an angry cham. Here’s the link: https://www.chameleonbreeder.com/podcast/ep-82-holding-angry-chameleons/

Holding we can manage, its getting him out of the enclosure. Its gotten to the point we have to wear gloves to give him medication now. But thanks for the tip!

 

[ERKleRose]

Holding we can manage, its getting him out of the enclosure. Its gotten to the point we have to wear gloves to give him medication now. But thanks for the tip!

Just slowly come from below and let him climb onto you or put your hand in one direction going towards him and offer him a branch in the other direction, hopefully you’ll chase him onto the branch and can lift him and it out of the enclosure

 

[Jesspete]

I keep a dowel rod handy, because it is so hard to reach that high and around all the branches. I can usually use it to run him close enough to me to make the process easier. Of course, this is only for my veiled. Everyone else is nicer.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I keep a dowel rod handy, because it is so hard to reach that high and around all the branches. I can usually use it to run him close enough to me to make the process easier. Of course, this is only for my veiled. Everyone else is nicer.

You just had me worried there for a second! Lol. Thanks for clarifying! I am really big on having chameleons that are so comfortable with me handling them that they will let me do anything to them without a fuss! That is how I raise all my babies I sell too! Once your boy is better it might be in the best interest of both of you to work at that for a happier future. I also agree that you did a great job catching the problem early!

 

[flaminglazer72]

I'm just starting to worry that I'm not able to take care of him anymore. His behavior has just taken a turn for the worse. It seems like every time I interact with him he wants me dead. It's a mission just to get him out of his enclosure to give him medication. Even if I open the screen door he puffs up. He actually bit my father really badly today while we were trying to subdue my chameleon. Luckily he was wearing gloves but if my chameleon is starting to bite right after being taken out of the enclosure I don't know how I'm supposed to administer his medicine for another 27 days straight. I'm worried all this stress daily could just be too much for him and will cause him to become too hostile to even keep anymore. I've tried for a long time to tame him with hand feedings. He does take little chunks of strawberry out of my hand, but doesn't understand that my hand is safe. After three years I never thought I'd have this problem with him. I'm not quite sure what to do anymore

 

[KingGoodman]

Raised a bit of bitey reptiles. We have leather gloves and jean pant legs sewn to them to cover up the elbows. Kept us from getting scratched up holding large green iguanas. No reason to take damage from a grumpy lizard you are trying to help.

 

[Thehippie]

maybe try a holding stick, offer it maybe with a feeder on the end so he knows its a stick and not your hand and he gets a reward at the end, when I first got my new cham he was a full grown biter so I totally understand the concern of not being able to care for him but don't give up, things will get better!! just spend a lot of time near him too, you can build back trust that way.